Whānau
We call the people we work with whānau. Many of the people we work with have no whānau of their own, but they are always welcome to become part of our extended DCM family. Read some of their real life stories here.
A Journey of Recovery: One Day at a Time
DCM offers many different services to support the most vulnerable people in Wellington. Hear how one member of our community was supported into recovery by DCM.
More than a Coffee at Te Hāpai
Te Hāpai is a special place, here one of our whānau who regularly visits this space shares his experience and journey of being supported by DCM.
Here, one of our whānau shares his journey from living in his car to being settled in a whare, enjoying a quiet life with his dog Caesar.
At DCM we walk alongside our whānau throughout their journey to becoming housed, connected, valued and thriving. Connection is key. Here Adam shares what brought him to DCM and what the journey has been like so far. Read on to walk a mile in his shoes
DCM first met Michelle just before the pandemic. Here she shares her journey. From a bus stop to a whare by the beach.
Keri threw in his patch six years ago for a life growing larger – bit by bit. Here he shares his inspiring story as he looks to a future of health, housing, and whānau connection.
Many of the people DCM supports die at a young age, well before their time. Here we share the story of Russell, who died two days before Christmas 2021. We hear from just a few of the many people – at DCM and across the community – who were connected to Russell and who will miss him. And we hear from Russell himself.
Hapi is a very sociable man who enjoys company, art and gardening. He has been homeless at several different times in his life, most recently sleeping in his van.
Douglas is a warm-hearted man of Samoan descent who has faced many challenges in his life, struggling to find spaces to belong.
From Rough Sleeping and Pregnant – to Housed and Hopeful
Meda first came to DCM in 2016 – pregnant, and rough sleeping on the streets of Wellington. It has been a long journey for Meda – but she is in a good place now, in her own home, and doing well.
I heard about DCM. So I went down to Lukes Lane to find some food. I saw how the DCM people interacted with everyone, so I thought, “Maybe these guys aren’t too bad”.
Ensuring that our whānau have a voice
At DCM, we are committed to ensuring that our whānau have a voice – at DCM and in Aotearoa. Many of us have been sharing stories of the COVID lock-down with our family and friends; we wanted to ensure that the experience of taumai over this time was also captured and shared. We interviewed 65 of our taumai. Here are some of their insights they shared with us.