Awareness Canterbury

14/04/2026

Christchurch Crisis/ Recovery cafe, led by Purapura Whetū, Stepping Stone Trust and Odyssey House.

Awareness Canterbury had the privilege to be involved with this project. Hosting a co-design session with Tāngata Whaiora and Kaimahi alike.

Look forward to see this in action and the benefits for our communities.

The government is providing funding to bring the total number of crisis recovery cafés around the country from six to eight.

14/04/2026

Excited to hear from Thriving Madly, at yesterdays network meeting.
Sharing about a nationwide collaborative project, to explore a framework of advocacy for services across Aotearoa / New Zealand. This is a chance to enable service delivery to be shaped to needs of service users 🙂.

There is some time left to become involved. In person, online, or even running sessions within your preferred community. Some sessions will be happening within the next week sign up now 🖋️!

Check it out and have your chance to be heard and shape advocacy for service users.

Thriving Madly are excited to share that Lived Experience organisations Changing Minds, Te Kete Pounamu, Balance Aotearoa, and Thriving Madly will collaborate to design with Lived Experience communities what a Mental Health and Addiction Lived Experience National Representative Body could look like. The Lived Experience partners are pleased to work with Synergia and to be supported by the Ministry of Health.

For more information including an intro to the project, FAQ and participation opportunities head to https://www.changingminds.org.nz/nrb-project

We would love to hear from you if you:

• Are you one of many Lived Experience communities who support others? Can you help us to design a National Representation Body for tāngata whai ora and whānau with experience of mental health and addiction?

• Do you have experience of mental health and addiction and the power of community? Do you think there could be better collective representation for tāngata whai ora and whānau? We have exciting news…

• Is your organisation one of the many who listen to and use Lived Experience knowledge? Could this be strengthened? More representative? We have an exciting design opportunity…

For expressions of interest and questions, please contact the Lived Experience Collaborative here https://forms.monday.com/forms/6ff3af16bdba808005fb1b353eb5f703?r=apse2

Or send us a message through facebook and we can connect you to the right information.

I.D: text reads opportunity, contribute to the design of a mental health and addiction Lived Experience national representative body. The logos for Changing Minds, Te Kete Pounamu, Balance Aotearoa and Thriving Madly are displayed, the background shows brightly coloured wooden figures. Website address is displayed and link included in above post text.
End I.D.

16/03/2026

A very promising initiative led by Purapura Whetū, Stepping Stone Trust, Canterbury and Odyssey House Christchurch.

Have your say this week.

We were fortunate to host a co-design session at last weeks network meeting and look forward to hear what ideas come to the surface 🙂.

Kia ora Whānau, we are so excited for this announcement with Odyssey House Christchurch and Stepping Stone Trust, Canterbury

We’ve been working hard to bring something new to our city – a Peer Crisis Support Service – a safe space for anyone going through tough times, mental distress, or addiction. Now it’s ready, and we want your whakaaro to help shape it!

This is your chance to have a real say in what the space looks like, how it feels, and what happens there. Together, we can create a welcoming place where people in distress know they have another way to get support when it’s needed most.

29/09/2025

Kia Ora Koutou

Hope you're having a good week so far.

Only 1 week until the expo for mental health services, being held at Ara Canterbury. Save the date 📆 Tuesday 7th October.

Hope to see you there 😃

12/09/2025

Kia Ora Koutou

Awareness Canterbury, in collaboration with Ara Canterbury, are hosting an expo showcasing our mental health services in Otautahi.

This is a great opportunity for our communities, and those studying in community focused programmes, to know what support is available in mental health and addictions.

We are currently looking for organisations that want to be part of this unique event.
Have up to 30 spots available.

When: 7th October 11:30am - 1:30pm
Where: Ara Canterbury Atrium (Main campus)

05/08/2025

Come along to Network meeting this Monday at 12:30

We have a speaker from Family Drug Support sharing the services they provide in the community 🙂.

Food and drinks provided

Send a message to learn more