Prime Minister visits Tupu Ake

On Friday 31 May, following Thursday’s budget announcement, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern visited Pathways’ Tupu Ake peer-led acute alternative service in South Auckland.

Along with Minister of Health Hon David Clark and Associate Minister of Health Hon Jenny Salesa, the Prime Minister took the opportunity to find out about the unique value of peer support in mental health recovery. Robyn Shearer, Deputy Director-General Mental Health and Addiction also attended the visit.

The ministers were hosted by Wise Group joint chief executive Julie Nelson, Pathways’ chief executive Sally Pitts-Brown, and Pathways’ board member Cassandra Laskey.

Keri Opai, Wise Group cultural and Pathways’ kaihautū Anaru Hawkins, welcomed the Ministers to Tupu Ake, along with team coach Wendy Montgomery.  

The Prime Minister spent most of the visit talking with guests and the peer staff, hearing about their journeys and life experiences that had led them to Tupu Ake.

Some great conversations were had and real connections were made as people shared their stories and talked about their experience at Tupu Ake. It was a fabulous day, with the visit leaving staff and guests alike buzzing.

About Tupu Ake

Tupu Ake was the first mental health and wellbeing peer support service of its kind in New Zealand and it has become an exemplar service around the world since it opened 10 years ago. Research has shown the huge benefits of its peer-led approach, and Tupu Ake has hosted many guests from across the country and around the world. Pathways’ leaders have also presented internationally about it, including most recently business operations manager Ross Phillips, who shared about Tupu Ake at the World Health Organization QualityRights Forum.