2022 Annual Report

CMM’s ability to keep services running throughout the pandemic stands out as a significant highlight in a difficult year. Yet again, we’ve faced huge challenges. However, our staff have responded to ensure care and services were delivered with dignity and compassion throughout the organisation.

We are proud of our continued work to house individuals and whānau who find themselves as victims of New Zealand’s housing crisis. Our growing housing portfolio is helping CMM address this issue, albeit in a small way. CMM continues to stand as a leader in the community housing sector. In July we were pleased to add 14 new houses to our social housing portfolio. This brought the number of permanent homes in Christchurch administered by CMM to 112.

I’m saddened by the growing number of children living in motels. In Christchurch alone, nearly 400 children call these places of temporary accommodation home. It’s a sorry situation that’s getting desperately worse. We must hold these tamariki in the palm of our hands as we consider where we prioritize our resources as a nation. How can children thrive in anything but a safe and supportive environment? CMM is committed to doing its utmost as an advocate and service provider for these children.

The range of services we continue to offer from the very young at Aratupu Preschool & Whānau Hub, our community development workers, our social workers, and our care and service staff who keep WesleyCare operating, are all part of what makes up CMM’s impressive service in Christchurch, the West Coast, Blenheim and Nelson. Our Board thanks all staff members for your service and commitment. You all carry the flag for the values of the Methodist Mission.

As I look at the CMM budget for the coming year, I am pleased to see funding to continue for all core areas of work. CMM will keep working with the people who need us most, offering long-term solutions rather than quick-fix suggestions.

Advocacy is one of the values which drives us all as a Board and an organization. CMM is a voice for the voiceless and an advocate against injustice. The leadership our Executive Director, Jill Hawkey, brings to social justice debates affirms her mana in this field, not only in our city but throughout New Zealand. I thank Jill for her magnificent servant leadership.

I extend my thanks to my fellow Board members who continue as volunteers to oversee this organization. The skills and values you devote to the Mission are laudable.
To all our supporters from parishes and individual donors, philanthropic trusts and government departments our deepest thanks. CMM’s work would not be possible without your commitment to building a better world.

He moana pukepuke e ekengia e te waka
A choppy sea can be navigated by a waka

Covid-19 impacted significantly on Christchurch Methodist Mission’s (CMM’s) services this year, encouraging us to put into practice one of the ‘approaches’ outlined in our Strategic Plan- ‘be flexible, explore and implement innovative and creative responses to challenges and issues’. The WesleyCare staff epitomized this as they worked hard to keep the 108 residents of the hospital and home safe, often working extra shifts to cover staff isolating and supporting residents to stay in contact with their whānau and friends during lockdowns.

Across the rest of the organisation, staff found innovative ways to respond to community need; families who were struggling were supported through zoom calls, food parcels were dropped off to those who were isolating and vaccination clinics were established for those who are homeless.

Despite these uncertain times, new services were established; Youth Supported Accommodation for young people leaving Oranga Tamariki care, Kahu Matarau, an intensive intervention programme for whānau who are struggling in the east of Christchurch and a Savings Incentive Scheme is being piloted by our Financial Capability mentors. Other Government funding contracts were renewed; the Mana Ake programme which promotes mental wellbeing in primary and intermediate schools and various housing programmes that we provide in Canterbury, Marlborough, Nelson and the West Coast.

As we emerge post-lockdowns, it is exciting to see new initiatives emerge. A particular community highlight is the new Village Voice fortnightly newsletter that has been created by residents of Wesley Village and Whare Tiaki and promotes the many different activities that they are organizing themselves in the Village.

Our commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and working together as Māori and Tauiwi to serve our communities continues. As we celebrated Matariki as a nation, teams across the organisation increased their own knowledge and shared celebrations with clients, tenants and the wider community. A group of ‘champions’ has also been established from the staff to promote te reo and tikanga Māori across the organisation.

CMM is fortunate to have an extremely competent and commited staff team, a skilled and supportive Board and hundreds of supporters who enable us to be flexible and creative in meeting emerging challenges. Thank you to everyone who has contibuted their knowledge and skills over the past year as we have sucessfully navigated the choppy waters.