About UOKBRO
Come, take a seat, have a yarn!OUR MISSION
Our mission is to provide mental health services to the isolated communities & workers of New Zealand who struggle to access mainstream services – we aim to ensure that mental health & wellbeing support is available to everyone, regardless of their location, by bringing services directly to those in need.
Let’s sit and have a yarn to see how we can help.
OUR VALUES
- Accessibility: “If the chair is empty, come & have a yarn.” No appointments are needed, ensuring immediate access to support.
- Proactiveness: “If you call and ask for support, UOKBRO NZ will come to you.” We are dedicated to reaching those who cannot come to us.
- Inclusivity: Every person in New Zealand deserves mental health & wellbeing support, especially those in isolated areas where access to services is challenging.
- Professionalism: Services are delivered by registered social workers, counselors, & navigators who provide high-quality care.
- Community Engagement: UOKBRO NZ is accountable to the community & funders, fostering trust & active participation.
"Give A Little" Page
Over the past 12 months Scotty has been engaging with the community part-time. Since January Scotty has been doing it full- time with huge engagement from the community. The goal is to upgrade the UOKBRONZ car & purchase a motor home so Scotty can turn up anywhere in NZ even to the most isolated communities.
All donations, no matter how small are greatly appreciated & helps Scotty get one step closer to reaching those in need all over N.Z
With your support lets make this happen!
About Scotty...
The Beginning
In April 2023, my journey with UOKBRO NZ began at Te Puna. I started by sitting on the side of the road at Maramatanga Park on weekends, as I was working full-time at Te Tuinga Whanau in Greerton, Tauranga, as a community social worker. Over many months, I noticed a significant need in the community. Despite a nearby Hauora, people frequently stopped to talk, indicating a gap in community support.
Expanding Outreach
In July 2023, I decided to test the waters further by moving from Tauranga to Te Araroa. Everywhere I stopped, people shared their mental health stories and experiences, particularly about coping with Cyclone Gabrielle. This reinforced my decision to broaden UOKBRO NZ’s engagement across New Zealand. In December 2023, I embarked on a four-week journey through the South Island, traveling down the east coast to Stewart Island, then up the West Coast, and finally along the east and west coasts of the North Island. This trip confirmed the widespread need for support, as many engaged with UOKBRO NZ.
Current Engagement
Throughout 2024, UOKBRO NZ has been actively engaging with the Bay of Plenty community, averaging 25 interactions per day. These engagements cover a range of issues, including domestic violence intervention, mental health support for the trucking industry, youth mental health, employment concerns, bullying, and even crisis intervention. One memorable instance involved a person contemplating suicide who decided to stop and talk because of the sign, “Stop for a yarn bro if you’re not okay.”
Future Plans
From June 2024, UOKBRO NZ will be on the road full-time, focusing on the Tauranga community initially. By August 2024, UOKBRO NZ aims to become a full-time social work service, traveling throughout New Zealand and staying in various areas for a week to provide dedicated support to those communities.
UOKBRO NZ Trust recognises that not all people have the same opportunities to access mental services in their communities, the trust also recognises that not all people are comfortable in the “cookie cutter” approach & setting of the mental health sector.
Having the ability to sit down with someone, be heard & have the ability to speak freely in your own words in an open & unjudgmental environment while ensuring that you are safe, your needs are being considered & you are not being contained to a set conversation timeframe will encourage those who are not comfortable in the formal setting to come, take a seat & have a yarn.
Rural & isolated communities are some of the highest risk areas with isolation often having extreme impacts on someone’s mental health & wellbeing often resulting in the feeling of helplessness, worthlessness & lack of ability to work through a situation to find a manageable outcome.
Getting UOKBRO NZ Trust into these communities is a start in opening up opportunities within these communities.