STARTER KIT Value your Mind MENTAL HEALTH MONTH NSW STARTER KIT

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1 MENTAL HEALTH MONTH NSW STARTER KIT STARTER KIT 2015 Level 5, 80 William Street, East Sydney NSW 2011 Phone: (02) Fax: (02) promoadmin@mentalhealth.asn.au

2 What is Mental Health Month? What is the theme this year? The theme for Mental Health Month this year is. The main message is to encourage all individuals to think about how mental health exists in their daily life & promote the need for all individuals to make mental health a priority in their daily lives. When we make our mental health a priority, we are practicing self- care which is an important part of our daily living to ensure the maintenance of a balanced wellbeing. The month of October is Mental Health Month for NSW this is a national mental health promotion campaign held annually through the month of October. The timing of the campaign centres on World Mental Health Day, which is marked each year on October 10. Why should you be involved? Mental Health Month is a useful reminder for all of us to think about the mental health of ourselves and those around us. It s a great opportunity to engage all members of the community in activities that can enhance their mental health and wellbeing. It s also a good excuse to get out there and have some fun. Follow us on facebook and twitter to get updates! More information and resources for local organisers will be added regularly to our website. Go to In this kit Tips on Planning Your Event, Promoting your event and Evaluating Your Event How to order free resources How to apply for a Small Grant Mental Health Matters Awards Information How to register your event More information and resources for local organisers will be added regularly to our website. Go to Key dates and deadlines for Mental Health Month 2015 Small grant applications due - 5pm Friday 17 July Award nominations close - 5pm Monday 27 July Resource orders due - 5pm Friday 21 August Events registration close - 5pm Friday 4 September (Please see page 16 for more information) Mental Health Month NSW centres around 2 key dates: October 10 -> World Mental Health Day October 25 -> Stress Less Day 2

3 Tips for Planning Your Mental Health Month Event If you are organising an event for Mental Health Month, there are a number of points you may like to consider to make planning easier. Brainstorming ideas Whether you have a great idea for an event or you re brainstorming ideas, it is still worth taking a moment to think about what you want to achieve with your event. This involves thinking about questions like: Why are you hosting the event? One of the first steps is to think about why you are holding an event for Mental Health Month and what goals you hope to achieve. These might include: Promoting activities that enhance mental, physical, social and spiritual wellbeing in your community. Providing more information about mental health and wellbeing or mental health services that are available in your local area. Promoting the campiagn message of why it is important to make mental health & wellbeing a priority in our daily lives. Making or improving connections with partners or the local community Encouraging help seeking Reducing stigma associated with mental illness Who is this event for? The event may be a public community event or it may be specific to a particular part of your community such as your workplace, organisation, school, youth group or other community group etc. It is also important to consider the audience for your event, whether it is aimed for a particular age, gender or locality? What is the main message of your event? What is the main thing that you would like people to take away from this event? It may be information or increased awareness of mental health and wellbeing, or access to support services or social connectedness. How can you make it happen? Once you have a clear idea of what your event is about you can start to think about how to make it a reality. Some of the questions you could ask yourself include: What type of event best fits my goals? There are so many types of events and activities that you could host; think about which one will best achieve your goals and appeal to your intended target audience. We have included a Practical ideas for events page in this kit to help you get inspired by some of the events held in previous years. What do I need for this event? Budgeting is essential to the success of your event. Create a detailed checklist of the things you need to host your event and obtain quotes if you need to. What will I need to do? You might find it helpful to write yourself a timeline of activities you need to do to prepare for your event and a run-sheet for the day. If you are working with a team, decide who will do what and when. Monitor your progress and don t underestimate the value of confirming all details close to your event. You might like to plan your Mental Health Month activity on: October 10 - World Mental Health Day or October 26 - Stress Less Day 3

4 Promoting your event Promotion can greatly increase the number and diversity of people who attend your event. You could consider the following avenues: If you would like your event to be included in our online events calendar for Mental Health Month 2015, please register by 4th of September 2015 Use your local networks: local schools, councils, community organisations and businesses may agree to promote your event in their newsletters or on their websites. Posters and fliers: The local library, cafes, shops and community noticeboards are great places to display posters and distribute fliers advertising your event. Local media: Contact local newspaper, radio, or community T.V networks or advertise your event Social media: Get the word out about your event through social media such as Facebook, Twitter or through community e-newsletters. The Mental Health Month logo is available for download from our website: to help you create advertising material. See Tips on Talking to the Media section for more help with promoting your event through the media. Getting Sponsorship You might require sponsorship of some type, either in the form of cash, services or goods. A good idea is to approach existing local groups or businesses within your community. When approaching potential sponsors, ensure they are compatible with your goals and clearly state your aim of holding this particular event, what you would like from them and what they can gain from helping you organise the event. Partnering with other groups, even those that don t have a traditional focus on mental health, is a great way to spread costs and increase impact. Partnerships are also great ways to engage with parts of your community that you might otherwise not have much contact with. Think about which services or businesses are most popular in your local community. This may include a particular supermarket, bank service, café or even local sports groups that might want to help spread awareness and help promote the event. Ask local members of government to help support the event or see if they would like to participate by attending the event. Alternatively, you may like to apply for a small grant, which provides financial assistance to those organising mental health promotion activities during Mental Health Month. See page 13 for more information on Mental Health Month Small Grants. Local councils often have grants available for community activities as well. 4

5 Community Education Programs Thinking about providing useful information about mental health to your local community at a Mental Health Month event? This year, Black Dog Institute has kindly offered to provide community education programs for local events held in NSW during Mental Health Month. These programs include: a. For general community - Breaking Down Depression and Building Resilience b. For parents, teachers and youth workers - Navigating Teenage Depression c. For high school students - INSIGHT Please note that presentations are delivered for free. Some fees may apply to cover significant travel and resource costs. Donations are appreciated. If you would like to book a presentation, simply log on to and click on: Community Education Programs to complete an online booking form or community@blackdog.org.au. We also provide free information seminars for school teachers and parents about understanding anxiety in young children called Small Steps. These seminars are a community service run by the Mental Health Association NSW and funded by Mental Health Commission Of NSW. The presentation covers a variety of information about recognising: The difference between normal anxiety and anxiety disorders. Types of anxiety disorders Signs and symptoms We also provide reference materials and information, some recommended reading material and question time. For more information or to book a free Small Steps Seminar Phone (02) or smallsteps@mentalhealth.asn.au For more information about Anxiety Disorders, Please visit: 5

6 Looking after yourself and others at your event Mental Health Month is a time when people are prompted to find out more about mental health problems and seek help. This can be a difficult and confusing time for the person seeking help and can also be a confronting experience for those around them, including the person they reach out to. Following are some tips that you might find useful if someone approaches you for help when holding your event. Be prepared If you work for a mental health organisation or are a mental health professional you will be experienced in responding to enquiries about mental illness. Otherwise it can be useful to have some information prepared that you can pass on to people who have questions you don t have the answers to. Know your boundaries Have a think before the event about what you feel your boundaries are. What do you feel confident talking about? What might you need more information or support with? When might you need to refer someone to another source of assistance? You can find information on where to get help on the last page of the Mental Health Month factsheet and on our website at You might also like to gather some information on local organisations. Practice respectful communication Listen actively to what people are saying to you. While it can be helpful to share the experiences of yourself or of others you know, try to avoid making comparisons. Avoid making judgements about behaviour that may seem unusual to you. If someone is talking with you about their mental health, they trust you to be understanding and non-judgemental. Respect that people are entitled to determine their own course of action. It is up to them what they do with the information available to them. Be honest about your limitations and communicate them clearly. Remember, it s OK not to know everything yourself. Let the person you are talking to know if they are asking you for information or assistance that you can t immediately provide. Look after yourself and your team Remember that looking after yourself and your team is just as important as looking after others. Consider getting together before the event to have a chat about your plan and after the event to talk about how you think things went and to celebrate. Keep an eye out for each other on the day. Don t forget to have fun yourselves! 6

7 Practical ideas from Mental Health Month 2014 Last year during Mental Health Month there were some really creative and fun local events held. Many events focused on a variety of aspects to promote positive wellbeing. Some events focused on reaching the general public whilst others targeted a specific audience such as the Aboriginal communities, Culturally & Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities and the LGBTI communities. These events also explored ways of incorporating the 2014 Mental Health Month Theme Be YOUnique into their events. Following are some inspirational ideas from 2014 to help you plan your event. These event ideas have been broken down into categories of the target audience reached. Mental Health Walk General A charitable organisation along with partner services held a mental health walk of pride to help fight stigma in the community and provide hope and inspiration for people affected by mental illness, their families and friends. Engaging the general community in a positive and fun way, the event also included speakers providing information about treatment and support, entertainment stalls, refreshments and activities for all ages. Mental Health Roadshow A local community service visited a number of High Schools within its region, distributing mental health packs to students, discussing mental health issues and providing a fun and interactive photo booth. Students not only gained an insight into the importance of mental health and wellbeing and the local services available to them, they were also able to express their unique qualities through photos! Culturally & Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Mental Health Seminar An information-packed educational seminar was held for a specific CALD community discussing mental health and wellbeing tips. These included eating and sleeping well, recognising and managing stress and distress, maintaining healthy relationships and how to access mental health care services. Younique-ness was also celebrated by performances from cultural dance groups and a range of traditional meal dishes. Mindfulness CD Launch A CALD community held a free event launching a new culturally linguistically appropriate mindfulness resource. Along with a delicious cultural lunch, information about this resource was provided, including how it can assist the general mental health needs of that particular community. Talent Show Aboriginal Communities A number of successful concerts were staged across a range of Aboriginal Communities to promote mental health and related services. Drawing on local talent and community organisations, the talent show celebrated the uniqueness of the individuals and groups performing. Acts were judged by individuals well-known and respected by the community, further promoting social engagement and community connectedness. Connecting with Culture A local Aboriginal council organised a community gathering consisting of Aboriginal Elders, knowledge holders, young people and children to connect/re-connect with things that are YOUnique to them through cultural activities such as Art and Dance. Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/intersex (LGBTI) Parade A LGBTI float bus took the streets in a local Parade to raise awareness and visibility of the LGBTI community, their family and friends. Music, streamers and colourful be YOUnique characters on board celebrated their diversity, inclusion in the community and their mental health and wellbeing. LGBTI Community Festival A special event was held to celebrate the resilience and unique experiences of a LGBTI community. Alongside enjoyable entertainment, great music and a refreshing dinner, positive mental health and wellbeing was promoted using mindfulness practice, yoga and creative expression through writing, poetry and story-telling. 7

8 Tips for evaluating your event Before the Event Nominate a person to be in charge of the evaluation process. Make sure you know before the event what you need to find out in order to evaluate your event and how you are going to find out this information. Think about the following questions: How will we know that our event is successful? and How can we measure these outcomes? Depending on the type of your event some things you may be able to measure include: Outputs/Processes What you need produced/distributed Attendees Media coverage How well you followed your event plan and budget Partnerships formed Evaluating your Mental Health Month event can help you measure your success and plan future events. You could use the survey template on the following page to evaluate your event or develop your own evaluation. It is important to consider evaluation during the event planning process. Gathering feedback from the organisational team You may also obtain useful feedback on your event by surveying those who have helped you organise and stage the event. It is a good idea to get together at the end of or after the event to talk about how the event went. This would also be a good time to congratulate the team and thank them for their efforts. You may like to have a small thank-you party. An organisers survey could be distributed and completed by all helpers so that you can evaluate the event from their point of view. You may also like to hold an informal round table, asking team members to name one thing they enjoyed most, and one thing that could be improved on in future. If you require any further assistance with your evaluation please contact us on (02) or at promoadmin@mentalhealth.asn.au Participant satisfaction Outcomes Changes in knowledge/awareness Changes in attitude/beliefs Changes in intended behaviour Sign-ups/enquiries to the promoted activity/ service Changes in organisational policy/practice Help us evaluate Mental Health Month We would love your help in measuring the impact of Mental Health Month events in communities. To do this we want to hear from your event participants. You could photocopy and distribute the survey on the following pages and post them to us at Mental Health Association NSW, Level 5, 80 William St, Woolloomooloo NSW An online Survey monkey will be released soon to submitt these evaluation results. 8

9 Mental Health Month 2015 Event Feedback Survey Name of event... Date of event.. 1. How did you find out about Mental Health Month? (You may tick more than one box) Participated previously o Mental Health Association NSW e news o Other e news o Print media o Google o Social media such as Facebook or Twitter o Word of mouth from family, friends etc. o Other (please specify).. 2. What are your reasons for attending this event? (You may tick more than one box) o Interested in Mental Health Month o Just passing by oi have an interest in mental health o I work in the mental health field o I have a lived experience of mental illness o I am a carer/family member/friend of someone with a lived experience of mental illness o Other (please specify). 3. What did you enjoy the most about the event? (Please tick one box only) o Great community involvement o Interesting information given about mental health o Friendly and engaging atmosphere o Participating in an event that focuses on an important issue o Opportunity to take a break and relax o Opportunity to think and learn about maintaining my wellbeing Other (Please specify)

10 4. Has your participation at today s event increased your knowledge about wellbeing? o Yes, o No, If yes, what did you learn about? Has your participation at today s event increased your knowledge about mental health and/ or illness? (please tick one box) o Yes o No If yes, what did you learn about What do you think were the main messages of today? (Tick all that apply) o Focusing on the importance of the issue of mental health and wellbeing o Encouraging us to become aware of our mental health o Encouraging us to provide support to each other o Breaking down stigma around mental illness o Raising attention to services that provide mental health assistance o Celebrating positive mental health and wellbeing practices o Providing information on mental health, mental illness or wellbeing o Encouraging a healthy workplace, service or community environment o Building networks and social support o Other (please specify).. 7. Is there anything you ll do differently after being at today s event? (You may tick more than one box) o No, not really o Yes, I will do something differently to look after my mental health and/or wellbeing o Yes, I will do something differently to support my family or friends o Yes, I will do something differently in getting help with my mental health and/or wellbeing o Yes, other (Please specify) 8. Do you have any suggestions about how today s event could be improved? 9. Do you have any final comments on the event?

11 You can raise awareness of your Mental Health Month event by promoting it to your local media 2-4 weeks in advance of your event taking place. Even if you are holding a private event (not open to the public), you may still wish to tell the media about it beforehand so that a journalist can attend part of the event and write a story about it to go into the local paper afterwards. Alternatively, you can write your own media release and send it to local print, radio and TV journalists. We have provided a template media release below as a guide. Why do media? In the Media How to get in the media Here are some really important hints to remember when you re working with the media: Have your media release prepared before you contact a journalist. Make sure you can answer any questions they might have or send along the press release straight away if they re interested. Your local media are employed to cover interesting news, not provide free advertising. Don t expect that they will automatically cover your story. It s okay to follow up and find out whether the story is being published, but always be polite and don t hound them for an answer. Mental Health Month events are a great opportunity for the media to bring attention to mental health and / or mental illness and your event provides a good reason for them to do this. Working with the media is one more way that we can promote positive mental health and reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness. If you are holding a public event then using the media is a great way to get more participants. The Mental Health Association NSW will have a media team ready to help you write your press release and pitch it to your local media. For media support contact Mental Health Association of NSW Media Contact: Name: Matthew Keighery Phone: (02) media@mentalhealth.asn.au Target your media release carefully. Don t send a release about a book launch to the sports writer, and don t send one to multiple journalists. Address them by name and take a sentence to introduce yourself, and if you re not sure who to talk to call a general office number first and ask. Remember, your event could be really interesting local news so don t be shy! Think about what is interesting or newsworthy about your event and mention it maybe you re holding the only community fair in your town for the month, perhaps you ve found a local celebrity to speak, or you might be repeating an event that was really successful the year before. The person you speak to may not report many mental health stories, so be prepared to explain terms or direct them to other resources for more information. One really great resource is Keep in touch with your media contacts after the event is over. Even if they haven t run a story yet, if you can provide good photos and details on how successful the event was it may become more newsworthy. Whatever the outcome, make sure to say thank you for their time. 11

12 [Insert date] Sample Media Release [Insert headline keep it short and simple, you want it to be attention grabbing and ideally less than 7 words)] [Write a short paragraph summarising your event. Remember to cover who, what, when, where, and why your event is on or about, as this is often the most important information for a journalist.] Mental health issues will affect 1 in 5 Australians every year. Anxiety disorders are often the most common mental health challenge, followed by depression. [Include a relevant quote from a local, noteworthy person here.] Mental Health Month is co-ordinated every October by the Mental Health Association of NSW. This year the theme is People across Australia come together during the month to hold events and promote good mental health and wellbeing in their local communities. These events are a useful reminder for all of us to think about the mental health of ourselves and those around us. It s also a good excuse to get out there and have some fun! [Include final quote(s) and any final information relevant to your event such as when it s on and how people can RSVP or attend] Contact details Name: Your name Phone: Your telephone or mobile Your Writing Your Media Tips Be careful with your spelling and grammar. Small mistakes can mean the difference between your release ending up on the front page or in the bin. Keep it short and snappy. Journalists are often really busy and see loads of media releases, so you want to make it as easy as possible for them to understand why your event is newsworthy. Try to keep your language simple and avoid over-hyping your story. An art exhibition doesn t have to feature the next Van Gogh to be newsworthy and interesting to local readers, so be enthusiastic but don t exaggerate. Let them know if there are photos available or they can take photos on the day. A great photograph can often help get a story published. Use quotes from interesting spokespeople this can include people from local businesses and organisations who are supporting you, local people planning to attend, or any prominent people from the local community involved in the event itself. Remember them to ask them why they think your event is going to be great for your community it s an easy way to show your newsworthiness! 12

13 Small Grants Program What is it? Each year a number of small grants are offered to assist the staging of mental health promotion activities or event during Mental Health Month. What grants are available? 5 grants of $1000 and 20 grants of $500 for projects focusing on any sector of the community. 2 grants of $1000 and 6 grants of $500 for projects focusing specifically on Aboriginal communities. 1 grants of $1000 and 5 grants of $500 for projects focusing specifically on Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities. These grants are sponsored by the Transcultural Mental Health Centre. 4 grants of $1000 and 2 grants of $500 for projects focusing specifically on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) communities. These grants are sponsored by ACON. Eligibility Organisations must have an ABN or be supported by an organisation with an ABN, and be undertaking the project in NSW. The planned activity must occur during Mental Health Month in October, promote positive mental health in the community and tie in with the theme for Mental Health Month Funds are not available for the self -promotion of for-profit organisations or private practices. What do the judges look for? Judges welcome applications that are particularly creative and innovative, and those that are put forward by organisations that have not received small grant funding in recent years. Judges also look for projects that work as partnerships between organisations, particularly partnerships between mental health organisations and nonmental health organisations. Visit our website to see our 2014 Mental Health Month events calendar and have a look at the projects that received grants. How do I apply? You can apply for a small grant by ing your completed application form to grants@ mentalhealth.asn.au by 5pm Friday 17 July 2015 You will receive an confirmation of receipt of your application. Application forms can be accessed at Grant recipients must also return a brief report on their event. Please do not post or fax entries. Don t Forget! To register your event so that we can add it to our online calendar and promote it for you. To promote your event by using our template press release and contacting your local media. Enquiries about the small grants program can be directed to Mehna Alacozy on (02) or grants@mentalhealth.asn.au 13

14 Mental Health Matters Awards Awards Information The Mental Health Matters Awards are unique awards designed to recognise the achievements of individuals and organisations who have worked to improve understanding, awareness, service provision and the general mental health of communities in NSW, over the past 12 months (1 July June 2015). The awards acknowledge the high standard and ongoing commitment demonstrated by those involved in innovative and effective programs which address key mental health issues at a local, regional or state wide level. Award Categories Awards are available in the following categories. A full list of selection criteria for each category is included with the nomination form. Excellence in Service or Program Delivery Award Cross Sector Collaboration Award Research and Evaluation Award Mental Health Promotion & Wellbeing Award Mental Health Promoting Workplace Award Media Award - a) National/state wide b) Local Community Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing Award Family and Carer Involvement and Engagement Award Consumer Involvement and Engagement Award Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Communities Award Award Winners receive A prize of $1000 for the winner of each award category and an award plaque. If more than 1 winner is selected in any category the prize money will be shared. Award winners in categories 6.a) and 6.b) will each receive $500. Recognition on the Mental Health Association NSW website and in the next Mental Health Matters quarterly magazine. The Awards will be presented at a special event at NSW Parliament House on 30 Spetember How to complete a nomination You can make a nomination by ing your completed nomination form, and any other supporting documentation, to awards@mentalhealth.asn.au by 5pm Monday 27 July Who do I contact if I have questions? You will receive an confirmation of receipt of your nomination. Nomination forms can be accessed at Please do not post or fax entries. If you require any further assistance please contact us on (02) or at awards@mentalhealth.asn.au Dates to remember Nominations close: 5pm Monday 27 July All nominees will be notified of the outcome by C.O.B 20th of August

15 How to order your free resources The best way to order free resources is to use our online order form at Once you have completed the form we will send you an to confirm your order. Resources Mental Health Month Posters Free Resources If you are unable to complete the online form you can also place an order by phone. Please contact Mehna Alacozy on : (02) Maximum order 50 posters Mental Health Month Postcard Packs 10 packs ( = 300 cards) 10 Tips to Stress Less Posters 50 posters 10 Tips to Stress Less Postcard Packs 10 packs ( = 300 cards) Balloon Packs 6 packs ( = 60 balloons) Factsheet 30 factsheets Keeping Strong beyondblue flyer for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 30 factsheets Deadly Stress less Posters (A new stress less poster for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people designed by Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council) 10 Posters Things to Remember If you are ordering for more than one events or promotion site, please submit separate order forms. Resources are limited and stock runs out each year so make sure you submit your order on time and within the maximum quantities shown above. Postcards available in packs of 30, balloons in packs of 10. Downloadable resources If you would like any other resources on mental illness and wellbeing, please visit the Mental Health Association NSW website at Simply click on the Mental Health Logo which will direct you to applying for a small grant, ordering free resources and more. All orders must be submitted by 5pm Friday 21 August,

16 More Information Would you like us to help promote your event? We offer all Mental Health Month events the option to be registered and/or promoted by getting listed on our online events calendar at It is completely up to you whether you would like your event posted on our Mental Health Month calendar. Even if you would prefer your event to remain private, registering means that we are able to get in touch with local community events and helps us demonstrate to our funders the size and scope of Mental Health Month in NSW. This year, we are undergoing some new system changes; as a result we will be releasing the event registrations in the coming months. More information will be provided through the Mental Health Association NSW enews. You can sign up to the enews on our website Donations The Mental Health Association NSW is a health promoting charity that has been working for over 80 years to increase mental health awareness and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness by providing a number of diverse mental health initiatives for the NSW population such as Mental Health promotion campaigns, Workplace Health Promotion network (WHPN), Mental Health information& referral services, free anxiety support & self- help groups and many more. For over 30 years, we have been successful in coordinating the Mental Health Month campaign for mental health awareness across all populations in NSW by providing our diverse range of positive mental health resources such as our popular resource Ten Tips to Stress Less and small grants to encourage community engagement and discussion of positive mental health. We would be grateful if you or your organisation would consider donating to our organisation during the month of October to help us continue the great work we are doing in NSW. To make a donation, simply visit and click on the Make a donation. If you have any further enquiries- please promoadmin@mentalhealth.asn.au Our Supporters Mental Health Month is made possible with the support of the Mental Health Commission of NSW. 16