A three-year project, led by youth charity WĀHI and funded through a major partnership with Clare, will explore culturally grounded approaches to mental health promotion and education for Māori youth—a population group researchers say is critically under-served, while addressing a number of long-standing gaps in national mental health research.
Leading researchers say there is a clear lack of data and understanding around the mental health experiences and needs of Māori youth in rural areas, and that this research will provide much-needed insight into how we can better support their wellbeing using Māori values and frameworks.
The Clare Foundation, which has supported WĀHI since 2024, is providing a substantial multi-year grant to ensure the sustainability of the project and the PETRA Programme, which is expected to reach over 1,000 students this year.
“We are delighted to support this hugely important kaupapa”, said Alice Montague, CEO at Clare. “It’s a groundbreaking piece of research that has the potential to create transformative change across the motu for our communities.”
Read the full announcement here.