Students at Unitec (Te Whare Wānanga o Wairaka) in Auckland are getting hands-on experience building new homes and a Gisborne whānau are to benefit from it.

A five-bedroom home was this week transported from Auckland to a site in Lyell Road, Kaiti.

The home is the outcome of a partnership between Unitec and Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities to build four relocatable homes for families in New Zealand.

Another three two-bedroom homes are being built by the students and will be transported to Ōpōtiki.

Kāinga Ora construction and innovation general manager Patrick Dougherty said the joint venture was a great opportunity to create a lasting legacy by delivering quality homes where there was an immense need.

“It’s important to remember that it’s about creating homes and communities and not just houses.”

The warm, dry and healthy homes are built to New Zealand Green Building Council 6 Homestar standards.

“It’s great to know that the quality that we need to have in our homes is being taught at Unitec School of Trades and Services – carpentry.”

Under the partnership, students are building homes onsite at the campus while supervised by lecturer and project manager Joseph Pitovao.

“Working in partnership with Kāinga Ora to build these homes has provided our students the opportunity to hone their skills and get real world experience,” Mr Pitovao said.

“It also provides a pathway into the industry while filling an urgent need for more social housing.”

The Unitec Programme is part of a national Kāinga Ora training partnership programme in which 12 high school trades academies, polytechnics and corrections facilities provide new public homes for Kāinga Ora, Mr Dougherty adds.

“Now the Gisborne home is onsite, local contractor Te Pae Hākari is completing the siteworks — including landscaping — ready for whānau to move into the completed home in the second half of the year.”

As the completion date and handover approaches, Kāinga Ora will be matching the five-bedroom home to a whānau most in need in that location.