You Are Not Alone - MATES Cafe NZ

​​MATES Cafe is a network of everyday people of all cultures and ethnicity (including teens, elders and lgbt+) who are trained to meet with a person in crisis or isolation at a local cafe, and provide emotional support and encouragement.​
​MATES Cafe will empower your life so you can in turn empower the lives of others in need.

MATES are here:

To help people of all ages, gender, culture, ethnicity and personal beliefs through the challenges and tough times of life including relationship breakdown, depression, anxiety, loss and grief, bullying, loneliness and isolation. MATES are trained to be there for someone in need and helping them through a point of crisis in their life. It's not about therapy, fixing or giving advice, just simply listening and helping them to find new direction in their life.

NZ - MATES Cafe Network

A Call-Out to ALL!
Can You Spare ONE Hour of Your Life to Save a Life?

MATES Cafe is purely about saving lives. Do you realise one person completes suicide every 13 hours in New Zealand because they are unable to stand the emotional trauma they are undergoing, often caused by relationship breakdown.

Every 4 minutes 1 New Zealander has suicidal thoughts and needs a MATE to turn to.

MATES need your help to drastically lower the suicide rate... are you with us?
Saving someones life can be to either:
  1. Help them navigate in a new direction, and potentially prevent them from killing themselves...
  2. Help them to find support and hope to move forward in rebuilding their new life...
  3. Help spare the pain and anguish of all those around them that will be affected for the rest of their lives, if they go through with it... spouses, ex-spouses, children, friends, friends of friends, workmates, colleagues, school friends many more...​
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"Never let a stumble in the road be the end of your journey."

With the Emotional Support and Encouragement You Need

​By having a diverse range of people from all ages, genders, occupations, ethnicity and cultures we are able to provide each person in crisis with the option of meeting with a MATE who more likely understands their individual needs and challenges. ​
​MATES Cafe helps to facilitate people from a place of weakness to a place of strength. Many lives have been saved and thousands of crisis averted over a hot cuppa with a MATE at a local cafe.

MATES facilitators are just like you and me, and from all walks of life: farmers, welders, labourers, business people, professionals, teachers, consultants, unemployed, students, retired and the list goes on.

​They have all been through life's journeys, the ups and downs, pulled through the tough times and know how important it is to have a MATE to lean on. Many times our obstacles seem too hard for one person to overcome and just maybe they are so we can learn that we are stronger together.