“It’s not just a café – it’s a lifeline. You go in broken, and they help you feel human again.”
The Wellington City Mission has released feedback from manuhiri who have accessed Kua Mākona i Whakamaru during its first year of operation. The results show the service is having a positive impact for people experiencing acute distress in the region.
Kua Mākona i Whakamaru is the Wellington City Mission’s crisis recovery café, providing a supportive space for anyone experiencing a crisis or acute emotional distress. Open since January 2025, the service operates 24 hours a day, Thursday to Monday, operating from within the Craig & Gail’s Café space at Whakamaru.
Between 18 January and 24 December 2025, 667 people presented to Kua Mākona i Whakamaru, seeking support during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
In November 2025, the Wellington City Mission surveyed manuhiri who had used the service. The results show overwhelmingly positive outcomes:
- 96% felt reassured and supported by staff
- 91% said the environment felt calm and safe
- 87% felt their mental health and wellbeing improved after their visit
- 83% said the support helped reduce the risk of future crises
Manuhiri consistently described Kua Mākona i Whakamaru as a place where they felt listened to, valued, and treated with dignity. One manuhiri said, “It’s not just a café – it’s a lifeline. You go in broken, and they help you feel human again.”
Others highlighted the importance of having a non-clinical space available during moments of crisis: “It’s better than ED – they actually listen to you and you’re not rushed.”
Some manuhiri even noted a profound impact on their lives long term: “Yes, it definitely saved my life… not just from killing myself, but from making stupid decisions that would have ruined my life.”
Kua Mākona i Whakamaru serves as an alternative or complement to traditional mental health services, easing pressure on clinical emergency care.
The Wellington City Mission’s peer support workers – all with lived experience of mental distress, addiction or homelessness – offer empathy, understanding, and a sense of community in a non-clinical environment.
Within Kua Mākona i Whakamaru, people can find calm, connection, and practical help, including food, drinks, and guidance toward other community resources.
Pip Rea, the Wellington City Mission’s Community Services Director, said the first year of feedback confirms the vision behind the service:
“Kua Mākona i Whakamaru was set up to provide a compassionate peer led response for people in distress, outside of hospital settings. After a year, we can clearly see the impact: people feel safer, they stabilise more quickly, and they are better supported to take their next steps.”
“I am so proud of the team who have brought the vision to life and provided a safe place for those in distress. I look forward to seeing how Kua Mākona i Whakamaru continues its important role in the Wellington community into the future.”
ENDS
For all media enquiries, please contact joe@wcm.org.nz
About Whakamaru
Whakamaru is a 24/7 community facility that exists to provide stability, offer care, and restore dignity to those who are struggling. It brings together housing, food support, social connection, and community support services, all under one roof.
Through Whakamaru, the Wellington City Mission seeks to achieve empowerment, transformation, and fullness of life for everyone in our community.
