Rob Parson speaks to Rebecca Toon about her job as a Community Angel
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Forget elves and dwarves
New Zealand has its very own Angel. |
How would you describe your job and the community you work within?
I work as the Lyttelton Community Angel, in Lyttelton and several of the bays surrounding it, as far as Rapaki. Lyttelton is a small very quirky port town of 3000 where most people know each other.
My role in the community is to provide support for individuals, families and community groups. I offer an extra pair of hands to individuals and families who’s usual support networks aren’t functioning for whatever reason. I spend a lot of time with families with very young children, families who have had a recent death, people of all ages who are unwell, and people who feel isolated and alone.
I also spend a lot of time working with different community groups in various projects in the harbour. I work weekly in the Lyttelton community garden and helped organise and run the successful Saturday Farmers Market. As one of my majors was Criminology, I have been involved in crime prevention plans for the harbour.
I am regularly in contact with and attend meetings with many different groups, such as the Lyttelton Sea Scouts, Rotary, Plunket and elderly social clubs.
Another crucial component of my job is to help set up and recruit members for a Time Bank*. This is a barter system based on time. The aim is to connect the people of the community together to share skills, have fun and to value everyone’s potential to contribute regardless of age, health or monetary wealth.
The Lyttelton Time Bank is the first of its kind in New Zealand. Christchurch is in the process of establishing one for recent immigrants and refugees.
*See link for details of Time Bank in the UK.
Who do you work for and what are their goals/vision?
I work for Project Port Lyttelton (PPL), a very innovative non-profit community group. PPL’s mission statement is: “Lyttelton - portal to Canterbury's historic past, a vibrant sustainable community, creating a living future“. PPL has set members, but is open to supporting any project someone in the community feels inspired to run, if it fits within the mission statement. In this way it is a very open and flexible organisation.
PPL always has heaps of different projects on the go and new things are constantly being dreamed up by visionary Margaret Jefferies, the Chairperson. A few projects PPL organises are the: summer and winter festivals in Lyttelton, historical pathways, a ‘Natural Step’ sustainable program and Farmers Market.
PPL members are a very positive and down to earth bunch who seem to combine humour, real work and spontaneity in everything they do!
Who funds your work?
My job is funded through a government Rural ACE program for 6 months. I am currently looking for more funding so I can continue the work I have started.
What is a typical day like in your job?
Each day is usually a mix of community group work and spending time with families or individuals. For example, yesterday I spent the morning at a Lyttelton
Farmers Market meeting, fed someone’s cat, spent time with an extraordinary 83 year old who’s autobiography I am currently critiquing, and made check up calls on different people in the community I see less frequently.
What response have you had from the community?
The initial response to my job was quite interesting. Everyone was so excited to have their very own local angel, and loved the concept, but it took a few weeksto get people regularly using the service.
The job really exposed people’s perceptions of neediness and how hard it can be to receive. A common comment I got when I started was “But there are so many others more needy than me”. When I explained that my job is not about judging levels of neediness, but to help in whatever way I may be needed for whatever reason; barriers began to be broken down.
Now I am in constant demand and have many links and networks within the community. When I am out and about in Lyttelton people constantly come up to me and ask “are you the angel?” and are say how lucky Lyttelton is to have such a thing.
How would you apply what you've learned/your work in a different location?
After studying ‘Development’ at university and spending 3 or so years in ’developing’ countries, I have seen again and again that community projects are successful when they are borne from within the community itself. My work in Lyttelton has only confirmed that idea for me. One thing I really admire about PPL is the focus of always consulting the community. Even if someone dreams up an idea that seems amazing, PPL members realise that if the community is not into it, it will flop.
PPL tries to involve the community in their activities through public meetings and workshops, PPL publications in a local newspaper, surveys and street stalls. All PPL members are local too, so are interacting with people of the Lyttelton community everyday.
The new Farmers Market is a good example of how a project that the community really wants will succeed. Most people in Lyttelton do the bulk of the shopping in Christchurch. The local supermarket can be expensive and doesn’t have organic vegetables. There have been grumblings for a better selection of food close by to purchase for some time.
A resident who is currently setting up a wine bar decided to try and get a market going, he asked PPL for support. We then consulted the local supermarket, businesses, council and local food producers and asked friends what they would like to buy. A local fisherman sells his fish from the wharf every Saturday from 10 to 1, so we set the market at the same time, and give shoppers maps to him.
The first 4 weeks of the market have been really successful. Especially with the support of the supermarket (who loan us the use of their car park for the market), who hope to stock different products from the market as time goes on.
As well as being a great source of healthy fresh food, the market has become a real social place for locals to catch up. A PPL survey of local businesses after the first market showed that every business had done extremely well. In 3 hours one café made more than they had for the last 3 weekends.
Other markets in Christchurch have flopped. I think the reason this one is working so well is that there was a real desire for a market from within the community. Not just for fresh produce, but for the community contacts it provides. Perhaps this is easier to achieve in a defined community such as Lyttelton.
Whatever you planning, make sure the people you intend to involve actually support it!
