Peer support — mental health support provided by people with lived experience of mental health challenges — is one of the most effective and underinvested dimensions of New Zealand's mental health system. People who have navigated mental health challenges themselves bring genuine understanding, hope, and practical knowledge that trained professionals cannot replicate. Grant funding for peer support is an investment in a community asset with proven impact.
Peer support services offer:
- Connection and belonging: the fundamental isolation of mental health challenges is addressed by genuine peer relationship
- Hope: seeing someone who has experienced similar challenges living a fulfilling life provides evidence-based hope that is rarely available from clinical professionals
- Practical knowledge: navigating the mental health system, benefits, housing, employment — people with lived experience often know what actually helps
- Non-clinical support: many people benefit from support that is not clinical — not treatment, not assessment, but genuine human connection and practical assistance
- Cultural knowledge: peer workers from specific communities (Māori, Pacific, refugee) can provide culturally grounded support that mainstream services cannot
Research consistently shows peer support improves mental health outcomes, reduces hospitalisation, and supports recovery and community inclusion.
Ministry of Health / Health New Zealand (Te Whatu Ora)
Health New Zealand funds some peer support through district and regional mental health services — but funding is inconsistent and often inadequate relative to need. Peer support is recognised in He Ara Oranga (the government's mental health and addiction inquiry response) as a priority for investment.
Community mental health grants
Several funders specifically support peer support:
- Mental Health Foundation: some project funding for community mental health including peer approaches
- Like Minds, Like Mine: government-funded programme reducing mental health stigma — some grants for community-led initiatives
- Foundation North: has funded mental health community programmes in Auckland/Northland
- Lotteries Community: accessible for community mental health organisations
Gaming trusts
Gaming trusts are significant funders of community mental health:
- Operational support for peer support organisations
- Equipment and facilities
- Staff costs for peer support roles
Peer support workforce development
The Peer Supported Open Dialogue approach, developed in Finland and adapted internationally, is being piloted in New Zealand. Workforce development grants support training peer workers in new approaches.
Mental Health Advocacy and Peer Support (MHAPS)
MHAPS and similar organisations provide peer support alongside advocacy — connecting people with lived experience to resources, rights, and community.
Voices of Hope
Youth-led mental health organisation using lived experience storytelling and peer connection to reach young New Zealanders.
Pathways / Wise Group
Pathways and the Wise Group employ peer workers as part of their community mental health teams — demonstrating integration of peer support into mainstream services.
Rōpū peer support networks
Māori-led peer support networks — operating within kaupapa Māori frameworks — provide culturally grounded peer support for Māori communities.
Peer worker salaries: the primary cost of peer support is paid peer worker time. Grant funding for peer worker salaries is essential — volunteer-only models are not sustainable for quality peer support.
Training and development: peer workers need both initial training (mental health first aid, peer support skills, personal narrative work) and ongoing professional development.
Supervision and wellbeing support: peer workers share their own experiences of mental health challenges, which can be emotionally demanding. Supervision, wellbeing support, and peer-to-peer networks for workers are essential components of quality peer support.
Community spaces and groups: peer support often occurs in community settings — drop-in centres, community groups, online communities. Grants for space, facilitation, and refreshments enable these settings.
Digital peer support platforms: online peer support communities reach people who can't access in-person services — particularly in rural areas and for communities with stigma concerns.
Effective applications for peer support funding:
New Zealand faces a mental health crisis — demand for mental health services substantially exceeds supply, clinical workforce shortages are severe, and hospital-based acute care is strained. Peer support is part of the solution:
Philanthropic investment in peer support is both a direct investment in community wellbeing and a contribution to a more sustainable mental health system.
Tahua's grants management platform supports funders investing in mental health peer support — with community organisation management, outcome tracking, peer workforce data, and the portfolio tools that help mental health funders build a coherent investment in community-led recovery.