Hastings homeless hub nationally recognised as a model of collaboration

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst and pastor Warren Heke with councillors and council staff receiving the SuperCollab award at the Local Government New Zealand annual conference in Christchurch.

Collaborative work between Hastings District Council and Hastings Church’s Connect Community Trust wins the SuperCollab award and the Supreme Award for the Kuhu Mai initiative at the Local Government New Zealand annual conference in Christchurch.

Respect, trust and care for some of Hastings’ most vulnerable adults is the kaupapa behind the award-winning Kuhu Mai – a strong partnership providing support and services to Hastings’ homeless (whaiora).

The collaboration between the council, Hastings Church and Anglican Care Waiapu was recognised by the judges as a “shining example of the localism approach”.

Localism is councils “working collaboratively with various stakeholders, including community members, partner organisations and public services to create impactful projects that cater to the unique needs of their communities”, explained one of the judges.

There are currently 140 whaiora registered with the day hub, 70 using it more than three days a week. It offers a safe place, kai, a shower, somewhere to charge a phone, and assistance to access medical services, job opportunities and homes.

Hastings Church’s homeless hub works to get people into regular work who weren’t able to hold down jobs, has broken the reoffending cycle for others and supports people into permanent housing, who are now contributing back to their community through the hub.

Hastings Church lead pastor Warren Heke explained more than 60 whaiora are now enrolled with a GP, many haven’t accessed medical services “for a very long time.”

“We have given agency back to a vulnerable community that has often felt powerless over their own lives and as a faith-based organisation, we’re confident a non-transactional approach to care works,” Heke said.

The lead pastor believes collaboration born out of long-term trust relationships works at every level, whether that be with funders, operators, local government, providers, and service users.

“It’s the bedrock to sustainable positive outcomes and a thriving community,” Heke said.

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said she was “incredibly proud” of all of the partners to the initiative.

“What has been achieved so far is quite astounding and we are looking forward to even more success and as a council, we have a strong emphasis on working with partners to help our community to the best of our ability.

We understand that together we are stronger, and this partnership with Hastings Church and Anglican Care Waiapu is yet further proof of that,” Hazlehurst said.

Anglican Care Waiapu chief executive Lucy Laitinen explained that the Anglican Church had a long history of supporting the vulnerable in the community through city missions.

“It made more sense in Hastings to partner with those already doing the mahi, like Warren and Sarah Heke (of Hastings Church) and their community.

Anglican Care Waiapu spent more than a year getting to know Warren and his community and developing relationships with Hastings District Council to make sure they had the relationship foundation to do this work well.

Relationships and aroha are at the heart of the Kuhu Mai approach with vulnerable people and Anglican Care Waiapu wants to model that in their own collaboration.

“For us, this has meant much more than being just a funder; it’s about practical support and friendship and we all needed to pull our weight,” Laitinen said.