Have you personally experienced mental illness or distress, and want to reduce discrimination around those experiences in your community?
Rākau Roroa is New Zealand’s first-ever mental health champions training programme.
The programme trains and supports people to use their personal lived experience of mental distress to create change in their communities, reducing discrimination and normalising the experience of mental distress.
Rākau Roroa was co-designed with hundreds of people across New Zealand. Using surveys, hui and experts, its co-design ensured an equitable and evidence-based programme meaningful to diverse communities.
Rākau Roroa has been successfully led and delivered to people working in over 100 different contexts across New Zealand — from the Police and Defence Force, to corporate organisations and small businesses.
It also provides ongoing mentoring and support for people who have completed training.
Rākau Roroa equips participants with evidence, research and skills they need to change attitudes and behaviours in their local communities. Participants are supported to utilise their existing passions, interests and networks to make a sustainable impact.
Rākau Roroa’s training explores:
If you are interested in being part of future Rākau Roroa programmes, please email rakauroroa@changingminds.org.nz.