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  • About WayAhead
        • At WayAhead, we work every day to educate people throughout New South Wales on mental health and wellbeing and link them to services and resources that improve their mental health.
          Our vision is for a society that understands, values and actively supports the best possible mental health and wellbeing.
        • How we work for better mental health

          We work towards better mental health and wellbeing through:

          • The co-ordination of mental health promotion activities such as Mental Health Month NSW, WayAhead Workplaces, Perinatal Depression and Anxiety Awareness Week and Stress Less Tips
          • Free anxiety support groups throughout NSW
          • The provision of mental health information – the WayAhead Directory, mental health factsheets
          • Education seminars such as or Understanding Anxiety Forums and Professional Development Workshops – for people living with a mental health condition, the public and health care professionals
          • Small Steps workshops for parents and school teachers to raise awareness and improve recognition of anxiety disorders in children.
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Mental Health Month

Mental Health Month

Get involved in Mental Health Month

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Mental Health Matters Awards 2016

 

The 2016 Mental Health Matters Awards were presented at NSW Parliament House on September 29th, at the launch of Mental Health Month.

The NSW Community Champion Award went to Barry Taylor for his role in developing the South Western Sydney Local Health District Wellbeing Collaboration and the Five Ways to Wellbeing initiative.

The South Western Sydney Wellbeing Collaboration is about local councils and community groups across the area working together to address issues like anxiety, depression and suicide and help improve the general wellbeing of the community. The Five Ways to Wellbeing initiative is a five-point strategy that underpins the collaboration - Connect, Give, Keep Learning, Be Active and Take Notice.

 

Barry Taylor MHM 2016


Excellence in Service or Program Delivery Award

Joint Winners: The Centre for Emotional Health, Macquarie University 

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The Centre for Emotional Health (CEH) is a Macquarie University Research Centre focused on the understanding, prevention and treatment of emotional health problems in children, adolescents and adults. Their vision is “ to build an emotionally healthy community through science and practice”. The psychologists at the centre use a combination of theoretical research and practical application and it has resulted in several ‘world-first’ findings. Some of their areas of treatment include anxiety, autism, depression and social anxiety.

Joint Winners: Psychogeriatric SOS, St Vincent’s Hospital

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Psychogeriatric SOS is a web conferencing clinician-to-clinician service run by St Vincent’s Hospital Psychogeriatric Mental Health and Dementia Service that allows clinicians practicing in rural areas to access resources and training that they would otherwise struggle to access. The project has made many successful improvements to the quality of mental health services for rural-dwelling older people in areas, resulting in higher diagnostic accuracy, increased clinician confidence, better patient outcomes and less referrals to specialists.

Watch their video below to see why it is such a successful program.


Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing

SistaSpeak and BroSpeak Cultural and Mentoring Programs– Moree Secondary College

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SistaSpeak and BroSpeak are 10-week programs for indigenous students run during the school term. The programs consist of guest presenters  from local organisations and businesses coming in and talking about various social issues likely to impact the students’ lives, such as drug and alcohol abuse, body image, domestic violence and dealing with grief and loss. The program also has a cultural component to it, allowing the students to reconnect with Aboriginal culture as well as learn important life skills. At the end of the program, they hold a formal graduation ceremony for the students who have completed it. The programs have received “universally positive” feedback from everyone involved, from the students themselves to parents, teachers and the presenters.

Watch their video below to see why it is such a successful program.


Mental Health Promoting Workplace

Healthy Minds - Optus

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Healthy Minds is a workplace wellbeing program implemented by Optus, with the aim of creating a psychologically healthy workplace as well as reducing the stigma surrounding mental illnesses and encouraging early support and intervention. It consists of a range of health services such as GPs, nutritionists and psychologists available both onsite and via phone and web chat, as well as regular wellbeing initiatives like heart health checks, flu vaccinations and positive psychology workshops.

 


Cross Sector Collaboration

‘Meet Jessica’ , Department of Psychological Medicine, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead

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‘Meet Jessica’ is an animated short film designed to raise awareness around the mental health of children with intellectual or developmental disabilities, who experience high rates of severe emotional and behavioural problems. The film was a collaboration between NSW Health, disability and educational sectors, and was released in conjunction with a ‘train the trainer’ workshop which was run in 28 locations across NSW. Both the film and the workshops have contributed to a much-needed conversation around adjustments that can be made in schools to promote positive mental health and wellbeing.


Mental Health Promotion and Wellbeing

Mental Health and Wellbeing Student Ambassador Program, Western Sydney University

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Western Sydney University’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Student Ambassador Program (SAP) adopts a student-led approach towards mental health and general wellbeing in a university environment, with the goal of reducing stigma and raising awareness about positive mental health. Not only do the students involved in the program gain valuable experience, but the program also gives other students who may be struggling with these issues positive role models that they can relate to, and go to for help when they need it.

Watch their winner's video below


Quality Improvement

Filling the Hawkesbury Gap, St John of God

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The Filling the Hawkesbury Gap project was created to identify gaps in the mental health services available to people in the Hawkesbury region. The project consisted of contacting clients who had reported mental health concerns to the Emergency Department and ensuring that they received appropriate follow up care after their discharge, rather than waiting for these clients to get to a point where they need emergency services again. Overall, the clients’ feedback about the follow up care they received was positive.

 


Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities

Evaluation of the Arabic Mindfulness Intervention

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In 2013, bicultural psychologist Hend Saab developed the Arabic Mindfulness CD to help some of her Arabic-speaking clients, particularly those suffering from anxiety disorders. Together with a team of researchers, she conducted a study to test out the CD’s clinical effectiveness and cultural acceptability in the Arabic-speaking community in the St George area. The study consisted of  70 participants from Arabic backgrounds, all of whom identified as being Muslim or Christian, who were asked to listen to a couple of tracks from the CD every week and provide feedback about how they felt afterwards. On average, the results showed “statistically significant improvements” in the participants’ mental health levels after listening to the CD, and 94% of them continued to practice mindfulness after the study ended.


Media - National or State

Luca's Legacy, The Project, Channel 10

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'Luca's Legacy' was a story that appeared on Channel 10's 'The Project', featuring an interview with Julia Trinne, a woman whose 4-year old son Luca was killed by her husband Dave during a psychotic episode. Dave had been battling bipolar disorder but was otherwise described as a loving husband and father. The story was led by field producer Kate Mellis, with Carrie Bickmore performing the interview with Julie. Not only does the story honour Luca's memory, but it also raises awareness around mental illness and the resources available to treat it.


Consumer Involvement and Participation

Taking a qualification to the Peer Workforce, The Mental Health Coordinating Council

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The Mental Health Coordinating Council is the peak body for non-government mental health organisations, and their vision is that "people with lived experience are the drivers of positive change in all mental health services and mental health reforms." One of the ways that  they have helped realise this vision is through the creation of a Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work, which was developed through close consultation with both consumers and carers in the mental health industry.


Older Persons Mental Health 

Environmental Design Education Service, NSW/ACT Dementia Training Study Centre

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Created by Professor Richard Fleming from the University of Wollongong, the aim of the Environmental Design Education Service is to give older people a better quality of life. The service brought together clinicians, architects, town planners as well as consumers to help design new spaces like aged care facilities, as well as updating existing spaces such as shopping centres and airports to make them more older-people friendly. The program uses a combination of handbooks, workshops, consultancy and even a smartphone app to evaluate existing buildings as help with planning new developments.

 

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At School

 

How can we share the journey at school?

  • Host a Mental Health Month assembly
  • Include Mental Health Month in your classroom activities 
  • Support students to put on their own events for Mental Health Month
  • Consider hosting a “Share a Meal for Mental Health Month” event on World Mental Health Day
  • Ensure that all students and staff know what supports are available at your school
  • Challenge ideas and language that may have a negative impact on the way people think
    about mental ill-health

 

Download the ‘Schools Pack’ with heaps of useful resources and activities

Download the ‘At School’ social post here

Check out all the Share the Journey downloads here

At Work

 

How can we share the journey at work??

  • Include mental health in discussions about workplace health and safety
  • Organise wellbeing activities and make them accessible to people
  • Consider hosting an event for Mental Health Month
  • Have someone to come and talk to your workplace about mental health and wellbeing
  • Connect with the WayAhead Workplaces network –
    a network of likeminded organisations working together to improve mental wellbeing in the workplace.

 

Download the ‘At Work’ social post here

Check out all the Share the Journey downloads here

With Family and Friends

 

How can we share the journey with family and friends?

  • Share a hobby or teaching each other something new
  • Helping each other with chores like laundry, cooking or cleaning
  • Help each other get to appointments, occasions or events
  • Organise times to check in with each other
  • Help each other plan for difficult situations
  • Create a fun challenge you can do together
  • Play games together

 

Download the ‘Family and Friends’ social post here

Check out all the Share the Journey downloads here

In the Community

 

How can we share the journey with family and friends?

  • Host a community event for Mental Health Month
  • Think about ways you can connect with people experiencing mental health issues –
    this could include having quiet spaces or transport options available for community events.
  • Make sure that mental health and wellbeing are talked about in your community
  • Consider hosting a “Share a Meal for Mental Health Month” event on World Mental Health Day in your community

 

Download the ‘In the Community’ social post here

Check out all the Share the Journey downloads here

Share the Journey

 

Connecting with others is important for all aspects of our health and wellbeing. Research tells us that feeling connected with others gives us a sense of security, support, purpose and happiness. Close connections and good relationships with others help us enjoy good times in our lives as well as cope with difficult experiences. Many of us report feeling lonely and believe loneliness is increasing in Australia. For those experiencing or living with mental illness, loneliness can have an even bigger impact, especially when you factor in the added experiences of social exclusion and stigma.

Share the Journey is all about ways we can connect with others, both for our own health and wellbeing, as well as theirs.

Sharing the journey can mean many things:

  • Telling your loved ones about both your successes and difficulties
  • Reaching out to people who might be withdrawing from others
  • Working with someone to find and access services or support
  • Asking for help with day-to-day things when you need it
  • Getting involved in group activities, like sports or book clubs
  • Sharing a cuppa with a mate

 

Whether you reach out to someone who might be feeling a bit lost or find a way to connect with others when you need some help,
building positive social connection is something we can all try and do.

Download this information as a fact sheet here

View all Share the Journey downloads here