2024 Theme
Useful links
Community is... what we create together.
Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi. With your food basket and mine, the people will flourish.
There's no denying the past years have been difficult for all of Aotearoa, with many of us going through or recovering from extreme weather events, bearing the brunt of inflation and cost of living, and feeling or society is becoming more politically divided.
Now more than ever, we could use a reminder to come together. That's why this year's Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) theme is: Community is... what we create together.
And we know how powerful this is. We recently commissioned research to understand the psychosocial effects that Cyclone Gabrielle and the North Island weather events had on people's wellbeing - and what has helped them get through.
Read the full research reports here.
Findings showed that community and social connection were among the most important factors. People also noted that's what they want more of to help boost wellbeing: more social events, activities, and nurturing on the community spirit.
And so, this MHAW (23 - 29 September), that's what we'll do.
Spotlight the stories of community, and provide you with the resources, activities, and tools to connect with and create your own.
Sign up to the mailing list to be the first to hear about the week.
About MHAW
MHAW is run annually by the Mental Health Foundation and has been since 1993. MHAW is endorsed by the World Federation for Mental Health and is marked in over 150 countries at different times of the year.
While MHAW is an annual campaign, it is also a gentle reminder to actively prioritise and nurture our mental health beyond the week itself. We believe that people should connect with and tautoko/support each other, while continuing the kōrero about mental health and wellbeing year-round.