Shirley Lammas, general manager of Whatever It Takes Trust, says advising against giving money to beggars could marginalise beggars even more. Photo NZME
Shirley Lammas, general manager of Whatever It Takes Trust, says advising against giving money to beggars could marginalise beggars even more. Photo NZME
The Napier City Council has renewed its now-annual call for the public to ignore the cash-calls of street beggars and instead support the agencies best-placed to help them.
But at least one agency in the city, indicating there are differences among agencies about how to find solutions, has decided notto be involved, saying it could marginalise beggars and other homeless even more.
Whatever It Takes Trust general manager Shirley Lammas said: "We were approached, but we said no."
The call was first made by the council at least four years ago, as it launched a "Helping Hands" project in 2017, and similar calls have been made in other centres, including Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington and Christchurch.
But Hastings District Council's focus is on addressing the reasons that lead to people living on the streets and recently released the 'Homelessness in Hastings: A Discovery Study', a spokesperson said.
Recommendations in the study include forming a regional taskforce, continuing to grow housing opportunities (including for the homeless) in the Hastings Place-Based Housing Plan, conducting research with the homeless, and investigating the development and feasibility of an integrated community hub.
The Napier council, the Napier City Business Association, Salvation Army, Napier Neighbourhood Support and Napier Family Centre have launched a 'Spare Change or Real Change' campaign to address the issue, which is a concern for businesses and shoppers in the CBD and suburban shopping centres.
Council community strategies manager Natasha Mackie said when people give money to beggars it keeps them in a cycle of begging, and stops them from accessing long-term, sustainable support from agencies.
"It is natural for people to want to help – but often, people don't know what to do," she says. "This campaign is not about asking people to give money to charities, but offering that as an alternative to giving money to beggars."
"The 'Spare Change or Real Change' campaign provides people with an alternative way to help," she says.
"Research also shows that begging is often a means to support addictions."
As part of the campaign, participating retailers will display posters, flyers and business cards that discourage people from giving money to beggars, and to encourage them to give to organisations if they feel they want to give money.
The council is also developing a City Ambassador service to improve public safety in commercial centres, while a CCTV network upgrade is also underway, using mobile technology to be responsive to crime hot spots.
Napier Family Centre CEO Kerry Henderson says she's pleased to be part of the campaign, considering community needs have worsened since recent Covid-19 lockdowns.
"We continue to pivot and adapt so that we remain responsive to whānau needs," Kerry says. "Donations and support are often the difference that allows Napier Family Centre to say, "Yes, we can help you"."
Salvation Army captain Sammy Millar said the SA helps people with food assistance as well as wrap-around services, which include financial mentoring and a positive lifestyle programme.
"We work with people to find permanent accommodation, and we help people once they are in a home to sustain their tenancy," she said.
A spokesperson for a Christchurch collective of police, its city council and a central city residents association was quoted recently as saying giving money to the individuals may keep them in the begging cycle instead of seeking support "in other more sustainable forms". Police said they were aware that donations to beggars in the southern city were often used for drugs and alcohol, rather than food.
Lammas said WIT could see the council's point, but doesn't agree with the stance. "The general public can't differentiate," she said.
