NGO support workforce

Support workers are a vital part of the diverse and highly skilled mental health and addiction workforce. They include people in various lived experience, cultural, and other support worker roles. Support workers make up around one in every three full-time equivalent positions in mental health and addiction services. Most support workers (92 percent) are employed in mental health and addiction services for adults (people aged 18 and older). Around three-quarters (74 percent) of all support workers are employed by NGOs (Te Pou, 2023). The support workforce in Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora mental health and addiction services continues to grow at a faster rate than clinical roles (Te Pou, 2025).