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September 23, 2015
West tackles issues for homeless Maori
Waatea Team
Posted On September 23, 2015
Community law advocates in west Auckland and trying to find ways to make life easier for the area’s homeless.
Tom Harris from Waitemata Community Law holds a weekly session for them to deal with whatever legal issues they may come up with.
Waipareira has come up with a drop in centre where they can gather and make art, which will be shown at Corban Estate later in the year.
He says there is a permanent group of about 35 to 40 homeless, and there may be others who end up on the streets for shorter periods.
The majority are Maori.
"Colonisation and displacement has a little bit to do with that. We have a lot of drug and alcohol issues, a lot of mental health issues, a lot of disconnection with whanau or burning of bridges where they have backed themselves into a corner by decision-making and that type of thing, but we’re running pretty high at about 80 to 90 percent" (of the homeless being Maori), Mr Harris says.
There are options such as boarding houses if people want to get off the street, but some just can’t cope with the stresses of keeping a roof over their head.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH TOM HARRIS CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MzI5NDE=
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