Recovery Assistance Centres to provide ongoing services

There will be eight new Christchurch Recovery Assistance Centres in the hardest hit areas of Christchurch, six of which will open tomorrow says Social Development Minster Paula Bennett.

“These Centres will provide a range of services to people in localised areas in Christchurch, particularly the Eastern Suburbs,” says Ms Bennett.

"Welfare Centres are closing down so that for example Burnside High School can get back to being a school, " says Ms Bennett.

Those who were staying overnight in Welfare Centres are being provided other accommodation.

“As the focus moves towards sustainable solutions for Christchurch, recovery centres will provide the day to day support needed, while families move into private accommodation,” says Ms Bennett.

Recovery Assistance Centres will provide face to face service and information from agencies like Work and Income, Housing New Zealand, Christchurch City Council, Red Cross and Salvation Army.

More non government organisations will join these agencies over the coming days to ensure a wide range of services are available.

“People visiting a Recovery Assistance Centre will find they’re essentially a one stop shop where people can sort out emergency payments, housing issues, get counselling or just have a cup of tea and a chat,” says Ms Bennett.

Most Recovery Assistance Centres will be situated in the hardest hit suburbs in East Christchurch such as Aranui, Linwood, Dallington and New Brighton.

“Everyone staying overnight at Welfare Centres this week, will move into more private accommodation while the community rebuilds,” says Ms Bennett.

Financial assistance in the form of Civil Defence payments and the Earthquake Support package remain available to anyone in need.

The Government’s assistance package for employers and workers has seen $38million paid out to 5,000 employers to cover 26,300 staff.

A further 5,200 sole traders have taken it up and 2,700 individual employees have taken up Job Loss Cover.

“Payments are being quickly processed and around 80% of approved applications have already been paid,” says Ms Bennett.