As winter intensifies Community organizations are coming together to close gaps for rangatahi and tamariki experiencing homelessness.

Concerned that rangatahi might slip through the cracks this winter, several community organisations have come together to close gaps and streamline access into essential services for rangatahi.

Youth Development and social justice Organization, Kick Back (alongside partner’s Mana services), have worked to bring key services to The Front Door, an early intervention and crisis response centre on K'rd for rangatahi experiencing homelessness.

Kai, clothing, and housing advocacy and support will be available Monday-Friday, and each Wednesday services will collocate together at The Front Door, so young people can access legal advice and housing, mental health and addiction support in a way that works for them.

"This is just the start," says Aaron Hendry, Co-founder of Kick Back. "We know there are significant barriers to support for young people who experience homelessness. Thats why our partners have stepped up. There isn't near enough resources available for our young people, so collectively we're doing what we can to respond."

Stevie Hoesel, who works for YouthLaw, one of Kick Back’s partners, providing legal support and advice from The Front Door, believes in the power of collective impact

“Young people’s needs are complex, and there is never a need that is in isolation, if a young person has ended up facing housing insecurity, or fit within an “at-risk” status, things have already gone wrong, and we have failed them in several ways, we need to take collective responsibility for the systemic failures that have lead young people to be in a situation that requires this level of support.”

One of the ways to do that is through access to legal advice, “Young people have so much strength and wit about them, as soon as you give them the vocabulary, they can run with it.” Stevie is concerned that at-times young people are at-risk of homelessness simply because they, and their landlords, are just not aware of their rights. “We see a lot of landlords who don’t know what to do and often overstep. Not always out of malicious intent, but they are just not aware of what they should be doing.” Stevie believes that supporting young people to understand their rental rights is a key strategy in preventing homelessness for rangatahi.

Danielle LeGallais, founder of food rescue organization Sunday Blessings, decided to partner with Kick Back to provide kai from The Front Door because of her core belief that rangatahi experiencing homelessness should have as few barriers to support as possible. “I believe love and connection is built through sharing kai. This winter, I believe access to hot kai, in the warm, safe space at The Front Door, will instantly provide a moment of care to a young person.”

Another partner, Common (previously Koha Apparel) will support Kick Back with clothing donations. For five years, Founder Charli Cox and a team of volunteers clothed our most vulnerable through community outreach. Today, Common supports not-for-profit organisations in their initiatives by sending clothing where required, amplifying their impact. “Clothing will be low on the priority list versus buying food, but we believe when people feel they have meaningful choice and control over what they wear, there is esteem and dignity. There is liberty. And everyone deserves that."

Kick Back is working to ensure that there are a range of services available for young people to access throughout the week. Ultimately Kick Back's goal is to move towards being open 24/7, with access to immediate accommodation and onsite support.

Right now, Kick Back's biggest concern is the risk winter poses to young people sleeping rough.

"With the cold this winter, we have significant concerns about tamariki and rangatahi sleeping on the pavement with nowhere to go. We want young people to know that if they need support, they can come to The Front Door." Says Aaron Hendry.

Kick Back believes that no young person is "too at-risk" to Love, that every young person has mana, and has the right to feel safe, to have access to housing, and to be supported and cared for.

"We don't believe that Youth Homelessness needs to exist. We don't believe this is something we should be accepting in our society. Thats why we've come together with our partners to do what we can do. We aren't waiting for the Government to fix this. As a community, we have the power to hold and heal our own."

Kick Back's message to any young person in housing need is that there is help out there, and that no matter what you have gone through or are going through, Kick Back and our partners believe in you and are here for you.

"We want young people to know that they matter, that the team here at The Front Door love them and care for them, that we have their back." Says Aaron.

If you're a young person experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness, you can reach Kick Back on socials, email us at kia.ora@kickbackmakechange.org, or drop in at The Front Door between 10-6.30pm, Mon-Fri at 307 K'Rd, Auckland Central.

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