A school, local iwi and Kāinga Ora have entered a unique collaboration to help solve the housing crisis in a rapidly-growing part of the country.
Students and teens who'd dropped out of education and training have built two houses in Ōpōtiki - where they plan to build many more.
Tooling up to improve their own skillset and defeat Ōpōtiki's housing crisis.
Tyneal Kawana from Whakatohea had dropped out of school before this build. Now she's wired up most of the house and has a sense of purpose.
"I'd probably be roaming the streets causing havoc everywhere so I'm kind of glad I'm here," Kawana said. "Gives me a sense of gratitude for the people I'm around."
It's Sam Aramoana's last day at a school where he was never motivated by pen or paper.
"Working with a group of people cos I was used to working by myself so like in the classroom by myself it was a different change to come over here with a big group of people hands-on," Aramoana said.
Like Aramoana and Kawana the students on this project don't fit into the usual academic pigeonhole.
But the average attendance of this group has soared from 30 to 90 percent. Plus, they've graduated with NCEA level 3 and a building qualification.
"We've seen them really grow up through the project, especially the high school kids, they came through not knowing anything," project manager John Gilmour said.
"Now they've been able to build a house so you've seen them grow up and mature through the programme."
Ōpōtiki isn't the first school to build houses like this but it's the first time a local iwi, Whakatōhea, has given its support through manpower and by securing the funding.
"We have a housing shortage here in Ōpōtiki as well so this was a great opportunity to try to build some houses for our community while at the same time giving our young people the opportunity to gain some new skills," Whakatōhea development projects manager Danny Paruru said.
The first pair of homes will be moved to this site. But the need is still great and next year students will build four more.
