Community-led wellbeing initiatives are vital elements in alleviating the mental health impacts of covid-19, according to reports commissioned by the Te Hau Toka Southern Lakes Wellbeing Group*.

The reports show that continuing to foster initiatives to improve social connections, support and broader equity and inclusion helps build longer-term community resilience. And they point to locally-driven projects as the bedrock of the recovery, resilience and future wellbeing of the community.

The process of creating the reports has involved a three-strand strategy - ‘listeners’ going deep into their communities to gain insights from hard to reach voices, surveys and one-on-ones with community support providers, and an expert design challenge. 

Adell Cox, Chair of the Te Hau Toka Group, said that while covid-19 has highlighted shortcomings in the social infrastructure, it has also stimulated a wide range of positive and, in many cases, inspiring responses.

“People in all areas referenced the benefits of more family time and more space for social connection and conversation. They talked about the support they received from whānau, friends, neighbours, schools, counsellors, youth workers, community events and community organisations.

"Financial stress has been a central issue for many, with the business and migrant communities noting that covid relief packages and financial support have been life-savers.

She said covid had also prompted a number of people to take stock of their lives and reset and re-evaluate their future goals and plans.

"While many businesses have struggled, some have evolved new and more sustainable business models. There is also an emerging awareness of the need for change in the region’s broader economy,” she said.

A Recommendations Framework has been developed based on the combined findings. It outlines how Te Hau Toka could best support communities to look after their own, and each other’s, mental wellbeing with ideas from the community and experts on how to maximise change. 

The framework is being used to form an action plan with short, medium and longer term initiatives to improve community wellbeing. This will help Te Hau Toka allocate its funding in the most impactful way and in alignment with the three ‘Promotion and Prevention’ Focus Areas of the Kia Kaha, Kia Māia, Kia Ora Aotearoa Plan. 

Initiatives already in place include Te Hau Toka’s Connecting Communities fund, extra Mental Wellbeing Navigators for the region, improved communication, and better access to information about services and support. 

Summaries of the co-design process and the Expert Design Challenge have been shared with relevant organisations and community networks and are publicly available on the Te Hau Toka Southern Lakes Wellbeing Group webpage www.southernhealth.nz/living-well/tehautoka/initiatives/reports

*Te Hau Toka Southern Lakes Wellbeing covers Cromwell, Te Anau, Wanaka and Queenstown communities.