Te is a creative force in her community

Naturally artistic, Te can lend her hand to most arts and crafts. She crochets, and her new favourite past times are photography and print making.

These are skills she’s put to great use in the Te Mātāwai community, contributing work to an onsite art exhibition, assisting with photography projects, taking photos at events, selling her arts and crafts offsite and helping to plan activities for the onsite youth group.

“When I moved in 18 months ago, I got involved in art classes which led to exhibiting one of my artworks. Then I helped with costumes and a lot of the paperwork for two photography projects involving tenants with artist and lecturer Dieneke Jansen from Auckland University of Technology.

“I was very excited when Dieneke then invited me to assist on a film and photography project outside Te Mātāwai, it’s a big opportunity for me.”

Dayne, the Community Development Manager at Te Mātāwai, says Te is a gifted creative and her sense of humour shines through in everything that she does.

"Te's worked with us on several projects and events that have benefitted from her creativity and clever thinking, with heaps of laughs along the way. She's a doer and a leader, and the skills she's shared with our community have led to new opportunities for her which is awesome. We're really grateful for all of Te's contributions to the Te Mātāwai community."

Te’s new ventures are part of the upward trajectory her life has taken since moving into Te Mātāwai. The central Auckland complex with 200 apartments for social housing tenants and 24/7 on-site support is a place where lives change.

“I’d been living in backpacker hostels and boarding houses for years because I couldn’t afford anything more, but it wasn’t very healthy for me.”

With long-term health problems, Te often felt trapped in her room as she wasn’t well enough to use communal spaces.

“Now I have my own studio apartment, I can cook and do laundry without having to risk my health. And when I’m well, I can join all the activities going on here.

“There are so many programmes on offer and there are a lot of nice people around. Everything I need is either here or very nearby which makes life easier.”

With a place to call her own, improved health and a supportive community, Te says her next goal is to find part-time work, preferably in a reception or administration role. “I like organising other people,” she laughs, another talent that has come to the fore at Te Mātāwai.