Youth mental health charity asks wealthy New Zealanders for support

NZ Herald·

6 Oct, 2023 12:42 AM3 mins to read

Youth mental charity The Kindness Collective launched billboards to get the attention of the wealthiest Kiwis.

An Auckland-based youth mental health charity that’s had government funding cut, is now turning to some of New Zealand’s wealthiest for support.

The Kindness Institute has spent the past 10 years supporting rangatahi, but unexpectedly had its funding pulled in June. It’s now been forced to find $350,000 to keep its doors open, and its 2024 programmes operating.

“Half of New Zealanders will go through a period of diagnosable mental health challenges in their life, so it’s imperative we invest in preventative services that support people early in life,” says TKI Founder Kristina Cavit.

Since 2021, the organisation has been funded by two agencies, receiving $230,000 from the Ministry of Youth Development and $100,000 from Te Puni Kōkori in the last funding year.

The organisation has now launched a campaign to grab the attention of the Sharing Wealth group to “cut out the middle men”, and support its cause directly by donating to TKI.

Sharing Wealth was established earlier this year when 90 of the wealthiest New Zealanders signed an open letter to the Government asking to pay more tax.

The Kindness Institute has now done the same thing by penning its own open letter, and sharing it on billboards across Auckland and on social media in an effort to grab the attention of Sharing Wealth.

“We support the Sharing Wealth collective’s great intentions, but the Government consistently gets in the way and slows things down. We’re asking for this generous group to directly fund a proven solution to the youth mental health crisis,” says TKI director Brady Polkinghorne.

Polkinghorne says it’s essential they can keep their doors open to respond to the ongoing mental health crisis. The organisation says in 2021/22 nearly one in four young people aged between 15 and 24 experienced high or very high levels of psychological distress, with Māori students suffering the lowest levels of wellbeing.

The number of those who had attempted suicide in the past 12 months rose from 6 per cent to 13 per cent.

TKI says it has been doing its bit to curb the confronting statistics by delivering rangatahi-led programmes and teaching evidence-based tools including mindfulness and yoga, all guided by Te Whare Tapa Wha.

The Kindness Institute teaches yoga and mindfulness practices.

“People may claim it’s expensive to roll out programmes like ours, but it’s expensive and dangerous not doing anything. Our challenge to the Sharing Wealth collective is, as people who care about our country, are you ready to walk the talk, put your hand in your pocket and join this movement?” says Cavit.

TKI launched the campaign yesterday, but says it hasn’t yet had a response from Sharing Wealth.

It’s also seeking koha from 1000 regular donors to help fill the funding gap.