We offer specialised employment support services to help people transitioning back into the workforce after a period of unemployment due to mental health challenges or disabilities.

Known as Creativeworks and available in Christchurch and Wellington, our services are designed to assist you in finding and sustaining paid employment.

Our Services Include:

  • CV Development: Craft a compelling resume that highlights your strengths.
  • Interview Skills Training: Build confidence and learn techniques to ace your interviews.
  • Interpreting Employment Agreements: Understand the details of your employment contract.
  • Transition to Work Experience: Gain valuable work experience to ease your transition.
  • Ongoing Support: Receive up to six months of post-employment support, including assistance with adjusting your work hours and career development.

For more information about Creativeworks, call us below:

  • Christchurch: (03) 372 1263
  • Wellington: (04) 570 5354
    or email the team at employmentchch@creativeworks.org.nz
“I fully recommend Creativeworks. My Employment Consultant reminded me that I have a future, she resourced me with what I needed, she researched for me and found the support package for me. She always treated me with respect, and she always believed in me…with years of setbacks, I had lost faith in my abilities. She was able to remind me of my strengths and capabilities and get me up and back in the game. I am very grateful and looking forward to the exciting year ahead”. – Carol, Creativeworks client
Read Carol's Story

The Generator was set up to empower people, whānau and communities to help make their dreams a reality and develop financial independence.

Offering start-up seed funding to turn bright ideas into successful, small business enterprises, The Generator provides a “hand up” to people who otherwise would not have the opportunity. To date, more than $2.3 million in seed funding has been distributed by The Generator to people around the country to build financial independence.

More than two-thirds of participants have transitioned or are transitioning from requiring government benefit support.

Once you’ve applied through The Generator’s online platform, we will help connect you with your local community generator to start brainstorming ideas. From there they’ll help you build your proposal, calculate costs and prepare a list of tasks to make the mahi happen. As you set to work bringing the project to life, your community generator will tick off the requirements as you go. When everything’s complete, you receive your funding.

Visit The Generator to learn more about the service and hear from the people we’ve helped. 

We offer a pre-vocational service that supports people to participate in community-based activities.

Our focus is on building people’s skills and confidence so they can move into work (either paid or voluntary) or pursue further study. Most of our activities take place in the Mt Albert area of Auckland and are easily accessible by public transport.

Our service is funded by the Ministry of Social Development.

Our approach
Cookease creates an atmosphere of mutual support through building positive relationships and providing opportunities for members to participate in and contribute to the community.

Our Services Include:

  • Vocational workshops
  • Wellbeing workshops
  • Café group
  • Arts and crafts group
  • Walking group.

You can refer yourself to Cookease, or (with your permission) you can be referred by whānau, friends, clinical team members or other professionals, e.g. GPs, employment consultants.

You must:

    • Be between the ages of 16 and 64
    • Have personal experience of mental illness
    • Be receiving a benefit from Work and Income.

For more information, get in contact at (09) 847 9202 or email the team at cookease@emergeaotearoa.org.nz

“By increasing the options for social inclusion, people experiencing mental illness are able to live fuller, happier lives and find the support they need.” – H. Norris, New Zealand Mental Health Foundation