Support for different communities

As a Rainbow or takatāpui young person you deserve to feel safe, supported, and that you belong.

If someone has hurt you, or made you feel unsafe, for being who you are, it’s not okay and you’re not alone.

You can:

• ask for a support person who understands Rainbow communities
• bring someone you trust to appointments
• say what makes you feel safe.

There are people who understand ready to help you, including:

Rainbow Youth(external link) is an organisation that supports queer, gender diverse, takatāpui and intersex young people and whānau

OutLine Aotearoa(external link) you can talk to someone for free on 0800 688 5463 every night from 6pm to 9pm or chat online.

InsideOUT Kōaro(external link) has videos and resources to help Rainbow young people, whānau and allies.

People First NZ(external link) has documents called Easy Reads that explain things in a simple way most people can understand. Here are some that might help:

• Rainbow Easy Read: Your rights as a rainbow person(external link)
• Rainbow Easy Read: Finding support and community(external link)
• Rainbow Easy Read: Supporting your rainbow friends and whānau(external link)

If you are disabled, you have the right to ask for help in ways that work for you.

This could be:

• help with communicating – like NZSL interpreters
• extra time or different ways of giving information
• someone you trust to support you and help you share your story.

There are people out there who understand what being disabled is all about who can help you:

Easy Read – are easy to understand documents for people with learning disabilities and their whānau. These ones tell you about staying safe and reporting something that happened to you:

• Easy Read Library - Keeping Safe Feeling Safe: Say No to Abuse(external link)
• Keeping Safe Feeling Safe: Easy Read Reporting Form(external link)

Disability Support Services(external link) – has information for disabled people and tāngata whaikaha Māori who have experienced violence, abuse or neglect.  

CCS Disability Action(external link) – helps disabled people and their whānau keep safe. You can call them on 0800 227 2255

VisAble(external link) – helps disabled people live good lives, free from violence and abuse.

Whaikaha Ministry of Disabled People(external link) – has a disability hotline you can call on 0800 11 12 13, text on 8988 or email access@whakarongorau.nz  

Your whānau and culture matter. If you are a victim survivor of a crime, you have the right to support in a way that means something to you.

You can:

• involve whānau in decisions
• ask for kaupapa Māori services
• have your tikanga respected.

Any people helping you should respect your identity as Māori.

You can find out about how kaupapa Māori support works here:

Kaupapa Māori-based support

Other organisations that can help you are:

VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai(external link) – helps tamariki and rangatahi in care to live with aroha, safety and respect.

Te Puna Oranga(external link) – provides Kaupapa Māori and whānau support for people who have experienced sexual violence and family violence.

Healthpoint(external link) – is a website where you can find Kaupapa Māori support where you live.

He Ara Mataroa(external link) – is a website that uses a community-based approach to help people who are seeing or experiencing violence who don’t want to go to the police or court.

Your family, culture, and community are important.

If something has happened you can:

• involve your family or trusted community members
• ask for help from Pacific support services.

Support should reflect your values and culture and involve family in ways that feel right for you.

There are people who understand Pacific culture that can help you, including:

Pasefika Proud(external link) –  is a ‘by Pacific, for Pacific’ organisation to support Pacific families. It has a list of organisations that can support you.

Le Va for Youth(external link) – helps young Pacific people care for their health and wellbeing.

Aunty Dee(external link) – is a free online tool to help young people work through their problems.

Healthify He Puna Waiora(external link) – has a ‘Pasifika wellbeing and support’ page with videos and translated articles about finding support that’s meaningful for you.

Your culture, family, and beliefs matter. You have the right to feel safe and be respected for who you are.

If you are from a different ethnic community like Indian, Asian, Middle Eastern or African, and someone has hurt you or made you feel unsafe because of your background, it’s not okay and it’s not your fault.

You might feel unsure about getting help because of:

• language barriers
• worries about family or community reactions
• not knowing how things work in New Zealand
• concerns about privacy or shame.

You can:

• ask for a free interpreter
• bring someone you trust
• ask for support from someone who understands your culture or religion.

There are people who can help:

The Ministry for Ethnic Communities(external link) – provides information and support in different languages and can help you find an interpreter.

Shakti(external link) – helps families from Asian, African and Middle Eastern communities cope with family violence.

Asian Family Services(external link) – helps Asian young people and their families in New Zealand with support and counselling.
You can call them for free on 0800 862 342 or text 832

Belong Aotearoa(external link) – supports people with refugee backgrounds and migrant communities.

To find more people and places you can get help from, you can visit:

Support for migrant and refugee communities