Changing Minds

Changing Minds provide and support information, education, research and systemic advocacy within the Mental Health and Addictions sector in New Zealand. We are a small not-for-profit charity that works to strengthen the voice of mental health and addictions service users. We ensure that people are treated fairly, with dignity and respect, and that every individual is given opportunity to live their life in the way in which they choose whether they have a diagnosis of a mental health issue or not. Self-determination and connection with others are our core values, which is why we endeavour to empower people to make choices that will have a positive effect on both themselves and their communities. The opinions expressed on this page are not necessarily reflective of the views of the Board or employees of Changing Minds. They are the ideas that emerge from the communities that we work with. We welcome your feedback, your discussion, and your debate. We do not welcome or tolerate hate speech or discrimination of any kind. This page will be regularly monitored. Changing Minds reserves the right to delete hateful or discriminatory comments, or to block members if this is deemed necessary. Purpose: Leading social change by inspiring positive action
We collect, articulate, and activate the strategic voice of lived experience for this purpose.

• A national not-for-profit organisation operated entirely by those with personal experience of mental health and/or addiction issues, we work in the broad area of wellbeing services, advocacy, human rights, and health policy.

• We provide information, advice, education, and advocacy on a range of health and social issues that impact on mental health for all people.

• Changing Minds leads collaborative social change projects aimed at reducing mental health discrimination, promoting social inclusion and improving mental health and wellbeing for communities, people and whanau.

• Changing Minds is training and growing a network of leaders to use their personal lived experience of mental distress and recovery to inspire others and create change in their communities. This is the work that Changing Minds engages in:

1. Hosting and supporting events that collect or disseminate information, increase awareness or understanding or raise the profile of mental health.

2. Sitting on Government, District Health Board, Funding and Services representative and advisory groups. The purpose of these groups is to advise on policy, improve user experience, represent the “voice” of people with lived experience and share stories that will improve outcomes for people using services and systems.

3. Play an education role by collecting and keeping up to date on the most recent information and research relating to mental health and addictions, including the eradication of discrimination and using our experience to help the media release relevant and helpful stories.

4. Mental health public education, consultancy and health promotion.

5. Being a community “Hub” for people with lived experience and their whanau to find information, support, activity and safety.

6. Working to a long term strategic plan that encompasses information, reach, gathering stories, promoting better mental health and growing the peer/consumer/lived experience sector.

7. Work with the arts and health community to capitalise on engaging methods of delivering health promotion messages and utilise holistic methods of telling and sharing stories.