Relocating the 'ambulance at the bottom of the cliff'

Major Alister Irwin of the Napier Salvation Army is pleased with the long-term benefits of Hawke's Bay emergency housing established by the Ministry of Social Development. Photo/Paul Taylor

As the demands of winter see thousands of New Zealanders turn to The Salvation Army for temporary aid, a recent collaboration with the Ministry of Social Development has redirected services from the "bottom of the cliff", a local spokesman says.

Corps officer Major Alister Irwin said since August last year the army had been "proactively" working with the MSD to provide wrap-around services to compliment emergency housing properties being established throughout Hawke's Bay.

"Food parcels and such are the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff. We are working further up the stream which has been much more significant."

Major Irwin said throughout the past three months MSD had established five emergency housing properties in Flaxmere and three in Napier which were assisted by the welfare services the army offered such as food, clothing, budgeting advice and life skills training.

By working with MSD The Salvation Army were able to get people on their feet long-term, he said.

"They want what's best for the people and we want what's best for the people."

"We're working [together] so that when clients do leave us they are less likely to come back."

Regional Commissioner for the East Coast region of the Ministry of Social Development Annie Aranui said the ministry had enjoyed an "excellent relationship" with The Salvation Army for a number of years.

"Our teams work together on a week to week, sometimes daily basis with the same families to provide people the support they need, often when they are facing difficult circumstances.

"Each family's situation is different so the support provided by both of our agencies is tailored to their needs. Transitional housing in particular is a key area where the Salvation Army provide supported accommodation."

Major Irwin said the collaboration meant that since August many people had already been assisted into "more settled" living situations which would benefit them in the long-term as well as the short-term.

"We've had people stay with us and through the programmes they moved on to more settled living arrangements so it is working."

He reported that despite the amount of people needing help in Hawke's Bay rising 13 per cent since last year, the region was coping better than other parts of the country.

Last winter nearly 14,000 food parcels were distributed to more than 10,000 families nationwide; 4,000 of whom were first-time clients.

Major Irwin said he expected that the army would see a spike in demand for their services next month as the cost of heating, food and general living rose in the colder weather.

"There's a lot of pressure on people's budgets when it's cold ... It's probably the next months that we'll see the worst of it."