Tamara Waugh

Since March ‘26 my dear friends @changingmindsnz have been doing what they do best - working with national MH agencies to bring a lived experience lens to innovation and services, this time supporting Whakarongorau on a journey to building a new kind of Yellow Pages to our tānagata whaiora (people seeking wellness).

#GoodPlaceToStart is an AI assisted navigation tool that suggests, through compassionate inquiry, pathways to services in your local area, suited to your needs. Due for public launch at the end of November ‘26.

This is a tool that we in the CPSLE / system change sector of mental health have been advocating for, for many years, certainly since the last national strategy that I, and Changing Minds attended 23 of the 27 community hui to ensure this, out of many other quality improvement suggestions got a look in for funding. Just as we did influence bringing in HIP (Health improvement practitioners) to primary health (GP) services.

I love it when a plan comes together, after years of backstory and national consultation, co-design and review, finally we are a month away from another big tick on the list of very slow moving improvements / change we need to make for our Tu tumu waiora!

Proud to Te kawe i te tirohanga a ngā purapura ora o te tūkino ā-kore (representing the lens of survivors of sexual harm).

💝⚡️🙌🏽