With Chief Executive Nigel Philpott confirming that Council will look to install CCTV in problem areas and the Male Room brought in to support people who need help, Council is part of a combined approach to begging and rough sleeping our city centre.
As Director of Male Room, a charitable organisation that provides a range of services, including supporting people who are homeless or close to being homeless access support services, Male Room Director Philip Chapman has first-hand experience of what life in Nelson is like for people in crisis.
“People see the visible side of homeless, but there’s so many people they don’t see who are homeless or close to it,” says Philip.
“These people are their own community and show incredible levels of resilience every day. Most have suffered some form of childhood trauma, whether that is sexual, physical or emotional abuse. But there’s also a lot going for them – I love working with this community, they are fantastic people and don’t judge.”
As part of Council’s collaborative approach to anti-social behaviour in our city centre The Male Room has been contracted by Council to provide initial assessment, referrals and help, for people experiencing homelessness or who may be at risk of homelessness. They are part of the Housing First partnership who provide accommodation and wrap-around support to people who are homeless.
“This isn’t an easy fix, and I don’t have the answer myself. We had 50 people through one day last week. We do what we can to help people whose trust in society has been destroyed to use support services that are getting harder and harder to access.
“I really appreciate the working relationship with NCC. Their Community Partnerships team do a lot to build trust and bring all the relevant people together.”
Chief Executive Nigel Philpott says begging, and other anti-social behaviour in the city centre is not acceptable and Council is looking at ways to enhance its ability to enforce the relevant parts of the Urban Environment Bylaw.
The picture’s not a black and white one, though.
“Homelessness is a complex problem in cities across New Zealand and a responsibility for a range of organisations. And we should recognise that a lot of the anti-social behaviour reported to us is done by people who do have accommodation.
“So, our approach is two-pronged. We’re beefing up the support offered to people in crisis and our Community Partnerships team is working with the Male Room and a range of organisations to help people access available support.
“But this will be combined with more proactive enforcement. Our staff met with Police last week to look at how we can work together to make sure our streets are safe for our community and visitors to Nelson. Our message is clear, we won’t tolerate rough sleeping or begging in our city centre and Council and Police will support each other in tackling the issue.
“As part of this, Council will work to install CCTV cameras in problem areas that will make it easier for police and enforcement officers to gather the evidence required for enforcement or prosecution where appropriate.”
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution and a greater array of housing options is key. Many have benefitted from the work of Housing First in Nelson, which has provided about 80% of those people at risk of homelessness with shelter and other support services.
Some homeless people have very complex needs that affect their ability to engage with or accept help from agencies. These people may need specialist wrap-around services including access to supported living.
“Council is not operating in a vacuum here,” says Nigel. “Central Government agencies will play their part too. It’s a united front and we will all work together to get to a solution.”
How to help
Seeing someone begging can evoke a range of emotions, from frustration to sadness. Handing money over directly is not the best way to help.
Nelson has several wonderful agencies offering support, including the Male Room, Salvation Army, Giving Aroha, Magenta Creative Space and White House. If you feel moved to donate, please consider supporting these community organisations.
Please visit nelson.govt.nz/help-people-in-crisis to find out how to donate.
Remember, while homelessness and begging share some underlying factors, not all people who beg are homeless, and not all people who are homeless beg.
