Downtown Community Ministry

Bulletin

Advocacy Knowledge and Skill Essential

Although St Patrick’s Day was celebrated on Monday, Downtown Community Ministry has kept an Irish touch through recently recruited staff member Laura Kearney.

She says, “I’ve had a lot of comments about my accent and where I’m from. Even the odd leprechaun joke, but it’s all been of good nature and a fun way to get to know the people that come into DCM”.

Laura meets a lot of DCM clients in her role as food bank interviewer and in the advocacy work she does on their behalf.

During the last two weeks she has been busy undertaking benefit advocate training with Community Outreach Worker Kate Bell through the Benefit Rights Service.

Most DCM staff have completed the course which trains advocates to assess the correct benefit entitlement a beneficiary should receive. It also looks at legislation and current trends in social policy.

DCM Director Stephanie McIntyre says, “It’s essential that our staff can respond to the issues the people on our programmes face. One way we do this is at the Tuesday clinic we hold with a Work and Income case manager when client benefit issues are addressed”.

ENDS

www.dcm.org.nz

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