DCM (formerly known as Inner City Ministry and then Downtown Community Ministry) has been working in the city of Wellington since 1969 to “focus on the needs of, and to help empower, those marginalised in the city.” (DCM Constitution)  DCM has adopted the byline “together we can end homelessness in Wellington” which reflects our current focus on the needs of one key marginalised group – people experiencing homelessness, or who are at risk of homelessness, supporting them on a journey towards sustainable housing and wellbeing.  Over the past decade we have supported literally hundreds of people to successfully exit homelessness and sustain housing.

Sitting in the heart of Wellington at 2 Lukes Lane on the site of Te Aro Pā, the most marginalised people in our city come to us because they genuinely feel welcome and because what we do works and makes a difference in their lives. 

DCM is a stable organisation and has a diverse and sustainable funding base, including many Wellingtonians - individual donors, groups and faith communities - as well as the Wellington City Council, the Ministry of Social Development and charitable trusts. The iconic DCM Bookfair, held annually since 1996, is our most significant annual fundraising activity.

DCM works with people in Wellington who meet the New Zealand definition of homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness. 

We seek to get to the heart of why a person is experiencing homelessness and to support them to get to a good place in all aspects of their life.  We work with them to find sustainable housing, access a benefit and manage their money, and connect to whānau, health and other services and support systems.

We are also part of Aro Mai, Housing First Collaboration Wellington, working directly with landlords, finding tenants and managing properties in a mutually-beneficial way with the potential to transform lives.

We call the people we work with taumai, meaning to settle. This reflects the journey we embark on together when someone walks through our door. DCM supports taumai on a journey towards wellbeing, working with them in a way which enhances mana. We are committed to doing this through best practice, which means a Housing First approach.

International best practice calls for work at three levels.

• Stop homelessness happening.

• Deal with it quickly when people become homeless.

• Stop homelessness recurring.

Best practice also calls for a collaborative approach to ending homelessness. We have established a vibrant hub at our building in Lukes Lane, Wellington where we can work together to end homelessness.

At DCM, we offer people experiencing homelessness, mental illness and addictions an opportunity to engage with skilled staff who work with them to identify their needs and the support they require to achieve wellbeing.

Does someone you know need help with homelessness?

If you know someone or come across someone in need of our support, you are welcome to direct them to us. Better still, you may want to bring them in to see us yourself.

See our Contact page here for our address and opening hours.

If you are concerned about someone who is rough sleeping, you can ring Wellington City Council on (04) 499 4444 24/7 and they will notify DCM’s Outreach team.

If you need to get in touch with other supports immediately, and it is outside DCM’s opening hours, you may like to contact one of the following other services:

Te Aro Health Centre

Te Aro Health Centre (TAHC) provides health services to people experiencing homelessness and has a clinic in the same building as DCM at 2 Lukes Lane, Te Aro.

They are also open from 9am-Noon and 1pm-4.30pm Monday to Friday at 331 Willis Street. The phone number is 04 3850255.

The Soup Kitchen

The Soup Kitchen provides a free breakfast from 7.45am to 8.45am, and a healthy dinner between 4.45pm and 5.45pm for $2.00. These meals are available Monday to Saturday. The Soup Kitchen is located at 132 Tory St, Wellington. The phone number is 04 385 9299.

Wellington Night Shelter

The Wellington Night Shelter provides emergency overnight accommodation for men experiencing homelessness. You can find the Night Shelter at 304 Taranaki St, Mt Cook. It is open every day and admission times are 5.30pm to 9.30pm.

Wellington City Mission

We have a member of our Outreach team based at the Wellington City Mission Drop-in Centre at 200 Riddiford Street, Newtown, Wellington. The City Mission's Drop-in Centre operates Monday to Thursday 9.30am to 1.30pm.