New staff not homeless work double-up: Dunedin Council  

The advisers, who have joined the council’s housing policy team, would develop relationships and co-ordinate with other agencies supporting homeless people, identify gaps in care and complement services delivered by community-based providers, the council said.

Similar services in Dunedin include one funded by the Ministry of Social Development.

The ministry confirmed it had extended its contract with Dunedin Catholic Social Services to employ a full-time housing navigator to support rough sleepers through to June next year.

This should ensure rough sleepers receive appropriate income support, housing and employment assistance, ministry regional commissioner Steph Voight said.

“The goal of the funding is to reach people who sometimes hesitate to engage with the support we offer,” she said.

Council community and strategy general manager Nicola Morand said homelessness was increasing in communities across the country, particularly urban centres, and Dunedin was experiencing this.

The council’s service would apply to all the territory covered by the territorial authority, including places such as Waikouaiti and Middlemarch.

Ms Voight said the ministry’s expectation was the service it funded would focus on the Dunedin and Mosgiel urban areas, although Dunedin Catholic Social Services would ultimately make the operational decisions.

FULL STORY

Homeless outreach service aims to fill in gaps (By Grant Millar/Otago Daily Times – subscription required)