But a social services veteran says the new Community Link centres being created at Work and Income offices around the country are the first time she can recall such a joint approach.
"It is quite a big shift ... There won't be overnight change for clients, but I think we eventually will see more effective results," Anglican Family Care Dunedin Centre director Nicola Taylor said yesterday.
Her organisation is one of 12 organisations about to move representatives into the Dunedin Community Link centre, within the Work and Income offices in Cumberland St. The centre will be open for business some time next month.
Ten partners had already moved into a link centre in the Queenstown Work and Income office and were starting to work with clients, Work and Income Southern Region social development manager Joy Gunn said yesterday.
Another centre was being planned in Gore.
About 50 centres had already opened around the country, she said. Desks and office equipment were provided so agencies could base staff there for a set time each week. A schedule would be posted so people would know when the agency they wanted to talk to would be available.
The services offered differed from centre to centre, ranging from simple financial assistance to advocacy, budget advice, education and counselling.
Seminar and private meeting rooms were also being provided for the partner agencies.
The aim was a "more joined-up holistic approach" to helping people, Ms Gunn said.
"Often, people don't know where to go for help. It will be easier for them to come to one place. We will work together to provide a better service."
It was hoped a client who needed housing advice, for example, would be led directly to the person able to give them that advice, she said.
"People shouldn't have to tell their story more than once."
Over time, it was expected more agencies would become partners, she said.
Mrs Taylor, who has worked in social services for more than 30 years, said Anglican Family Care would be "right in among the action" in the link centre, offering foodbank, budget, social work and counselling advice one afternoon a week.
The centre would stop clients having to "ping-pong" between different offices, she said.
"There is enormity of pressure on people these days around issues such as finances, finding work, family difficulties, relationship difficulties and family violence. It is so important that services work together ... There is potential in being co-located to build professional working relationships, and there have got to be better results for clients."
Making connections
Dunedin Community Link partners
• Age Concern Otago
• Anglican Family Care
• Department of Building and Housing
• Footsteps
• Housing New Zealand
• Inland Revenue
• Ministry of Social Development (MSD)
• MSD Studylink
• MSD Work and Income
• Presbyterian Support Otago Family Works
• Workbridge
• Work'n it Out
Queenstown partners
• ACC
• Central Otago Budgeting Service
• Child Youth and Family
• Footsteps
• Housing New Zealand
• Inland Revenue
• MSD Senior Services
• MSD Work and Income
• Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust
• Workbridge
