Centralisation isn’t fixing a local community’s problems: Paula Bennett

Centralisation has seen money and resources moved out of communities and into the hands of people based in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell

OPINION

No one knows how to fix a local community’s problems better than the community itself. Centralisation has seen money and resources moved out of communities and into the hands of people based in Wellington.

Well-meaning officials make important decisions about how critical funds are allocated to not-for-profit organisations that are more often than not making a substantial difference on the ground.

Too often it is who you know, not what you are doing or the difference you are making that sees you get funding. It’s how loud you shout or the clout you have. Small organisations fight for a small piece of the pie so that they can do what they know is desperately needed.

I remember meeting a grandmother in Kawerau who was working on getting young people to school. She had been employed as the truancy officer and loved her work.

She was extraordinary. Dressed in her matching tracksuit and sneakers with a huge determined smile she went about her work with energy and complete focus.

She knew the names of the more than 100 young people who were either not attending school or at real risk of falling out. She had the respect of the town and more importantly the young people themselves.

Every morning she went around to the homes of about 20 youth, went through the front door and knocked on their bedroom door then got them up and out of bed and into their uniform and took them to school.

She told stories of absolute disfunction within some of these households. Sometimes she said the parents were still partying on a 24-hour bender. She chose to ignore the drugs and drinking and just concentrate on the young person and getting them to school.

She said after a while the student would be up when she arrived. Eventually, they would be waiting for her outside and then they didn’t need her at all and would get themselves to school. She got the local sports club to give her a key so the kids could use the showers.

Her love and care was extraordinary. If politicians or officials got involved she wouldn’t be permitted to do what she did. All sorts of rules and regulations would get in her way. But she knew what was needed, she knew her community and she made it happen.

We need to get out of the way of those that are doing it. We need to decentralise and move more funding directly to the frontline. Be clear about what success looks like, hold them to account for it but otherwise just listen, show respect and be grateful.