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Downtown Community Ministry / July 2020

The Downtown Community Ministry (DCM) gives down to earth support to individuals and families.

August 2020 | May 2020
    • July Update from DCM
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} } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ .mcnTextContent,.mcnBoxedTextContentColumn{ padding-right:18px !important; padding-left:18px !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ .mcnImageCardLeftImageContent,.mcnImageCardRightImageContent{ padding-right:18px !important; padding-bottom:0 !important; padding-left:18px !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ .mcpreview-image-uploader{ display:none !important; width:100% !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ h1{ font-size:30px !important; line-height:125% !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ h2{ font-size:26px !important; line-height:125% !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ h3{ font-size:20px !important; line-height:150% !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ h4{ font-size:18px !important; line-height:150% !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ .mcnBoxedTextContentContainer .mcnTextContent,.mcnBoxedTextContentContainer .mcnTextContent p{ font-size:14px !important; line-height:150% !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ .headerContainer .mcnTextContent,.headerContainer .mcnTextContent p{ font-size:16px !important; line-height:150% !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ .bodyContainer .mcnTextContent,.bodyContainer .mcnTextContent p{ font-size:16px !important; line-height:150% !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ .footerContainer .mcnTextContent,.footerContainer .mcnTextContent p{ font-size:14px !important; line-height:150% !important; } } Together we can end homelessness Ensuring that our taumai have a voice At DCM, we are committed to ensuring that our taumai* have a voice – at DCM and in Aotearoa.  Many of us have been sharing stories of lock-down; we wanted to ensure that the experience of taumai over this time was also captured and shared. We interviewed 65 of our taumai and will share some of their insights over the next few updates. We asked taumai to name the biggest challenges of the period for them, as well as what they enjoyed most about lock-down. An empty Wellington city, 2 April 2020 What have been the biggest challenges for you? Staying indoors, not being able to go out - 33% Not being able to spend time with friends or whānau - 27% Not being able to do the things I enjoy, missing my routine - 29% There haven’t been any challenges - 15% What have you enjoyed most about lock-down? One third commented that they had not enjoyed anything about this period (“Nothing really”; “I enjoyed nothing, just carried on with my life”), but two thirds spoke about the positives of lock-down. They had enjoyed the quiet, time with family, being busy and getting exercise - “watching TV and listening to music”, “cleaning my house”, “I have been enjoying the long walks daily” and “getting out and getting fresh air”. And then there were those who most enjoyed not having much to do – “the best thing has been not having to do anything”, “being lazy” and “we don’t have to do so many things”. Several referred to the positives of reduced alcohol and drug use:   “We are not drinking as much as we used to.”   “I have given up drinking and have been using my money for much needed things for my home. Utility bills and food. I always have food now.” “I've been getting off the drugs.”  “Getting off the drugs means I've been enjoying food more.” “I didn’t gamble.” But the very best thing about lock-down, mentioned by 25% of those we spoke with, was having a roof over their heads or moving in to a home:   “Not having to worry about where I am going to stay.” “Showers, warm bed, a roof.” “Having my own apartment, I can make a drink when I want to, turn my TV on.” “Having a place to stay - just knowing there was somewhere.” “Being safe and having a roof over my head.” “Being in a motel has made me feel safe and warm.” “I have coped well, better now that I am housed.” <!-- --> General Election 2020 We are excited to also share with you another way in which we are ensuring our taumai have a voice in Aotearoa. With the support of the Electoral Commission, we have been encouraging our taumai to enrol to vote, and look forward to having a polling booth here at DCM to ensure voting is as accessible for our taumai as possible. Among the many taumai we've enrolled this month is Manu. Manu is a Māori man in his late 50s who has never voted in his lifetime. He is now signed up to the Māori electorate and is looking forward to voting in his first-ever election right here at DCM. <!-- --> Checking in with Arthur - two years later We celebrate each time one of our taumai is housed; we also celebrate the hard mahi they put in to sustaining that tenancy, often with the ongoing support of DCM kaimahi. Two years ago we introduced you to Arthur. Arthur was delighted to have his own whare after months of being without shelter. But DCM’s support extended beyond getting Arthur into his own whare. He was supported through the DCM Dental Service to get a new set of teeth, and DCM’s volunteer audiologist treated him so he was able to hear much better. “DCM helped me with pretty much everything,” Arthur says. “They gave me food parcels, supported me to get my license back and got a copy of my birth certificate.” Another important support DCM was able to offer was to visit Arthur in his whare to make sure everything was going OK. This month marked another milestone for Arthur - he has now been housed for two years. Arthur has whānau living with him, and is taking part in his local community, attending a weekly community group at a local church. He also works part time, an amazing accomplishment two years on from living on the streets. Kia kaha, kia maia, kia manawanui Arthur!  You can read the story we shared two years ago when Arthur was first housed. Would you like to support someone who has recently moved in to their own home? We would welcome donations of microwaves for our taumai. Contact us or find other ways to support us here. *We call the people we work with taumai, meaning to settle. This reflects the journey we embark on together to become settled, stable and well. <!-- --> Please help us get the message out there! Forward this email on to everyone you can think of who may be interested in how to respond to homelessness, and just generally people who are passionate about Wellington. <!-- --> Support DCM! Nāku te rourou, nāu te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi With your basket and my basket, the people will thrive <!-- --> Copyright © 2020 DCM. All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: DCMPO Box 6133Marion SqWellington, Wellington 6011 New ZealandAdd us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.
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    • June Update from DCM - together we can end homelessness
      • 96 June Update from DCM - together we can end homelessness p{ margin:10px 0; padding:0; } table{ border-collapse:collapse; } h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6{ display:block; margin:0; padding:0; } img,a img{ border:0; height:auto; outline:none; text-decoration:none; } body,#bodyTable,#bodyCell{ height:100%; margin:0; padding:0; width:100%; } .mcnPreviewText{ display:none !important; } #outlook a{ padding:0; } img{ -ms-interpolation-mode:bicubic; } table{ mso-table-lspace:0pt; mso-table-rspace:0pt; } .ReadMsgBody{ width:100%; } .ExternalClass{ width:100%; } p,a,li,td,blockquote{ mso-line-height-rule:exactly; } a[href^=tel],a[href^=sms]{ color:inherit; cursor:default; text-decoration:none; } p,a,li,td,body,table,blockquote{ -ms-text-size-adjust:100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust:100%; } .ExternalClass,.ExternalClass p,.ExternalClass td,.ExternalClass div,.ExternalClass span,.ExternalClass font{ line-height:100%; } a[x-apple-data-detectors]{ color:inherit !important; text-decoration:none !important; 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text-align:center; } #templateHeader{ background-color:#0f288b; background-image:none; background-repeat:no-repeat; background-position:50% 50%; background-size:cover; border-top:0; border-bottom:0; padding-top:54px; padding-bottom:54px; } .headerContainer{ background-color:transparent; background-image:none; background-repeat:no-repeat; background-position:center; background-size:cover; border-top:0; border-bottom:0; padding-top:0; padding-bottom:0; } .headerContainer .mcnTextContent,.headerContainer .mcnTextContent p{ color:#757575; font-family:Helvetica; font-size:16px; line-height:150%; text-align:left; } .headerContainer .mcnTextContent a,.headerContainer .mcnTextContent p a{ color:#007C89; font-weight:normal; text-decoration:underline; } #templateBody{ background-color:#transparent; background-image:none; background-repeat:no-repeat; background-position:center; background-size:cover; border-top:0; border-bottom:0; padding-top:27px; padding-bottom:54px; } .bodyContainer{ background-color:#transparent; 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font-size:12px; line-height:150%; text-align:center; } .footerContainer .mcnTextContent a,.footerContainer .mcnTextContent p a{ color:#FFFFFF; font-weight:normal; text-decoration:underline; } @media only screen and (min-width:768px){ .templateContainer{ width:600px !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ body,table,td,p,a,li,blockquote{ -webkit-text-size-adjust:none !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ body{ width:100% !important; min-width:100% !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ .mcnRetinaImage{ max-width:100% !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ .mcnImage{ width:100% !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ .mcnCartContainer,.mcnCaptionTopContent,.mcnRecContentContainer,.mcnCaptionBottomContent,.mcnTextContentContainer,.mcnBoxedTextContentContainer,.mcnImageGroupContentContainer,.mcnCaptionLeftTextContentContainer,.mcnCaptionRightTextContentContainer,.mcnCaptionLeftImageContentContainer,.mcnCaptionRightImageContentContainer,.mcnImageCardLeftTextContentContainer,.mcnImageCardRightTextContentContainer,.mcnImageCardLeftImageContentContainer,.mcnImageCardRightImageContentContainer{ max-width:100% !important; 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} } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ .mcnTextContent,.mcnBoxedTextContentColumn{ padding-right:18px !important; padding-left:18px !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ .mcnImageCardLeftImageContent,.mcnImageCardRightImageContent{ padding-right:18px !important; padding-bottom:0 !important; padding-left:18px !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ .mcpreview-image-uploader{ display:none !important; width:100% !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ h1{ font-size:30px !important; line-height:125% !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ h2{ font-size:26px !important; line-height:125% !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ h3{ font-size:20px !important; line-height:150% !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ h4{ font-size:18px !important; line-height:150% !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ .mcnBoxedTextContentContainer .mcnTextContent,.mcnBoxedTextContentContainer .mcnTextContent p{ font-size:14px !important; line-height:150% !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ .headerContainer .mcnTextContent,.headerContainer .mcnTextContent p{ font-size:16px !important; line-height:150% !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ .bodyContainer .mcnTextContent,.bodyContainer .mcnTextContent p{ font-size:16px !important; line-height:150% !important; } } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px){ .footerContainer .mcnTextContent,.footerContainer .mcnTextContent p{ font-size:14px !important; line-height:150% !important; } } June Update from DCM - together we can end homelessness Going hard and fast to end homelessness We have enjoyed sharing some of the positive outcomes from the past few months with you over recent updates. This month, we had an opportunity to share them with the general public via a Spinoff article – “How lock-down helped get Wellington’s rough sleepers off the streets”. We share an extract below, and encourage you to read the full article here. DCM’s director, Stephanie McIntyre, says that while it brought many challenges, the lockdown also expedited a number of long-term solutions to benefit their taumai – the phones, the 0800 number, the prepaid cards, and, most importantly, getting them into housing. "The vast majority of taumai in emergency housing are still there, and DCM kaimahi are working hard to transition them into permanent housing. “We can’t go backwards from here. We have seen what can happen when people are properly supported into good housing, and we have seen what happens when organisations pull together to innovate and make decisions rapidly. “We have always said that ‘together we can end homelessness’. These weeks, although terrible in many ways, have given us a valuable window to go hard and fast to end homelessness. Let’s work together to finish what we’ve started.” <!-- --> Re-connecting after lock-down This month we enjoyed a very special day on the DCM calendar. Our Matariki Seasonal Kai is the one time when DCM kaimahi (staff) and taumai sit down together – to enjoy a hangi at Te Wharewaka o Pōneke. Always a time to connect before the dark days of winter, to remind our taumai that we are there to support them and for them to commit to being there for one another – but this year it has been extra special. After a long period when we have not all been able to get together, or to sit close to one another, this was a very, very special day. Big thanks to the whānau of John Tristram who make this meal possible – what a brilliant way to celebrate the life of a man who had such a big heart for our taumai. <!-- --> Supporting DCM during lock-down We love the way so many of you come up with creative and committed ways to be part of our mahi – even during lock-down! During lock-down, we all realised the value of a good haircut! It had been four years since Dora last cut her hair, and she came up with a brilliant Givealittle campaign in support of our work. She had her hair cut for a wig-making charity this month, and forwarded the funds raised on to DCM. During lock-down, we worked with a young woman who was rough sleeping and very unwell. She needed a safe place to settle, but was very concerned for her dog, the one stable thing in her life. We got in touch with Waglands – with many of their usual clients having to cancel travel plans, they had space to take in the dog, and the young woman was able to settle in to emergency housing. Waglands regularly called her to chat about how her beloved pet was doing. The dog has now settled in to a longer term foster home, sorted by Ellie’s Canine Rescue. Another significant community has stepped up to the plate and committed to being part of the solution to homelessness. Last year we met with a local group of Freemasons from Westminster Lodge, who came to spend time with us at DCM and began supporting our work in generous and practical ways. During lock-down, these new and committed kaitautoko met with other lodges, sharing their enthusiasm and experience of supporting DCM. All 16 lodges in our area are now part of this initiative – and they are actively seeking more and more ways to be involved and to spread the word.  He waka eke noa – we are all in the same waka, doing this together. <!-- --> Please help us get the message out there! Forward this email on to everyone you can think of who may be interested in how to respond to homelessness, and just generally people who are passionate about Wellington. <!-- --> Support DCM! Nāku te rourou, nāu te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi With your basket and my basket, the people will thrive <!-- --> Copyright © 2020 DCM. All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: DCMPO Box 6133Marion SqWellington, Wellington 6011 New ZealandAdd us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.
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