Covid 19 coronavirus: Taupō social services here to help

The impact of Covid-19 has brought stress in various forms to all sectors of society. Photo / Getty Images

Covid-19 has had an impact on many people in the Taupō district. Job losses, financial pressure, children struggling to re-engage at school, large amounts of time with family.

Joan McBeath knows all these things can make people stressed. For some people, Covid-19 may mean they have found themselves in a vulnerable situation for the first time in their lives.

"This is affecting people right across the board, every sector of society Covid hasn't left untouched."

One of the actions in the Regenerate Taupō report, a sector-led recovery plan set up to guide the district's recovery from Covid-19, was to develop and promote ways in which people could seek help if they needed it.

Joan, who volunteered to pick up the task of coming up with a simple method for people in the entire Taupō district to access help, says it can be challenging to know where to go.

So she has set up a helpline email (heretohelptaupodistrict@gmail.com) for people to find help in a simple, confidential, non-threatening way.

Joan McBeath says nobody should be afraid to ask for help if they need it. Photo / Laurilee McMichael

People send an email stating their area of need and then will be referred to the appropriate place, whether it's counselling, Whānau Ora or a foodbank.

There are something like 77 social service organisations in the Taupō district and it's rather daunting trying to find out where the appropriate place to go is, particularly if it's a situation you wouldn't expect to find yourself in and are wondering "where do I go, who do I talk to?" Joan says.

"There are amazing people out there but it's a minefield to work your way through."

Anybody who needs assistance, whether emotional, mental, financial, business, relationship or otherwise can get in touch. Their message will be acknowledged and somebody will make contact.

Joan says she understands asking for help is not always easy, especially for those who haven't had to do so before. She expects that with the wage subsidy running out soon and the winter energy payment also stopping, more people will be needing help.

"But in these troubled times everyone is affected by Covid in one form or another."

If you need help or a referral, email heretohelptaupodistrict@gmail.com