A collaborative relationship with a local school and Hamilton Community Corrections has been built up over time and is the product of a genuine understanding of our mahi.
Engagement & Reintegration Senior Adviser Pip says Whitiora School in Hamilton understands the role Corrections plays in the community.
Last year the school asked if people serving a community work (CW) sentence could help clear an area of the school grounds that had been misused by the wider community.
Two community work crews, supervised by Community Work Supervisors (CWS), were tasked with the project, which included clearing out an old playground and garden beds, and removing metal fencing and a retaining wall. After removing all the wire and metal fencing, they dismantled the retaining walls and other items. This included removing the large wooden retaining wall posts, which were concreted in place. After setting aside any recyclable items, the crews removed all of the rubbish and green waste. All of the garden beds were removed, and the soil was then spread across the site as part of the restoration.
At least one member of the crew had a connection with Whitiora School, and this further increased the enthusiasm of the work crews. At the end of the day, they all took great pride in what they had achieved. CWS Greg Spencer said that he received feedback on the day from the caretaker that the amount of work done in one day, as well as the quality of the work, exceeded expectations.
Thanks to community work efforts the space is now a safe and welcoming area for tamariki to play.
Projects such as this not only make a real difference in our community; they uplift the mana of our people as they get to make a positive contribution back to their community.