Kia ora whānau

I hope like me you’re enjoying our current balmy summer weather. I’ve had the opportunity to meet with a range of partner organisations and people providing front-line services over the past week.

It’s been inspiring to hear first-hand about the difference the integrated primary mental health initiatives, youth primary mental health services and others are having on peoples’ lives. I’m looking forward to sharing more about this next week.

This week, I wanted to share with you a couple of examples of the great initiatives and work going on across our communities to improve and support mental wellbeing.

There’s a great story below about Josh Kemp and his recovery journey. Following his time at Higher Ground, a scholarship from Te Rau Ora helped Josh to train in the area of addiction, where he now works as a Residential Support Worker. The Ministry is also helping to increase the number Pasifika in our workforce through initiatives like the Futures that Work scholarship programme at Le Va. Thank you for allowing us to share your journey, Josh.

I hope you enjoying reading about the Surfing for Farmers initiative that is doing great things to get farmers off farm and into the ocean. It’s a good example of how the five ways to wellbeing can be brought to life – learning something new, connecting with others and being active. It’s also an excellent example of how communities can help communities, with the initiative starting in Gisborne but then being replicated in other rural communities.

Ngā mihi nui

Toni