Real Change Happens When We Work Together

It would be easy to look at DCM and wonder how we manage to do everything that we do, the need is great and there are only so many hours in the day. Some days it’s a daunting job. But we don’t do it alone; at the core of our work are the relationships that have allowed our work to continue these last fifty-six years.

Central to our work are the landlords, and Community Housing Providers, who we work with to provide housing for our whānau. We wanted to take a second to introduce you to two of these amazing partners: Te Toi Mahana and Dwell Housing Trust.

Te Toi Mahana

Te Toi Mahana was established in 2023 as a community housing provider (CHP), when it assumed responsibility for Wellington City Council’s public housing portfolio. We have been working alongside Te Toi Mahana for many years. With housing dotted around the city, they are the biggest CHP in Wellington and house some of our whānau. We partner with Te Toi Mahana to provide a number of services, in particular Noho Pai, our Sustaining Tenancies team who supports housed whānau who are at risk of eviction.

Chatting to Te Toi Mahana’s Seb Bishop (Manager, Partnerships and Community) and Nabilah Husna (Communications Advisor) over a cup of tea, Seb says that collaborating is core to the work they do. Te Toi Mahana offer a whole range of additional supports for their tenants, alongisde housing, but they also do their best to link tenants up with outside support when it’s needed.

“We really value our partnership with DCM... we value that relationship that ensures that our tenants who need that additional level of support, get it.”

One of the challenges we all face is housing supply, so it’s also really exciting to hear from Seb and Nabilah that they are going full steam ahead with both property development and retrofitting the older properties in their portfolio: “We have a goal over the next ten years to build another five hundred affordable homes, so that’s really exciting. Our first two new developments are just coming through.”

Like all relationships, clear communication is foundational to making housing collaborations work, particuarly when working with whānau with complex needs. We’re really appreciative of Te Toi Mahana’s ongoing support for us and our whānau, and look forward to another year of walking alongiside each other to make real impact in the lives of some of Wellington’s most marginalised whānau.

DWELL Housing Trust

Dwell Housing Trust will welcome the first of our Housing First tenants into their whare (houses) in the next few months, a very exciting step in this new partnership. Over in Kilbirnie, Joanne Sharpe, Dwell’s Partnership and Engagement Manager says that they’re “excited to be able to step in and address community need.” While Dwell’s kaupapa has always been to support low-income whānau in their community, they haven’t historically housed those who have come directly from rough-sleeping.

Elizabeth Lester (Dwell’s Chief Executive) joins in our kōrero, noting that DCM’s longstanding relationships with the homeless community is a core part of our this shared endevour: “These close relationships will be the key to our success.”

Housing First is considered best practice for supporting whānau who have experienced chronic homelessness and have other challenges, such as mental illness and drug misuse. There are two key parts to this strategy. First, housing. Second, wrap around support that whānau can engage with to the level they choose. The expertise DCM and Dwell each bring to the table is a perfect fit for this kaupapa. As Joanne says: “Working together. That’s the power of organisations like ours.” 

Asked about what she would say to propsective landlords, keen to be involved but unsure what this would look like, Liz extends a warm welcome: “we will take care of your property for you, and DCM will take care of the tenant. We plan and are funded for every risk, and we have you covered. So join us to be a part of the solution for Wellington.”

A huge thank you to Dwell and their wonderful team. Keep an ear out for further updates once our whānau move in.