Project: Forgotten Generation — investigating homelessness in the Waikato
The Waikato Advocate is launching an investigative series dedicated to the stories of our region's homeless community — and we need your help to tell them.
By The Waikato Advocate · 6 October 2026 · 3 min read
Share
Homelessness is growing across Aotearoa — and it is happening on the main streets of the Waikato. Photo: The Waikato Advocate.
Every town in the Waikato has them — the people we walk past, the blankets in shop doorways, the cars that people quietly live in. Behind every one of them is a story, and too often those stories are never told.
Today, The Waikato Advocate is announcing Project: Forgotten Generation — a dedicated investigative piece of journalism that will bring the stories of our region's homeless community into the eyes of the public.
Why we're doing this
Homelessness in the Waikato is not an abstract policy debate. It is our neighbours, our whānau and the people sleeping rough on the same streets we walk every day. It is also inseparable from the decisions made in Wellington: the government policies — on housing, welfare and support services — that shape who falls through the cracks, and who catches them.
This project is dedicated to raising awareness of the issues facing homeless people in our region, and to examining the impacts of government policy with the depth, care and humanity those issues deserve.
We need your help
Investigative journalism like this cannot be done from a desk. It is built on the courage of people willing to share their experiences, and on the knowledge of those working on the frontline every day.
If you feel comfortable to share your story, our dedicated Project: Forgotten Generation team wants to hear from you — whether you are:
a homeless individual with a story the public needs to hear;
a Waikato resident who has seen the impact in your own neighbourhood;
a professional working to help those facing homelessness;
an organisation supporting our region's homeless community; or
simply another human being with a heart.
Every account we receive will be treated with dignity, confidentiality and care. You can choose how much of your story is told, and we will never publish anything without your consent.
Get in touch
Email our dedicated team at forgottengeneration@waikatoadvocate.co.nz — every message is read by the Project: Forgotten Generation team.
The forgotten generation should not be forgotten any longer. Help us bring their stories to light.
