Engage Aotearoa

Category Archives: News

Suicide helpline hours extended

The 0508 TAUTOKO (0508 828 656) suicide help-line has now extended its hours of operation.

From February 21st 2012 Lifeline Aotearoa’s national suicide helpline will operate from 12 midday to 12 midnight 7 days a week!

Call 0508 TAUTOKO if you are having suicidal thoughts or feelings of any kind – they can help you get through the moment and direct you to further support.

Wider Journey Report ready for Consultation

This is a link to the Human Rights Commission’s Wider Journey report.

This paper aims to provide information about  accessibility for disabled people and invites feedback on these issues.

The paper focuses on accessibility in three areas: the built environment, access to information and independent voting in Aotearoa.

The Wider Journey is part of the Commission’s work on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (the Disability Convention).

The report will help to inform the Government of its responsibilities and will also form part of the Commission’s independent report to the United Nations.

The consultation closes at the end of March 2012 and the Commission would appreciate your feedback on this draft paper.

Please get in touch if you need any further information.

Josie Maskell

  • PA/Administrator Kaiawhina, External Relations Team, Human Rights Commission
  • Direct Dial Waea Hangai: 64 9 306 2655
  • Email Karere Hiko: josiem@hrc.co.nz

Updated Community Resources Directory

The latest updates to The Community Resources Directory are now live on the Engage Aotearoa website for general browsing or sharing.

Our Information Manager has just added 5 pages worth of community resources – and we are pleased to announce that we have begun including services from around the country. The services remain predominantly Auckland-based or National offices, but we are on our way. We have added a new nation-wide Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse help section as well.

You’ll also notice we’ve got a shiny new, colour portal button too.

Happy New Year from us here at Engage Aotearoa to everyone out there.

Wishing you metaphorical blue skies for 2012.

Save Auckland’s 24-Hour Rape Crisis Centre

Funding starts to dry up for Auckland’s sexual abuse crisis centre today — and petition creator Kirsty McCully has made an urgent appeal for people to contact John Key personally. Hundreds have already responded by posting on John Key’s Facebook — can you join them and tell Key that he should continue to fund this critical service?

Click here to go directly to his Facebook wall, and post a message calling on him to fund Auckland’s only 24 hour sexual abuse crisis centre now.

Like any other politician, John Key is incredibly sensitive to social media. He’s all too aware that public channels like Facebook can be hugely powerful in the hands of ordinary individua ls.

It’s important that you speak from the heart when you leave your message. But if you need ideas, here are some things you could consider including:

  • Why you think the Auckland 24 hour crisis service is important
  • What message the government would send by failing to support it
  • What impact this would have on your support for the government

Stand with Kirsty, the centre’s staff and the thousands who depend on them — tell John Key why he should save this crucial service on Facebook now.

Just days into its new term, John Key’s government is already under pressure. And it’s about to skyrocket — at midday, Kirsty and supporters are organising an attention-grabbing media stunt that’s sure to make headlines, and draw even more support for their cause.

PM Key is desperate to maintain public goodwill — and he’ll be anxiously monitoring the press and social media for more signs of opposition. Leaving a message on his Facebook will drive home the message that each and every signature represents a real voter whose support he stands to lose if he doesn’t act.

Click here to join Kirsty, and send John Key a message on Facebook.

Hundreds of messages on his wall will add to the media storm, and Kirsty’s a ttention-grabbing stunt today — he’ll have no choice but to listen.

Thanks for being part of this,

Nick and the Change.org team

New Suicide Prevention Project: The Butterfly Diaries

Anger Toolbox for Children Launched

Skylight’s ANGER TOOLBOX handbook (2nd edition) was launched on Tuesday by the Commissioner for Children, Dr Russell Wills, at the Commission in Wellington.

This is very this practical handbook that’s recently been extensively updated, extended and redesigned. It provides practical information and tools to help children and teens through angry times and is written for their parents, carers, grand parents raising grandchildren, family members and whanau, foster parents, schools and all those working with children and young people. It is packed full of helpful information, a wide range of anger management ideas to try, New Zealand support contact information, comments by NZ parents and specialists, wonderful photos and easy to follow diagrams.

For ordering information phone 0800 299 100 or see www.skylight.org.nz

Mental-Health Service-User Releases New Album!

Johnny Matteson to launch new album at The Shared Vision Recovery Conference on the 24th of November

Read the full story on the Mental Health Foundation of NZ’s website.

http://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/page/882-news

 

 

Choice in Community Living programme launched

The launch of the Choice in Community Living programme in the Auckland and Waikato regions was announced on 2 November 2011. Choice in Community Living is about supporting disabled people who want to move from residential services, where they live in a house owned or rented by their support provider, to a home of their own.

For more information, see: http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/disability-keyprojects-choicecommunityliving

Recovery Meanings and Measures Report Released

The Mental Health Commission released the Recovery Meanings and Measures report on November 2nd 2011.  This report is a literature scan to clarify the concept of recovery and describe different recovery measures, as part of initial work to develop a “DHB Recovery Report Card”.

It is a resource for those working in mental health and addiction to help them understand the concept of recovery and how to evaluate the extent to which the services they provide are focused on recovery.

An online copy of the publication can be found here.

http://www.mhc.govt.nz/sites/mhc.govt.nz/files/Recovery%20meanings%20and%20measures.pdf