AUT to host Lifewise Big Sleepout
As a good citizen of the Auckland CBD, AUT is partnering with homelessness charity, Lifewise, to host the 2025 Lifewise Big Sleepout on Thursday 10 July.
There has been a 5-year hiatus in this event, which AUT has a long history of supporting, and the crisis of homelessness is more severe than ever.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Damon Salesa will be participating along with Chancellor Rob Campbell, and a number of AUT colleagues, and notes that education is not the only area of society where the long tail of the Covid pandemic is being witnessed.
The pandemic and rising living costs have resulted in numbers of severely housing deprived people in New Zealand increasing to more than 112,000 Kiwis.
“This is more than a statistic and AUT is honoured to support Lifewise at this event that aims to bridge the gap between the abstract numbers and the reality for way too many people,” he said.
A growing crisis and a call to action
In Auckland, homelessness is worsening, with a 53 per cent increase in rough sleeping since late 2024, according to Auckland Council’s Community Committee. Homelessness is now also increasingly affecting people who weren’t previously considered at risk - including working families, single parents, young people and the LGBTQ+ community.
“The return of the Big Sleepout couldn’t have come at a more critical time.
“Homelessness has increased significantly, especially in our city. The Big Sleepout isn’t about replicating the experience - it's about building empathy, shining a light on a complex issue, and driving action. At Lifewise, we want our street whānau to know they are seen and valued - and that together, we can create real, lasting change,” says Haehaetu Barret, Chief Executive of Lifewise.
A night of insight and impact
The Big Sleepout gives participants a small glimpse into the hardship faced by street whānau. Attendees receive a piece of cardboard, eat a basic meal of soup and bread, and sleep outside.
Throughout the evening, they willl hear from speakers with lived experience, such as comedian Joe Daymond, view a short film created by former homeless individuals, and take part in discussions on systemic solutions.
This year’s Big Sleepout has participants from all walks of life including former Waitakere mayor Sir Bob Harvey, KiwiRail CEO Peter Reidy, ANZ Bank CEO Antonia Watson, Barrister Mai Chen, AUT Vice-Chancellor, Damon Salesa and Professional Director Rob Campbell among others.
Proceeds from the event will directly support the work of Merge Café, which serves more than 250 people a day and provided over 10,700 hot meals in the last financial year. With the support of peer workers and case managers, 587 whānau and 70 rangatahi were housed through Lifewise’s services in 2023/24.
Just a small donation can make a tangible difference:
- $10 = a Hop card to access medical or housing appointments
- $25 = five hot meals at Merge Café
- $26.85 = one hour of paid work experience
- $1,500 = supports a person into permanent housing
- $1,992 = keeps Merge Café open for one full day
To donate, or learn more, visit: https://www.bigsleepout.org.nz/