Disability worker set to go voluntary

Masterton Disability spokesman Peter Knighton will continue voluntary work in the community after losing his funding. FILE PHOTO

Masterton's Disability spokesman Peter Knighton will continue to work in the community even though he will no longer be paid.

Mr Knighton was told last week by the Disabled Person's Assembly (DPA) that his position with them would no longer be funded.

"Now I won't get paid for what I do, which I don't mind," he said. "But I'd love to continue. But I do understand that the DPA don't have funds any more to pay us."

Mr Knighton has been working to improve disability access to Masterton facilities which includes his recent petition to bring a chair hoist to the Genesis Recreation Centre Pool.

Waddy Wadsworth, who spoke on behalf of DPA to Times-Age, said the situation was "obviously not ideal for the individuals concerned.

"We would much rather be able to offer continuity of employment, but we are unable to do that without a guaranteed income stream.

"All of our paid regional staff are paid from a variety of sources from contracts with the Ministry of Health to grants from national and local charities and because the majority of the funding is for 12 months only, we are not able to guarantee anyone employment past the period covered by that funding.

"This means that there are times where we have to end some employees' paid employment. Where this occurs we are reliant on committed members like Peter to continue with the important work they do in an unpaid voluntary capacity until and if we are able to secure further funding."

There are five others in the same situation as Mr Knighton across New Zealand.