More funding available to support mental wellbeing in Southern communities

More funding to support community-led mental wellbeing initiatives across the Southern Lakes region is now available.

Round Two of Te Hau Toka Southern Lakes Wellbeing Group’s Connecting Communities fund opens on Monday 28 February and closes on Friday 11 March. The fund is designed to support community-led activities and events across Queenstown, Wānaka, Cromwell, and Te Anau/Fiordland which encourage people to find ways to connect, look after themselves and each other, and have some fun.

Eligible not-for-profit organisations and groups can apply for up to $1,000 (GST inclusive) per round to assist with funding their activity or event. There are three funding rounds per year.

Broadly, Te Hau Toka is looking for activities and events to fund, or contribute to, that:

• Engage positively with the local community
• Support mental wellbeing
• Align with one or more of the Five Ways to Wellbeing and Te Whare Tapa Wha
• Are delivered in Queenstown, Wānaka, Cromwell, or Te Anau/Fiordland
• Can be adapted to comply with any COVID-19 restrictions.

Twenty-seven groups were supported in the first funding round in November 2021, injecting $25,000 across the Southern Lakes region for mental wellbeing activities or events over the summer months.

Recipients included the Fit Collective 7-week youth adventure programme in Wānaka, Whakatipu Strengthening Families for care packs, Silent Disco walking/dancing tour, SKAL business support group, Fiordland Community Gardens equipment, Cromwell Community House events for seasonal workers, Glenorchy Heritage and Museum Group interviewing and recording oldest resident stories, and the QAMPI Christmas party for the Filipino community. A full list is available on the Te Hau Toka webpage.

Te Hau Toka Group Chair, Adell Cox, says that the Connecting Communities fund is about helping people to improve mental wellbeing, connection and resilience in their own communities.

“We’re now into the third year of the pandemic and we’re seeing fatigue and burnout setting in from the ongoing stress and uncertainty.  But this funding has given us an opportunity to hear directly from our communities about what they need and how they can best support each other,” said Ms Cox.

“There are some really inspiring and innovative ideas coming through and we want to do whatever we can to help make them happen.

“We’re also asking people to think creatively about what might work under COVID restrictions.  Events are a bit tricky at the moment so we’re keen to hear what else might help.” 

More details about the Connecting Communities fund, including how to apply, can be found online.

ENDS

Photo caption: Silent Disco group
Background
The Connecting Communities fund is part of a $3 million Government fund and the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE)’s Tourism Communities: Support, Recovery and Re-set Plan.  It’s enabling Te Hau Toka to help support, promote and protect the social and mental wellbeing of people living in Queenstown, Wānaka, Cromwell and Te Anau/Fiordland, and assist with addressing the ongoing negative effects of COVID-19.

Te Hau Toka is also working on a range of initiatives across the region in order to direct the MBIE funding to where it’s needed most.  A recent example was working with the Great South Regional Development Agency to establish a new Te Anau-based Community Co-ordinator role to help co-ordinate mental wellbeing initiatives in the Fiordland community. 

For media enquiries, please contact:

Jen Andrews
Communications
Te Hau Toka Southern Lakes Wellbeing Group
E: jen@flyingsquad.nz
M: 021 92 29 82