AUT University and LIFEWISE – The Big Sleepout 2012

AUT University and LIFEWISE – The Big Sleepout 2012

On 28 June 2012 AUT University will be hosting the 2012 LIFEWISE Big Sleepout. Senior AUT staff and other influential New Zealanders will sleep overnight in AUT’s Hikuwai Plaza, braving the elements in a bid to raise funds and awareness for the homeless, and to further LIFEWISE’s goal of ending street homelessness in the city of Auckland by 2020: “One night, one team, one goal”.

Following on the success of the 2011 LIFEWISE Big Sleepout, which raised $110,000, we are proud to announce that AUT’s Derek McCormack, Vice Chancellor, Geoff Perry, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law and Pro Vice-Chancellor, and Sarah Trotman, Director of Business Relations, Business School, are all sleeping rough to raise funds for LIFEWISE (click their names to donate).

Other AUT staff members taking part are Agnes Naera on behalf of the Rotary Club of Auckland and Michael Richardson on behalf of Gay Auckland Business Association.

The relationship between AUT and LIFEWISE began when AUT approached LIFEWISE to discuss how the issue of homeless people’s behaviour on the campus could be addressed without involving the police. Since then AUT and LIFEWISE have worked together on a diverse range of programmes including the development of workshops, student projects and placements, and hosting the Big Sleepout.

The idea behind the event is to encourage Auckland’s business and community leaders to sleep rough for one night to:
• Raise funds for the work LIFEWISE is doing to solve street homelessness – LIFEWISE has a goal of raising over $500,000 per year.
• Raise awareness of the issue – homelessness tends not to get much positive publicity, resulting in perpetuation of myths and misunderstanding.
• Raise understanding – don’t tell me, show me. Past-participants have commented that the experience was life-changing for them.

Please dig deep and support a Big Sleepout “rough sleeper” in 2012. For more information go to: http://bigsleepout.org.nz/

More information about LIFEWISE and the valuable work they do in our community can be found on their website: www.lifewise.org.nz

ENDS

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