Source: New Zealand Government
Seven grassroots mental health initiatives supporting small and hard-to-reach communities have received funding to deliver faster access to support, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announced today.
“These seven projects deliver practical support, from supporting parents and educating on mental health, to empowering women, grassroots sport initiatives, and accessible movement programmes,” Mr Doocey says.
“We’re focused on fixing the basics and building the future by supporting community organisations to step in early and provide support before people reach a point of crisis.
“Each community has different needs, and this fund reflects that. The organisations receiving funding include those supporting Māori, Pasifika, rainbow, rural and disability communities, the groups we know have the highest unmet need.”
The seven funded projects are:
- Support for young families: Tupu Oranga Ngātahi – Growing Wellness Together in Auckland helps young parents and families build everyday wellbeing habits through gardening, shared meals, and learning together.
- Building resilience in Hauraki: Mauri Tū, Mauri Ora brings young people and families together to turn simple actions like walking, creating, and conversation into meaningful wellbeing “top ups.”
- Accessible movement videos: Moving with Mauri delivers a national video series, starting with gentle movement and progressing to more confident physical activity.
- Empowering women: TOI WāHine in the Bay of Plenty supports women to build practical everyday wellbeing practices.
- Supporting pregnant mothers: WELLfed Pēpē Māmā Programme in Porirua promotes wellbeing through shared cooking, learning, and connection, reducing isolation and building peer support.
- Strengthening identity and connection: Te Ara o te Hue – Wānanga for Wellbeing on the West Coast runs community-led workshops combining local culture, art, nature, and traditional practices.
- Supporting Pacific young people through sport: Fa‘atauanau – Wellbeing in Grassroots Sport in West Auckland integrates wellbeing into schools and local sports clubs, creating safe spaces for conversation and connection.
The grants are delivered through the Mental Health Foundation’s government-funded Top Up community grants scheme and complement the Top Up campaign, launched in August last year, which promotes the Five Ways to Wellbeing—Connect, Give, Take Notice, Keep Learning, and Be Active. These five evidence-based actions have been shown to support better mental health. The campaign has already reached millions through TV, radio, and digital channels.
“The aim of the campaign is simple, if you’ve had a challenging day on the farm or stress from work is building up, we want New Zealanders to automatically think which of the Five Ways to Wellbeing you can use to top up,” Mr Doocey says.
“I want to acknowledge the Mental Health Foundation for the work they are doing on the ground and ensuring the resources are going where it’s most needed.
“Support like this helps us deliver faster access to support, more frontline workers, and a better crisis response.”
