Two hundred homes have been built at a Canterbury prison, marking a major milestone for a programme that creates homes for New Zealand families while giving prisoners practical skills.
The programme at Rolleston Prison began in 2013 to support Kāinga Ora following the Christchurch earthquakes, with prisoners refurbishing damaged homes from the city’s red zone.
Since then, hundreds of prisoners have taken part in the programme, and homes have now been completed for Kāinga Ora to use across the South Island.
Speaking at today’s event at the prison’s construction yard, Corrections chief executive Rachel Leota said the partnership between the department and Kāinga Ora had delivered benefits for both communities and prisoners.
“We aren’t just celebrating the 200 homes built here, we’re also acknowledging the many families who now have a warm, dry place to live because of this collaboration,” Leota said.
Leota said it also gives prisoners “a strong sense of purpose by providing them with an opportunity to give back to the community”.
“I’m told this has helped drive more positive behaviour both while they are serving their sentence and after they are released, contributing to prison and public safety,” Leota said.
Prisoners receive hands-on training and qualifications in painting, plastering and carpentry, alongside industry certificates in areas such as first aid, workplace health and safety, forklift operation and working at heights.
The programme also supports prisoners into employment through release-to-work placements.
This allows minimum-security prisoners to undertake paid employment in the community, helping establish pathways to ongoing employment after release.
“This partnership has grown into something truly significant and beneficial for the community,” Leota said.
“It creates more homes for people who really need them, while prisoners gain practical skills, qualifications and work experience that will help them into employment once they have served their sentences.”
The model has also been expanded to Northland Region Corrections Facility, where two additional construction yards opened in late 2023 to help build Kāinga Ora homes in the North Island.