An innovative partnership between Housing New Zealand Corporation (HNZC) and Corrections will see more than 90 Spring Hill Corrections Facility prisoners refurbishing up to 40 state houses a year.
Business Development Manager for Corrections Inmate Employment, Win McDonald, says the work will be carried out in an area set aside for up to 20 houses, adjacent to the prison.
"In essence each house becomes a trade skills classroom," says Win. "After stripping the interiors, prisoners will fit the houses with new kitchens, vanities and shelving made by the prison workshop.
"A selection of prisoners are now working in the workshop preparing for the move to the refurbishment yard which we expect to have up and running in June."
Signed by Corrections and HNZC in mid-March, the partnership has been widely welcomed by Corrections Inmate Employment (CIE) which works hard year-round to source mutually beneficial employment opportunities for prisoners.
"A key focus for CIE is to up-skill prisoners in industries experiencing skill shortages," says Win. "While it's important to enhance a prisoner's chance of gaining employment it also makes good sense for us to try and help ease the region's demands for specific skills."
The building sector has a serious shortage of skilled labour with builders preferring to work on new houses rather than refurbish state houses.
HNZC has a housing waiting list of around 10,000 people so every refurbished house helps to reduce the list.
Aligned with this, the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation has reported that high demand in construction trades could see a skills shortage of 13,000 people by 2010.
Win says the refurbishment scheme is a great opportunity for all parties.
"Prisoners have the opportunity to gain building skills they can put towards a formal NZQA qualification and HNZC gains a consistent and reliable work-force."
HNZC will retain management of the refurbishment operation, including the transportation of houses and quality checks. CIE is being contracted to supply the labour.
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ISSN 1178-8453