Finding a safe and stable place to live is one of the biggest challenges facing many in Ōtautahi Christchurch today. Rising rents, limited social housing, and the high cost of living leave too many people without a place to call home. For Jasmine, this became her reality when she moved south to be closer to her daughter.
She hoped for a fresh start. Instead, she found herself without a home of her own, drifting between couches and relying on the kindness of others.
“I was living from couch to couch,” she remembers. “Sometimes I stayed with my daughter, but she had her own ways. I didn’t really have anywhere to call home.”
Life was uncertain, and Jasmine longed for stability – not just for herself, but so her children could see she was building a better life.
Hope came through her church community. Her pastors introduced her to Tiaki, Visionwest’s Māori leader in Christchurch. “I spoke to Tiaki about my situation, and he came to my daughter’s house with a housing application. That buzzed me up,” Jasmine says with a smile. “I filled it out that day. I was approved the next week. It was buzzy!”
It wasn’t long before Jasmine was moving into her own home. After months of uncertainty, the relief was overwhelming. Her Support Navigator, Alicia, walked alongside her through every step. “Visionwest is a good place for people like me,” Jasmine explains. “A lot of the staff have come from my lifestyle too, so we connect in similar ways. They navigate you along the pathways to be able to get what you need.”
When she learned her housing was permanent, Jasmine cried with joy. “This is my forever house. Oh, it feels great. It feels good.”
With stability came change. She began reconnecting with her children, determined to show them that life offers second chances. She enrolled in training courses and set her sights on studying mental health and wellbeing.
“Other agencies just give you a house. Visionwest gave me support, hope, and family,” she reflects. “Today, I’m patient, consistent, and building a future. I’m not going anywhere – I’ll always stay connected. I love Visionwest.”