How it came TO BE
In 2015, social workers from Paihia, Central Auckland, North Auckland, and West Auckland liaised with our resident drama therapist, Maxine Donnellan, and several of our youth leaders on how to address the issues surrounding youth homelessness on the streets of Auckland.
Hours were spent on the streets and in the community talking to those who have found themselves in a state of homelessness. Some of this time was also spent shadowing people and organisations in the community who were currently working with our vulnerable people such as the Salvation Army or Jamie, a freelance photographer who uses his passion for photography to tell stories of our homeless.
We asked ourselves: What is the first step that we can take as individuals and as a community to make a difference in our world?
We then created a theatre piece to pose the question to our wider community:
A collaboration which brought together people from all walks of life to create a platform of performance to empower and support our vulnerable people.
People involved were youth fresh out of the prison system, homeless people from Waitakere and the greater Auckland regions, people working with physical and mental challenges, professional performers, and whoever else wanted to participate. It was a creative evening where stories, songs, and poems were used to educate and inspire.
Some of the donations from the evening were put towards funding a food truck for the homeless. Some of the funding was also put towards a creative venture to empower youth at risk.
“Feeling privileged to have attended this evening and experienced the amazing performances. A fabulous collection of wonderfully talented people and some poignant reminders of the reality of life for the homeless.” - Wendy Masters