This Week's Meeting - 9 March 2015

 
This week's meeting included details of a number of upcoming golf and fundraising events, member Kevin Harper's interesting account of his life as our 5 Minute Speaker and learning about social housing in New Zealand from Glen Sowry, the CEO of Housing New Zealand.
 
There are a number of events which you need to book into your diary ASAP and then contact Jacqui in the office to let her know of your interest:
  • RCA Golf Fundraiser on Thursday 26 March, traveling to and from Waiheke Island Golf Course on the Spirit of New Zealand
  • RCA Golf Afternoon on Thursday 30 April at the Akarana Golf Course - tee off 12noon and $40pp
  • Film Fundraiser on Wednesday 22 April at the Berkley Cinemas with 'The Last Saint' - details to follow
  • Comedy Festival shows on 12 and 13 May with Terry Williams at Q Theatre - details to follow
Our 5 Minute Speaker this week was Kevin Harper who has an interesting and varied work history.  From beginning life as a primary school teacher, to becoming a probation officer for twenty years, Kevin is now Managing Director of Harper Property Management, a company he founded in 2004, which is where he also mentors his young staff.  Kevin learnt all about business while running a donut cart in Christchurch and is succeeding in property management as in his words ‘there isn’t much difference generally between tenants and offenders’.  Kevin was also involved with Outward Bound while in Christchurch and helped 75 criminal offenders attend this course, with only two not lasting the distance.
 
This week’s speaker was Glen Sowry, the CEO of Housing New Zealand, who had no concept of the changes and challenges he would be faced with when he took on the job a few years ago.  The first ever state house was built in 1937 in Wellington and now this organisation is NZ’s largest provider of social housing.  However the government instigated their social housing reform programme in 2010, with the aims of helping those in greatest need, while at the same time helping those same tenants become more independent so they can eventually move on; creating more social housing providers and ensuring the housing available is the right size in the right location.  At the same time the internal structure of Housing New Zealand has also been changing so everyone is working to the best of their ability.    The current average age of a Housing New Zealand house is 43 years and today’s needs are very different to last century’s, so changes are also happening to bring these homes into line with todays needs – for example there is greater demand for 1 to 2 bedroom units rather than 4 to 5 bedroom homes and properties with driveways are being fenced and gated to help reduce the number of driveway accidents involving young children.  It is a time of great change for Housing New Zealand and their clients, but this can only be of benefit to everyone involved.
 
Sergeant Greg Woodd then provided a quick quiz around the theme of housing and well as questions about this day in history, to ensure a boost to our Sunshine Fund.