Tiny Deane, a member of the Visions of a Helping Hand Charitable Trust Rotorua and champion for homeless people in Rotorua, has offered support for the Housing First initiative.
“I guess the service is something that I’m a little unsure about. They put our whānau with all their drug addictions and everything, their problems into a house first and then they add the wrap-around services.”
Deane says in the past they have waited until the time was right for the homeless person to be put into the house.
“You wait till they are ready and then you put them in.”
The trust appreciates the companies involved in the project and has offered up a workspace for them in their drop-in center and night shelter.
“This is a new thing and I really respect the three companies that are going to be doing it.
“I've said to them, out of our night shelter during the day which is our drop-in center, that I will corporate 100 percent with them, for them to come in and use our place and office and do their mahi.”
