Wellbeing designed for Aotearoa

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Based on the iconic Māori Te Whare Tapa Whā model, ignite’s Wellbeing+ product is grounded in a ‘whole of life’ approach

TE WHARE TAPA WHĀ is a Māori wellbeing model developed in 1985 by renowned mental health expert Sir Mason Durie. Based on four components – whānau (family), tinana (physical), hinengaro (mental) and wairua (spiritual) health – the model likens overall wellbeing to a wharenui, or meeting house, built around those four walls. One New Zealand-based company that appreciates and understands this model better than most is ignite. ignite Wellbeing+ is a flexible, proactive platform that provides its

It’s never been easier to access wellbeing support via ignite – whether you’re an individual or an organisation looking for a better way to support the mental wellbeing of your people. For more information on how ignite’s Wellbeing+ product can help your organisation, visit www.ignite.org.nz/wellbeing

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“We have a whole-of-life and very proactive approach to wellbeing”

Gina Nonumalo, Ignite

users with personalised support anytime, anywhere. Wellbeing+ improves organisational wellbeing, engagement and productivity through accessible tools and expert, human-centred support.

By offering employees access to support from anywhere at any time, ignite is revolutionising the way organisations help manage their teams’ four core pillars of overall health. Speaking to HRD, Gina Nonumalo, head of delivery at ignite, explains that these core components are what ignite’s foundation rests upon. “We have a whole-of-life and very proactive approach to wellbeing,” says Nonumalo. “In our Wellbeing+ platform we provide access to a wide range of support providers – because we know that wellbeing is not a ‘one size fits all’. Depending on which of those core areas your people may find challenging or want to enhance, that will [dictate] what sort of professional they wish to engage with. “We really [encourage] people to use our platform proactively and invest in their own wellbeing, because we’ve got some great coaches, mentors, psychologists, counsellors and other professional practitioners [on board].”

“When you are looking to partner with someone to support the wellbeing of your organisation, you need someone who’ll make you feel confident,” says Nonumalo. “[With ignite], there’s a range of experts at your disposal, and if you’re thinking proactively about wellbeing, this is something you can easily tap into.”

ignite provides accessible wellbeing support to everyone, anywhere and at any time. The platform is aimed at organisations, workplaces, education providers – in fact anyone who wants to provide easy access to mental health and wellbeing support. This is something that’s becoming more of a necessity than a ‘nice to have’ of late. In 2022, 53% of New Zealand employees reported feeling burnt out, according to Employment Hero’s 2024 Wellness at Work survey report. In 2024, that number jumped to 61%. At the same time, one in three employees believe their organisational support around mental wellbeing is inadequate. For many employees, it’s the lack of accessibility around support and wellbeing that’s exacerbating the problem.

“[Employees] can jump on and book a session immediately. They don’t have to wait”

Verity Mace, Ignite

“ignite was born of a desire to remove these barriers to access to mental health and wellbeing support,” Nonumalo says, “and to look at what role technology may be able to play in enhancing both the access and support experience. “One of the great things about our platform is because it’s an online platform it enables people to access the resources and support offering at any time. People can book appointments with support providers directly through our platform, meaning there’s no waiting.” In contrast to traditional employee assistance programs, there's no hanging around for a referral. With ignite, you have multiple practitioners at your team’s disposal at any given time. “They can jump on and book a session immediately,” adds Verity Mace, ignite’s client wellbeing lead. “They don’t have to wait. They don’t have to call someone up and tell them what’s happening. It’s designed to make that all accessible – to give individuals choice and put them in the driver’s seat.”

In New Zealand, where GPs are often the first port of call for mental health and wellbeing support, medical appointments are hard to come by in some areas. According to the 2025 RNZ-Reid Research poll, one in three New Zealanders have to wait over two weeks for a GP appointment, while one in six wait four weeks or longer. “It’s challenging to even find a professional that you can book with, let alone what the waiting time might be,” says Nonumalo. “At ignite, we have a network of support providers [throughout] the evening, appointments through the weekend. It’s not just a Monday to Friday, nine-to-five service.

53% of New Zealand employees feeling burnt out

13% of New Zealand’s population living in rural areas

Published 19 May 2025

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“[What’s more], while we deliver through our digital platform, appointments can be in person in your local area. They can be by phone or by video call – again, we provide that choice around how you want to engage with the professionals to hand.” This accessibility is one of the major selling points of ignite’s platform, especially considering the rural nature of much of New Zealand. According to Worldometer, in 2025, it’s estimated that around 13.02% of New Zealand’s population will be living in rural areas. This translates to approximately 679,786 people in rural settlements. And those people still need and deserve accessible care.

In traditional employee assistance programs, an individual is assigned a counsellor or professional they don’t know. With ignite, information about each support provider is available online, meaning individuals can assess and select the right practitioner for them. “You can read qualifications from that person and see if you feel like it’s someone who's going to get you,” says Nonumalo. “Because, at the end of the day, we’re not just talking about meeting someone for coffee here; you’re speaking to someone about some potentially heavy issues. Individuals want to make sure that person is going to understand and respect where they’re coming from.”

Designed for New Zealand, ignite at its heart is a social enterprise, and every dollar invested in ignite is invested back into building a more sustainable mental health landscape in Aotearoa. Looking to build upon the success they’ve already had, ignite’s dedicated team are already assessing how to improve its platform by analysing wellbeing trends coming down the line in 2026. And, surprise, surprise – AI is in their sights, with a decidedly human element involved. “The AI therapist is something that we’re starting to hear about,” says Nonumalo. “In the news we’ve seen different companies incorporating AI with different degrees of success. At ignite, while we embrace technology, for us it’s about what role technology can play in enabling human-to-human connection. So, while we’re looking to the future and what role AI may be able to play in enhancing what we do, it’ll never replace what we see as our cornerstone – which is that person-to-person connection.”

What sets ignite apart from traditional EAPs

24/7 support access to our resources, tools, workshops and webinars

60% average engagement, more than 10x traditional EAPs

Proactive access and choice with no triage or referral needed

Flexible subscription options

Build your wellbeing programme with aggregated and impact data

ignite’s positive impact on wellbeing

86%

of users say having access to support by ignite has directly improved their wellbeing

60%

of users believe ignite has positively impacted their productivity and performance at work

74%

of users say that having access to ignite has positively impacted their feelings towards their employer

Source: ignite

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