Pauline helps women live life beyond prison bars

SUPPORT PERSON: Pauline Cave finds her role helping women adjust to live out of prison hugely rewarding.

When Pauline Cave meets a new client, the first thing she does is give them a big hug.

In many cases, this is the first hug, or positive physical contact they have had for two years -- having been behind prison bars and, for some, cast out by their families and isolated from their children.

Pauline is a Community Navigator for Presbyterian Support Central's Out of Gate programme, which assists women who have served prison sentences of up to 24 months readjust to life "on the outside".

Working out of Family Works in Featherston, Pauline supports women who have been released from Arohata Prison and returning to their home towns in Wairarapa.

Her role is to help them reintegrate into their communities, find employment and rebuild connections with family -- which can be monumental tasks for women previously cloistered from the world.

While her clients may face being maligned by society, Pauline is not interested in their prison sentence -- instead taking them under her wing as children of her own.

"I don't ask what they did," Pauline, from Carterton, said. "It is like having children -- you do you what you can to guide them, advise them, and steer them in the right direction. If one little thing you do helps them succeed, it makes you very proud."

As Community Navigator, Pauline, who previously worked as an administrator with Family Works, meets women off the bus coming out of prison and can be their support person for up to a year.

Her first role is to help them get set up with the basics. Often, women arrive with nothing but the clothes they wore entering prison, have no bank account, and no current forms of ID.

Once their account is set up, Pauline will accompany them to Work and Income, and to see their parole officer.

One of the biggest challenges is finding them appropriate housing, with some needing to stay in a motor camp until accommodation is found. Some need help furnishing their new homes, usually provided with help from Featherston's Own Charitable Trust and other community organisations.

"If they're in the motorcamp, we provide blankets and pillows, we help them get the house set up, and make sure they can get a food parcel. Some of them went into prison in summer and have no coats, warm socks or appropriate shoes, so we make sure they've got warm clothing."

Pauline will then help them look for work, and reconnect with family.

"Most of them are hankering to get back to their kids, and it's essential for their wellbeing they are reunited.

"You're there to make the transition easier -- it's terrifying for them, as they've come from a place where they've had three meals a day, a roof over their head and a bed to sleep in.

"They've been told what to do every day for two years, now they're on their own."

Pauline said some of her clients have made real strides, such as gaining part-time employment, undertaking training courses, and forming loving relationships with their children.

Plus, thanks to her support, women that were previously beaten down by the weight of their criminal past are regaining their confidence.

"Letting them know you're there as a listening ear and you're not there to judge makes them feel a little less disconnected.

"When they see you on the street, and they run towards you, arms outstretched, you know you've done a good job."

One of Pauline's proudest moments, she said, was seeing a former client at a cafe, who proudly introduced her to her children.

"It brings tears to your eyes."