From the CEO
Hello everyone
The arrival of September means that Mental Health Month is just around the corner. If you haven’t already registered for our Wellness Walk on Sunday 15 October, you can still grab Early Bird tickets or donate here. In the meantime, One Door Mental Health will be getting involved in R U OK? Day on Thursday 14 September. It’s an important question to ask whenever you get the feeling that someone isn’t quite their normal self and R U OK? Day is the day to learn more about how to ask and to be there to listen. To learn more about this year’s theme, ‘I’m Here to Hear’, check out this short video.
We all have an important role to play in supporting the people we know and care about. By reaching out, staying connected, and checking in, we can embrace our collective responsibility and take meaningful action. You can learn more and find support through a wide variety of resources available and organisations such as Lifeline who is tackling stigma with their Out of the Shadows campaign - https://outoftheshadows.org.au/.
Our Circles for Connection pilot project, funded by the NSW Mental Health Commission, has demonstrated the importance of connections in our lives in reducing loneliness and helping people to live the lives they want. You can read the findings from our pilot project in more detail here.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme has been life-changing for many Australians, including many people with psychosocial disability. People with psychosocial disability belong in the NDIS, but there is opportunity to transform the scheme so that it can truly work with people to help them lead the lives they want to lead. As part of the current review in the NDIS, the Australian Psychosocial Alliance is hosting a launch of its NDIS recovery plan - a plan aimed at improving the system for everyone with psychosocial disability. Please join us online via Zoom this Friday 15 September at 12:00pm to learn more. Tickets are available here.
With the announcement of the date for the Referendum on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament of 14 October 2023, One Door Mental Health has released a statement in support of the Voice . We believe that the Voice is an important first step towards improved mental health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities. Don’t forget that voting in a Referendum is compulsory, so make sure you are enrolled correctly and understand how to vote by visiting the Australian Electoral Commission website. We encourage you to seek reliable, impartial information about the Indigenous Voice to Parliament from sources such as the Australian Government.
Finally, I would like to extend my congratulations to the Mental Health Coordinating Council (the MHCC) on their 40th Anniversary. One Door is a proud member of the MHCC, a leading peak body championing strong community mental health organisation working to improve the lives of people with lived experience of mental health through leadership, advocacy and support. You can find out more about the work of the MHCC over the past four decades here.
Until next month…
Kathi