$158,000 in community grants have been allocated to community organisations across the State to support grassroots community mental health and wellbeing events in Queensland Mental Health Week.
The grant program aims to raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing, increase understanding of mental illness, and reduce stigma around mental ill-health.The funded community events include wellbeing expos, art exhibitions, workshops, festivals and morning teas, with many of the events linking with local mental health services and focusing on wellbeing education, ranging from Coen to Texas, and west to Mount Isa.
Funded by the Queensland Mental Health Commission and administered by CheckUP, the Queensland Mental Health Week Community Events Grant Program supports over 150 community events with grants ranging from $500 to $2000, depending on the size of the event.
Queensland Mental Health Commissioner Ivan Frkovic said Queensland Mental Health Week is about creating community understanding, conversation and connection around mental health and wellbeing."Positive mental health and wellbeing is essential to every Queenslander, including people living with mental ill-health.
"We can all be susceptible to experiencing mental health challenges. Over 40 per cent of Australians are estimated to have experienced a mental disorder at some time in their life, with one-in-five experiencing a mental health disorder in the previous 12 months*.
"Everyone's mental health and wellbeing sits on a sliding scale that moves up and down depending on what's going on in our lives at any one point.
"Good mental health and wellbeing helps us to live productive and fulfilling lives, have meaningful relationships and cope with life's challenges. But good mental health doesn't just happen.
"Just like our physical health, we have to work at it to benefit, by practicing the six building blocks of mental wellbeing daily-get healthy, keep learning, show kindness, connect more, take notice and embrace nature.
"QMHW events create community awareness and education of mental wellbeing, help break down stigma of mental ill-health and encourage people to seek help when they need it," Mr Frkovic said.
CheckUP CEO Ann Maree Liddy said CheckUp was pleased to receive over 280 grant applications from across the state.
"We are excited by the quality and creativity of the events approved for funding that promise to increase personal and community connections during Queensland Mental Health Week and promote individual and community mental health in ways and settings appropriate and meaningful to each community," Ms Liddy said.
"The grant funding helps offset event expenses, such as engaging guest speakers and other event supplies, so communities can host high quality, engaging and effective events."
Ms Liddy said there are many ways people can participate in Queensland Mental Health Week, including hosting or attending an event, wearing merchandise, and starting conversations on mental health.
"You can get inspired with ideas on how to host an event, register an event, and look up events in your local area on the Queensland Mental Health Week website," she said.
"Last year there were more than 500 Queensland Mental Health Week events across the State.
Queensland Mental Health Week will be held from 5-13 October 2024, encompassing World Mental Health Day on 10 October, with the theme "Connect for Mental Health".
