Four Stories of Belonging

This Mental Health Awareness Week, we wanted to do things a little differently. We have plenty of evidence showing how important belonging is for our mental health, but statistics don't always tell the whole story.

So, we set out to share four heartfelt, authentic stories from every day New Zealanders. They don't just tell us why belonging matters.They show us.

Below you will find each belong matters story. Altogether, these stories form a beautiful tapestry of Aotearoa experiences. Each person comes from a unique background and leads a very different life, but one message carries through them all: when we create opportunities for people to belong, our communities and wellbeing grow stronger.