Places to find support and guidance

Places to find support and guidance

Available resources by alphabetical themes

Disability support for children

Awhi@home — Awhi Ngā Mātua | Facebook — This is a parent-led Facebook page supported by IHC and partners including the Ministry of Education and Explore services.

Behaviour Support Specialists0800 000 421

Disability services | Health Navigator NZ — 0800 373 664 or 0800 DSH MOH.

Discrimination support

Bullying Free NZ | Home — This website provides resources and tools to schools to review, plan, and implement evidence-informed bullying prevention approaches.

Making a complaint – New Zealand Human Rights Commission

OutLine Aotearoa 0800 688 5463 or 0800 OUTLINE - This a nationwide, all-ages mental health organisation for rainbow people across Aotearoa exploring gender and sexuality.

Race-based online abuse – NetSafe

International students support

Complaints about provider's compliance with the Code 

International – nzqa.govt.nz

Mental Health and Wellbeing – sieba.nz

NauMaiNZ – studyinnewzealand.govt.nz

NZQA has released a series of videos outlining what support all international students can expect. You can watch the videos on Know the Code videos – nzqa.govt.nz.

Mental health support

Aroha Chatbot – Aroha is a chatbot designed to help young people cope with stress during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing positive ways of coping. 

Clearhead – Clearhead is a digital mental health and wellbeing app/platform designed by doctors to help build self-awareness and maintain your mental health and wellbeing.

Depression Helpline – 0800 111 757 or text 4206 – Depression.org.nz

Headspace: Headspace helps you create life-changing habits to support your mental health through practices of meditation and mindfulness.

Lifeline Aotearoa – 0800 543 354 or 0800 LIFELINE.

Like Minds, Like Mine – This is a public awareness programme to increase social inclusion and end discrimination towards people with experience of mental illness.

Mental Health Crisis: 0800 800 717 and Crisis Support – Ministry of Health

Mental Health Foundation – This is a charity that works towards creating a society free from discrimination, where all people enjoy positive mental health & wellbeing.

Mental Wealth | Check In. Feel Good. Stay Connected.

Tools to help you through difficult times - melonhealth.com – This online tool offers help as part of the COVID-19 response, with resources including an anxiety toolbox, mood boosters and understanding anger. Support offered includes emotional wellness, anxiety, depression, weight loss and health goals.

OutLine Aotearoa – 0800 688 5463 or 0800 OUTLINE: This a nationwide, all-ages mental health organisation for rainbow people across New Zealand exploring gender and sexuality.

Samaritans – 0800 726 666: Samaritans provides confidential emotional support 24/7 to those experiencing loneliness, depression, despair, distress or suicidal feelings.

Sparklers - helping tamariki when times are tough: Sparklers is a free wellbeing toolkit with a wide range of activities and guidance for primary students.

SPARX – 0508 477 279 or text 3110 – SPARX is a clinically proven, online game for young people affected by depression, anxiety, or stress.

The Lowdown – 0800 111 757 or text 5626: The Lowdown is a website to help young New Zealanders recognise and understand depression or anxiety.

What's Up – 0800 942 8787: What’s Up is a free nationwide, confidential counselling service for children and young people between the ages of 5 – 19 years old available 365 days a year.

Youthline NZ – 0800 376 633 or text 234.

Suicide prevention

Aunty Dee — Help to sort out problems and a library of tips and tricks for some of the more common problems people have, including trouble with sleeping, relationships, friends, health and school stuff.

Centre of Māori Suicide Prevention – Developing Māori Potential

Depression Helpline — 0800 111 757 or text 4202

Healthline | Ministry of Health NZ — 0800 611 116

Life Keepers | Suicide Prevention Training

Mental Health Foundation — This is a charity that works towards creating a society free from discrimination, where all people enjoy positive mental health & wellbeing.

Samaritans — 0800 726 666 — Samaritans provides confidential emotional support 24/7 to those experiencing loneliness, depression, despair, distress or suicidal feelings.

Skylight Trust — 0800 299 100 — Skylight Trust supports people of all ages throughout New Zealand who are facing any kind of tough life situation, with a focus on grief, loss and trauma.

Suicide Crisis Helpline — 0508 828 8656 or 0508 TAUTOKO.

Suicide Prevention Information NZ — Spinz | Supporting People In Need

The Lowdown — 0800 111 757 or text 5626 - The Lowdown is a website to help young New Zealanders recognise and understand depression or anxiety.

What's Up — 0800 942 8787 — What’s Up is a free nationwide, confidential counselling service for children and young people between the ages of 5 – 19 years old available 365 days a year (phone 11am-11pm, online chat 11 am-10.30 pm).

Yellow Brick Road — Formerly known as Supporting Families NZ for whānau who have a loved one experiencing mental health challenges.

Youthline NZ — 0800 376 633 or text 234.

Support during a crisis

Alcohol and Drug Helpline — 0800 787 797

Are You OK — 0800 456 450 — This organisation provides easy access and relevant information for people seeking support for family violence in New Zealand.

Diversity Counselling New Zealand — dcnz.net — Provides culturally responsive counselling and promote community wellbeing.

Rape Prevention Education — 0800 044 334

Shakti Crisis Line — 0800 742 584 — Shakti is a non-profit organisation for women’s development, empowerment and domestic/family violence intervention, prevention and awareness.

Skylight Trust — 0800 299 100 — Skylight Trust supports people of all ages throughout New Zealand who are facing any kind of tough life situation, but we specialise in grief, loss and trauma.

Women's Refuge Crisis line — 0800 733 843 or 0800 REFUGE.

Support for kaiako

However, it's important that teachers take the time to prioritise their own mental health and wellbeing, for their benefit and that of the whole school community.

Behaviour Support - Explore Specialist Advice - healthcarenz.co.nz — This provides whānau, caregivers and residential care providers with support to help develop skills and strategies to manage any situation, whilst improving wellbeing and quality of life.

COVID-19 Health and Wellbeing guide – learningfromhome.govt.nz — developed by clinical psychologist Julie McCormack and Future Curious Ltd

Home | EAP Services Limited — 0800 327 669 — Employee Assistive Programme (EAP services) offer telephone support and counselling services.

Tools to help you through difficult times - melonhealth.com — An online tool that offers help as part of the COVID-19 response, with resources including an anxiety toolbox, mood boosters and understanding anger. Programmes that are offered include emotional wellness, anxiety, depression, weight loss and health goals.

Mental Health Education and Hauora and supporting resources

Support material / PB4L School-Wide / Welcome - Positive Behaviour for Learning — tki.org.nz

Samaritans — 0800 726 666 — Samaritans provides confidential emotional support 24/7 to those experiencing loneliness, depression, despair, distress or suicidal feelings.

All Right? Campaign — This is a wellbeing programme to get people talking to their friends, family, whānau, neighbours and colleagues about whether they’re really All Right.

Wellbeing webinars — These webinars were recorded over the first lockdown and have ongoing resonance. They cover areas of:

  • Diverse perspectives of hauora and wellbeing.
  • Supporting students with learning support needs.
  • Transitioning back to early learning service.
  • Kindness for kaiako | teacher wellbeing.
  • More perspectives about hauora and wellbeing.

Support for whānau

Behaviour Support - Explore Specialist Advice - HealthCare NZ — This provides whānau, caregivers and residential care providers with support to help develop skills and strategies to manage any situation, whilst improving wellbeing and quality of life.

COVID-19 Health and Wellbeing guide – learningfromhome.govt.nz

Tools to help you through difficult times - melonhealth.com — An online tool that offers help as part of the COVID-19 response, with resources including an anxiety toolbox, mood boosters and understanding anger. Programmes that are offered include emotional wellness, anxiety, depression, weight loss and health goals.

Parent Helpline — 0800 568 856

PlunketLine — 0800 933 922 — Helpline available for whānau 24/7

Self-care for Parents - Maggie Dent — Maggie Dent is an Australian parenting author, educator and speaker who has resources available for helping whānau.

Sparklers - helping tamariki when times are tough — Sparklers is a free wellbeing toolkit with a wide range of activities and guidance for primary students.

All Right? Campaign — A wellbeing programme to get people talking to their friends, family, whānau, neighbours and colleagues about whether they’re really All Right.

Triple P Positive Parenting New Zealand — Triple P is a positive parenting programme with classes, courses & sessions for whānau in New Zealand.

Yellow Brick Road — Formerly known as Supporting Families NZ, is an organisation that provides support for whānau who have a loved one experiencing mental health challenges.

Wellbeing webinars — These webinars were recorded over the first lockdown, but have ongoing resonance. They cover areas of:

  • Diverse perspectives of hauora and wellbeing.
  • Supporting students with learning support needs.
  • Transitioning back to early learning service.
  • Kindess for kaiako | teacher wellbeing.
  • More perspectives about hauora and wellbeing.

Support for specific cultural needs

Kaupapa Maori Service providers - New Zealand | Healthpages

Te Mahau | Tips for teachers, parents and caregivers in Te Reo Māori and Pacific languages

Le Va and Vaka Tautua — both providing support for Pasifika families.

Mental health resources for underrepresented communities — afsp.org

Pacific Mental Health and Addiction:

Asian Family Services

Chinese Lifeline — 0800 888 880 — for people who speak Mandarin or Cantonese

Shakti Crisis Line — 0800 742 584 — Shakti is a non-profit organisation for women’s development, empowerment and domestic/family violence intervention, prevention and awareness. Specialist support services for women, children and families of Asian, African and Middle Eastern origin.

Vagus Line — 0800 56 76 666 — This organisation promotes family harmony among Chinese, to enhance parenting skills, decrease conflict among family members (couple, parent-child, in-laws) and stop family violence.

Tamariki and youth support

Depression.org.nz Helpline — 0800 111 757 or text 4206.

Sparklers - helping tamariki when times are tough — Sparklers is a free wellbeing toolkit with a wide range of activities and guidance for primary students. Aimed for 5-13 years old.

SPARX — 0508 477 279 or text 3110 — SPARX is a clinically proven, online game for young people affected by depression, anxiety, or stress. Aimed at 12-19 years old.

The Lowdown — 0800 111 757 or text 5626 - The Lowdown is a website to help young New Zealanders recognise and understand depression or anxiety. Aimed at 13-24 years old.

What's Up — 0800 942 8787 — Support aimed for 5-19 years old.

Youthline NZ — 0800 376 633 or text 234. Aimed for 12-24 years old.