Community and iwi-led initiatives are continuing to play a vital role in supporting the long-term wellbeing of people affected by the 2023 weather events – with a new round of grants now helping to sustain this momentum.
Building on the 19 mental wellbeing funded programmes in 2024, the Tāmaki Makaurau Recovery Office recently invited iwi and community organisations to apply for a second round of community wellbeing funding. This latest round reflects what communities and providers have told us they still need – including ongoing mental wellbeing support, opportunities for connection, and initiatives that strengthen local capability.
The new grants focus on programmes that foster collective healing, provide tools to help people manage anxiety around nature and water, and support culturally grounded wellbeing approaches.
“These initiatives are so important in strengthening community resilience over the long term,” says Linda Greenalgh, Head of Community and Social Recovery. “We also wanted to ensure the funding was responsive to where each community is at in their recovery journey – because every community recovers differently.”
More than $370,000 has been distributed to a wide range of community partners:
Organisation |
Outline of programme |
|
Anxiety NZ Trust |
Online resources to support anxiety management, resilience and climate-related stress. |
|
Kumeū Arts |
Art for Well-Being – a free local workshop series. |
|
Kumeū Emergency Network & Reading Warrior |
Creative storytelling programme helping tamariki process their experiences with water. |
|
Mairangi Arts Centre |
Community Open Day and Art Festival with free arts and garden-based activities. |
|
MPHS Community Trust |
Street Shout – A Neighbourhood Connection Project. |
|
The Fatimah Foundation |
Culturally responsive, faith-aligned wellbeing and resilience programme for Muslim elders, former refugees and migrants. |
|
Vahefonua Tonga Methodist Mission Charitable Trust (SIAOLA) |
Langovaka – a programme of recovery and readiness support. |
|
Visionwest Community Trust |
12-week face to face, trauma-informed anxiety workshop series. |
Informed by evaluation findings, further grants were also made to organisations supporting specific groups and contexts:
|
Age Concern |
Counselling services for older people. |
|
Adventure Specialties |
Reconnect programmes in Māngere and Mt Roskill, including teacher wellbeing and EOTC (Education Outside the Classroom) Professional Development days. |
|
Saves9 |
Psychological First Aid (C.A.L.M) and In Case of Emergency (I.C.E) workshops tailored to cultural needs. |
|
Rural Support Trust |
Social connection and wellbeing support for rural communities |
|
NFACT |
Social connection and wellbeing support for migrant and refugee communities |
