NZBN: 9429047723405 | Charitable Trust 50012761

Our Story

The FREE Research and Educational Equity Trust (Charitable) was established on 28 August 2012 and reaffirmed its updated purposes on 3 October 2019.

Formed by Trustees committed to advancing Universal Wellbeing and equitable research and learning outcomes, the Trust originated after receiving a foundational donation supporting early research into customised learning, wellbeing evaluation, and the development of models designed to address persistent educational and social inequities.

Since its establishment, the Trust has operated as the charitable foundation supporting the research, education, and public-good activities of the Universal Wellbeing ecosystem. Guided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UN, 1948), the Trust focuses on ensuring that prevention-focused wellbeing research and equitable educational opportunities are accessible to individuals, organisations, and communities across Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally.

Purposes of the Trust

The central purpose of the FREE Research and Educational Equity Trust is to support, promote, and implement the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its subsequent updates through charitable research and educational equity initiatives.

To achieve this, the Trust acquires, manages, and distributes funding to advance research and education that improve equity outcomes, supports the practical and evidence-based application of Universal Wellbeing across sectors, and ensures that individuals and organisations with limited access to educational or wellbeing resources are provided with equitable opportunities to learn, upskill, and participate in the wider wellbeing research movement.

What We Do

Supporting research, learning, and capability-building to improve wellbeing and equity outcomes.

  • Each year, the Trust supports the delivery of large-scale national and international Universal Wellbeing conferences.

    These events bring together researchers, educators, social services, clinicians, government leaders, and community organisations to:

    • Share prevention-focused research

    • Strengthen sector capability

    • Promote equity-centred wellbeing practice

    • Present scholarship recipients

    • Showcase applied Universal Wellbeing evaluation outcomes

    The Trust provides support to ensure that these events remain accessible to participants from equity-priority communities and organisations.

  • The Trust allocates funding annually to provide scholarships for:

    Scholarships prioritise individuals and organisations working with marginalised, underserved, or high-needs populations. This includes practitioners in education, health, social services, community development, and culturally diverse communities who would otherwise face barriers to access.

    Recipients gain accredited training that strengthens local and national wellbeing capability, contributing to long-term prevention and equity outcomes.

  • The Trust supports:

    • Longitudinal studies on Universal Wellbeing

    • Evaluation research used across education, health, workforce development, and community organisations

    • Independent sector capability-building research

    • Early-stage pilots that test new models, tools, and wellbeing interventions

    This research is conducted to improve transparency, build the evidence base for the Universal Wellbeing Model, and strengthen prevention-first approaches.

  • The Trustees are committed to:

    • Strong financial stewardship

    • Transparent reporting

    • Ensuring all funds contribute directly to charitable purposes

    • Maintaining compliance with New Zealand Charities Services

    • Regularly reviewing research, scholarship, and equity priorities

    This ensures that every contribution, grant, or sponsorship directly supports measurable improvements in wellbeing and educational equity.

Our Ongoing Commitment

For more than a decade, the FREE Trust has enabled:

  • Increased access to professional wellbeing education

  • National and international adoption of Universal Wellbeing research

  • Strengthened equity outcomes across communities

  • Growth in preventative wellbeing capability

  • Support for individuals doing critical work in schools, hospitals, social services, and community organisations

The Trust remains committed to expanding this work year after year and ensuring that the benefits of Universal Wellbeing reach the people and communities who need them most.