“I came back from a hospital stay and the yard was spotless. Absolutely brilliant,” says John Ramsey who lives in Kumara on the West Coast. Offenders on community work sentences had helped out with work around his property as part of the West Coast Housing Project.
“Many properties in rural Kumara are sub-standard,” says Senior Community Work Supervisor Paul Watson. Housing New Zealand Corporation (HNZC) describes sub-standard houses on their website as unsafe dwellings where people may rely on open flames for light, heat or cooking. Houses may also lack basic services such as a fresh water supply and a sanitation system.
Upgrading
HNZC is improving the situation with the West Coast Housing Project. This project was set up three years ago to assist homeowners with upgrading their properties. This means there is a lot of building going on in Kumara.
Paul says, “A year ago we formed a relationship with HNZC to discuss how community work could assist. We welcomed helping out in the West Coast Housing Project. Offenders not only get the chance to pay reparation to the community but they also gain general building skills.”
New water tanks
One of the first activities for community work parties was delivering firewood to several homes in urgent need of this. Next on the agenda was collecting and removing building material rubbish and breaking up concrete water tanks. Work parties also removed the remains so new water tanks could be installed.
Resident John is certainly happy with the work done by offenders on community work. “They not only cleaned up the whole place for me,” he says. “There was also a pile of firewood waiting for me. I am still happily chewing away on it. It was such a good homecoming. The guys parked their van, jumped out and they just got right into it. Beautiful!”
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ISSN 1178-1327