Whanaungatanga Programme Wellbeing Survey
The Whanaungatanga Programme Wellbeing Survey will be sent to all FENZ staff on Monday 30 March 2026 and closes on 27 April 2026.
The survey will serve to identify operational and organisational factors contributing to mental ill-health while also evaluating
organisational change initiatives to improve wellbeing.
This is valuable insight into the factors impacting on your wellbeing at work. It is a genuine opportunity to safely and anonymously
accurately report the factors that affect you.
All NZPFU members are urged to participate.
The NZPFU fully endorses this survey which is conducted independent of FENZ.
There are two cohorts:
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There is the initial cohort who participated in the first survey in 2023 and the 2024 survey was only sent to this cohort. It is
really important that these members participate as their responses are critical to a longitudinal study. Their responses will be
analysed separately so we continue on the path to understanding long-term the impacts on them. In 2024 we had about 70% of the 2023
cohort continue to participate. This high repeated participation from this group ensured the analysis of the results has been
internationally accepted as ground-breaking research.
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This year the survey is also being sent to all other FENZ employees. It is also really important that all NZPFU members participate
to record the issues that are impacting on their wellbeing, including response and organisational impacts without fear of retribution or
misrepresentation.
The value of the research will be dependent on the uptake – if you complete one survey this year this is the one to do!
The survey is being conducted independently by the University of Canterbury and FENZ is NOT involved in the collection of the survey
responses or analysis of the raw data.
No individual, watch or station data will be shared with FENZ. FENZ will not be undertaking or controlling the analysis and will not
receive the raw data. There are robust safeguards in place to protect your confidentiality.
All NZPFU Locals are requested to ensure that the participation in the Whanaungatanga survey is added to the daily programme of work
for each shift and each watch at every station and the three comms centres from 30 March to 27 April 2026.
All NZPFU Locals are requested to ensure that Black Watch are also notified of the request to participate and that they can during
working hours.
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The 2023 and 2024 survey was conducted by the Auckland University of Technology (AUT) and this time will be conducted by the University of
Canterbury with support from the AUT through Dr Lisa MacKay. The change was due to capacity to conduct the survey.
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A
copy of the 2024 survey report is attached.
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The survey questions have been assessed by the University of Canterbury with some refinements in line with best-practice longitudinal
research. These changes have been made independently by UC as organisational psychologists and include adding areas such as workload,
autonomy and burnout. These changes strengthen the overall survey.
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The survey investigates the impacts of exposures to potentially traumatic events and how that exposure relates to wellbeing and will be
part of an international cache of research that will benefit first responders internationally.
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The NZPFU have been involved in reviewing the survey and processes ensuring there are robust verification, confidentiality, and
safety measures built into the survey and programme. This includes a two-step verification process, University ethics review and
approval, clinical psychologists review and approval, and ensuring that the data handling and storage is subject to national and
international laws. It is fully endorsed by the NZPFU.
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The Whanaungatanga Programme was initially developed by a project team of career firefighters and managers in conjunction with AUT in
response to suicides and psychological injury amongst their colleagues. It was one of 15 projects internally funded by Movember to
develop evidence-based research into first responder and veteran mental health.
The survey is being sent to all FENZ employees on Monday 30 March 2026 and participants have until 27 April 2026 to complete
it.
All NZPFU members will receive an email from whanaungatangapgm@fireandemergency.nz
which includes the full information about the survey and how to participate. The link goes back to the University of Canterbury – not
FENZ.
In unity,
Wattie Watson
National Secretary
