Wise Group
Wise Group (Wise Charitable Trust) is a New Zealand non-profit providing mental health, addiction, employment, housing, dementia care and workforce development services through 15+ subsidiaries, serving more than 15,000 people daily across 14 nationwide locations and funded primarily by central government contracts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersHamilton, New Zealand
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Wise Group does
Wise Group (legally Wise Charitable Trust) is a New Zealand charitable trust founded in 1989 and headquartered in Hamilton. It operates a federation of 15+ wholly-owned subsidiaries delivering mental health, addiction, employment, housing and homelessness, youth wellbeing, Pacific health (Le Va), workforce development, specialist dementia care and IT services to more than 15,000 people daily across 14 office locations nationwide. Core products span clinical and community mental health services delivered through Pathways and Real; employment support using the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach through Workwise and Work Counts; Housing First homelessness programmes through LinkPeople and The People's Project; workforce development through Te Pou, Blueprint for Learning and (from January 2026) Whāraurau; Pacific wellbeing through Le Va; dementia care through Westella; and digital self-serve platforms Just a Thought (free online CBT, 50,000+ sign-ups) and Here to help u (115,000+ users connected to 270+ providers). Technology and back-office functions are centralised in Wild Bamboo (Recordbase client management system sold externally to community organisations) and Wise Management Services.
Wise Group functions as a non-profit social services organisation, generating revenue almost exclusively through multi-year government contracts and grants from Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora (including the Mental Health Innovation Fund), the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the Ministry of Health, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission and academic partners. Services are provided free to individual end users and whānau; revenue recognition is essentially subscription/recurring in nature tied to government contracting cycles. The go-to-market is sales-led at the contract layer (winning tenders and renewal cycles with central agencies) combined with referral-led distribution (MSD, Health NZ, Kāinga Ora, Police, Fire and Emergency NZ, schools, Iwi and Pasifika providers) and digital self-service for low-acuity users. The delivery channel mix combines direct in-person case management, government health system referrals, digital platforms (PLG-style self-serve) and a 270+ community provider channel.
Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. The group has 1,500+ employees and supported more than 15,000 people daily in frontline services; leadership transitioned from co-founders Julie Nelson and Jacqui Graham (now governance roles) to Shelley Campbell as chief executive from July 2022. Recent inorganic moves include the 1 July 2024 acquisition of Dalcam Healthcare Group (adding Pathways services in Feilding and Tauranga and Westella dementia care) and the announced 1 January 2026 transfer of Whāraurau from UniServices (University of Auckland).
Wise Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wise Group
- Legal name
- Wise Charitable Trust
- Website
- https://wisegroup.co.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Wise Group (Wise Charitable Trust) is a New Zealand non-profit providing mental health, addiction, employment, housing, dementia care and workforce development services through 15+ subsidiaries, serving more than 15,000 people daily across 14 nationwide locations and funded primarily by central government contracts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wise Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Social Services
- NAICS
- Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI)
Keywords
Where Wise Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hamilton
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices14 records
Markets served
Wise Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Government Contracts and Public Funding: Wise Group operates as a charitable trust funded primarily through contracts with government agencies including Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Development, and Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. Services are provided free to end users.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free services for individuals - All services provided by Wise Group entities are free to people accessing support, funded by government contracts |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Wise Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wise Group is a charitable trust delivering mental health, addiction, housing, employment, dementia care and wellbeing services to individuals, whānau and communities across Aotearoa New Zealand through 15+ subsidiary entity brands. Services are free to end users and funded primarily by government contracts. Alongside direct service delivery, the group provides workforce development, clinical training and software (Recordbase) to community organisations and the broader mental health sector.
Product overview
Wise Group is a collective of charitable organisations led by the Wise Charitable Trust, providing mental health, addiction and wellbeing services across Aotearoa New Zealand. The organisation operates as a platform of distinct entity brands rather than a single unified product. Core services include mental health support (Pathways, Real), employment support (Workwise, Work Counts), housing and homelessness services (LinkPeople, The People's Project), Pacific community wellbeing (Le Va), and workforce development (Te Pou, Blueprint for Learning, Whāraurau). The group also offers specialist services including dementia care (Westella), digital mental health tools (Just a Thought, Here to help u), and technology solutions (Wild Bamboo's Recordbase). Business support is provided through Wise Management Services. Together, these entities support over 15,000 people daily through frontline services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Blueprint for Learning: One of New Zealand's largest training providers in mental health and addiction, dedicated to both workforce development and community training.
- Here to help u
- Just a Thought
- Le Va
- LinkPeople
- Pathways
- Real
- Te Pou
- The People's Project
- Westella
- Whāraurau
- Wild Bamboo
- Work Counts
- Workwise
Products and services
- Pathways Community-based mental health, addiction and wellbeing services across Aotearoa New Zealand, supporting people to live full lives and stay connected to what matters to them. Funded primarily by Health NZ contracts and provided free to individuals.
- Real Youth wellbeing service providing taiohi (young people) with spaces to land, learn and grow, offering wellbeing services tailored to young New Zealanders.
- LinkPeople Housing and mental health support services helping people access stable homes and the community connections they need to thrive, integrated with housing and addiction support.
- Workwise Employment support service helping people facing personal or health challenges to return to work or find employment, using the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach.
- Work Counts Expert support and training for organisations to develop and deliver IPS employment support programmes; New Zealand's IPS centre of technical assistance serving community mental health providers.
- Te Pou Workforce development centre providing resources, tools and support to improve the workforce performance of mental health, addiction and disability services across New Zealand.
- Blueprint for Learning One of New Zealand's largest training providers in mental health and addiction, dedicated to both workforce development and community training; offers formal qualifications and short courses.
- Le Va Pasifika-led organisation educating, supporting and connecting Pacific people, families and communities in mental health, suicide prevention, addictions, violence prevention, public health, disability support and cultural competency.
- The People's Project Community-wide response to solve homelessness in Hamilton and Tauranga using the Housing First approach; provides unconditional access to housing with wrap-around support for people experiencing homelessness.
- Just a Thought Free online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) courses developed by clinicians and researchers for anyone experiencing mental health challenges, including Coping with Stress and Just a Pause (mindfulness introduction) courses, accessible without referral.
- Here to help u Digital platform providing fast and easy access to a wide range of free wellbeing support for people and whānau, connecting users with over 270 community providers and referrers without requiring formal referral.
- Westella Specialist dementia care service in Feilding providing a 26-bedroom homestead with secure park-like grounds, wellbeing services and innovative technology solutions to support older people to live a full and connected life.
- Whāraurau National centre for workforce development for the infant, child, and adolescent mental health and addictions (ICAMH) sector in New Zealand, providing training and resources for the children's mental health workforce.
- Wild Bamboo (Recordbase) Recordbase client management system delivered by Wild Bamboo to community organisations, allowing them to manage client information and report quickly to funders; deployed to community mental health, addiction and social service providers across New Zealand.
- Wise Management Services Shared business services arm providing finance, information services, property management, design and digital, project and change management, and people and culture support to organisations within the Wise Group.
- Te Reo Hāpai Online glossary of te reo Māori terms for the mental health, addiction, and disability sectors with audio pronunciation, created by Wise Group cultural lead Keri Opai while working for Te Pou.
Quantifiable outcome
- 50% reduction in acute mental health unit nights in first year of housing
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use Wise Group
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Wise Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature4 records
Wise Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UniServices / University of AucklandcoreWhāraurau, the national centre for workforce development for Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health, transferred from UniServices (University of Auckland) to Wise Charitable Trust. UniServices sought an external organization to uphold and grow Whāraurau's mission. Wise Group was selected as the receiving partner.
- Motu ResearchminorMotu Research conducted peer review of CBAx cost-benefit analysis for integrated Housing First and IPS employment support program showing $3.15 return per $1 invested.
- New Zealand TreasurycoreTreasury's CBAx cost-benefit analysis tool used for economic evaluation of integrated Housing First and IPS approach, peer reviewed by Motu Research.
- Ministry of Social DevelopmentcoreMSD conducted research on IPS employment support impacts in New Zealand, with findings published in New Zealand Medical Journal demonstrating effectiveness of employment support programs.
- University of OtagocoreUniversity of Otago led research involving The People's Project on Housing First approach outcomes. Study published in European Journal of Homelessness showing significant improvements in mental health, income, and justice outcomes for housed individuals.
- University of WaikatocoreUniversity of Waikato partnered with The People's Project for research including Dr Carole McMinn's PhD research on housing outcomes and health, income and justice outcomes.
- Ministry of Health / Manatū HauoracoreMinistry of Health funded Whāriki network for mental health sector leaders and provides core funding for mental health workforce development initiatives.
- Health Quality & Safety Commission of New ZealandminorPartner organization providing input to Whāriki network for mental health sector leaders and innovators.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Wise Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Emerge Aotearoa: One of New Zealand's largest mental health and social services NGOs, providing community-based mental health, housing, and recovery services across the country. Directly comparable to Wise Group in mission, funding model (government contracts), and service mix.
- Lifeline Aotearoa: National NZ charity delivering mental health crisis support, counselling, and community wellbeing services. Closely comparable as a large charitable NGO funded through government and donations delivering free mental health services.
- Odyssey House: NZ charity providing addiction treatment, mental health, and reintegration services. Comparable mission and funding mix to Wise Group's Pathways and addiction services.
- Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand: National NGO working across mental health promotion, workforce development, and resource production in Aotearoa. Comparable as a large, government-funded mental health charitable trust with workforce and community education mandates.
Regional players
- Headspace Australia: Australia's national youth mental health foundation delivering clinical services, counselling, and digital CBT-style programs. Comparable to Wise Group's youth service (Real) and Just a Thought in mission, target cohort, and digital delivery model.
- Beyond Blue: Australia's largest mental health NGO providing information, digital tools, and support. Comparable to Just a Thought and Here to help u as a scaled, government- and donation-funded provider of free mental health support services.
Broad incumbents
- Mind (UK): UK's largest mental health charity providing advice, advocacy, and services. Comparable in scope, advocacy function, and charitable trust funding model, although operating at much greater scale.
- Community Housing Aotearoa: National body representing community housing providers in NZ. Comparable as a sector umbrella for housing and homelessness services (LinkPeople, The People's Project) operating alongside government-funded tenancy and support models.
- Salvation Army New Zealand: Major faith-based social services NGO in NZ delivering addiction, housing, and community support programs with government contracts. Comparable scale and funding model to Wise Group across housing, addiction, and community welfare services.
Others
- Te Pou: National mental health and addiction workforce development centre in New Zealand. Listed as a peer because, although it is a subsidiary of Wise Group, it collaborates with peer organisations such as Te Whatu Ora-aligned workforce bodies; included for ecosystem completeness.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Wise Group social profiles
Digital presenceWise Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wise Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles22 records
Wise Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries15 records
Wise Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wise Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wise Group
What does Wise Group do?
Wise Group is a charitable trust delivering mental health, addiction, housing, employment, dementia care and wellbeing services to individuals, whānau and communities across Aotearoa New Zealand through 15+ subsidiary entity brands. Services are free to end users and funded primarily by government contracts. Alongside direct service delivery, the group provides workforce development, clinical training and software (Recordbase) to community organisations and the broader mental health sector.
Is Wise Group a public or private company?
Wise Group is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Wise Group founded?
Wise Group was founded in 1989. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Wise Group based?
Wise Group is headquartered in Hamilton, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Wise Group make money?
One revenue line is on record: government Contracts and Public Funding.
Who are Wise Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Emerge Aotearoa, Lifeline Aotearoa, Odyssey House and Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand. Regional players are Headspace Australia and Beyond Blue. Broad incumbents are Mind (UK), Community Housing Aotearoa and Salvation Army New Zealand. Te Pou is listed as an others.
Does Wise Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wise Group.
What industry is Wise Group in?
Wise Group's product category is Mental Health and Wellbeing Social Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGALAC, Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts), with a secondary code of FSAAANAI, Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services. Its NAICS code is 813410 and its SIC code is 8300.