NZ Police reject former cop's MYRIVR social services app

A former gang man, turned policeman, turned social entrepreneur, wants to help Kiwis in need find help.

Rei Maresala has created an app to do just that - connecting people with local health and social services - but he's struggling to get local backing.

Joe Paulo is a great listener, someone people turn to for help. He normally uses Google to steer people in the right direction, but lately he's been using MYRIVR, an app that connects people to local health and social services.

Mr Paulo was even able to help a homeless woman put a roof over her head.

"She had no idea how many refuge places and different church groups that had those facilities available," he told Newshub. "So she was in a real bad way."

MYRIVR is the brainchild of Mr Maresala, a former Senior Sergeant. The app collects information about who's using it and what they're looking for, which can be shared with government agencies to help them understand people's needs.

"We are able to share trends about the types of services people are looking for, the breakdown of what ethnic groups or what sexual orientation is actually looking for help."

Some local boards - the Electoral Commission and the Waitemata DHB - already support the app, but Mr Maresala's former employer, the New Zealand Police, isn't on board. In a statement, it says it trialled the app for a few months and heard a proposal last year, but said after carefully reviewing the technology, it recommended the developers found a more appropriate and better aligned partner.

This was a kick in the guts for Mr Maresala, who's had a flurry of interest from overseas.

"America has come on board; an organisation from China has come on board to help us with our software developments. We're in discussions with Microsoft."

MYRIVR signed an arrangement with Samoa Airways this week to encourage migrants to download the app.

Mr Maresala welcomes the support, but his work in the police has given him the drive to help those who make New Zealand home. He says this app is a gift back to Aotearoa for allowing migrants to settle here.

"And also back to my people in Samoa in the Pacific so they don't have to go through the challenges that our own parents went through. It doesn't have to be that way."

He says he won't stop fighting for better support for those who need it.

Newshub.