mental health awareness week 2026, uplevel my wellbeing challenge

Join and Share Uplevel My Wellbeing This Mental Health Awareness Week

Updates / Updates, 7 Sep 26

Mental Health Awareness Week (12 to 18 October 2026)

Mental Health Awareness Week (12 to 18 October 2026) is an annual nationwide campaign led by the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand to encourage people, workplaces, schools and communities to prioritise mental wellbeing. This year's theme, Belonging Matters, highlights the powerful role that connection, inclusion and community play in supporting mental health and wellbeing.

Research shows that feeling connected to others helps protect our mental wellbeing, reduces loneliness, and strengthens resilience during difficult times. The Mental Health Foundation is encouraging all New Zealanders to find small ways to connect, reach out, and help create communities where everyone feels welcome and valued.

At Anxiety NZ, we know that mental wellbeing is often built through small, everyday actions. That's why we're once again offering our free Uplevel My Wellbeing Challenge as part of Mental Health Awareness Week.

What is Uplevel My Wellbeing?

Uplevel My Wellbeing is a free online wellbeing challenge designed to help participants build simple, practical habits that support mental health and resilience.

Throughout the challenge, participants receive guidance, encouragement and achievable activities that can be incorporated into everyday life. The focus is not on perfection or major life changes. Instead, it is about helping people take realistic, sustainable steps towards better wellbeing.

The challenge aligns naturally with this year's Belonging Matters theme by encouraging participants to strengthen connections with themselves, their whānau, friends, colleagues and wider communities.

How Your Organisation Can Help

If you work with staff, students, clients, volunteers, members or community groups, we'd love your support in helping more people access this free resource.

You could:

Include the challenge in your newsletter
Share the registration link on social media
Display information on noticeboards or community screens
Include it in staff wellbeing communications
Share it with volunteers, members, clients or service users
Encourage teams, classes or groups to participate together

Participation is free and open to anyone who would like to improve their wellbeing.

Register for the Challenge

Sign up here

Help us spread the word: If your organisation shares wellbeing resources during Mental Health Awareness Week, you're welcome to use any of the text and resources on this page. Together, we can help more people access practical tools to support their mental well-being and strengthen connections within their communities.

Ideas for Building Belonging Through the Challenge

This year's Mental Health Awareness Week theme reminds us that wellbeing grows through connection. Consider encouraging participants to:

Complete challenge activities with a friend or colleague
Create a workplace or staff wellbeing team
Start conversations about wellbeing during team meetings
Invite family members or friends to participate
Share wellbeing tips within community groups
Check in with someone who may be feeling isolated
Celebrate small wellbeing wins together

By participating collectively, organisations can help create a greater sense of belonging while supporting individual wellbeing.

Resources to Share

Suggested Newsletter Blurb

Free Wellbeing Challenge for Mental Health Awareness Week

This Mental Health Awareness Week, Anxiety NZ is offering a free online wellbeing challenge called Uplevel My Wellbeing.

The challenge provides practical tools, simple activities and encouragement to help strengthen wellbeing and resilience. It complements this year's Mental Health Awareness Week theme, Belonging Matters, by encouraging positive connections with ourselves and others.