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Help boost my petition before we deliver it to Parliament next Tuesday

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This petition is not organized by UCAN, we are sharing this important plea from Yes we Care, please CLICK ON THIS LIVE-LINK and add your signature

Hana Ready and YesWeCare.nz

OCT 6, 2017 — My daughter Ariana killed herself less than two months ago after she was turned away by mental health services. With political parties in coalition talks right now – we have the best chance we have ever got to win change.

I’ve seen that New Zealand First are in talks with both National and Labour about a coalition. NZ First said before the election they support an urgent enquiry into our mental health crisis but we need to make sure Winston Peters forces this to happen as a condition of a coalition.

Can you share my petition again to get another surge in numbers so he sees how important mental health services are to New Zealanders?

My daughter died because she didn’t get the mental health care she needed, even after I begged.

This is our chance to make sure no one suffers like my daughter did, or I am.

We need to get word to Winston Peters that New Zealanders want an urgent mental health inquiry – so we can assess the need and get proper services and funding.

Can you please share this petition as we urgently need more numbers.

I am trying to get a meeting with Winston Peters to deliver the petition next week – a surge in numbers will help me get this meeting.

This is a critical moment, and I thank you so much for your support.

Hana

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“Health is so much more than health”: UCAN delivers Health Charter and Election Statement to MP’S.

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On Tuesday 15 August, members of UCAN and supporters met on Parliament steps to hand over the Ucan Health Charter and Election statement UCAN Health Charter 2016 to Members of Parliament.

We were joined by supporters and by the fabulous, The Brass Razoo Band.

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We began with Lisa with baby Zac. Lisa represented Tick for Kids. Tick for Kids and Child Poverty Action Group

Muriel Tunoho spoke on behalf of living Wage Network Living Wage and Health Care Aotearoa HCA Healthcare: Home and Paul Barber then spoke from The Equality Network The Equality Network and The New Zealand Council of Catholic Social Service .

Screen Shot 2017-08-22 at 10.02.19 PM.pngFrom left to right. Debbie UCAN, Lisa and baby Zac, Tick for kids,CPAG, Muriel, living wage, HCA, Paul Equality Network, NCCSS.

Grant Robertson, Finance Minister from the Labour Party,

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Jan Logie, Spokesperson for Social Development from The Green Party both gave their commitment to support the UCAN Health Charter and make it a reality as did

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Ria Bond, Health Spokesperson, NZ First

This is a positive result as we have 3 political parties that have committed to our Charter.

For more information Please visit our website at ucannz.org.nz

Denbie Leyland

Action Groups work jointly on Child Poverty

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PRESS RELEASE 21-4-17

UCAN, United Community Action Network’s Health Charter has received endorsement from the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG).

CPAG, an independent charity established in 1994, has maintained a robust focus on the elimination of poverty for the children of Aotearoa. Doctors, teachers, academics, healthcare workers and many other committed people contribute to the body of research and reportage that CPAG produces.

Approximately three hundred thousand children live in poverty in Aotearoa. If you add to this the older siblings, parents, extended family and whanau, the burden of poverty escalates. The long term impacts of poverty are widely documented: the tragic loss of potential of the children; increased difficulty in accessing affordable physical and mental healthcare; the increase in incidence of domestic violence; poorer educational outcomes; limited access to decent accommodation; and the tailspin of homelessness. This is an avoidable situation. There needs to be a willingness to engage, innovate, and reduce the impacts of these situations for the benefit of all.

CPAG states “child poverty could be eliminated completely. It’s all about Choice.” UCAN agrees, and this unfolding disaster is a failure of political policy and loss of values based politics.

UCAN spokesperson, Debbie Leyland, says, “These conditions need to be considered as the escalating crisis that it is. It’s brilliant, but also a tragedy, that organisations like CPAG are active and necessary. They are essential in these times to document and report the struggles of the most vulnerable among us. There is something seriously broken in New Zealand.”

ENDS