25 September

Prisoners from Rimutaka Prison’s Faith Based Unit (FBU) recently lent a helping hand to make Habitat for Humanity’s first ‘Brush with Kindness’ programme a success.

The project provided the prisoners with a valuable opportunity to give something back to society, all the while helping with their rehabilitation and eventual reintegration back into the community.

“All the prisoners involved with the Habitat for Humanity project have a minimum security classification and are at a point in their sentence where they are approaching their release date or involvement in release to work has been recommended by the Parole Board,” says acting Rimutaka Prison Manager Richard Symonds.

“This kind of work teaches the prisoners a varied array of life and work skills as well as allowing them to take steps toward being responsible citizens when they get out.”

The prisoners from the FBU provided a lot of the physical ‘grunt’ for the project bringing all the materials onto the site which had difficult access, as well as removing and re-laying an area of concrete in poor repair, rebuilding a retaining wall and clearing an overgrown bank on the property.

“The Rimutaka team did a fabulous job and it would be great if we can team up together for more ‘A Brush with Kindness’ projects in the future,” says Tina Francis, Resource Development Manager for Habitat for Humanity Lower North Island.

“We do not have funding set aside so are reliant on sponsorship, donations and volunteers to do the work so the outcome has been hugely positive, great work has been done by the prisoners and the homeowner is extremely happy indeed.”

Last year prisoners in the FBU were also involved in the building of a Habitat for Humanity house, but primarily the work they do is in conjunction with councils around the Hutt Valley and Wellington region.

“There are 18-25 churches in the area where the prisoners mow lawns, vacumn inside and do painting and decorating tasks – pretty much anything that is needed,” says Mr Symonds.

“I am very keen to see local communities and prisons working closer together to the benefit of both parties so being further involved in Habitat for Humanity or other community projects would be great.”

ENDS

Note to reporter:

• For further information on the ‘A brush with kindness’ programme please contact Tina Francis at Habitat for Humanity on 04 237 8420
  For further information contact the Communications Services Desk:
• Phone: (04) 460 3365  Email: commdesk@corrections.govt.nz

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