2 November 2012
Canterbury Youth Housing Crisis a Serious Public Health Concern
A national non-profit organisation that specialises in working with young parents is calling the housing crisis in
Christchurch a serious public health concern.
In the last 12-months alone, the ‘Better Health, Better Housing’ programme, managed by St John of God Waipuna, has
helped over 40 young people and young single-parent families with desperate housing needs, through a mix of providing
housing information and advocacy. The programme leader, Paul McMahon has also been working on building support for
youth-focused transitional and social housing, and says that energy and momentum is building in Christchurch to do
something practical about youth housing needs.
"The problem is significant; it's much bigger than people realise," says McMahon, "people often ask why the young people
can't live with their families - the answer is simple: they would not be homeless if their families were able to
suitably house them. These young people typically usually do not come from stable households that are suitable for them
and their children”.
A 2008 study estimated that at any time there was likely to be 1,444 vulnerable and at risk young people aged 15-24 in
Christchurch living in inappropriate and insecure housing, and that was before the earthquakes. Since the February 22,
2011 earthquake, there has been a noticeable increase in young people and, in particular, young solo mothers in housing
need.
St John of God Waipuna General Manager, Trevor Batin, adds "Without help many young families will stay living in damp,
crowded conditions that are unsafe and unhealthy, particularly for young children. Without sustained intervention, the
lack of suitable housing for young people is deeply concerning."
McMahon’s service does not advertise and mostly takes internal referrals from within St John of God Waipuna, and says he
would be overwhelmed if they advertised, he says, “While I’m aware of various organisations developing social housing,
I’m the only person in Christchurch and, as far as I know, in the country who works specifically with youth housing: the
potential for expansion of our working model is marked.
“Christchurch needs specific youth housing solutions, including a purpose-built facility for kids leaving state care and
social housing designed for young people in mind. The market has not delivered our most vulnerable young people the
housing they need; what we need is social intervention to provide it. It’s possible – other countries, such as
Australia, the UK and the US do it – we just need to decide as a society that having young people and their children
homeless or in unsuitable housing is unacceptable here.”
The ‘Better Health, Better Housing’ has been active for about two years and is presently being funded by Partnership
Health's innovation fund and the Vodafone New Zealand Small Grants Fund for Canterbury until January 2013. It is
presently seeking funding to continue the programme beyond that date.
Further information can be found on the Trust’s website www.sjog.org.nz
St John of God Hauora Trust is a division of St John of God Health Care and forms part of the Ministry of the Catholic
Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand. We aim to continue the healing mission of Jesus Christ through the provision of
disability, youth and social services that promote life to the full and which enhance the physical, intellectual, social
and spiritual dimensions of being human.
ENDS