Vote for Good with Voices of Hope

The Power of Lived Experience

Voices of Hope is a storytelling platform that amplifies the voices of those with lived experience of mental health challenges. 

Through impactful content, online social campaigns, community events and public speaking, they promote understanding, encourage help-seeking behaviours, plus of course their core message: It's not weak to speak. It’s their reminder to everyone that we don’t need to suffer in silence.

What makes Voices of Hope unique is their understanding that the most powerful way to combat mental health stigma is through authentic human stories. When someone shares their lived experience (the raw, real, unfiltered truth of what it's like to struggle with mental health challenges), it creates connection in a way that statistics and clinical information simply can't.

Mental health stigma in New Zealand is real and it's harmful. Too many people, especially young people, believe that struggling with mental health means they're weak, broken or somehow failing at life. This stigma prevents help-seeking, increases isolation, and can turn manageable mental health challenges into life-threatening crises.

Voices of Hope places real people at the centre of the conversation – not experts talking about mental health from the outside – but people who have walked the path, faced the darkness, and found ways forward. When someone hears a story that resonates with their own experience, something powerful happens. The isolation breaks down. The shame begins to lift. The possibility of seeking help becomes real.

Developing Tools for Change

Voices of Hope doesn’t just share stories for the sake of it - they craft powerful online content that connects deeply with people wherever they are. Through amplifying lived experience stories that remind us recovery is possible, their storytelling helps people feel seen, heard, and less alone in their struggles.

Their in-person events take this impact even further. By creating safe, supportive spaces for people to come together, these gatherings turn stories into moments of real connection and hope. They don’t just raise awareness – they spark conversations, break down stigma, and show people that healing is possible when we listen, share, and stand together."

These resources and events are particularly valuable for young people, who often struggle to find mental health information that feels relevant to their lives and experiences. Instead of clinical language and abstract concepts, Voices of Hope provides real, practical, accessible information that speaks directly to the realities young people face.

How Your Vote Creates Impact

Your vote in our Vote for Good campaign directly supports Voices of Hope's ability to continue creating powerful, lived-experience content and bringing community events to life. Whether it's funding the production of storytelling campaigns, supporting community events, or expanding their reach – every dollar helps amplify voices that need to be heard.

This is work that changes lives by changing conversations, one story at a time.

At Hummingbird Coffee, we believe in the power of authentic connection and genuine care. We've seen how small acts of understanding – like taking the time to really listen to someone – can transform their day. Voices of Hope embodies this same understanding on a community-wide level.

When we support organisations that break down mental health stigma, we're contributing to a more compassionate Aotearoa where every person feels safe to seek help when they need it.

You can vote for Voices of Hope through our Instagram stories @Hummingbirdcoffee and on our Facebook page @HummingbirdCoffeeRoasters through the pinned post.

Vote for Voices of Hope in our Vote for Good campaign and support their vital work of reminding people that It's not weak to speak. Because sometimes the little things, like knowing someone else has walked a similar path, gives people the courage to take their first step toward healing.

Vote between 1 – 30 September 2025 to help decide where this year’s donation from Hummingbird’s Green Bean Fund goes to three selected charity partners. 1 vote per person, per week.  T&Cs apply. Visit https://www.hummingbirdcoffee.com/pages/voteforgood-terms-and-conditions for more information.

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Vote for Good is our way of putting community decision-making at the heart of our charitable giving. No matter how the votes fall, Voices of Hope will receive funding to continue their important work of changing mental health conversations in Aotearoa. But your vote helps decide how much – and every vote for mental health awareness counts.