Whakatau Mai | The Wellbeing Sessions
Are you are looking for our wellbeing sessions? We have created a new home for all our free, virtual community events at www.wellbeingsessions.nz
Want to know more?
Whakatau Mai | The Wellbeing Sessions, by Changing Minds is part of the government’s response to COVID-19, thanks to funding from the Ministry of Health. These sessions are designed to help you access more support online, and safely connect with our Whakatau Mai whānau from wherever you are in the country.
We offer a wide range of free and online wellbeing sessions in real-time, helping to safely support your wellbeing from the comfort of your own space. All our sessions include a Peer Support worker – which means that there is always someone to talk to right away if you are needing some instant support away from the group.
These holistic sessions include topics such as yoga and fitness, art and journaling to meditation, mindfulness and various support groups, including one for LGBTQIA+. We currently offer several session per week.
Learn something new, make new connections or find support with likeminded people - our sessions are designed to support you as we navigate our way together through these challenging times.
Me kōrero kia ora ai tātou – Let us connect so we may all find wellbeing.
Whakatau Mai receives additional ‘digital enablement’ support
Earlier this year Changing Minds announced the Ministry of Health funding extension of our wellbeing programme until November 2021. We are delighted to share that from November 2021, Whakatau Mai | The Wellbeing Sessions by Changing Minds (Whakatau Mai) will be funded by Auckland Health District Board (ADHB) and Waitematā District Health Board (WDHB) until March 2022 for digital enablement.
Whakatau Mai sessions have been delivered by Changing Minds since April 2020, as part of the Government’s Recovery Package supporting those in Aotearoa during and beyond COVID-19. Each week, Whakatau Mai offers up to nine free online community sessions aimed at supporting health and wellbeing, as the impacts of COVID-19 continue to be felt.
“The continued support of Whakatau Mai sessions means that we can keep nurturing a space that provides social connections, wellbeing activities and information for our communities,” says Taimi Allan, CEO of Changing Minds. “We are grateful for the digital enablement support as we live through the different waves of COVID-19, and it means we will be able to build some wellbeing resources from the programme to be accessed after the real-time sessions end. Being a lived-experience led programme, our Facilitators understand what guests may be facing and feeling.”
Guests have consistently shared how much they enjoy the sessions being led by Facilitators and crew who are open about having lived experience. Feedback has continued to be positive since the initiative started, with average results from survey respondents saying:
100% said they felt safe in the session.
100% found the session useful.
97.5% felt better after the session.
95% would recommend attending a session to others.
95% felt more connected and less isolated as a result of attending.
92.55% of survey respondents rated the sessions as ‘Very Good’ or ‘Excellent.’
“I think it's difficult for others who have not experienced mental distress to understand what it's truly like to struggle with it. Knowing that I'm talking to people who have been or are on the same journey as I am makes me feel truly heard and understood,” shared a recent Whakatau Mai Guest in a survey.
To date, over 990 sessions have been delivered with more guests registering each week. The programme offers a broad range of wellbeing sessions, including yoga, art and mindfulness, journaling, and meditation, as well as support groups, including LGBTQIA+.
“On behalf of Changing Minds and our guests, we want to thank Auckland Health District Board and Waitematā District Health Board for supporting Whakatau Mai sessions,” says Taimi. “Together, we can continue to serve our growing online community.”
To view the sessions calendar or find out more, visit www.wellbeingsessions.nz.
Would you like to help us promote Whakatau Mai?
We have a range of free promotional materials to help spread the word and reach more people who could benefit from joining our sessions. To request posters, postcards, or digital assets, please email Jodie: engagement@changingminds.org.nz.
Whakatau Mai was a finalist in the 2021 Waitematā Health Excellence Awards, nominated for the Excellence in Primary and Community Care category.