Raise the age of leaving foster care

Lifewise has teamed up with agencies around the country and ActionStation to create an online petition asking the Government to raise the age of leaving foster care.

www.actionstation.org.nz/wedontstopcaring

Currently in NZ, young people leave care on their 17th birthday. While most teenagers their age are worrying about things like homework, these young people are scrambling to find a place to live and how to support themselves. Our staff see the worst possible outcome for many of these young people –  with no support networks, and nowhere to go, many teenagers become homeless before their 18th birthday.

With the current review of CYF, this is the perfect opportunity to ask the Government to raise the age of support from 17 to 21. We have collaborated with Youthline, Child Poverty Action Group, Wesley Community Action, Christchurch Methodist Mission, Dingwall Trust and ActionStation to create this petition. So far the Review Panel is on board and has supported lifting the age.  We need to keep the pressure on however so that government follows through and takes action.  Close to 7,000 New Zealanders have signed the petition so far.  Please help us get to 10,000.

03/11/2015 News 0

Experiences of parents in the CBD

Plunket and SKIP are looking for parents to interview for our CBD project – Experiences of parents living in inner city Auckland. The design team would like to gain an understanding of what parenting is like for families living in the inner city and in particular those families who have children under five.

They are looking for parents who:-

Live in inner city Auckland
Who have children under the age of five or
Who are expecting a new baby.

If you are interested in sharing your parenting story and would like further information please call Jacqui on 027 224 6268 to discuss this opportunity further.

02/11/2015 News 0

What is an age-friendly world?

It is a place that enables people of all ages to actively participate in community activities. It is a place that treats everyone with respect, regardless of their age. It is a place that makes it easy to stay connected to those around you and those you love. It is a place that helps people stay healthy and active even at the oldest ages. And it is a place that helps those who can no longer look after themselves to live with dignity and enjoyment.

You may recognise these words from the WHO Age Friendly World website.  As you know ADCOSS are actively working to encourage Auckland to become an Age Friendly City, including making a presentation at the October Community Development and Safety Committee.  Find out more about what we are doing.

19/10/2015 Projects and updates 0

SPOTLIGHT ON HOUSING KICKS OFF WEEK ABOUT HOMELESSNESS

Auckland’s Housing Call to Action group has chosen to highlight the plight of “the hidden homeless” during Spotlight on Housing week from 5 – 10 October 2015, which culminates with World Homelessness Day on Saturday 10 October.

The week comprises a series of events, activities and competitions with the aim of raising the profile of housing and homelessness as important issues for New Zealand society. It kicks off on Monday morning 5 October at 8am with a Tent City and Sausage Sizzle in central Henderson opposite the District Court.

There are a variety of other events, displays and art exhibitions happening. Full details are available on the Housing Call to Action Facebook Page and entries in the Haiku Poetry competition are also posted there.

  • Facts on homelessness:
    In New Zealand about 1 in every 120 people are homeless;
  • About half of the homeless adults are in employment or studying;
  • Most homeless people in New Zealand are under the age of 25;
  • Those sleeping on the street (rough sleepers) are the tip of the iceberg –families make up the majority of NZ’s homeless. Homelessness is far bigger than the visible homelessness;
  • Auckland has about half of those waiting for Social Housing;
  • There are at least 20,000 severely housing deprived people in Auckland;
  • People living in overcrowded and/or substandard housing have a high rate of hospital admissions and primary health related issues;
  • Henderson-Massey Local Board area has the highest number of people in the Auckland area registered for Social Housing who are at risk with a severe and persistent housing need that needs to be addressed immediately;
  • The price of rent is increasing faster than pay increases;
  • The hidden homeless are those people living in cars, in garages, sleep-outs, couch surfing or in overcrowded homes, often with several families sharing a dwelling. Recent census data suggest there could be up to 20,000 people living in these conditions currently in Auckland.
05/10/2015 News 0

Empowering Communities Workshop

Recently nearly 30 community sector leaders in Auckland met to discuss the changes taking place in the Auckland Council’s relationships with our sector, and our communities.   We looked at the Empowered Communities Approach (ECA) document. We discussed the structural changes being proposed within the Community Development and Safety Department of Council. We discussed the devolution of funding to Local Boards. There were a lot of unknowns! The practical action we agreed on was to seek a public conversation with Auckland Council. Representatives from Auckland Council who will attend are:

Graham Bodman, General Manager, Community Development, Arts and Culture

Cissy Rock, Senior Project Leader, Strategic Community Initiatives, Community Development and Safety

Some of the points for discussion will include:

  •     Does Council hear our concerns as a sector?
  • Can we work with Council on these issues, and what does Council want of us as a sector?
  • We want to explore a process model of working together
  • We need more information about the dollars involved
  • How will the ECA (Empowered Communities Approach) deal with regional issues?
  • How will communities prepare for engagement in ECA?
  • Can we see the tests/evidence of the practical design/prototypes?
  • What is the status of the ECA document?

Come along and join the conversation – r.s.v.p. to Angela Maynard:                                                       or:   445 999

More Information

18/09/2015 Consultations, News 0