About Us
Connecting the Community to Create Wellbeing
Reach Out Waiheke is a charitable trust based on Waiheke Island, New Zealand. We are a community response to mental health needs on the motu. We aim to enhance the wellbeing of people affected by mental health by reducing isolation, increasing inclusion and creating meaningful connections.
Reach Out was formed in 2021 when a few of our trustees, all with lived experience of mental unwellness (through whānau, work or research), got together to share their experiences and agreed that there was a gap in support networks available for Waiheke whānau living with a mental unwellness.
Jump ahead to today and Reach Out Waiheke has a dedicated board of trustees, General Manager, Community Coordinator, a Coordinator Support person and a Garden Supervisor. We also enjoy a network of Reach Out Friends who support us to achieve our goals. We work closely with Waiheke’s professional health teams to improve the wellbeing of our community.
Our wish for the future is that our people on Waiheke are well served. We strive to be a role model for other small communities throughout New Zealand – providing hope and support for those affected by mental unwellness.
Keen to Volunteer?
If you’re interested in becoming a Reach Out Friend or community volunteer, we’d love to hear from you! Your contribution is both important and hugely rewarding. To find out more, please get in touch!
Supporting Waiheke whānau living with mental unwellness
Our Ambition For The Future
Building a community network to enable and support recovery for those on Waiheke affected by a mental unwellness.
Promoting Recovery
Connecting people with individuals, communities, and services to alleviate social isolation and loneliness.
Hope
Creating a more hopeful future for those on Waiheke affected by mental unwellness by building active community engagement and social connection.
Advocacy
Working with the mental health community to improve access for people on Waiheke to services that meet their needs.
Community
Building a Waiheke community of volunteers to enable and support our activities and make meaningful connections with people living with a mental unwellness.
Education
Engaging the Waiheke community in activities that increase awareness of mental unwellness and encourage their support.
Meet the Reach Out Waiheke Team
The Reach Out Waiheke team are from all walks of life. Between us we have experience of mental unwellness, either through immediate whānau relationships or through work in the mental health sector and community support services.
Teresa Quin
General Manager
Teresa is a long term, multi-generational resident of Waiheke and is passionate about the well being of our communities.
Her previous position was Assistant to the Waiheke Local Board which gave her valuable insights into the social challenges many people face in our community, and has enabled connections to local networks and projects.
She has contributed to community development in areas including qualitative research on people who live in vehicles, support work for Healthy Homes, the development of food resiliency on Waiheke and supporting the creation of community specific emergency management groups.
Teresa has well established relationships with many support organisations on Waiheke via her second job, which involves rescuing food destined for landfill and redistributing it to various community outlets. This secondary job has made it clear to her where her loyalties lie – with her immediate communities.
Teresa Quin
General Manager
Teresa is a long term, multi-generational resident of Waiheke and is passionate about the well being of our communities.
Her previous position was Assistant to the Waiheke Local Board which gave her valuable insights into the social challenges many people face in our community, and has enabled connections to local networks and projects. She has contributed to community development in areas including qualitative research on people who live in vehicles, support work for Healthy Homes, the development of food resiliency on Waiheke and supporting the creation of community specific emergency management groups.
Teresa has well established relationships with many support organisations on Waiheke via her second job, which involves rescuing food destined for landfill and redistributing it to various community outlets. This secondary job has made it clear to her where her loyalties lie – with her immediate communities.
Sharon Bell
Community Coordinator
Sharon’s role is to strengthen connections between Waiheke’s health services, buddies needing support to reduce isolation, and volunteers. With 18 years in education and a further 8 in social services, community work and volunteer management, Sharon has support children, adults and whānau alike.
Her work is grounded in best practices, research and a bicultural, holistic approach. Sharon is passionate about mental wellbeing and community connection. Originally from Auckland, Sharon has returned, but this time to Waiheke, after 20 years in Wānaka and is enjoying being part of the Waiheke community.
Sharon Bell
Community Coordinator
Sharon’s role is to strengthen connections between Waiheke’s health services, buddies needing support to reduct isolation, and volunteers. With 18 years in education and a further 8 in social services, community work and volunteer management, Sharon has support children, adults and whānau alike.
Her work is grounded in best practice, research and a bicultural, holistic approach. Sharon is passionate about mental wellbeing and community connection. Originally from Auckland, Sharon has returned, this time to Waiheke, after 20 years in Wānaka and is enjoying being part of the Waiheke community.
Cath Richards
Coordinator Support
Cath is a long time Waiheke Island with a background in home support, caregiving and other community-based pursuits. We are lucky to have found someone so grounded in Waiheke ways, and keen to help make connections within our community. Continuing to grow networks on the island, creating learning opportunities and being part of connection-making are all things Cath is keen to lend her skills to.
Cath supports our work with volunteers and runs our drop in centre.
Cath Richards
Coordinator Support
Cath is a long time Waiheke Islander with a background in home support, caregiving and other community based pursuits. We are lucky to have found someone so grounded in Waiheke ways, and keen to help make connections within our community. Continuing to grow networks on the island, creating learning opportunities and being part of connection-making are all things Cath is keen to lend her skills to.
Cath supports our work with volunteers and runs our Drop in Centre.
Sue Odlin
Head Gardener
Sue manages all our garden activities and supports our gardeners in their tasks. She both teaches and directs them as they keep the gardens healthy and producing kai for sale in our garden gate stall.
She comes to us with a wealth of gardening experience, and under her guidance, out gardens and gardeners are thriving.
Sue Odlin
Head Gardener
Sue manages all out garden activities and supports our gardeners in their tasks. She both teaches and directs them as they keep the gardens healthy and producing kai for sale in our garden gate stall.
She comes to us with a wealth of gardening experience, and under her guidance, our gardens and gardeners are thriving.
David Brown
Trustee, Reach Out Advocacy & Services
David has been a lawyer since 1972 and had his own law firm from 1988. His law practice covered many areas and included Wills, Trusts, and Enduring Powers of Attorney, the latter requiring him from time to time to consider the mental capacity of clients and obtaining psychiatric assessments where necessary.
He and his wife Linda lived in Titirangi for 50 years but now live on Waiheke permanently. They have two daughters and the family have had experience with mental illness.
David has now fully retired from law practice and looks forward to assisting PROW in any way that he can.
David Brown
Trustee, Reach Out Advocacy & Services
David has been a lawyer since 1972 and had his own law firm from 1988. His law practice covered many areas and included Wills, Trusts, and Enduring Powers of Attorney, the latter requiring him from time to time to consider the mental capacity of clients and obtaining psychiatric assessments where necessary.
He and his wife Linda lived in Titirangi for 50 years but now live on Waiheke permanently. They have two daughters and the family have had experience with mental illness.
David has now fully retired from law practice and looks forward to assisting PROW in any way that he can.
Cushla Brown
Trustee
Cushla has worked in education in a variety of positions including twenty five years in Starship Hospital teaching adolescents with cancer, eating disorders and other mental health issues.
While at Starship Cushla was responsible for the ongoing educational needs of Waiheke students who were unable to attend school because of health related illnesses.
Cushla is involved in a number of organisations on Waiheke and enjoys giving back to what she considers a very special place to live because of the generous and supportive community.
Cushla Brown
Trustee
Cushla has worked in education in a variety of positions including twenty five years in Starship Hospital teaching adolescents with cancer, eating disorders and other mental health issues.
While at Starship Cushla was responsible for the ongoing educational needs of Waiheke students who ere unable to attend school because of health related illnesses.
Cushla is involved in a number of organisations on Waiheke and enjoys giving back to what she considers a very special place to live because of the incredibly generous and supportive community.
Barry Fenton
Trustee, Reach Out Community Engagement & Fundraising
Barry Fenton is a long-time Waiheke local, now retired after a long career in the tourism industry. Since retiring he has been very active, assisting charities with their fundraising.
Barry is a connector, a keen artist, married to Meg with two grown-up children and has three grandchildren! He loves animals and is a passionate golfer and tramper.
Barry Fenton
Trustee, Reach Out Community Engagement & Fundraising
Barry Fenton is a long-time Waiheke local, now retired after a long career in the tourism industry. Since retiring he has been very active, assisting charities with their fundraising.
Barry is a connector, a keen artist, married to Meg with two grown-up children and has three grandchildren! He loves animals and is a passionate golfer and tramper.
Jill Mulvaney
Trustee, Reach Out Communications & Marketing
Jill has lived and worked on Waiheke for 23 years. She has first-hand experience of mental illness, supporting her adult son, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was 18-years old.
Through her experience working with the mental health system, Jill has considerable insight into the struggles many families face. She now shares a house with her son who, for the first time in 20 years, is in recovery.
Jill Mulvaney
Trustee, Reach Out Communications & Marketing
Jill has lived and worked on Waiheke for 23 years. She has first-hand experience of mental illness, supporting her adult son, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was 18-years old.
Through her experience working with the mental health system, Jill has considerable insight into the struggles many families face. She now shares a house with her son who, for the first time in 20 years, is in recovery.
Harry Howe
Advisor to the Board
Harry Howe has lived on Waiheke Island for almost twelve years. He is yet another story of a person coming to Waiheke Island for a weekend and ending up living here permanently.
In his day to day work as a real estate agent he has been involved in a number of local charities and fundraising initiatives. It was at one of these fundraisers that he got into a conversation with a client of his, Carol Stott about the need to support people living on Waiheke Island who are suffering from long term mental illness. Harry understands that many of us are two degrees or less, from family, friends or family of friends who are also suffering from long term mental illness.
From this conversation and a number of further meetings with other like minded Waihekeans, Project Reach Out Waiheke/Hapai ki te Hapori was established. Harry and his fiance Helen are loving being involved with this outstanding cause.
Harry Howe
Trustee
Harry Howe has lived on Waiheke Island for almost twelve years. He is yet another story of a person coming to Waiheke Island for a weekend and ending up living here permanently.
In his day to day work as a real estate agent he has been involved in a number of local charities and fundraising initiatives. It was at one of these fundraisers that he got into a conversation with a client of his, Carol Stott about the need to support people living on Waiheke Island who are suffering from long term mental illness. Harry understands that many of us are two degrees or less, from family, friends or family of friends who are also suffering from long term mental illness.
From this conversation and a number of further meetings with other like minded Waihekeans, Project Reach Out Waiheke/Hapai ki te Hapori was established. Harry and his fiance Helen are loving being involved with this outstanding cause.
Helen Smith
Advisor to the Board
Helen originally hails from North Yorkshire, although her travels have taken her around the world. Helen’s extensive and varied background has included working in the competitive world of merchant banking, managing a large health spa in the Cayman Islands and has been selling real estate on Waiheke Island for the last 7 years.
Helen has worked with Women’s Refuge in New Zealand as a fundraiser, driving her desire to help with PRO here on Waiheke Island.
Helen and Harry are both a personal and professional partnership and are actively involved within the community and advocates in fundraising. They are delighted to be a part of Project Reach Out.
Helen Smith
Advisor to the board
Helen originally hails from North Yorkshire, although her travels have taken her around the world. Helen’s extensive and varied background has included working in the competitive world of merchant banking, managing a large health spa in the Cayman Islands and has been selling real estate on Waiheke Island for the last 7 years.
Helen has worked with Women’s Refuge in New Zealand as a fundraiser, driving her desire to help with PRO here on Waiheke Island.
Helen and Harry are both a personal and professional partnership and are actively involved within the community and advocates in fundraising. They are delighted to be a part of Project Reach Out.
Our Supporters
Thank you to our Community Sponsors!
Sponsorship speaks directly to one of the main pillars of our mission – community spirit and kindness.
Thank you for supporting Reach Out Waiheke.
