About Us

Scottie Williams

Founder & Executive Director

Although many people from within Aotearoa and across the globe will know Scottie from the TVNZ and Netflix Reality TV Series, The Casketeers, Scottie developed Dudes Like Us Trust from his first hand experience as a Funeral Director regularly caring for families who had lost someone from suicide.

In 2017, Scottie was in the same position of many of those he had served where he unfortunately lost a member of his own whanau to suicide – his 21 year old niece, Chanelle Te Kura Waru.

While this was extremely traumatic and difficult for the whanau, the idea of trying to be a Funeral Director during that time where practices and protocols would normally come as second nature, all went out the window. This was the first time for him to experience that type of grief so close, and further, the first ever in his family.

Dudes Like Us Trust was developed in response to New Zealand having the largest statistics of suicide in the OECD. Scottie’s experience with suicide first hand meant that he knew something had to be done to assist with such a large problem – particularly with men, young and old.

Maori and Pasifika men and young men have the highest statistics of suicide in New Zealand. This triggered Scottie to reach out to his fellow networks and peers, and develop a cause that will help break down the stereotypes and stigmas that men face to be more resilient and live life with purpose.

Dudes Like Us Trust was developed in 2018, and later became offically regisitered in 2019 bringing in others who have experienced similar pains in life and managed to fight through it. These people have become mentors and Admins to helping dudes out there… And here begins the journey of ‘Dudes Like Us’ – where common Dudes can help eachother.