Let’s get real
Introducing Let's get real
Let's get real is a framework that describes the values, attitudes, knowledge and skills required for working effectively with people and whānau experiencing mental health and addiction needs.
Let’s get real was developed by the Ministry of Health in 2008 and refreshed by Te Pou following sector consultation in 2018. All health care services, regardless of context, organisation, roles, or professions can use Let’s get real.
Applying the values and attitudes that underpin Let’s get real and the seven Real Skills contributes to positive experiences and outcomes for people and whānau experiencing mental health and addiction needs.
What it does
The intent of Let's get real is:
- to have shared values and attitudes when working with people and whānau with mental health and addiction needs
- to develop the knowledge and skills of the workforce described in the seven Real Skills.
Let’s get real is most likely to be effective when you take an organisation wide approach and embed it across your organisational systems and processes.
Values and attitudes
Let’s get real values and attitudes are intended to express the shared approach which applies across healthcare regardless of role, profession and organisation and to complement organisation-specific values.
Seven Real Skills
There are seven Real Skills for working with people and whānau with mental health and addiction needs in health that support a range of outcomes. Access a wide range of new and existing resources to increase your knowledge and skills in the Let’s get real values, attitudes and seven Real Skills at essential, enhanced and leadership levels.
Tātou tātou: being with people and whānau
Tātou tātou guide
Use this guide to navigate through the Real Skill: Working with people experiencing mental health and addiction needs.

E-learning
Increase your understanding of engaging effectively with tāngata mātau ā-wheako (people with lived experience) and whānau.
Tātou tātou A3 poster
This poster is useful to promote the guide within your service.
Tātou tātou: being with people and whānau consists of resources and e-learning to navigate through the Real Skill: Working with people experiencing mental health and addiction needs. The new guide replaces the Engagement Essentials resource which has been updated to reflect the values, attitudes, knowledge, and skills of the essential level for this Real Skill. The new online learning modules assist workers to increase their understanding of how to engage effectively with tāngata mātau ā-wheako (people with lived experience) and whānau to help them achieve their wellbeing goals.
Trauma informed approaches

Trauma informed approaches - essential level
Weaving together knowledge for wellbeing

Trauma e-learning - enhanced level
Learn and apply skills in practice

Trauma and Covid-19
Being trauma-informed in challenging times
The need to provide both support and services that are trauma informed is not new and many services are actively working towards this. This means that we need to continue shifting our lens to understanding more about what has happened to a person and their whānau rather than a focus on what’s wrong with a person.
Real Skills Online
Te Pou has developed Real Skills Online to help you assess and review information about your workers’ knowledge and skills against the seven Real Skills.
Use the information from this tool to help inform your workforce planning. Identify areas where capability is strong and areas that might need development to provide the best services for people and whānau.
Guide for leaders
The guide for leaders can help you bring Let’s get real to life in your service by providing an intentional process to enable the change you want to see.
Key contact
Sign up for Let's get real news, announcements and invitations

Values and attitudes
Let’s get real values and attitudes are intended to express the shared approach which applies across healthcare regardless of role, profession and organisation and to complement organisation-specific values.

Seven Real Skills
There are seven Real Skills for working with people and whānau with mental health and addiction needs in health that support a range of outcomes.

Guide for leaders
The guide for leaders can help you bring Let’s get real to life in your service by providing an intentional process to enable the change you want to see.

Trauma informed approaches
The need to provide both support and services that are trauma informed is not new and many services are actively working towards this.