- Hon Andrew Little
Another 15 organisations providing Rainbow wellbeing support will receive funding to advance their work with Rainbow young people and communities, thanks to the Government's Rainbow mental wellbeing investment.
Health Minister Andrew Little made the announcement at the International Initiative for Mental Health Leaders conference in Christchurch today and said the funding is from the second tranche of Rule Foundation grants, made possible by the Government's $4.6 million Rainbow mental wellbeing package.
"This Government has delivered record investment in mental wellbeing and put in place more support for the Rainbow community than has ever previously been available," Andrew Little said.
"This is absolutely essential because we know the Rainbow community is more likely to experience poorer mental health and wellbeing, discrimination, harassment and bullying than the general population which is unacceptable.
"The Rule Foundation has approved grants to 15 initiatives to help people including Māori/takatāpui and Pacific peoples; Indian, ethnic and Asian communities; transgender/non-binary and intersex people.
"This funding will not only support these important projects and activities, it will add to the community based mental wellbeing services we've put in place that didn't exist before, including the Access and Choice programme that is already making a difference to thousands of New Zealanders every month."
Youth mental health is part of the Cooperation Agreement between Labour and The Green Party.
"Aotearoa should be a place where all of us are supported to live authentic, connected lives, no matter who we are or who we love. Today's funding boost means more of our rainbow and takatāpui whānau will be able to access the mental health and addiction services we, like all New Zealanders, deserve," Green Party mental health spokesperson Chlöe Swarbrick said.
Since 2021 the Government has invested $4.6 million in specific Rainbow mental wellbeing initiatives to support mental health and addiction services, workforce development as well as top-up funding to the Rule Foundation's Rainbow Wellbeing Legacy Fund established by this Government in 2019.
Notes to Editor:
The Rainbow Wellbeing Legacy Fund was launched in 2019 to support projects, activities and organisations to improve mental health for future generations of Rainbow communities, with a focus on young people.
The almost $300,000 of grants is made up from a government contribution of $200,000 funding for this year's Rainbow Wellbeing Legacy Fund and an additional $99,999 given by Foundation North (the community trust for Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Te Tai Tokerau Northland), bringing the total funding for 2022 to $299,999.
The 15 organisations granted Rainbow Wellbeing Legacy funding in 2022:
- Ae Ka Taea e Koe Ltd - towards West Auckland based outreach events for takatāpui
- Adhikaar Aotearoa - towards project Resourcing the Next Generation of LGBTQIA+ South Asians
- Body Positive Inc. - towards their sexual health and peer support online outreach programme
- CAYAD (Community Action on Youth and Drugs) - towards the Joyful Movement project
- The Charlotte Museum - to upgrade museum technical equipment to help improve knowledge and understanding of Rainbow histories, and to help advance the study of LGBTIQ+ history and communities
- China Pride NZ - towards the study of Chinese Rainbow international students titled: Experiences of navigating heteronormativity and racism in Aotearoa New Zealand
- Empwr - towards the project titled: LGBTQIA+ Takatāpui Inclusive Antenatal Education in Aotearoa
- Govett-Brewster Art Gallery - towards the project titled: Make Visible Taranaki, an artist and community-led multi-year collaboration to foster long-term creative opportunities for Taranaki's LGBTQI+ communities
- Moana Vā - Navigators of Pacific Pride - towards engaging and building the Pacific Rainbow+ community in Otautahi Christchurch
- Rainbow Hub Waikato - towards its Rainbow education outreach programme in the Waikato
- RainbowYOUTH - towards the rebuild and reestablishment of its Te Moana a Toi Bay of Plenty drop-in centre and services
- Same Same But Different Festival - towards its event the samesame but different LGBTQI+ Writers Festival
- Te Huia and Rangiwherowhero Whānau Trust - towards takatāpui/rainbow rangatahi wānanga in Pirongia
