The ‘streetie’ spot keeping bodies off the street

Friday, 22 December 2023

Robbie Basho, co-ordinator of the men’s day programme at the Christchurch City Mission, says having a space for men to go during the day has kept people off the street.

On a Monday morning, queues form outside the Christchurch City Mission. But the people in line are not waiting for food or parcels, but for connection with others.

The City Mission has been running day programmes for men for over two decades. Whether they are homeless, isolated or below the poverty line, there's an open door policy.

Robbie Basho started co-ordinating the programmes after he recovered from a rough upbringing, got sober and realised the value of having a place to go.

Since then, he has made the day programme room a haven for “streeties”.

Artwork is plastered on the walls, a memorial for passed loved ones placed in a reading nook and a photo of the Homeless World Cup team sits at the entrance.

The room has become a home for many, offering everything from cooked breakfasts, jamming sessions and cookery classes to showing documentaries and hosting guest speakers.

“People come here because they want to connect,” said Basho.

“They don’t just want to feed off us, they want to come in, have a yarn, have a cuppa, talk about some stuff and hang out.

“It’s an open door - everyone’s allowed in, there’s no criteria.”

Since July, attendance at the programme has risen every month. Basho now sees at least 50 people a day, and on some days everyone is new.

Basho says attendance at the programme has risen every month since July, with queues forming from the early morning.

More than 7000 people are now estimated to be homeless or living in temporary housing in Christchurch, one of the highest proportions in New Zealand, according to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

Harriet English, education team leader at the City Mission, helps oversee the men’s and women’s day programmes that the mission provides.

She says she has noticed a rise in people attending the men’s programme, and said they are getting “busier and busier”.

“I’m normally here at 8am on a Monday morning, and there can be 30-40 people waiting outside to get in,” she said.

“It used to tail off towards the end of the week - it doesn’t tail off any more.”

The start of the week is the hardest, said Basho. The mission doesn’t have the funds to keep the doors open during the weekend or on Christmas Day, meaning some people don’t eat for two days and are alone.

Basho and the other co-ordinators have given their private numbers to people who attend the programme in case they need them.

English said the weekday programme is a lifeline for some who attend.

“It’s so important for their lives to not just be based around trauma, difficulty or stress.

“We had a man come in once looking for shoes because he had a job offer for work that day. It’s the basic needs that you and I probably just take for granted.”

Basho wants people to understand the severity of the situations and lives of some people. He said some men who come in have never had a drivers licence, ID, and have never seen a doctor.

Over 7000 people are estimated to be homeless or living in temporary housing in Christchurch, one of the largest proportions in New Zealand.

“You wouldn’t believe how funnelled and how traumatic and how horrendous their lives have been.

“We’d have bodies on the street without places like this.”

Basho and English want to ensure the doors stay open in the future, to give men control over the space and continue their policy of never turning anyone away.

But for now, the men who flock to the room can look forward to the “biggest ham” Basho has ever seen, a hot meal and one last celebration before the new year.

“It’s got City Mission on the front but this is a streetie community space,” said Basho.

“The happy families celebrate and that’s what we are.”

In an effort to help the mission in the New Year, The Press is encouraging readers to take part in its campaign encouraging people to have reverse advent calendars, the idea being to give rather than receive.

People are encouraged to grab a calendar, grab a box and pop a donation inside on every day in December, with the full boxes then going to the City Mission in time for January.

Reverse advent boxes can be taken to the mission's reception every weekday from 8.30am to 5pm. (It is not open weekends or public holidays.) Make sure to snap a photo of you and your box and send it to reporters@press.co.nz - we hope to publish a page of pictures of our generous readers.