The following article written by Petrina Wright appeared in the Southland Express yesterday (Thursday February 6) as we continue getting exposure for the night shelter for homeless. A number of people in the past couple of weeks have been wanting to know how they can financially contribute and help in other areas as well.
 |
HOMELESS people in Invercargill could soon have a place to sleep for the night.
The Southern Breathing Space Trust, set up in April/May last year, plans to establish a night shelter facility in the city.
|
 |
Salvation Army local corps officer
|
Captain Perry Bray is one of the representatives on the trust.
‘‘This is not a permanent solution for the homeless… it is a night shelter,’’ he said.
The trust’s initial plan was to set up a five-bed facility where homeless people could stay for up to three days while they were referred on to other organisations and agencies, such as Presbyterian Support and Housing New Zealand, and more permanent arrangements could be made, he said.
No location for the night shelter had been found yet, but the trust hoped to have it up and running by the end of the year, Capt. Bray said.
The group would seek financial assistance for the facility from the government, the city council and the community once it had established a budget based on the costs associated with other night shelters in the country, he said.
Based on word of mouth, there are about six people living on the streets of Invercargill, but a substantial number of people are living in temporary accommodation, he said.
An Otago University study in 2006 found an estimated 34,000 people, or about one in every 120 New Zealanders, were unable to access housing in New Zealand.
The study found there were 203 people severely housing deprived in Invercargill and another 96 people in the Southland district.
People often associate homelessness with men sleeping on park benches, but it also included people living in temporary accommodation, such as boarding houses or sleeping on friend’s couches, Capt. Bray said.
The closure of the Salvation Army’s supportive accommodation facility on Leven St in October 2012 had been a contributing factor in the number of homeless people in the city, he said.
The decision to close the Leven St property followed an engineers report which determined the 107 year old building had a high risk of failing in an earthquake.
No decision had yet been made about the future of the Leven St building.
Next week the Southland Breathing Space Trust will be having a meeting on Wednesday February 12 at 12:00pm @ The Salvation Army in Tay St to work out next steps, assign responsibilities to trustees and to put a timeline together on how best to move forward.
Perry will also feature on CUE Television (more than likely on this evening’s news) emphasising the issue that homelessness is more than just the guy sleeping rough in the park on a bench.
Read Full Post »
The life and times of Perry... 