A late night safe zone has found success in Wellington, and is being brought to Auckland.
For the past eight years, Take 10, an initiative run by Vulnerable Support Charitable Trust (VSCT), has been offering a late-night safe zone on Wellington’s Courtenay Place.
Now, with the support of Auckland Council, the volunteer-run initiative is launching a 10 week pilot in Auckland’s city centre.
Operations Manager Leigh Keown told Kerre Woodham that they get a lot of students and young people on their night out, but it’s for anyone who wants to have a break, get a glass of water, or charge their phone.
She says everyone is welcome, and rather than walk around the streets, not knowing what to do, people can come to them for shelter.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Carrywood and Mornings podcast from News
Talks hed B.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
For the past eight years, Take ten, an initiative run
by Vulnerable Support Charitable Trust VSCT, has been operating within
Wellington's Entertainment precinct on Courtney Place and it offers a
late night safe zone for the community. Now, with the
(00:32):
support of Auckland Council, the Take ten initiative will run
a ten week pilot in Auckland City to see whether
it will work in this city. It launches tomorrow and
it's going to be set up outside the Allen Melville
Center on Freiburg Place. I was wondering what all the
building activity was when I walked past there the other day.
(00:53):
Operations manager for VSCT, Lee Ken joins me. Now, is
that the correct pronunciation of your last name?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Hi, Kerrie, it's queen Qwan.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
I'm so sorry and thank you for joining me before
you jump on a plane. Who is Take ten four?
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Who is it for?
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Yeah, it's for anyone. A lot of people that come
to Take ten are age between eighteen and twenty five,
but everyone's welcome. It's a lot of students and young
people who are out having a sun night out in Wellington.
But yeah, again it's we have a lot of younger people,
we have a lot of older people, so it's just
for anyone who wants to have a break or grab
(01:35):
a glass of water on their way through.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
I see too that in Wellington there were phone charges
available as well.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Yeah, absolutely, that's a big part of Take ten is
fine charges and we'll be doing that in Auckland as well.
And a lot of people who go out do they
lose power during the night, or they haven't charged their
phone before they go out, so to get home safely,
they come and charge their phone at Take ten and
have a cup of water and play a game with
us while their phone's charging.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
That is so good because a million years ago, probably
pre COVID it was. But when I was out late
at night a couple of times, two gorgeous, doe eyed
young bambies, you know, on two separate occasions, came staggering
down the road, all big guys in short skirts and
high heels, lost their mates, didn't have the phone or
(02:25):
the phone that lost their phone, or the phone wasn't charged.
In another case, couldn't remember the numbers, so I couldn't
ring the friends for them and we would give them
water and see if they wanted a bit of food,
but they didn't really know what they wanted at that stage. Yeah,
and I you know, we tried to look after them
as best we could. Put them in a taxi to
(02:46):
siw Anoba to see if they wanted to go on
to the next place where they thought they might meet
up with their friends. I just felt ill seeing them
stagger off into the night, you know, despite my very
best efforts, because they're so vulnerable when they're.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Like that, yes, yes, yes, you've nailed it. That's exactly
what take tings for. And right, I thought, great thing. Now, people,
you know, they know in Wellington, they know Take ten,
so they come to us if they are in that
state or yes, they've lost their friends, and they trust us.
We're no judgment. Everyone's welcome. So yeah, rather than walk
around the streets and not know what to do, come
(03:20):
to Take ten sae, Yep, we've got shelter. Yeah, oh
thank god, yeah safely yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
And that is such a good initiative, and especially in
a town where there are a lot of students and
where there is a general meeting, you know, like it's
a central focus point for entertainment and bars and clubs.
If you've got a safe space somewhere around there, then
you're likely it's a good catchment area for them.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Yes, agreed, Yeah, that's yeah, absolutely Okay.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
So why has it taken so long to open in
Auckland do you think is it lack of funding or.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
I'm not really sure about that. I know that, you know,
my contact at Auckland Council did want to open it
a few years ago, so it has been on the cards,
So I guess now is the right time for it? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Is there is there a collision or a friction between
those who don't have homes, those who live on the
streets and are always looking for a safe, warm, dry
space to be and the kids who were out and
about who might need to charge their phone or try
and regroup with their friends.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Yeah, a good question. We do have a lot of
the street community visit Take ten and Wellington and we
have a team leader and a security guard on site
every night, so we just manage that and yeah, we
just make sure that everyone's you know, everyone's behaving as
they should be and it's a safe, neutral space, so
that's really important for us to manage that and.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
If it's been running for eight years in Wellington then
clearly you're managing it.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Well yeah, well thank you, I think we are. Yeah,
we're doing Yeah, we're doing a good job. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
So the ten week pilot, what will what will it
take to ensure that it's a permanent part of the cityscape.
People using it?
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Yeah, people using it, people using it, people, the impact
being there for people and yeah, I guess just the
main thing is getting people to know about it and
to come back week after week and use it and
hopefully we can be in Auckland long term.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
I did see because I hadn't been to High Street
for ten trillion years and it was only on a
Saturday afternoon, but I wandered down there and was just
having a look at some of my old favorite shops
and thrilled to see some of them were there, and
saw the activity going on at the Allen Melville Center.
But I also saw a lot of young people. So
it does seem to be a gathering spot for them.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Yes, yes, and that's what the council have said that
it is a community center where young people go. I
think they have study groups and things set up at
the Ollen Malville Center. So a lot of the young
people know about it already, which is great, and I
think that one of the reasons when we chose that Spottle,
you know, with in collaboration with Aughtland Council. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Is there any way of an app or anything that
the kids can put on their phone so that it's
like a due North star that they can that they
can get to if they become mismothered and find themselves
wandering around in the middle of the night.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Yeah, not yet, but we are looking into that, and
we've spoken to a couple of the universities and all
kind of about how we can communicate that with the students.
It is so on. An app is something that we
are looking at, but at the stage there's there's not
an app.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
See, that would have been a great place to put
my little bambies. My two little bambies when I've found them,
might have just sent them straight to you and then
they would have. And also, if you lose a mate
when you're out and about and a group, if you will,
if one of you gets lost, one of the herd
gets lost, then you all meet at take ten and
you can regroup and off again.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Yeah, it's scary when you lose people when you're out.
So we have eats. People come to us have lost
their friends and all they need to do is just
sit and try and find them. But that's safe. God's
doing that.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Oh brilliant, excellent. I wish you well with it. I'll
come back to you in ten weeks and see how
it's going. Thanks so much. Lee. That is the Vulnerable
Support Charitable Trust running a ten week pilot in Auckland
City'd be great if you have a young person in
your life studying in Auckland or Wellington, to know that
there is that safe place there, security guards, water phone charges,
(07:38):
bean bags, support people. Great idea.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
For more from Kerry Wood and Mornings, listen live to
news talks that'd be from nine am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Carrywood and Mornings podcast from News
Talks hed B.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
For the past eight years, Take ten, an initiative run
by Vulnerable Support Charitable Trust VSCT, has been operating within
Wellington's Entertainment precinct on Courtney Place and it offers a
late night safe zone for the community. Now, with the
(00:32):
support of Auckland Council, the Take ten initiative will run
a ten week pilot in Auckland City to see whether
it will work in this city. It launches tomorrow and
it's going to be set up outside the Allen Melville
Center on Freiburg Place. I was wondering what all the
building activity was when I walked past there the other day.
(00:53):
Operations manager for VSCT, Lee Ken joins me. Now, is
that the correct pronunciation of your last name?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Hi, Kerrie, it's queen Qwan.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
I'm so sorry and thank you for joining me before
you jump on a plane. Who is Take ten four?
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Who is it for?
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Yeah, it's for anyone. A lot of people that come
to Take ten are age between eighteen and twenty five,
but everyone's welcome. It's a lot of students and young
people who are out having a sun night out in Wellington.
But yeah, again it's we have a lot of younger people,
we have a lot of older people, so it's just
for anyone who wants to have a break or grab
(01:35):
a glass of water on their way through.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
I see too that in Wellington there were phone charges
available as well.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Yeah, absolutely, that's a big part of Take ten is
fine charges and we'll be doing that in Auckland as well.
And a lot of people who go out do they
lose power during the night, or they haven't charged their
phone before they go out, so to get home safely,
they come and charge their phone at Take ten and
have a cup of water and play a game with
us while their phone's charging.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
That is so good because a million years ago, probably
pre COVID it was. But when I was out late
at night a couple of times, two gorgeous, doe eyed
young bambies, you know, on two separate occasions, came staggering
down the road, all big guys in short skirts and
high heels, lost their mates, didn't have the phone or
(02:25):
the phone that lost their phone, or the phone wasn't charged.
In another case, couldn't remember the numbers, so I couldn't
ring the friends for them and we would give them
water and see if they wanted a bit of food,
but they didn't really know what they wanted at that stage. Yeah,
and I you know, we tried to look after them
as best we could. Put them in a taxi to
(02:46):
siw Anoba to see if they wanted to go on
to the next place where they thought they might meet
up with their friends. I just felt ill seeing them
stagger off into the night, you know, despite my very
best efforts, because they're so vulnerable when they're.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Like that, yes, yes, yes, you've nailed it. That's exactly
what take tings for. And right, I thought, great thing. Now, people,
you know, they know in Wellington, they know Take ten,
so they come to us if they are in that
state or yes, they've lost their friends, and they trust us.
We're no judgment. Everyone's welcome. So yeah, rather than walk
around the streets and not know what to do, come
(03:20):
to Take ten sae, Yep, we've got shelter. Yeah, oh
thank god, yeah safely yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
And that is such a good initiative, and especially in
a town where there are a lot of students and
where there is a general meeting, you know, like it's
a central focus point for entertainment and bars and clubs.
If you've got a safe space somewhere around there, then
you're likely it's a good catchment area for them.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Yes, agreed, Yeah, that's yeah, absolutely Okay.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
So why has it taken so long to open in
Auckland do you think is it lack of funding or.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
I'm not really sure about that. I know that, you know,
my contact at Auckland Council did want to open it
a few years ago, so it has been on the cards,
So I guess now is the right time for it? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Is there is there a collision or a friction between
those who don't have homes, those who live on the
streets and are always looking for a safe, warm, dry
space to be and the kids who were out and
about who might need to charge their phone or try
and regroup with their friends.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Yeah, a good question. We do have a lot of
the street community visit Take ten and Wellington and we
have a team leader and a security guard on site
every night, so we just manage that and yeah, we
just make sure that everyone's you know, everyone's behaving as
they should be and it's a safe, neutral space, so
that's really important for us to manage that and.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
If it's been running for eight years in Wellington then
clearly you're managing it.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Well yeah, well thank you, I think we are. Yeah,
we're doing Yeah, we're doing a good job. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
So the ten week pilot, what will what will it
take to ensure that it's a permanent part of the cityscape.
People using it?
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Yeah, people using it, people using it, people, the impact
being there for people and yeah, I guess just the
main thing is getting people to know about it and
to come back week after week and use it and
hopefully we can be in Auckland long term.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
I did see because I hadn't been to High Street
for ten trillion years and it was only on a
Saturday afternoon, but I wandered down there and was just
having a look at some of my old favorite shops
and thrilled to see some of them were there, and
saw the activity going on at the Allen Melville Center.
But I also saw a lot of young people. So
it does seem to be a gathering spot for them.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Yes, yes, and that's what the council have said that
it is a community center where young people go. I
think they have study groups and things set up at
the Ollen Malville Center. So a lot of the young
people know about it already, which is great, and I
think that one of the reasons when we chose that Spottle,
you know, with in collaboration with Aughtland Council. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Is there any way of an app or anything that
the kids can put on their phone so that it's
like a due North star that they can that they
can get to if they become mismothered and find themselves
wandering around in the middle of the night.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Yeah, not yet, but we are looking into that, and
we've spoken to a couple of the universities and all
kind of about how we can communicate that with the students.
It is so on. An app is something that we
are looking at, but at the stage there's there's not
an app.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
See, that would have been a great place to put
my little bambies. My two little bambies when I've found them,
might have just sent them straight to you and then
they would have. And also, if you lose a mate
when you're out and about and a group, if you will,
if one of you gets lost, one of the herd
gets lost, then you all meet at take ten and
you can regroup and off again.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Yeah, it's scary when you lose people when you're out.
So we have eats. People come to us have lost
their friends and all they need to do is just
sit and try and find them. But that's safe. God's
doing that.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Oh brilliant, excellent. I wish you well with it. I'll
come back to you in ten weeks and see how
it's going. Thanks so much. Lee. That is the Vulnerable
Support Charitable Trust running a ten week pilot in Auckland
City'd be great if you have a young person in
your life studying in Auckland or Wellington, to know that
there is that safe place there, security guards, water phone charges,
(07:38):
bean bags, support people. Great idea.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
For more from Kerry Wood and Mornings, listen live to
news talks that'd be from nine am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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