Peer Support in Wellington ED

Te matū

Overview

When someone arrives at an Emergency Department in crisis, it can feel overwhelming. Our Peer Support Specialists are here to be beside you, bringing empathy, understanding, and hope, right when it’s needed most. They draw on their own lived experience of mental health or addiction experiences to offer support that is down-to-earth and person-centred.

This service became part of Wellington’s Emergency Department in March 2025, through a partnership with Te Whatu Ora and MHAIDS. It’s part of a nationwide effort to make mental health care more compassionate and person-led. As a peer-led organisation, Kites Trust brings the voice of lived experience into ED spaces, making sure support is grounded in connection, respect, and recovery.

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Who it’s best suited for

Anyone experiencing mental health or addiction distress who comes to the Emergency Department, whether you arrive alone, with whānau, or ambulance. If you’re feeling anxious, scared, or unsure what’s next, Peer Support can help you feel supported while you wait and guide you toward ongoing care.

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Benefits

  • Immediate support: Someone who understands is there reducing distress and helping you feel safe
  • Hope and empowerment: Lived experience shows recovery is possible and offers reassurance in a tough moment
  • Help you decide you next steps: We support you getting regulated and ready to decide what you need and want next
  • Better care pathways: We can connect you to community services, so support continues beyond the ED
  • Supporting ED Teams: By focusing on emotional and social needs, we free clinical staff to concentrate on urgent medical care
  • Improved outcomes: Peer support strengthens engagement, reduces repeat visits, and fosters wellbeing

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Frequently asked questions

If you’d like to connect with a Peer Support Specialist, just ask any hospital staff member and they’ll let us know. We’ll introduce ourselves when we can. The ED is a fast-moving space, so we might not get to you straight away, but we’ll do our best to check in when we can.

Peer Support is flexible and can focus on whatever feels supportive for you. That might be having a chat, sitting quietly together, helping you feel calm and grounded, or talking through what’s next. It’s about meeting you where you’re at, in your voice, and in your choices. We’re here to listen, share, and support without judgment, helping you feel safe and connected while you navigate what comes next.

Our approach is grounded in mutuality and respect. Peer Support Specialists work alongside ED teams not as clinicians, but as people who’ve walked a similar path. We listen, share, and support without judgment. We’ll talk through what matters to you, help you navigate next steps, and stay focused on your goals.

We’re not tied to one spot. We move around the ED so we can be available where we’re needed most.