Tauranga paving the way in homeless support, says local advocate

Gaynor Wilkie, Tracy Carlton and Pip Brook are part of new advocacy group Tauranga Moana Aunties. Photo / George Novak

A new homeless advocacy group has opened in Tauranga, based on a successful organisation in Auckland called The Aunties. The new group is spearheaded by Dame Susan Devoy and has big plans for the future. The news comes as the Government announces a $54 million investment into helping at-risk people get off the streets through programmes such as Housing First, which has proved successful in Tauranga.

A new homeless advocacy group called the Tauranga Moana Aunties has big plans for the city.

Spearheaded by Dame Susan Devoy in conjunction with Tauranga Women's Refuge and Street Kai, the group planned to rally around the vulnerable to help source any necessities or materials they may need.

Dame Susan Devoy speaking at an event in 2016. Photo / File

These materials included basic things to keep people warm, toiletries or even underwear.

Devoy said after being a part of the Auckland Aunties, she had a "lightbulb moment" and thought - why not bring an "army of aunties" to Tauranga?

Although the operation was only small at this stage and was working out of Devoy's home, she said she had big plans for the group's future.

She was hoping long-term, the group could have an all-encompassing wellness hub and a range of aunties who could be called to action.

"Anyone can be an aunty, literally."

Devoy said every person could offer something - whether it be time, service or money, anything was appreciated.

The group would be putting out requests via a number of channels to source items and anyone could rally around them to do what they could.

Already, Devoy said she was gobsmacked at how many people would put their hand up to help. The group was already had six aunties.

"If you have privilege, use it."

The group had a small hui at the women's refuge last week with Auckland Aunties founder Jackie Clark.

The news comes as the Government announced a $54 million fund that aimed to tackle homelessness and fund a series of programmes to help at-risk people hold on to accommodation.

Some of that funding will come to the Bay, through the expansion of the Sustaining Tenancies programme in Rotorua, which would use $6.6 million of the funding over two years.

The scheme, run through community groups, gave practical budget advice, property maintenance and mental health support to people in state housing.

One of the programmes to benefit from the funding nationally is Housing First, which has been operating in Tauranga through The People's Project. The local organisation did not receive any extra funding in this announcement but social agencies say the existing Government investment has already made a difference in Tauranga and it was "paving the way" for the rest of the country to follow suit.

In June, The People's Project said it had homed almost 40 people who had previously suffered "chronic homeless" into permanent rentals.

Within 12 months of opening, 256 people had approached the service for help.

The People's Project Tauranga service manager Simone Cuers said the organisation welcomed any national preventative approaches that addressed the drivers of homelessness.

However, she said the biggest challenge was a shortage of affordable housing and many people they worked with would benefit if this was available.

Te Tuinga Whanau Trust founder Tommy Wilson said the city's homeless population was already benefiting from services as a result of Government funding and that it was "a good example of what can be done".

Wilson said Tauranga had "paved the way" in providing effective services for the city's homeless and the funding was the Government following suit for the rest of the country.

Te Tuinga Whanau Trust founder Tommy Kapai said the city's homeless population was already benefitting from Government funding. Photo / Alan Gibson

He said providing all-encompassing support to people in emergency accommodation was "the answer to homelessness" and was being done well in the city.

Tauranga Salvation Army community ministries manager Davina Plummer said the organisation was pleased to see a national investment in mental health and addiction for those in emergency accommodation.

Tauranga mayor Greg Brownless said needs for homeless help may be greater in other areas of the country, but it was definitely high here in Tauranga.

Minister of Social Development Carmel Sepuloni said at the announcement that the plan was a short-term fix while the Government looked to build more public housing.

"MSD has identified a distinct group of people that face a range of complex issues that are a barrier to finding and keeping a home of their own, such as mental health and addictions, criminal history, or family violence."