Anthony "Tama" Poata had been living out of his car in the North Island before moving to Gore last year, where he was still unable to find a way out.
In May, his case workers at the Ministry of Social Development office in Gore put him forward for a truck driver role at the meat plant, and he got the job.
Homelessness was something, when you were in it, that was hard to understand and see a way out of, he said.
"The way that the [MSD] ladies were talking to me about it the other day, it seemed like it was quite a big deal for them," he said.
"But because I was in there doing it it didn’t feel as massive."
Before moving south he lived in his car in Cambridge, staying in a park, then by the river in Bulls, showering at the local library.
During a more stable time in Kaitaia previously, he gained his class 2 truck driver’s licence to access more opportunities in rural Northland.
When he decided to come to Gore, he stayed for about three weeks in his car at Dolamore Park.
Once back at work, he could see how it improved his mental health and how a "slump" kept him in the cycle of poverty.
"Once you’re [working], the camaraderie that you get, it definitely peps a lot of things up and it puts a few things into perspective," he said.
He had supportive family in Wellington to fall back on but said, at the time, he was determined to do things his way.
He felt settled in Gore, has met a new partner, and they are expecting a baby, but he said he was still getting used to a different pace of life in the South.
"On the North Island my fast-paced walk is a little bit too slow for everyone, but down here my dawdle is a little bit too fast for everyone," he said.
Ministry of Social Development South Island regional director Sue Rissman said Mr Poata had persevered despite some tough times, and they were proud of him.
She said her organisation’s main aim was to get people into work and they made sure the right things were in place for the right opportunity.
Those things included updating Mr Poata’s CV and financially supporting him before a suitable job came his way, she said.
"As well as offering employers a free recruitment service, we also work with our clients to help them take the next steps to get them ready for work — whether that’s training, [or] getting the right clothes for an interview," she said.
Recently, Stats NZ numbers showed the national unemployment rate had risen to 5.2%, the highest since 2020.
Regionally, the data showed that Auckland had the highest rate of 6.1% followed by Northland at 5.4%.
Southland was the fourth-lowest of 12 regions with a rate of 4.1% and Otago was the lowest with a rate of 3%.
Ms Rissman said for the first six months of the year, Southland had 1116 cancellations of benefits where clients had gone into work.
Mr Poata wanted to share his story, to encourage others in the same cycle who were reluctant to come forward and get the help they needed.
"I’m always all for that."
