Pacific communities in New Zealand — Samoan, Tongan, Cook Islands, Fijian, Niuean, Tokelauan, and others — experience some of the worst mental health outcomes in the country, yet have the lowest rates of accessing mainstream mental health services. The challenge is both access (Pacific people are less likely to access mainstream services due to cultural, linguistic, and structural barriers) and appropriateness (mainstream services are often not designed for Pacific cultural contexts). Grants that fund Pacific-led, culturally responsive mental health and wellbeing services address both dimensions.
Prevalence and disparities
Pacific New Zealanders experience higher rates of:
- Depression and anxiety
- Psychological distress
- Suicide and self-harm (particularly among Pacific youth)
- Traumatic stress related to migration, family disruption, and economic hardship
Despite this, Pacific communities consistently under-utilise mainstream mental health services — attending GP practices and mental health services at lower rates than expected given their need level.
Why mainstream services don't work for Pacific communities
Mainstream mental health services have been designed for — and by — Pākehā New Zealanders. They are:
- Individually-focused (Pacific wellbeing is relational and collective)
- Clinical in setting (Pacific people often prefer community or faith-based settings)
- Language-limited (many Pacific people, particularly first-generation migrants, have English as a second language)
- Culturally uninformed (Pacific cultural concepts like 'aumākua, teu le va, and va are not integrated)
- Stigma-amplifying (seeking mental health treatment is stigmatised in some Pacific communities)
Cultural determinants of wellbeing
Pacific mental health models recognise that wellbeing is not just individual — it includes:
- Va/fa'aaloalo (relational space, respect): the quality of relationships with family, community, and spiritual forces
- Loto toa/courage (resilience): the collective strength drawn from cultural identity
- Tapuaki/blessing: spiritual wellbeing and its connection to physical and mental health
- Aiga/kāiga/māloo (family/community): collective belonging as a mental health protective factor
Te Whatu Ora Pacific commissioning
Te Whatu Ora has dedicated Pacific health commissioning teams who fund Pacific-led health services, including mental health. Pacific Health plans — developed with Pacific communities — guide commissioning priorities.
PHO Pacific health programmes
Primary Health Organisations (PHOs) receive specific funding for Pacific health — including Pacific patient health care plans, Pacific health navigators, and culturally appropriate primary care. Some PHOs have Pacific-specific mental health positions.
Pasifika Mental Health Project
Government-funded Pacific mental health workforce development and service model development has been implemented through various Pasifika mental health projects, supporting Pacific mental health workers and culturally responsive service delivery.
Pacific health organisations
Several Pacific health organisations deliver government-contracted mental health services:
- Vaka Tautua (Pacific social and health services nationally)
- Le Va (national Pacific mental health and addiction organisation)
- Turuki Healthcare (South Auckland)
- Various Pacific church-based social services
Le Va is New Zealand's dedicated Pacific mental health organisation — providing leadership, workforce development, and service delivery for Pacific mental health and addiction. Le Va:
- Provides Pacific cultural mental health training for the broader workforce
- Develops Pacific mental health resources and tools
- Leads suicide prevention for Pacific communities
- Supports Pacific-led mental health service development
Le Va receives government funding and also seeks philanthropic support for innovation beyond government contracts.
Gaming trusts are significant funders of Pacific community wellbeing initiatives:
What gaming trusts fund
Application approach
Applications for Pacific community mental health and wellbeing should frame the programme in Pacific cultural terms — explaining how the activity supports teu le va (maintaining relational harmony), strengthens cultural identity, or addresses specific Pacific community needs. Avoid clinical framing that doesn't resonate with Pacific communities.
Foundation North: Pacific community grants in Auckland, including Pacific wellbeing and mental health.
Wellington Community Trust: Pacific community wellbeing in Wellington region.
Tindall Foundation: Pacific family and community wellbeing investment.
Pacific-led giving: Pacific community foundations and giving circles are emerging, but remain small. The Pacific Aotearoa Lalaga trust and similar entities are developing Pacific philanthropic infrastructure.
Pacific-led and Pacific-controlled: services designed and delivered by Pacific people for Pacific communities are consistently more effective than mainstream services adapted for Pacific clients.
Family and community-centred: Pacific mental health approaches work with family systems, not just individuals. Services that engage aiga (family) in mental health support are more effective.
Integrated with Pacific institutions: Pacific churches, community groups, and cultural organisations are trusted institutions. Mental health services delivered in partnership with these institutions have lower access barriers.
Language access: Pacific language services — in Samoan, Tongan, Cook Islands Māori, Niuean, and other Pacific languages — are essential for first-generation migrants and elders.
Non-stigmatising: traditional mental health framing carries stigma in some Pacific communities. Wellbeing-focused, strengths-based framing reduces barriers to engagement.
Long-term investment: Pacific mental health disparities have deep structural roots — poverty, housing insecurity, discrimination, and cultural loss. Long-term, sustained investment is needed, not short-term project grants.
Tahua's grants management platform supports Pacific health funders and Pacific community organisations — with grant tracking, Pacific health outcome measurement, community programme management, and the culturally informed reporting tools that help funders invest effectively in Pacific mental health and wellbeing in Aotearoa.