About Us
About Us
FirstMate is a charity set up for our commercial seafood whānau, with seafood whānau, to provide you with one-on-one support when you need it the most.
A team with experience
FirstMate is run by people who understand what it means to be part of New Zealand’s dynamic and challenging seafood industry. The team has deep knowledge of the seafood sector and they know what you might be going through because many of them have been through it too. Now, they want to give something back to the sector by helping others. There is no agenda and no judgment, just a willingness to put you first.
Get in touch today
Call 0800 237 438 for free between 7am and 10pm any day to speak to a member of the FirstMate team, who will put you in touch with the best Navigator for you (local or otherwise). If you prefer, you can reach out directly to a Navigator in your region. They will be happy for you to have a chat at a time and place that suits you.
If making a phone call isn’t for you, you can get in touch using the form at the bottom of this page.
Connecting you with people who can help
Our Navigators have access to a database of local and national experts, including those dealing with physical and mental health, business and finance, and technical aspects of the seafood industry, including innovation. Navigators can connect you to these services, which might also include local and central government agencies such as Maritime New Zealand. If necessary, the Navigator can stay involved while you work with an expert.
Meet the NavigatorsBuilding a support network
From time to time, there will be opportunity for you to attend FirstMate-organised activities in your community, such as innovation sessions, wellbeing workshops, and social events for all the family. Making connections, especially in isolated communities, is really important, so we will try to provide opportunities for you to get together to talk shop – or not – with your friends, family and colleagues.
Resources and information
In our Resources section, you’ll find a wide range of free materials that might help with something that’s bothering you, give tips and ideas on how to prevent problems cropping up in the first place.
View the ResourcesThere are many different organisations and experts within the sector who can help with specific problems, but in times of stress or uncertainty it can be hard to know where to turn. First Mate wants to connect fishers with the right people - people who can talk their language and walk alongside them - to steer them in the right direction and out of troubled waters.”
- Kate Hesson, FirstMate Trustee