Simon Hughes

Simon Hughes has worked in the mental health and addiction NGO sector for over 20 years, holding roles in support work, management, and quality improvement. He brings a deep understanding of community‑based services and the challenges NGOs face, especially around workforce capacity and resourcing. 

As an NGO lead, Simon encourages other NGOs to strengthen their use of data and performance insights. He is passionate about fostering a culture of confident data use — not just to report, but to genuinely learn, reflect, and improve. Collaboration is central to his approach, and he values opportunities for NGO services to share experiences, compare results, and build collective capability. 

Simon’s aspirations for the Programme include advancing benchmarking practices, improving understanding of organisational data, and strengthening the sector’s shared voice. He believes that when NGOs work together, great things can be achieved — a principle that guides his leadership and engagement. 

The whakataukī that inspires Simon is: He waka eke noa — we’re all in this together.