Streetworks

Streetworks runs large-scale work days and a number of other projects and smaller events.

Large scale work days

Streetworks runs two major events per year and a number of smaller projects aimed at exposing the volunteers who attend them to different needs in the community.

Since 2007, Streetworks has run eight major work days.  On a work day around 250 volunteers work to complete approximately 25 projects across the wider-Hamilton area.  Projects are pre-organised by a project leader or team of leaders.

Examples of regular projects include:

• Chopping and delivering firewood
• Building sandpits in the homes of financially struggling families
• Cooking and freezing emergency meals for community centres to disperse
• Baking and visiting resthomes and hospitals
• Painting murals
• Cleaning houses and gardens
• Planting fruit trees and vege gardens
• Family Fun Days

Smaller events

Clothes Swap

In April 2010 and 2011, Streetworks ran a Clothes Swap with the aim of generating excess clothes to donate to community organisations.   The Clothes Swap takes place in a local cafe and is an evening of music, dessert, games, catwalks and fun.  The event was initiated from the idea of an individual involved in Streetworks and tends to attract a different type of people than those who would usually attend the work days.  It’s a great way of showing people that helping out the community can be fun! In 2011, the Clothes Swap was attended by over 150 people and 63 black sacks of clothes were donated to organisations including the men’s and women’s night shelters.

Firewood Chop

Streetworks has been delivering firewood free of charge since 2007.  Providing firewood is such a practical way to assist a wide range of individuals.  As well as being a regular part of the large work days, firewood chops are run as a stand-alone project leading up to winter. Partnerships have been formed with the Hamilton City Council and a local property management firm which mean that Streetworks now have the use of a vacant yard in the CBD and a consistent supply of felled trees.  Recently Royal Wolf have donated the use of a shipping container – meaning we have a greater capacity to give!

Partnerships

At times, as the opportunities are presented and we have the capacity to respond, Streetworks partners with other organisations on projects that don’t coincide with the work days.  In the past, this has included fruit tree planting, food bank can collection and acting in a support for projects or initiatives run by organisations in our network.