Proposed solution
The Day Centre is designed to provide structured, trauma informed, supportive engagement for individuals experiencing homelessness. Co-located with service organisations, it ensures easy access to social, health, and employment support. Key services include:
- Community lunch and dinner (nutritious meals provided daily)
- Case management and support services (housing assistance, employment services, addiction support)
- Daytime engagement to ensure street whānau are occupied, supported, and have a place to congregate
- Structured entry guidelines to maintain a safe, productive environment
- Transportation to the Night Centre for those requiring overnight support
- Staff continuity between the Day and Night Centres to maintain relationships and consistency in care
The Night Centre provides a safe, dignified space for individuals who need overnight accommodation support. Unlike traditional shelters, the focus is on stability and transition rather than emergency accommodation. Services include:
- Sleeping spaces (monitored, safe, and structured for rest and recovery)
- Shower and laundry facilities
- Night support staff (including medical and crisis support workers)
- Staff continuity with some personnel transitioning between the Night and Day Centres to maintain relationships and consistency in care
- Morning transition support (transportation back to the Day Centre or other support services)
The integrated Day and Night Centre work together to support homeless individuals by addressing their immediate needs while providing pathways to stable living and housing.
Governance and Leadership
Governance is organised and administered through a Charter of Responsibility
Social Service Agencies
Police and Community Safety Officials
Local Government Representatives
Health Organisations
Iwi Organisation Representation
Stakeholder group
Day / Night Centre
The service is administered by a Board of Core Partners, ensuring strong oversight, strategic direction, evaluation and monitoring. The board adheres to a shared Charter of Responsibility. The board could include:
- Social Service Agencies (e.g. The YMCA, Taranaki Retreat, PARS, Salvation Army, Women’s Refuge, On The House, Roderique Hope Trust)
- Police & Community Safety Officials (e.g. Police, Corrections)
- Local Government Representatives (e.g. NPDC, Taranaki Housing Initiative Trust)
- Health Organisations (e.g. Tui Ora, Te Whatu Ora Public Health Service, NETS New Plymouth)
The service is informed and supported by a Stakeholder Group who regularly engage with the service and are interested and invested in its success. Stakeholders do not govern but support the service through advice and resourcing. Stakeholders would include:
- Neighbours near the facilities
- Local businesses, Chamber of Commerce, and BARA
- New Plymouth Food Bank, Community Law, Women’s Centre, etc.
- Co-located service organisations
This governance and stakeholder model ensures community engagement. It will actively work to engage with central government agencies with a commitment to pressure government agency involvement and resourcing – staunchly believing no government agency or hospital can shift responsibility for homelessness solely onto community services. Collaboration and
shared leadership are at the heart of the initiative, ensuring clear accountability and effective service delivery.
Core Philosophy and Commitment
The Integrated Service is committed to a highly structured, accountable, person centred, and outcome-focused model. It simultaneously holds community perceptions and need for safety and security with the service offerings necessary to support our community’s most vulnerable. This initiative stands against any diffusion of responsibility from government agencies, ensuring that homelessness is addressed as a community-wide issue rather than being placed solely on charities or local government. Through structured partnerships, transportation between services, and a dedicated leadership team, this initiative seeks to provide dignity, structure, and long-term pathways to stability for individuals in need.
Consideration of Risks
Significant consideration has been made to real or perceived risks, including safety, resource allocation, street whānau displacement, and operational challenges. Many of these issues are already being experienced without proactive mitigation or dedicated community engagement and education. This is crucial to build understanding, trust, and support.
Potential Benefits
The most immediate benefit would be the reduction in costs borne by NPDC and other organisations in dealing with symptoms and consequences of the status quo. A dedicated Day and Night Centre offers a safe environment – reducing street presence and improving safety for street whānau, vulnerable individuals, and residents/retailers.
Additional benefits that have been realised from similar initiatives nationally and internationally include:
- economic stability
- peace of mind that comes with resourced active response
- enhanced community cohesion and positive perception, and
- reduced emergency responses.
Integrated Community Transition and Support Service: Day & Night Centres – Q&A
Q: Won’t a day centre attract more homeless people to our town?
A: Homelessness already exists in our community, whether we see it or not. The day centre will not ‘attract’ people; it will provide support to those already here. Without services, individuals remain on the streets with fewer options for support, increasing the likelihood of long-term homelessness as well as an additional burden on emergency services, businesses, and law enforcement.
Q: Do you have an advocacy plan?
A: We have engaged MP for New Plymouth David McLeod, and List MP Glen Bennett to discuss our community need and plan regular engagement to encourage their lobbying for better services and funding aimed at homelessness. There appears to be interest in this project as it is strongly desired by local constituency.
Q: Will the centres increase crime or disturbances in the area?
A: Studies show that supportive services for homeless individuals actually reduce crime by addressing root causes like poverty, lack of resources, and mental health struggles. By providing structure, assistance, and a safe place to go, the centre helps to prevent issues rather than cause them. This makes sense: when individuals have access to resources, meals, and support, they are less likely to engage in survival-based activities that could lead to crime or disturbances.
Q: How will this benefit the broader community?
A: By providing services in a structured way, the centre reduces strain on emergency services, police, and hospitals. It promotes public safety, cleanliness, and a more compassionate approach to homelessness — helping people move toward independence rather than remaining stuck in crisis.
Q: What if people use the centre just to loiter and not seek help?
A: The centre is designed to provide more than just a place to stay. With structured programmes, job assistance, and social services, individuals are encouraged to take steps toward stability; they will be empowered to regain independence. Many of our street whānau want to improve their circumstances but lack the resources to do so.
Q: How will this be funded? Will my rates go up?
A: Ideally, funding will come from a combination of government grants, private donations, and community partnerships. Funding from NPDC is requested, but studies show that investing in homelessness solutions saves rate/taxpayers money by reducing costs related to council and business response, emergency healthcare, policing, and social services.
Q: How will the centre handle drug use?
A: While some people experiencing homelessness struggle with addiction, the centre will maintain a strict ‘no drug or alcohol use on site’ policy. Additionally, we recognise that addiction is a health issue, not a personal failing, so the centre will provide referrals to addiction recovery services, offering a pathway to treatment rather than ignoring the problem.
Q: What about connection to central government agencies?
A: Our community forum, held in December 2024, highlighted the importance of a community-led initiative. Being a community-led initiative supports NPDC’s vision for our district and puts New Plymouth on the map as a region innovating in this widespread social issue. Central Government agencies will be be presented with this information, and we hope to gain interest.
Q: Wouldn’t it be better just to build more shelters instead?
A: Shelters play a role, but are often resourced just to provide emergency accommodation. We are working seamlessly with the accommodation supports being developed at the YMCA – including transition support – but this will only operate overnight. Many people experiencing homelessness have nowhere safe to go during the day and the visibility of homelessness has increased as a result. The Day Centre will complement the overnight stay space proposed by the YMCA by offering resources, stability, and meals, increasing the chances of individuals moving toward permanent housing.
Q: Is this similar to what is done elsewhere? Where does their funding come from?
A: Yes it is; however, different regions have adopted different models. Generally, these have eventuated from City Mission projects; however, the scale of our region and this social problem doesn’t require a major City Mission project. Our needs can better be served by utilising the existing skill-base and pooling resources across established agencies and funders.
Funding models include government, private, and donation funding. Lotteries funding would likely be guaranteed for this kaupapa.
Q: What about Iwi/Hapu involvement?
A: We emphasise our commitment to meaningful engagement with Iwi
and Hapu; and that that would include building a network of support for those engaged in the service. We are in communication with Iwi organisations and there exist potential collaborations in Taranaki for outreach, cultural support and safety, and service delivery.
Q: How long would this run?
A: We suggest a pilot phase timeline of two years from the opening of the centres, with evaluations at regular intervals (every six months) to assess effectiveness.