Together we can make a difference
The House of Grace has been around for over 20 years and Port Nicholson Rotary has been supporting its work for many of those years. This week we heard from Fiona and Rebecca who were presenting their new strategic plan. Yawn, yawn I hear you say. But no, this was an interesting plan and well thought out.
House of Grace is a home for pregnant teenage girls whose home life has not been suitable for a variety of reasons including poverty and abuse. Until now they, up to four teenage
mothers at a time, have been able to live in a house with house parents also living there and helping to look after them. This has worked well for many years, but the world is changing. With more of these teenagers with mental health or drug problems, some on home detention and others who do not want to live in a group home, the situation needed to change. Added to this it has also been difficult to find house parents and the cost of over $400,000 a year to run the two homes. The new plan is to have individual partnering, with one significant advantage being that the teenage mothers will not need to move to Wellington or Hamilton. The Hamilton house has already been closed and sold and the Wellington house will close at the end of this year. The placements for the mothers form now on will be longer and the costs a lot lower. The House of Grace has already made a significant difference for over 200 mothers and children. With the new strategic direction it is expected that by adapting to the changing world and having a better system, this difference will continue and get better. But the House of Grace will still need our financial and moral support.
mothers at a time, have been able to live in a house with house parents also living there and helping to look after them. This has worked well for many years, but the world is changing. With more of these teenagers with mental health or drug problems, some on home detention and others who do not want to live in a group home, the situation needed to change. Added to this it has also been difficult to find house parents and the cost of over $400,000 a year to run the two homes. The new plan is to have individual partnering, with one significant advantage being that the teenage mothers will not need to move to Wellington or Hamilton. The Hamilton house has already been closed and sold and the Wellington house will close at the end of this year. The placements for the mothers form now on will be longer and the costs a lot lower. The House of Grace has already made a significant difference for over 200 mothers and children. With the new strategic direction it is expected that by adapting to the changing world and having a better system, this difference will continue and get better. But the House of Grace will still need our financial and moral support.