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From 6–12 October 2025, Aotearoa will come together to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW). This year’s theme is Top Up Together, encouraging us to support each other through small daily actions that boost wellbeing.
Every day focuses on one of the Five Ways to Wellbeing - simple, evidence-based actions that make a real difference to how we feel.
Monday 6 Oct — Connect (Me Whakawhanaunga)
Start the week by strengthening your relationships. Check in with a friend, share kai with colleagues, or simply ask someone how their day has been. Belonging is a powerful foundation for good mental health.
Tuesday 7 Oct — Give (Tukua)
Acts of kindness ripple outward. Volunteer, lend a hand to someone in your community, or even offer a smile or friendly kōrero to brighten a stranger’s day. Giving is one of the quickest ways to boost your own wellbeing too.
Wednesday 8 Oct — Be Active (Me Kori Tonu)
Movement fuels both body and mind. Take a walk, join a casual game, or put on your favourite music and dance. Even small actions like gardening or a walking meeting count.
Thursday 9 Oct — Take Notice (Me Aro Tonu)
Slow down and savour the present. Try a short breathing practice, go for a mindful walk, or notice the little details in your surroundings. Beginning a hui with a karakia or gratitude reflection is a great way to pause together.
Friday 10 Oct — Keep Learning (Me Ako Tonu)
Challenge your mind by trying something new. Learn a recipe, join a class, or read up on your local history. It's also World Mental Health Day, so keep an eye out for special events and discussions nationwide.
Weekend — Keep Topping Up Together
While the Five Ways focus on the weekdays, the weekend is a great time to carry them forward. Head along to one of the many MHAW community events, from wellbeing workshops to walks, or spend time with friends and whānau doing what lifts you up.
Why Top Up Together?
Research and practice consistently show that social interaction lies at the heart of wellbeing. Connecting, sharing, learning, giving - done together - multiplies impact. The Mental Health Foundation notes that MHAW 2025 is designed around this evidence: “activities involving social interaction matter, not only for your own wellbeing but also for those around you.”
When we Top Up Together, we foster belonging, mutual support, and a shared sense of purpose, all factors linked to better mental health outcomes. The campaign is also backing this up with on-the-ground support: community grants aiming to boost grassroots wellbeing initiatives.
Ideas to Bring Top Up Together to Life
There are lots of ways that you can Top Up Together and put the Five Ways to Wellbeing into action this Mental Health Awareness Week. To help you get started, we’ve picked out a few of the simple ways you can get involved:
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Join the free MHAW webinar — Tuesday 7 October at 11am
Hear from the Mental Health Foundation’s Health Promoters, Kylie Ryan and Sophie Moore, as they share evidence-based actions to spark positive change in the workplace. Register your free place here -
Display the whakawhetai / gratitude poster at mahi and encourage hoamahi/colleagues to share gratitude with each other.
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Learn with a mental wellbeing quiz - a fun activity to help bring MHAW to life in your workplace.
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Use kōrero cards in your next team meeting to get to know each other better and strengthen connections.
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Reach out if you notice someone struggling. The MHAW kōrero guide offers advice on how to prepare, open a conversation, and where to find extra support.
Why This Matters to Us
At HealthCarePlus, our mission is to support your health and wellbeing everyday. Mental Health Awareness Week is a perfect reminder that wellbeing isn’t just about physical health, it’s about caring for our minds, our connections, and our communities.
Through our Health & Wellbeing benefits, Members can access:
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Three fully funded therapy sessions per year (via Clearhead or 3 Big Things, with our UniMed Primary Care plans).
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GoodForYou, our online wellbeing programme that helps you build habits around the Five Ways.
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Ongoing support for you and your whānau, so you can focus on what matters most.
Let’s Top Up Together
This Mental Health Awareness Week, let’s each take small steps to connect, give, be active, take notice, and keep learning together. When we support one another, we strengthen not only ourselves but also our whānau and communities.
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