16 October 2012

Government Allows Valuable Community Services To Run Down

The Public Service Association is calling on the government to commit to long-term and sustainable funding of valuable community organisations rather than letting them run down.

The HELP Foundation, which provides Auckland’s only 24 hour rape and sexual assault helpline, is being forced to lay off staff and cut services to make up for a $200,000 a year funding shortfall. The cutbacks mean phone counselling and call-out services for Auckland victims of sexual assault and rape will be drastically reduced and some specialist long-term services will be affected.

“These types of valuable community services continue to face an uphill battle for funding at a time when demand for their services and their own running costs are increasing. Auckland is a city with a growing population and people need full access to these types of emergency helplines and services,” says PSA National Secretary Brenda Pilott.

“Ironically a 2009 Sexual Violence Taskforce recommended sustainable and consistent funding for these organisations but in fact we’re seeing the opposite. They are being stretched to breaking point and in the end it’s often the most vulnerable people who end up losing out.”

“The government needs to be supporting and funding services which add value and really make a difference.”

The HELP Foundation is now trying to raise the extra money by appealing for public donations.

Brenda Pilott says that’s not sustainable.

“Community service organisations need certainty around their funding levels and relying on donations won’t bring that. The additional funding required is just a drop in the bucket compared with the value and service that the HELP Foundation provides to Auckland women and the wider community.”

ENDS

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