Project Mana enhances living conditions
The Far North is a majestic place to live, but for some families the magic has been lost due to their social circumstances and substandard living conditions.
In a bid to turn this around, New Zealand Blue Light teamed up with its local Kaitāia, Ōrewa and Ōtara branches over a 10-day period earlier this year to deal with a number of inadequate homes.
As part of Project Mana, five houses were selected for teams of volunteers to fix up. Young offenders were chosen by their respective areas to travel north with the teams and help with the repairs.
New Zealand Blue Light Ventures National Events Coordinator, Troy O’Dea, says the highlight of the week involved one of the Ōtara youth offenders receiving an invitation to be taken in by a family who met him - with a longer term prospect of adoption.
Work included replacing a condemned and rotting deck on one house to replacing rotting weatherboards on another, and painting and fencing on others. Recipients ranged from struggling young families to the elderly.
“Staff from Ōrewa, Ōtara and Kaitāia did a fantastic job as ambassadors for Blue Light throughout the project,” says Troy.
“They worked together to bring something special to the kids and community of the Far North from the last place they expected it.
“The Profile of Blue Light has been raised dramatically in the Far North and the youth, community and police relationship has been improved beyond measure through the sacrifice and hard work of police officers, Blue Light volunteers and our youth.”
The home improvement initiative was complemented by Blue Light Dances; a simulated crash scene outside Kaitāia Primary School as part their emergency services studies; a skate and BMX competition; and a PCT school versus police challenge - thanks to Shona Hobson and her team.
“Businesses from around New Zealand donated many of the prizes and our thanks go to them for their generosity,” says Troy.
Project Mana workers rebuild a deck as part of repairs to homes in the Far North.
