The Nōku te Ao Puna Pūtea | Social Action Grants have funded two years’ worth of grants so far – one round in 2022, and one in 2023.
Use the table below to find inspirational ideas for your next grant application – or, scroll further down the page to see examples of projects previously awarded a grant.
Mad Like Me Presents: One Small Thing was the second season of the podcast Mad Like Me by Jamie Wise and Charlie Scott. Jamie and Charlie took their podcast on the road and recorded each episode in front of a live audience across different locations in Aotearoa.
The project aimed to dispel mental distress myths by sharing stories of everyday humans' mental distress experiences, as well as removing barriers to support.
Mad Like Me also started a social movement and launched a website called One Million Small Things, where people shared small acts of kindness that made an impact, with the goal of reaching one million of these small gestures.
KAVAX was a Pacific-designed talanoa platform that offered a safe space to discuss the unfair judgements, discrimination, and social exclusion that Pacific peoples experience in all aspects of their lives, including in relation to mental distress. Weaving in traditional sounds, Pacific concepts, and cultural norms into the fakataha (get-togethers/sessions), KAVAX created mafana (warmth), fakafehokotaki (connection), and engagement in meaningful and honest talanoa.
Held in Auckland, Wellington, and Gisborne and with support from Pacific health professionals, KAVAX explored the following talking points:
1. Mental distress for Pacific peoples: Cultural perspectives and perceptions
2. Mental distress for Pacific peoples: In the employment environment
3. Drawing on Pacific concepts and cultural norms for solutions.
Imoa Setefano has lived experience of bipolar disorder and understands how mental illness can be negatively perceived in all spheres of society. E taua tagata uma! - Everyone has value! Mana Tagata!, led by Imoa and his wife Amelia Setefano, included meaningful talanoa sessions about mental illness in 10 Pacific church groups across Aotearoa.
While encouraging their communities to feel more comfortable talking about mental distress and sharing their lived experience stories, Imoa and Amelia changed mindsets, challenged myths, established inclusive practices, and helped end judgements and discrimination towards people living with mental distress or illness and their family members.
A mana moana approach empowered participants to develop their story creatively through art, filmed interviews, or a digital film they directed and owned.
Talanoa Tuesdays is an open-door programme with a focus on honest kōrero, mental wellbeing and breaking down the prejudice people with mental distress can face. The programme is held weekly in Papatoetoe, South Auckland.
This project seeks to end judgements and discrimination towards disabled people who also experience mental distress, by empowering mana hauā (Māori disabled peoples) to understand how our tupuna (ancestors) overcame barriers in their lives. The project will use kōrero pūrākau and pakiwaitara (the sharing of stories and narratives) to build resilience and collective authority, and guide people with mental distress and disabilities to lead lives with mana.
Using wānanga, the project will partner with local disability advocacy services, mana ture networks, mana hauā (Māori disabled peoples) and tohunga (experts) to share te ao Māori stories around mental wellbeing. Through these wānanga, mana hauā can learn about self-advocacy when engaging with systems, and uplift collective and individual mana.
Ask Sis aims to challenge the prejudice surrounding mental distress among young Pacific and Māori women, by establishing an engaging online platform.
Podcasts, educational videos, and other content held on the platform will provide young women with the tools to navigate the everyday challenges they face. Topics covered will include mental wellbeing, health, self-esteem, body positivity, life skills and relationships, and will empower individuals to share their stories of overcoming challenges and discrimination.
Pride of Mental Health: Ending Mental Health Stigma and Discrimination is a programme and toolkit sharing methods and strategies to create safer spaces for people experiencing mental health challenges, across a range of settings.
This toolkit will be designed through six community-based strategy wānanga, alongside some online engagement, and launched at a dedicated wellbeing event.
State Care Wānanga aims to provide holistic support to state care survivors through wānanga (educational workshops) focusing on their mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. The workshops are designed to empower participants, in a trauma-informed way.
It will also educate the wider community about the impacts of state care on a person, improving understanding, empathy and inclusion; support state care survivors with knowledge and skills to advocate for themselves and others, to challenge discriminatory practices and policies; encourage solidarity and collective action against discrimination through whakawhanaungatanga; and work in partnership with mental health organisations, advocacy groups and policymakers to promote systemic changes that end discrimination and support the rights of those experiencing mental distress.
Project Tapu will hold multi-generational talanoa sessions in creative spaces, to help navigate difficult conversations not normally broached within Pacific communities. Through creativity, the project will open a safe space to talk about the prejudice surrounding mental distress, and how participants can proactively change discriminatory beliefs and attitudes both within themselves, and within those around them.
