I had the privilege to participate this year in the Big Sleep Out for Lifewise. They raise money for the homeless in Auckland. I live on Queen street and these people are my neighbors. While some wish to raise a hand to harm them with a current attempt by Smith & Caughey’s to ban begging, I choose to raise mine to help.
The range of Aucklanders attending was broad and filled the spectrum. We were fortunate enough to hear from experts in the field as well as those who had found themselves on the street.
It was horrifying to realize that so many homeless are 17yr old foster kids, people out if addiction centres and mental health clinics. These people are literally released onto the streets with no support whatsoever, I thought I knew how threadbare our social services were for the homeless – I just didn’t – our egalitarianism is a sad pretense.
In terms of the actual sleeping rough, I was lucky to be warm enough, but it was the unsympathetic concrete and sense of utter vulnerability that stays with me. That sense that you can be attacked at any time creates a sense of paranoia that haunts from just one night, I can’t imagine a life of it.
No one participating would be arrogant enough to think that one night on the street gives us any real insight to the life of the homeless, but it does give a tiny glimmer and the money raised has enabled Lifewise to revolutionize the service they provide Auckland’s homeless community.
The homeless deserve compassion, sleeping in their shoes for a night helps generate that.
Over $150000 was raised from one night, thank you to all those kind enough to sponsor me and everyone else.
Nobody can do everything, by everybody can do something.
Nicely put Martyn and sorry I didn’t meet you on the night. I’ll be back next year.
Daily Blog should replace NZ Herald.
We are PEOPLE. (Not an ECONOMIC SYSTEM)
Honors to you Martyn!!!
I’d like to see NZ’s Uglies – People Haters such as ACT Party’s followers rise to the challenge..Muriel Newman et al. (“Centre for Political Research”) come crawl out of the comfortable woodwork where they’re hiding..try this!!
Kudos to you, noticed 3 News last night reported on a protest held against Smith & Caughey’s push to ban begging, while on One News – nothing. The censorship is incredible, and that’s our state broadcaster.
The realisation that many homeless are people out of addiction centres and mental health clinics doesn’t surprise me. The mental health sector in this country (probably like most) is woefully inadequate. There’re growing numbers suffering from depression and substance abuse which says something about the times we live in, find there’s too much reliance on prescription drugs being administered with seemingly a faith as if they’ll work miracles, the efficacy of some are doubtful indeed harmful, the support that accompanies treatment leaves much to be desired. Can’t imagine how cutting the health budget is going to help.
I shudder to think what the situation will become when these new welfare reforms targeting the mentally ill come into force, expect the population of homeless brothers and sisters to rise – “and we do all that we can do to hide them” – to quote a line from the song “Orphans of Wealth” by Don McLean, a song that seems to describe our times all too well.
This is what at least some mentally ill in Auckland and other parts of New Zealand will face soon:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10893823
It seems to be more stick than carrot, and that while mental health care in New Zealand is lacking in many respects.
Privatisation of job referrals for nice bonus payments for those service providers, guess who will “gain” and “benefit” out of such measures?!
And this is how “caring” the Auckland City Mission’s new “Medical Service” is towards those that see them for medical certificates to take to WINZ:
http://www.aucklandcitymission.org.nz/uploads/file/Calder%20Centre/Sickness%20Benefit%20explanation.pdf
So those with mental illness and addiction problems are expected to show proof of being in treatment with drug and alcohol or other treatment services, otherwise they may not get a needed certificate, which means NO benefit in some cases.
There are usually long waiting lists for residential treatment centres, there are also waiting lists for outpatient counselling treatment services, and there are few detox beds in hospitals.
The cheek of it to refer to “advice” by MSD’s and WINZ’s totally biased, hard-line Principal Health Advisor, Dr David Bratt, who has repeatedly compared benefit dependence with “drug dependence”, and who propagates the idea that work is the best medicine to get well again!
http://www.gpcme.co.nz/pdf/2012/Fri_DaVinci_1400_Bratt_Medical%20Certificates%20are%20Clinical%20Instruments%20too%20-%20June%202012.pdf
(see pages 3, 16 and 33 for instance)
The ideas of “caring” and “compassion” appear none but lost in modern day New Zealand society, that is particularly with certain institutions, agencies and sadly also many in the wider population, taking no stand for the beggars falling through the social safety net.
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