Belonging matters: Mental Health Awareness Week

This year’s theme from the Mental Health Foundation was "Belonging matters", guided by the whakataukī “Ko au ko koe, ko koe ko au” – “I am you, and you are me.” Feeling connected to colleagues, friends and whānau helps people stay resilient and handle life’s challenges.

Te Ao Rangahau kaimahi kept it simple, with small moments of connection across the week. Monday brought online yoga and a Kōrero Cards session. Tuesday was morning tea. Wednesday’s “Bee-longing” walk was rained off, but Thursday brought crosswords and colouring. Friday wrapped up with a wellbeing webinar on managing stress.

Engineering New Zealand kaimahi enjoy a morning tea to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week.


The week’s initiatives were deliberately understated. A cuppa, a walk or a few minutes of kōrero can make a real difference.

“There was great engagement with this year’s theme, with a range of activities to appeal to different people and the different ways we each build a sense of belonging,” says Alex Lawrie, People Experience Manager.

“It was wonderful to see people use the Kōrero Cards to get to know each other on a deeper level, by asking each other things they otherwise wouldn’t.”

Conversation prompts around the office sparked meaningful kōrero that have continued beyond MHAW.


Belonging isn’t something to tick off once a year, though. It’s built in everyday moments: checking in on a colleague who seems a bit flat, inviting someone to lunch or simply taking time to listen.

Hopefully you found time last week to do the same, whether at work, on site or at home with whānau. And if the week slipped past, that’s okay. There’s no deadline on reaching out.

For mental health tips and information, visit the Mental Health Awareness Week website and check out the resources available for engineers on our wellbeing resources page.