The folks at Psy-Care NZ have been an integral part of shaping culture and practice of underground outdoor festivals in NZ,and will return to Twisted Frequency 2023. We have seen this beautiful crew grow and evolve at an astounding rate and never stray from their mission of making parties safer and offering their love and support for anyone who comes their way. Here they tell us the story of how Psy-Care came to be. 

What's the origin story of Psy-Care NZ, how did it come about, what's the kaupapa?

Psy-Care NZ Inc. was founded by Ashlyn Hornsby in 2015, in reaction to seeing major issues that needed addressing within the festival scene. It grew out of a passionate response and love for the community that surrounded these events. Since then the organisation has solidified and expanded, operating onsite at multiple events and festivals around Te Wai Pounamu, growing our volunteer base, and has honed in on drug harm reduction as our area of expertise.

Psy-Care NZ is an entirely volunteer-run organisation. We operate under a harm reduction framework, an approach which acknowledges the reality of drug and alcohol use in our society, and implements evidence-based practices such as education and on-the-ground support to minimise the risks associated.

We provide a calm and secure space for festival goers who are overwhelmed or struggling during the event, to make their experience safer and ensure they are supported and looked after. We work with on site medical teams, complementing their medical knowledge with our expertise. 

The space is set up with blankets, water, hot drinks, snacks, and diversions such as toys and art equipment, plus harm reduction information. Trained volunteers staff the space and roam the festival site. When necessary we work alongside the medics, festival security, and festival organisers; either to de-escalate the situation, or to make the call to involve external services.

A special shout out to Twisted Frequency who were one of the first festivals to implement Psy-Care NZ in their operations. And have always shown us support throughout this journey.

Do you have any favourite memories with Psy-Care? Charlie: One of my favourite memories was being gifted a painting by someone who had been cared for in the space (at Twisted) about six months later. More generally though, watching a team of people come together for the purpose of being kind and caring humans. Clare: Finishing a particularly challenging shift at 8am and getting a ten-minute cathartic dance to hi-tech up on the main stage one morning before crashing out, that was pretty special! Otherwise, there’s always a beautiful moment on the evening of the second day when everything has slotted into place, all our volunteers have settled into the routine and we’re all able to relax slightly from the non-stop hectic set-up. Ashlyn: There are so many. Being contacted and thanked by those people/ their support people afterward for our contribution. One of my favourites was seeing a young man step into the space at his first festival when we were a young organisation too, and using us as a safety base while exploring. He continued coming in for festivals after that and we saw him blossom within the community using that attachment theory of a safe space to explore from. That’s the guts of it for me. That and the outside connections that happen within the space between our volunteers. Jessa: Being brought in and acknowledged as Mana whenua of the land occupied is definitely a special moment for me, being able to kōrero to a bunch of willing volunteers, of the kaupapa of Psy-Care through a Te Whare Tapa Whā me Te Ao Māori lens and it being received not only with open hearts and arms but with excitement will always have a place in my heart. Mauri Ora!

What do you feel is important or exciting about bringing Psy-Care to Twisted? Charlie: Just knowing there is a support network in place helps people feel safer and fosters a culture where people actively care for each other.  

Clare: I love that Twisted was integral to the birth of Psy-Care, even though that was long before my time, so it feels like being on supportive home ground. Ashlyn: Twisted holds a special place in my heart. The organisers were alongside me as I grew Psy-Care in the early days. It is both important and exciting for a grassroots movement to cater to the communities’ actual needs which aren’t properly being attended to by other major events. We hold a lot of trust for Twisted Frequency and we know the feeling is mutual.

What do you hope to achieve or enable for this year's summer season? Clare: Our volunteer team always has a mix of veterans and fresh faces, and I look forward to seeing new volunteers find their feet at Twisted with us as their touchstone this year. Every year we improve our training and volunteer organising, and I’m really looking forward to our volunteers coming away with a better experience than ever - because looking after them is crucial. I’d love to get our coordinators and permanent volunteers all on a psychological first aid course before the coming season. In terms of infrastructure, we actually purchased a new bell tent last season as the old one was in a dire state, so the fundraiser will be paying off the loan for that. Otherwise, Twisted looks after us with access to power and radios etc, which are the other upgrades we’re aiming for so we can work at smaller, less-resourced events.

Anything else you would like to say?

Ashlyn: It’s so exciting that Psy-Care has grown so big and reached so far. The influx of volunteer applications this year already are far more than we have seen yet and we are so excited for the years to come. When we began, I wasn’t aware of other psychedelic care spaces, so it has been amazing to connect on an international level with other similar organisations and to grow together. If anyone has questions or wants to volunteer, email us at psycarenz@gmail.com

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What a bunch of heroes these cats are! Twisted Frequency is massively appreciative of their incredible contribution. It’s hard mahi this stuff, but hugely important to keep our community safe - which is top priority. The biggest of love to this wonderful crew of caring humans, we are so grateful for your energy, skill and compassion to support our festival communities.  <3