Quiet Courage: How a small trust is shifting mindsets in rural NZ

In a small and newly established building in Hastings, a quiet movement is growing - one that challenges stigma, builds community, and reimagines mental health support for Māori, Pasifika, and Rainbow communities.

Shaqaila Uelese, co-director and co-founder of Nevertheless Trust, a charitable organisation providing free programmes and training for holistic wellbeing, shares their journey through the challenges of operating in a rural area.

“Nevertheless Trust is a Māori, Pasifika and Rainbow charitable trust mental health organisation,” Uelese says.

Founded in 2021 as a mental health-focused apparel business, the Trust reinvested its proceeds into workshops addressing mental wellbeing. By 2023, the kaupapa (focus) had evolved, transitioning into a registered charity that offers culturally-affirming support to marginalised communities and their whānau.

While the Trust’s mission has a national focus, its new rural base in Hastings presents unique challenges. Compared to larger urban centres like Auckland, rural New Zealand can still be deeply conservative, especially over Rainbow visibility.

“The journey has been rocky because here in Hastings, compared to Auckland, it's much more conservative,” Uelese says. “Not as many people are out or feel okay to be loud and proud all the time.”

Nevertheless Headquarters Grand Opening in Hasting,Hawks Bay. Photo/Supplied

Her observations are supported by a 2024 study published in Landscape Research, which found that Rainbow youth in rural areas experience higher rates of psychological distress due to stigma and isolation.

Similarly, New Zealand’s own He Ara Oranga inquiry into mental health noted that people in rural communities have less access to appropriate care, with Rainbow individuals being particularly underserved.

“Rainbow communities have significantly poorer mental health and are at much higher risk of distress, and a few services specifically support the mental health of Rainbow communities,” He Ara Oranga: Report of the Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction states.

Niu FM hosts pose with the co-owner and a staff member during their tour of Nevertheless HQ. Photo/Supplied

Empowering through education and expression

To counter these challenging issues, Nevertheless Trust provides programmes focused on connection and identity as they are about information.

“We try to provide pathways and ways for people to express themselves,” Uelese says, “and for whānau and community and organisations to learn more about Rainbow peoples.

“LGBTQ populations experience higher challenges due to discrimination, higher rates of depression… Providers need to learn and understand the unique needs of LGBTQ patients.”

By helping communities understand and affirm diverse identities, the Trust is not only addressing mental health, it is proactively building resilience in areas such as Hawke’s Bay, serving as a beacon of hope for other small, conservative rural areas to follow.

Looking to the future, Uelese says Nevertheless Trust is about more than just creating a safe space in Hastings. It’s about empowering people to carry that sense of safety within themselves, wherever they go.

“We’ve seen a lot of people grow in confidence, a lot of people into employment, a lot of people just improving their mental health, being able to connect with other like-minded people,” he says.

Guests pose at the Thrive 25! fundraiser evening held at the Hawks Bays Arts & Events Centre. Photo/Supplied.

“We want to enable people to create spaces where they feel safe, wherever they are. Even though it is an amazing space to be, we hope that we can instil values and help people build resilience.”

In a city still grappling with conservative attitudes, Nevertheless Trust is offering something bold: visibility, validation, and a model of healing that prioritises cultural identity and lived experience.