Head2Head- Autumn 2014

FREE Magazine of the Mental Health Commission

Creating a Mentally Healthy WAGovernment of Western Australia

Mental Health Commission

Autumn | 2014

Workforce

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Contact: Marsha Dale, Editor, Head2Head MagazineMental Health Commssion. Ph: 6272 1200 Fax: 6272 1299 Email: [email protected]

1. Foreword from the Commissioner2. Art meets mining in a novel approach to workforce wellbeing3. Building cultural capacity4. Drumming program helps prisoners5. Heads Up6. Compassion in the workplace7. Independent Quality Evaluations8. Girlz focus on self discovery9. Trauma in the workplace10. Training for mental health, alcohol and other drugs workers11. Working towards a mentally healthy workplace12. Making a real difference to people living with dementia14. Partnership to help people find work

Contents15. Mates helping Mates at work17. Work helps recovery18. Helping to stop the hurt19. Managing mental health at work20. Putting meaning to work21. Workplace mental health first aid22. Thsi FIFO Life23. Bold career change makes a winner for local

community24. Getting fit and connected25. Peer support worker to study BPD26. Positively deviant workplaces28. Mental Health Week

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Welcome to this edition of Head 2 Head magazine that focuses on mental health in the workplace.

The importance of employee health and safety at work is now well accepted and understood as a legal requirement for employers. But until recently, the physical health and safety of workers was the main focus.

I am pleased there is now growing recognition of the importance of mental wellbeing at work and the impact this can have on individual and their level of productivity.

Supporting employees and promoting good mental health at work helps achieve greater morale, a positive culture and improved productivity.

The Public Sector Commission, WA’s biggest employer, has recently recognised mental health as a significant occupational health issue and issued guidelines about how to support employees.

Their recently released guidelines, Supporting good mental health in the workplace, produced jointly with the Mental Health Commission reflect a positive shift in attitudes in the workplace towards providing mental health support.

The recent beyondblue Heads Up campaign also provides resources and practical tools to help businesses and employees develop more mentally-healthy workplace practices.

It is also pleasing to note the increased interest from employers and managers in ways occupational health and safety and human resource policies and procedures can better support the mental health of workers.

Employers have legal obligations to employees with mental health problems, including ensuring equitable recruitment and appropriate support. Policies that support this should be part of an organisation’s basic infrastructure.

Now that we have the tools to help develop this, there is no longer any excuse to shirk our responsibility in creating mentally healthy workplaces.

However, while it is good this is now being more openly discussed, we still have further progress to make to ensure people overcome their reluctance to disclose mental health problems at work because of fear of stigma and possible repercussions to their job.

I invite you to read on and be inspired by the many innovative programs that have been developed across Western Australia by a wide range of businesses and organisations to promote mental wellbeing and safety among their workforce.

I also commend the many courageous people who have told their stories about how, with the right support they have realised their full potential at work, while managing and recovering from mental illness.

While much is said about the negative effects of poor mental health at work, we need to be reminded of the positive effects that meaningful employment has on recovery.

Meaningful employment has been recognised as a factor that provides people with an important sense of purpose which contributes to mental wellbeing and can assist recovery from mental illness.

Let’s strive to support that.

Foreword

Timothy Marney

Mental Health Commissioner

Recognising the importance of a mentally healthy workplace, mining giant Rio Tinto and arts organisation Disability in the Arts, Disadvantage in the Arts (DADAA) have teamed up to develop and deliver a statewide project that uses art to improve employees’ understanding of mental health.

While participating in local arts projects, resource-sector workers and their families also have the opportunity to learn and talk about mental wellbeing both in the workplace and at home.

Called FIVE, the arts initiatives throughout 2013 and 2014 were designed to engage communities in Busselton, Geraldton, Esperance and Derby.

Two highly successful projects in the major Rio Tinto fly-in-fly-out hubs of Busselton and Geraldton involved more than 7000 participants, including workers and their families, in community-wide projects.

In another FIVE project underway in Paraburdoo, the mining workforce is designing and building a large-scale permanent sculpture for the town. Working closely with public sculptor Alex Mickle, participants from the company have experimented with blast forming techniques to shape steel plates into unusual shapes that can be used in the larger artwork.

“We have welcomed the idea of an artist working directly with our workforce to create something that is about community,” said Paraburdoo general manager Scott Wilkinson.

“The artistic focus provides a relaxed environment where employees can have a laugh while using their skills towards a shared outcome that will leave a legacy for the town.”

FIVE Busselton: Community digital portraits developed by artist Craig Walsh in collaboration with the Busselton

community around the theme of ‘belonging’.


Art meets mining in a novel approach to workforce wellbeingAn innovative partnership between Disability in the Arts, Disadvantage in the Arts and Rio Tinto is using art to address the stigma of mental health in regional communities – with an eye on Western Australia’s regional workforce.

DADAA executive director David Doyle said talking about mental health was crucial to breaking down stigma and promoting self-advocacy about wellbeing.

“FIVE’s whole-of-community projects create opportunities for conversations about challenging issues to take place. Done effectively, this kind of engagement can make a huge contribution to a community’s overall resilience,” Mr Doyle said.

The success of the DADAA project has resulted in a first-of-its-kind Memorandum of Understanding between Rio Tinto and the Mental Health Commission (that provides funding to DADAA) outlining a commitment for the two organisations to collaborate in addressing employee mental health in the resources sector.

For more information on FIVE visit: www.five.org.au

The training builds on the capacity of workers to respond more effectively to the use of alcohol and other drugs in Aboriginal communities and supports those with mental health and co-occurring problems.

Using established, evidence-based approaches and resources designed to work with Aboriginal people in a culturally secure way, the training builds on the Certificate III Community Services training also offered by the Drug and Alchohol office (DAO).

Aboriginal Alcohol and Otehr Drug (AOD) Program acting manager Billie Webb said as a registered training organisation DAO had been providing nationally recognised Aboriginal AOD worker training in Western Australia since 2002.

“DAO is considered a leader in the delivery of culturally relevant AOD training, and it’s great to be able to offer another level of qualification for people working in this rewarding field.”

Building cultural capacityThe Drug and Alcohol Office launched a new Certificate IV qualification, in alcohol and other drugs in April that is open to Aboriginal workers in the field.

Kate James, an Aboriginal Diversion worker at Palmerston, completed the Certificate III in 2008 and is now a participant in the new Certificate IV program.

“I’ve been working at Palmerston for seven years and they see the benefit of up-skilling staff,” Kate said.

“I have a good working relationship with an Aboriginal mental health worker here in Rockingham and I look forward to learning more about supporting clients with mental health and co-occurring disorders.”

FIVE Paraburdoo: Artist Alex Mickle, left reviews the shapes created during trial blasts at the Rio

Tinto mine site in Paraburdoo; that will be used in the large public sculpture being built for the town.

Upskilling: Kate James.



Combining drumming with social and emotional learning has been shown to improve the mental health of prisoners.

Holyoake’s drumming program helps prisoners develop better emotional and social skills and self-worth, a nine-month study has found.

Researchers from UWA’s School of Population Health recently completed the evaluation of the DRUMBEAT (Discovering Relationships Using Music – Beliefs, Emotions, Attitudes and Thoughts) program run in seven WA prisons – Acacia, Bandyup, Boronia, Bunbury, Casuarina, Karnet and Wooroloo. Aboriginal prisoners made up more than half of the program participants.

Led by Associate Professor Lisa Wood and Assistant Professor Karen Martin, the study found prisoners had significantly higher average mental wellbeing for three months after the DRUMBEAT program.

There was a positive impact on prisoners’ emotions and emotional regulation including anger management, capacity to talk with others, social skills and self-worth. Prisoners also reported they felt more included in a group, connected with a community better able to build relationships.

In a follow-up survey of 114 prisoners who took part in DRUMBEAT sessions more than 90 per cent said it helped them work through problems more easily, better understand the skills needed for good relationships and feel good about themselves.

DRUMBEAT builds on the therapeutic value of music and incorporates themes, discussions and drumming analogies relating to, self-expression, communication,

emotions and feelings, self-worth, problem solving, confidence and teamwork.

Associate Professor Wood said the combination of drumming activities with discussion and self-reflection on various themes worked well, and prisoners described the therapeutic components as less confronting than traditional counselling.

“For example, prisoners learn to play a new rhythm and then discuss what happens in life if you get out of harmony with others or if teamwork breaks down,” she said.

“In another session, they learn about the need to listen for the central beat when drumming as a group and apply it to the importance of having core values and a sense of purpose and rhythm in their own lives.

“The integration of drumming with cognitive behaviour therapy is a really innovative way to improve mental health in prison settings, and the scale of this trial and its evaluation is an international first.

“These findings are of national importance given the high rates of Aboriginal people in custody and the higher prevalence of mental health conditions for Aboriginal people in prison where their incarceration can compound the experiences of trauma, grief and loss.”

Assistant Professor Karen Martin said prison staff reported DRUMBEAT had a calming effect on prisoners, with those taking part becoming more tolerant of others.

The study was funded by the Mental Health Commission (WA) and The Federal Department of Health as part of the “Closing the Gap” initiative.

DRUMBEAT: Prisoners in the program find the beat.

Drumming program helps prisoners


beyondblue, together with the Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance, has launched an Australian-first campaign, Heads Up, to encourage the nation’s business leaders to take action on mental health.The campaign comes as a Price Waterhouse Coopers report released last month shows Australian businesses receive an average return of $2.30 for every $1 they invest in effective workplace mental health strategies.

The research, which looked at the impact of employees’ mental health conditions on productivity, participation and compensation claims, also found these conditions cost Australian employers at least $10.9 billion a year.

The report, along with other research released throughout the campaign focusing on the attitudes of business leaders and employees, provides a compelling case for businesses to back Heads Up.

The campaign’s centrepiece is a website where business leaders can find out why they could be losing money if they are not investing in employees’ mental health. They can also sign up for practical advice about how to have a mentally healthy workplace.

An Action Plan is available on the site to allow businesses to create tailor-made mental health plans, based on their priority areas. The Action Plan is accompanied by a suite of practical tools and resources.

beyondblue Chairman The Hon. Jeff Kennett AC said employers had a responsibility not only to their workers, but also to their businesses’ profitability, to tackle people’s mental health conditions in the workplace.

“One in five Australians are experiencing mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety right now, but sadly too many workplaces still do not realise the importance of their employees’ mental health,” he said.

“Heads Up will provide them with ways to implement policies and actions to help ensure that Australia’s 11.5 million workers receive the support they need to be mentally healthy and productive at work.”

Since the launch of the campaign in late May, more than 92,000 people have viewed the Heads Up website, more than 4,700 people have registered on the site and over 800 businesses have taken the first step in developing a Heads Up Action Plan to improve mental health in their workplace.

For further information visit the Heads Up website at www.headsup.org.au.

Compassion in the workplaceWith most Australian adults spending about one third of their waking hours at work, it stands to reason that the topic of suicide will impact on our working lives in some way or another.

Whether it is the loss of a colleague, a family member of a colleague or someone associated with our workplace, the devastation caused by suicide is far reaching and deeply felt.

While there is no detailed and independent costing available on suicide in Australia, an estimate produced by Mendoza and Rosenburg in 2010 proposed a plausible estimate to the Australian economy of $17.5 billion per year. The financial impact of work-related stress is also estimated to cost the economy about $14.81 billion per year.

In addition to the economic impact, suicide leaves the bereaved deeply scarred and at greater risk of suicide themselves.

In recognition of the role that the workplace can play in promoting mental wellbeing, the Western Australian Suicide Prevention Strategy - OneLife - has established a Partnership, which brings together businesses, government, non government and the wider community to effectively address suicide.

Under the program, agencies that sign up as Pledge Partners receive free access to a wide range of resources including free staff training programs on developing

suicide prevention awareness, support, advice and planning sessions.

Since its inception in 2012, the program has signed up 244 agencies and trained more than 500 people in suicide prevention awareness.

One organisation that has utilised the opportunities provided by signing up as a Pledge Partner is the Western Australian Football Commission (WAFC).

According to Mental Health Commissioner, Timothy Marney, the work done by the WAFC towards suicide prevention has been exemplary.

“The WAFC has been a pledge partner for three years now,” Mr Marney said.

“Their executive partnership program has seen the expansion of our Pledge Partnership program into many other organisations due to the fact that so many people involved with football also hold senior positions in business and Government around Western Australia.”

WAFC General Manager (Corporate Relations) Graeme Dix said becoming a pledge partner with the OneLife suicide prevention strategy was an easy, quick and very beneficial process.

Footie Mates: Chair of the Ministerial Council for Suicide Prevention, Peter Fitzpartick with representatives from the Western Australian Football league.


Independent Quality EvaluationsThe Mental Health Commission (MHC) has trialled an evaluation process with six organisations to ensure services continuously improve the way they meet the needs of people with mental illness, their families and carers.

The evaluations focused on how an organisation was supporting people to meet their individual goals and meeting the National Standards for Mental Health Services.

Piloted from March to June 2014, the process involved two independent evaluators with at least one of them being a person with a lived experience of mental illness or a family member or carer.

Evaluators assessed the organisation by seeking evidence of the quality of the services provided through:

• direct feedback from individuals, family members, carers and other stakeholders;

• observing services in operation;

• meeting with Board members, management and staff; and

• reviewing documentation, systems and management processes.

A key component of Quality Evaluation is identifying the satisfaction people, families and carers have experienced accessing the support provided, including their perception and confidence in how the organisation is meeting their needs.

Having an independent team of evaluators look at an organisation’s services and speak to the people accessing them in a confidential manner can provide the opportunity for continuous improvement that otherwise may not be identified.

In June 2014, workshops were held with the organisations and the evaluators involved in the pilot to review the process. All feedback will help the MHC to refine the Quality Evaluation process before it is implemented across all organisations from late 2014.

Community managed organisations providing direct care services purchased by the MHC will undergo a Quality Evaluation once every three years.

Organisations will also continue to complete an annual self assessment to complement the evaluation process, including a continuous improvement plan that they will update and revise annually.

It is the Commission’s intention to support the sector’s workforce by providing training and any other initiatives that might be identified through these evaluation processes.

For more information about the Commission’s quality evaluation processes please contact Louise Cefalo on 6272 1273 or email [email protected] .

“We here at the West Australian Football Commission have been involved with OneLife for over three years, and during this time we have used the free resources that OneLife provide to reach all of our employees and a large number of our volunteers,” he said.

“The WAFC and OneLife have a strong relationship and it has been a great benefit for our organisation.

“We strongly urge other agencies to get on board with OneLife and make suicide prevention everybody’s business.”

For further information on OneLife visit www.onelifewa.com.au


Exploring identity: Deadly Sista Girlz workshop.

The David Wirrapanda Foundation’s Deadly Sista Girlz Program engages, inspires and empowers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls between the ages of eight and 17 years.

Deadly Sista Girlz is delivered by strong Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander role models and mentors who aim to connect with the girls as a friend, confidant and a mentor, encouraging them to develop their skills, personally and socially, to become role models in their communities.

The program offers girls a stable environment in which they can discuss current and personal issues they might be facing and allows the girls to trust and receive guidance in a safe environment.

The program supports young Aboriginal girls to develop mentally healthy lifestyles, addressing issues such as mental health, family violence, sexual health and bullying.

Each girl has the opportunity to be mentored throughout the program and to develop confidence and resilience so that they believe in themselves and their ability to achieve success.

Recently, Stacey Mourish and Kirby Bentley of Deadly Sista Girlz worked with girls at Gilmore College in Perth’s southern suburbs, focusing on self-discovery by creating identity cards which best represented who they were and what they wanted for the future.

In the identity sessions, the girls worked on positive attitudes, interests and values related to other people and themselves. Each session started with having a yarn and catching up with their mentors over a healthy morning tea.

Deadly Sista Girlz mentor Kirby Bentley said the identity sessions were helpful because “it is very important to know who you are and what you are about and want in life.”

She said the girls enjoyed coming to the program because it was a comfortable environment and they enjoyed meeting mentors and participating in new

Throughout Western Australia, young people are exploring what identity means for them now and what it means for their future.

activities each week. Mentors remained available to be contacted 24/7, not just during school hours.

“We like to get the girls to make the identity cards at the beginning of the program and then towards the end see if they have found a new appreciation of their values in life and if their dreams or aspirations had evolved.

Kirby said she hoped the program helped the girls gain respect for their mentors, for each other and importantly, for themselves.

“As a group they have grown to respect each other even if they aren’t friends, which is a huge improvement to their personal development,” she said.

“In previous months they would often give attitude or start arguments but now they are all civil towards each other and attend the program with the common goal of participating in the activities.”

This program is supported by the Water Corporation and the Mental Health Commission who have jointly allocated $80,000 over two years to support the ‘Deadly Sista Girlz’ initiative.

For further information on the David Wirrapanda Foundation visit www.dwf.org.au.

Girlz focus on self discovery


Trauma in the workplaceWorkplace trauma can have serious effects. Occupational stress expert David Lee looks at how stress and trauma at work can be avoided.

The experience of being psychologically overwhelmed by trauma at work can render a person incapable of coping intellectually or emotionally, according to US-based workplace stress and safety consultant David Lee.

Mr Lee, also a speaker and author of Managing Employee Stress and Safety, says workplace trauma could cause psychological and physiological changes, alter thinking patterns, emotional responses, and even biochemistry.

He says trauma survivors frequently experience depression, anxiety, difficulty responding to new situations, rigid thinking, defensiveness, paranoia, aggressiveness, over-reactivity to mild stress and increased health problems.

This could compromise their ability to learn, think, manage change, and relate to others.

A single catastrophic event, such as violence in the workplace, or a series of less dramatic stressors could result in trauma, Mr Lee says. Stressors could include demeaning work conditions, worker/job mismatch, prejudice, unclear job expectations, impossible workloads, abusive treatment by peers or superiors, emotionally draining interactions with difficult people, and job insecurity.

Although not as cataclysmic as a major violent episode in the workplace or a natural disaster, he says these small stressors factors could chisel away at a worker’s sense of security, value and well-being.

However, Mr Lee says not all stressful events are traumatic and not all people respond to the same stressful event the same way. Factors which influence how stress affects people include the control they feel they have over the situation, the level of uncertainty and unpredictability, their sense of self-efficacy, their emotional support systems and the context in which the potentially traumatic event takes place.

To avoid, minimise and manage workplace trauma, organisations need to develop clear, open communication, especially during times of significant change. The more information workers have about what is going on, the more control they feel.

He says organisations need to invest in employee self-efficacy and resilience training and teach interpersonal skills, because much workplace stress is related to interactions between people. Helping people improve in this area could reduce a significant emotional wear and tear.

Creating a climate where it is acceptable to not always be in control and know the answer could also help reduce potentially traumatic events as could helping staff recognise the importance of a support system.

By recognising and addressing the sources and effects of trauma in their workplace, organisations could prevent its negative effects and help develop their employee’s latent creative and productive potential, Mr Lee says.

David Lee is a consultant, speaker, and author of Managing Employee Stress and Safety, as well as dozens of articles on employee performance that have been published in trade journals in the US, Europe, Asia, and Australia. For further information visit: www.humannatureatwork.com

David Lee.


The Stokes review of public mental health facilities and services in Western Australia recommended that clinicians are trained in the recognition, treatment and management of co-existing problems.

In order to do this, education and training needs to be made available to all mental health, alcohol and other drug workers in government and community managed agencies to ensure ongoing quality of client care and management.

“We need to ensure we are improving and sustaining practices that are evidence-based,” said Sue Helfgott, Manager of the Drug and Alcohol Office’s Workforce Development Branch.

“There are enormous challenges into the future for both the alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sector and mental health sector to develop a greater awareness and responsiveness to multiple morbidities, particularly in the context of an ageing population,” Ms Helfgott said.

She said there was a greater recognition not only in the mental health and AOD sectors, but other mainstream sector organisations, of the importance of a wide variety of workers being involved in reducing harm.

“In order for mental health and AOD workers to respond more appropriately to clients with co-morbid problems, a range of workforce development programs are offered by the Drug and Alcohol Office to increase their knowledge, skills and confidence in responding to people with both mental health and AOD problems,” she said.

The Drug and Alcohol Semester 2 Training@DAO calendar offers a number of workshops to improve the quality of care provided to people with multiple morbidities.

These include:

• A practical guide to working with young people at risk of suicide

• Screening to prevent Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

• Tools of the trade: facilitating screening for AOD and MH clients

• Opening the Door: Welcoming clients with both AOD and mental health issues

• Supervision and Comorbidity

• Working with clients with AOD and complex trauma issues

With the emergence of prescription overuse and dependence, treatment of drug dependence in the context of co-occurring chronic pain conditions will also be discussed in the workshop titled, Medication used in AOD treatments.

For further information about these events and all other events offered, visit www.dao.health.wa.gov.au

Training for mental health, alcohol and other drugs workers


Working towards a mentally healthy workplaceAs the State’s biggest employer, the Western Australian public sector has a strong incentive to cultivate a mentally healthy workforce.

With benefits including increased productivity, increased employee retention and decreased absenteeism, encouraging good mental health practices makes good economic, as well as emotional sense.

Speaking at the launch of a new resource for the Western Australian public sector in June, Mental Health Commissioner Timothy Marney said it was imperative that agencies educated themselves on good mental health in the workplace to ensure greater morale and productivity among employees.

Mr Marney said the Supporting good mental health in the workplace resource recognised that a person’s workplace could play a positive role in their overall wellbeing.

“With one in five Western Australians experiencing mental health problems each year, it is highly likely that each and every one of us will be affected by poor mental health, either directly or indirectly,” he said.

“The support provided in the workplace plays an important role in an individual’s ongoing mental wellbeing, which is why it is important that employers are educated on ways to create an inclusive work environment, managing performance, training, awareness raising and inclusive recruitment.

“This new resource, which was developed by the Mental Health Commission in partnership with the Public Sector Commission, provides employers with the information they need to address these areas.

“It also outlines ways in which managers can support individuals by providing practical tips and contact details for support services and resources.”

Mr Marney said there were legal requirements for employers and employees in relation to the management of mental health problems or illness.

“While employees have a duty to take reasonable care to ensure their own safety and health at work, employers have a legal obligation in relation to the management of mental illness in the workplace,” he said.

Mr Marney said the new resource, outlined the legislative and other governing requirements that supported the recruitment and employment of people with a disability, including those with mental illness.

To view a copy of Supporting good mental health in the workplace visit www.mentalhealth.wa.gov.au.

Government of Western AustraliaMental Health Commission

A resource for agencies

Supporting good mental health in the workplace


Making a real difference to people living with dementiaArtist Althea Gordon tells us about her community arts project ‘Mind the Change’ which incorporates theatre-based self-development workshops for people living with memory loss and their carers.

The initial idea for Mind the Change emerged in 2009 when I was toying with the idea of how theatre arts could be used as a form of therapy for people living with memory loss and their carers. I had extensive experience working with children living with illness and severe disabilities, and it crossed my mind to fuse the activities with an older audience.

The six-week course was designed to encourage sensory engagement and positive interaction among participants, to help them overcome their feelings of isolation and improve their mental wellbeing by using drama, distraction and laughter therapy techniques.

Throughout the Mind the Change workshops I actively encouraged participation from those taking part by selecting activities that required a group mentality to progress and by clear demonstrations of techniques and ensuring everyone felt safe and able to contribute.

The goal for each of the workshop groups was to develop a performance that reflected the things that

were most important to them and which reflected their local identity and culture.

Having run workshops in both the Perth metropolitan area and in Albany, it was interesting to note the differences in storytelling. This was apparent in an activity where participants were asked to develop a phrase-at-a-time story. The enjoyment of the Albany group came not only from developing a story based around living off the land and rural farming, but also from the confusion caused to myself, the “city slicker”, as I had no idea what their story was about.

The workshops allowed both the participants and the carers to build confidence and strategies to tackle life’s everyday challenges with renewed confidence and enthusiasm. The strategies we practised in the workshop environment could be used in day-to-day life to overcome stressful situations and avoid unfavourable outcomes, such as feelings of defeat.


Several of the participants told me how much the workshops had continued to affect their everyday lives, outside of the hours we had spent together.

They told me they had been sharing moments and playing the games and activities we had done in the workshops with their grandchildren.

The aim of the Mind the Change project is to continue developing the workshops by touring through regional WA. Eventually I hope that a self-help guide can be published and used by fellow artists and those living and working with people living with memory loss.

Drama as therapy: Participants in Mind the Change workshops.

Do you want to make a difference in your community? Catalyst Community Arts Fund supports community arts projects that explore issues of mental health and engage those at risk of mental health issues. For more information visit www.canwa.com.au/doing/catalyst or contact CANWA on (08) 9226 2422.

CANWA manages this fund on behalf of the State of Western Australia through the Department of Culture and the Arts and is supported by the Mental Health Commission.

Partnership to help people find work

A new Individual Placement and Support (IPS) program is offering people with mental health problems early and rapid access to services to help them find employment.

Funded by the Mental Health Commission and employed through the Western Australian Association for Mental Health (WAAMH), IPS project leader Philleen Dickson, provides state-wide technical assistance and support to both the Department of Health and Disability Employment providers for this innovative program.

The program helps people find jobs that accord with their preferences, strengths and abilities, recognising that meaningful employment is an important part of the recovery process for people with a mental illness.

More than 600 people with persistent psychiatric disability are expected to participate and around 350 are expected to achieve ongoing employment, through the program over the next three years.

Initial partnerships between mental health services in Armadale, Bentley, Broome and Fremantle and employment services are offering integrated mental health and supported employment services using the IPS model.

One such partnership is between The ORS Group employment service and the MEAD and Eudoria Street

Centre Clinics, within the Armadale Mental Health Service.

“Employment is a big part of people’s recovery journey,” said Armadale Health Service community mental health rehabilitation service coordinator Jyoti Manik.

“It can reduce hospital admissions, it can reduce hospital stays, and it increases financial stability and social interactions. It adds meaning to people’s lives.”

Within the IPS guidelines, job seekers meet with an employer face-to-face within the first four weeks of referring to the IPS employment specialist.

“Once they start work, we provide them with post-placement support for the first 26 weeks, with minimum fortnightly contact,” ORS state partnership manager Marina Chalmers said.

“Once that six month mark is hit we move into ongoing support, it depends on each situation how frequent the follow ups need to be.

“If there is a relapse at nine months, for example, the person or the employer can contact ORS to help organise a solution to maintain employment.”

For further information on the IPS project contact Philleen Dickson at WAAMH on 9420 7247.

The Armadale Mental Health IPS Steering Group. From left, ORS Group IPS specialist Rosalia Dorner; Consumer Advisory Group chairperson Beverly Barndon; Armadale Mental Health Service operations manager Andrew Nesci; Armadale Mental Health Service senior social worker Barry Hughes; HORIZONS community mental health rehabilitation service coordinator Jyoti Manik; WAAMH IPS state project lead Philleen Dickson; ORS Group national marketing manager Marina Chalmers; Armadale Health Service principal occupational therapist Gail Nesci.

A new employment program is offering jobseekers’ living with mental health issues help get jobs and realise their potential.

Mates in Construction are creating a more resilient building and construction workforce.

Suicide is a major problem in the construction industry with research by the Australian Institute of Suicide Research and Prevention finding that up to one in 20 Australians on site have suicidal thoughts in a year. This research also found that construction workers are six times more likely to suicide than to die from an industrial accident, with one in five insurance death claims attributed to suicide.

In response, the MATES in Construction (MATES) charity was founded in 2008 to reduce the high level of suicide among Australian construction workers. It is owned and controlled by the Australian Building and Construction Industry.

MATES is based on the idea that “suicide is everyone’s business” and that if the building and construction industry in Australia is to improve the mental health and wellbeing of workers and reduce suicide, it cannot all be left to mental health professionals. Rather, everyone in the industry must play their part.

MATES provides a program of suicide awareness and prevention and other initiatives that support worker mental health and wellbeing.

The program aims to influence culture on site by raising awareness of the signs that a worker may be struggling with life issues. It provides access to help on site and links workers who are at risk of suicide to a network of professional help.

Rory Buckey from Broad Construction is a connector on his site and has been active in promoting the importance of mental health, often running additional events outside the MATES program to support work mates.

Broad Construction require all staff to complete the initial MATES course as part of a commitment to workplace health and safety.

Mr Buckley says the course helped him recognise if a mate was having a hard time or was struggling and helped him know who to connect them with.

He recalls a worker turning up on site one Saturday quite distressed due to family issues.

“You don’t have to be a counsellor or an advisor, you just have to listen. Listening helps take problems off peoples

shoulders” Mr Buckley said.

“I put the guy in touch with someone from MATES and after a long talk on the phone, he said he had the tools go home and manage his problems – not by shouting but by talking the truth with his wife and daughter.”

Later that day Mr Buckley got a call from the man to thank him.

“Nothing is better than hearing someone feels as though you have helped them, he said.”

“We should be under no illusion just because people look like they are having fun and like to have a beer on the weekend that they are not suffering from depression and need your help,” Mr Buckley said.

“When you see the MATES model working well on a site, such as the Broad site, it’s very fulfilling and you know that those workers are a lot safer because of it.

“It’s fantastic to see companies embracing the essence of the program - Mates looking after Mate,” said Godfrey Baronie, Western Australian chief executive of MATES.

“In Western Australia nearly 6,000 construction workers have now participated in general awareness training through MATES and over 300 Construction workers have received individual support from a MATES Case Manager.

Of these 300 workers, 64 reported thoughts of suicide.”

“MATES is improving the wellbeing of workers and is making the construction industry a safer place to work.”

Mates helping mates at work


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He recognises this was a key ingredient in his transition to wellness, along with a loving family and friends, a healthy lifestyle, good professional advice and the resources to learn and understand more about his illness.

“I’m fortunate things went right for me, I had the critical things for recovery,” Mr Ralls said.

Although at first careful about disclosing his illness, he says being honest and open with his employers has brought him the support he needs to stay well, and to sustain a senior professional position.

Such support helped him manage to regain full health after a further, brief hospital admission in 2007.

“I’ve encountered some stigma but on the whole, being upfront at pivotal times has been beneficial,” he said.

“If the attitude was not right, I’ve realised it was best not to be there.”

His recent book, Unravel: To Unwell and Back, recounting his experiences with mental illness, made wide disclosure inevitable, but liberating, Mr Ralls said.

“Letting the world know has been worthwhile. The response has been good,” he said.

But his journey back into the professional career he left when he first became unwell in the late 1990s was a long haul.

It was his mother exercising “tough love” and pushing him off the couch and out of a medication-induced lethargy that kicked-started started his re-engagement with the workforce.

“My parents thought I would never work again, and I can understand how when I was unwell a person across the desk would think ‘this guy is not recoverable’,” he said.

“But Mum was tough and pushed me, made me fight and encouraged me to do some voluntary work.”

From voluntary work at the local historical society in the small town in rural Victoria, he “eased back” into casual paid office work at a local coal mine.

It wasn’t long before the sharp contrast between this work and that of his former occupation as a civil

engineer caused frustration and further challenged his self-image – which had already taken a beating.

“When you’ve been in a psychiatric hospital and are unemployed, there’s little confidence left – it was the lowest point for me,” he said.

“Being in limbo, not knowing if I’d ever work full time again as an engineer was demoralising.”

Frustration prompted six-months of determined job applications and eventual success in obtaining engineering project work, after an interview in Melbourne with a company where he had been known and well-regarded in his student days.

“I started out not very confident, on ‘shaky legs’ but got through the probation period successfully,” he said.

Building on this start he incrementally progressed through other roles — including relocation interstate — to his current job where his responsibilities include consulting and project management within the mining industry.

Now married with a young family, Mr Ralls says staying well is an ongoing process of self-insight and monitoring his condition as well as ensuring the essential ingredients for wellness remain in place.

“I recognise some people are not as fortunate to have the supports and resources I’ve had,” he said. “As a society we need to provide that for them.”

For further information on supports available visit the service directory and/or the link to the Green Book at www.mentalhealth.wa.gov.au.

Greg Ralls.

Civil engineer Greg Ralls credits supportive employers as vital to his recovery from a schizophrenia-like psychotic disorder.

Work helps recovery

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Riding to stop the hurt

Bearded and tattooed Harley Davidson bikers ride to raise awareness about suicide prevention.

In response to the suicide deaths of a number of friends, Wagin resident Peter Van Houwelingen organised the inaugural 2 Wheels to Wagin Motorcycle Dice Ride.

The aim of the ride, that was held in March was ‘stopping the hurt’ by raising funds and awareness for suicide prevention. The ride was held in conjunction with One Life and supported by the Shire of Wagin, Rural Community Support Service and local businesses.

About 350 riders set out from Perth and made various stops along the 320 km route to the Wagin Showgrounds where a bike show was held at the conclusion of the ride.

“Suicide affects everyone and it should not be ignored. If people are in a dark spot it’s hard for them to see out of the situation, and they don’t realise the pain they will leave behind” Mr Van Houwelingen said.

He urged the crowd to ask someone having a hard time if they were ok.

“It’s a common misconception was that if you ask someone with depression if they were ok, it would make the situation worse,” he said.

“I can tell you right now, its no good wishing later that you should have said something.”

Funds raised will be used by Rural Community Support Services for both suicide prevention and support for those who have lost family, friends and colleagues through suicide.

“It is wonderful to see a group of dedicated individuals raising awareness of suicide prevention at a local level,” Rural Community Support Service, Project Coordinator, Jo Drayton said.

“Their work will add value to the community education and awareness raising that Rural Community Support Service currently offer.”

For further information on next year’s ride on 28 February 2015 visit facebook.com/2wheelstowagin. For further information about Rural Community Support Service on 9881 0790.

On the road: Wagin bike ride to promote mental health.


Identifying mental health issues in the workplace makes good business sense says WA Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Deidre Willmott.

“In addition to supporting staff, it is good business practice to identify and address mental health issues early,” Ms Willmott said.

“Being proactive and pre-emptive can reduce costs associated with worker absence and high worker turnover, improve morale and minimise the likelihood of stress and stress-related workers’ compensation claims.

“Businesses can also avoid the likelihood of litigation and fines for breaches of workplace laws, avoid the time and cost involved in discrimination claims and avoid industrial disputes.”

Among its more than 8,500 members spanning businesses and organisations across a range of industries, CCI had recognised an increase in requests for advice to manage mental health issues in the workplace, Ms Willmott said.

“In the past year, CCI’s advisers have noticed a significant increase in the number of calls from members relating to mental illness, Employee Assistance Programs, stress and workers’ compensation claims for mental illness and about mental health emergency responses,” she said.

Discussions with members had identified a few common barriers to creating more mentally healthy workplaces.

“Employers are reluctant or afraid to have a conversation with staff about mental health because of a lack of knowledge of mental health issues, lack of experience in having difficult conversations, or a lack of training on how to proceed if a condition is identified,” Ms Willmott said.

“Employers also indicated there is a common presumption that a worker’s mental illness develops external to the workplace and therefore an employer may be intruding on the privacy of their employee if they raise this.

“They have told us they are reluctant to open what is perceived to be a Pandora’s Box of complex issues.”

Considering this feedback, Ms Willmott said CCI was proud to partner with Beyondblue to help the business community better identify and address mental health issues at the workplace.

CCI could advise employers about their obligations to ill employees, and make recommendations to help them support ill employees, including flexible work arrangements, she said.

Advice about assessing people’s fitness to work and training sessions for managers to help them recognise and manage mental health issues was also available.

For further information contact CCI’s Employee Relations Advice Centre on (08) 9365 7660 or email [email protected] if you would like any further nformation or assistance.

Managing mental health at work

Hmm...what do I think of Head2Head?

Deidre Willmott.

Dr Michael F. Steger, Associate Professor in the Counselling Psychology and Applied Social Psychology programs from Colorado State University and speaker at the 2013 Happiness Roadshow looks at the concept of meaningful work.

Work is one of the fundamental experiences of human life. Yet very few of us are lucky enough to find truly fulfilling jobs.

In recent decades, as businesses have come to understand the crucial link between happiness and productivity, researchers have focused increasingly on factors such as the nature of the work itself, how well it is suited to the person, and the ways in which people can derive meaning and purpose from their work.

Finding meaning in our work may provide richer, more satisfying, and more productive employment for people—whether through their own devices or through exposure to meaning-generating leadership and participation in meaning-enhancing organisational strategies.

Meaningful work arises when we have a clear sense of self, an accurate understanding of the nature and expectations of our work environment, and understand

how to transact with the organisation we work in to accomplish our work objectives.

This comprehension of the self in work provides the foundation for us to develop a sense of purpose and mission about our work that both motivates our engagement and performance and helps transcend our own immediate interests to achieve concern for our contributions to the organisation we work in and the greater good.

Finding meaning in our work has personal and organisational benefits.

People who say their work is meaningful and/or serves some greater social or communal good report greater wellbeing, view their work as more central and important, and place higher value on work. People who feel their work serves a higher purpose also report greater job satisfaction and work unit cohesion.

For organisations, people who feel a strong sense of personal and organisational purpose have greater work motivation, employ more effort, spend more time working, demonstrate greater investment in motivating and mentoring others, and serve as good ambassadors for their organisation. This should result in increased morale, lower turnover, greater productivity, increased organisational citizenship behaviour, and higher performance.

Managerial practices that demonstrably increase commitment and performance may create an environment at work in which people experience enhanced meaningfulness.

Such practices include enhancing employment security via mutual commitment between the organisation and the person; recruiting and selecting staff on the basis of fit to the organisation as well as abilities and experience; investing in training people and assisting their skill development; delegating responsibility for decisions to staff, often in self-managed

Putting meaning to work Hmm...what do I think of Head2Head?

Michael Steger.


Workplace Mental Health First AidWould you know what to do if a friend is having a panic attack for the first time, or a workmate who has been very depressed expresses thoughts of suicide?

Given one in five Australian adults will suffer from a common mental health problem in any year, it is not uncommon for problems to emerge at work or for colleagues to have family members with mental illness.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an evidence-based program that teaches people to recognise symptoms and how to guide someone needing help in an appropriate direction.

By increasing mental health literacy, MHFA training increases the possibility of early recognition of a developing mental health problem, which might prevent escalation to a crisis in the future.

The training identifies the signs, symptoms and behaviours associated with developing mental health problems or those in a mental health crisis and how these might affect a person’s ability to do their work.

It also teaches first aiders how to approach a person experiencing difficulties which many people find challenging because they are frightened they might do or say the wrong thing.

As well as providing support for people experiencing emotional and mental health difficulties, an improved understanding of mental health problems in the workplace helps decrease stigma and encourages people to seek early help.

With many people spending long hours at work and reporting associated stress and anxiety, it makes good sense to provide the support and information in the workplace to help people do their job, remain productive and feel valued.

From an employer’s perspective mental illness can have a significant effect on productivity, costing more than six million working days in absenteeism and an estimated 12 million days in reduced productivity each year in Australia.

For further information on where to access MHFA training visit www.mhfa.com.au

teams; implementing a reward structure that connects individual rewards to group and organisational performance as well as individual performance; and openly communicating and sharing information broadly with staff within an organisation.

Of course, management practices themselves are likely not sufficient if they are not seen to be people focused but rather management focused. For this reason, organisations that clearly communicate how staff activity and organisational purpose connects to a greater social good, that create an environment that

promotes psychological safety and wellbeing, and that implement their policies with integrity can be expected to see a greater number of staff ‘‘buying in’’ to their vision.

When this happens, positive results can be expected to follow for the individual, the organisation, and the broader society. Monday will be looked forward to as much as Friday currently is.

For further information visit: michaelfsteger.com

This FIFO LifeThis FIFO Life project supports the health and wellbeing of FIFO workers and their families.

Fly-In, Fly-Out (FIFO) workers are the backbone of the mining and resource industry in Western Australia, the current powerhouse of our economy.

These workers, who live in all parts of Western Australia, the eastern states and even overseas, generally fly to and from their workplaces in their own time.

Their unconventional work style can also present challenges.

Fatigue from long shifts, varying rosters and as a result of travelling to and from work is a significant challenge that many face. Some workers do two, three or four week stretches at a time before enjoying time at home.

Recent developments in the resource industry have also added new challenges for some FIFO workers. As the resource industries have shifted from the construction phase to the production phase, many FIFO workers face redundancy. The increasing use of driverless trucks and trains also means fewer workers will be required in these roles on sites.

The stereotype of FIFO workers is often negative and patronising: macho, tough, big spenders living a life of

excess. They are often also painted as having problems with relationships and parenting.

However, this FIFO Life project funded by the Mental Health Commission and supported by the Mental Illness Fellowship of WA (MIFWA) has challenged these stereotypes, by highlighting the strength and resilience of the majority of FIFO workers and their families.

Since 2012 social workers and project coordinators Julie Loveny and Sue Crock have spent time on mining, oil and gas sites in Western Australia where they have provided counselling and trauma support. They know first-hand the challenges faced by FIFO workers.

Challenges identified by workers included being away from home for long periods at a time, missing special events with family and friends, working long hours, the demands of heavy work in remote places and extreme heat, the time spent travelling to and from work and unreliable or limited internet and phone connections in some remote areas of Western Australia.

This FIFO Life highlights the ways in which FIFO workers and their families positively adjust and adapt to the lifestyle where one (or both) partners work away. It

Winner: Becky Grame receiving her award with award sponsor Mike Allen of Yanchep beach Joint venture.


Bold career change makes a winner for local communityBecky Grame is the West Coast Institute’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year.

The 49-year-old mother of three from Clarkson received the award for her drive to tackle life’s challenges and her motivation to make a positive difference to the lives of those around her.

“In my younger years, I went through many difficult situations and struggled to find help. Now I want to make sure that help is readily available to anyone who needs it,” Ms Grame said.

While working full-time as a cook at a hotel; she made the bold decision to pursue a career that would enable her to follow her passion for helping people in need.

She enrolled in a Certificate III in Community Services Work at the West Coast Institute.

Loving the confidence and knowledge she gained from this study, she continued her learning journey by completing further qualifications in mental health and youth work.

“To be recognised for my efforts is a great feeling, and to be acknowledged for what I have achieved so far just reiterates to me that I have found my calling,” Ms Grame said.

“If I can provide life changing support to just one person, that would be amazing.”

Community services lecturer Dana Anderson congratulated Ms Grame on her outstanding achievement.

“Becky was a great student to have in the classroom, she’s very ambitious and hard working and she always maximised every learning opportunity that came her way,” Ms Anderson said.

Once qualified, Becky hopes to gain employment within an organisation that helps victims of domestic violence.

recognises the resilience of FIFO workers and their families and will enable the sharing of strategies that support mental health and wellbeing.

These included effective ways to keep in touch and share their lives when apart, planning their time at home together to make the most of it, developing interests that can be maintained on site as well as at home and joining groups and sporting clubs that accommodate the FIFO work pattern.

This FIFO Life consists of a website with videos of FIFO workers and partners, information, blogs and resources as well as a guide for where to get help and support. It is a valuable resource for FIFO workers and their families, those considering FIFO work and for those who provide services for FIFO workers and families, such as staff in childcare centres, schools and health services.

For further information on This FIFO Life contact Sue Crock at [email protected] or Julie Loveny at [email protected]

The aim of the program is to increase mainstream sport and active recreation opportunities for people who have a lived experience of mental illness, focusing on the importance of physical activity and community connectedness in their recovery process.

Inclusion WA works with service providers and community sport and recreation groups, to upskill them on the principles and application of inclusive practices, as well as helping them support people to become more socially active.

Working in partnership with the Richmond Fellowship of WA, Perth Home Care Services and Ruah Community Services, Inclusion WA has had many successes in just under two years.

One such story is that of Kate, who Inclusion WA met this year through Ruah Community Services.

Kate is a friendly and caring woman, but was feeling increasingly isolated from her local community. She had extremely low self-esteem and as a result, hardly left her home and was very inactive.

The Inclusion WA program encouraged Kate to set two key goals that would help her re-engage with her community and build up her self-confidence; to increase her daily physical activity levels and to join a local community group.

Over the course of the year, Kate and her mental health community worker from Ruah began walking together to increase her base level of fitness. While this was occurring, Inclusion WA developed a localised community directory of available community groups Kate could join.

Walking improved Kate’s fitness and gave her the confidence she needed to get out and meet new people.

After looking in the community directory, Kate found a local animal shelter where she decided she would like to volunteer.

The shelter was more than happy to have Kate’s help, and she was enthusiastically taken on as a volunteer. Kate’s main role was to exercise the dogs, a role which she enjoyed, and was confident to do, due to the daily walking that she had done prior to joining the shelter.

Kate now attends the animal shelter every week and exercises daily. Her self-esteem has improved dramatically, as has her physical fitness. As a result of her new found confidence Kate is also now volunteering at her local op shop and hopes to find paid employment in the near future.

If you would like to know more about the work Inclusion WA are involved in contact 9201 8900, www.inclusionwa.org.au/communities or email [email protected]

Getting fit and connectedInclusion WA’s ActiveSmart Mental Health and Wellbeing Program has had some incredible successes in just two years.

Getting involved: Inclusion WA volunteers.


Sonia Neale.

Perth mental health peer support worker Sonia Neale will use her SANE Australia Hocking Fellowship to travel to America, Canada, Ireland and the UK to research best practice and support for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).

Mrs Neale, who has personal experience of the condition, will visit leading mental health experts at the University of Washington, the University of Massachusetts, the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder, and the Peer-to-Peer and Connection services run by the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI).

Chosen from more than 70 applications for the inaugural fellowship, Mrs Neale will work with SANE Australia to improve understanding and support for those affected by BPD by developing information resources and services, including involvement in SANE’s new online peer-support forums being launched later this year.

“My work will focus on establishing best-practice initiatives, new services to support people, destigmatising BPD, as well as debunking age-old myths and stereotypes of what people living with BPD look and behave like,” Mrs Neale said.

“Australia has some great general and illness-specific mental health services that help many people achieve recovery, but there appears to be a scarcity of support and resources dedicated to people suffering from BPD who make up around two to six per cent of the population.”

“Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a disorder of emotional dysregulation that can include inappropriate anger responses, poor impulse control and can involve relationship difficulties, rejection and abandonment issues, paranoia, dissociation, self-harm and suicide ideation. Internationally, it is estimated between two to

six per cent of the population have BPD, with 10 per cent completing suicide. “

She said no two BPD presentations were alike.

“Some people are low functioning or ‘act out’. Others do not present any outward signs but with enough stress and pressure their internal thought processes and sense of self and the world could fragment and disintegrate without any external actions or behaviour.

“Other people with a BPD diagnosis find it difficult to function outside a hospital setting; and then there are others who are in-between.”

Mrs Neale said BPD could be perceived as an untreatable, incurable and unrecoverable disorder but with the right support, programmes and treatment, it was possible to recover and live a highly productive, creative and enjoyable life.

The Hocking Fellowship celebrates the contribution of Barbara Hocking OAM, Executive Director of SANE Australia from 1995 to 2012. It aims to promote better mental health of Australians through advancing the public understanding of mental illness, of how treatment and support can be improved, and how all those affected, including family and friends, can be empowered to help themselves.

Sonia Neale has received SANE Australia’s inaugural Barbara Hocking Fellowship to improve awareness and services for Borderline Personality Disorder.

Peer support worker to study Borderline Personality Disorder


Positively deviant workplacesA positive workplace culture cultivates greater employee satisfaction, contributes to higher performance and improved outcomes and service excellence – so how do we do this?

Organisations need to work towards becoming positively deviant – that is, to deviate from the norm in a positive way, says psychologist Dr Suzy Green.

Presenting at the Happiness Roadshow held in Perth last year, Dr Green said the use of positive psychology techniques in the workplace could help create a more positive and productive environment and higher levels of achievement and staff wellbeing.

Dr Green, a Sydney-based clinical and coaching psychologist is founder of The Positivity Institute which focuses on the importance of creating a positive workplace culture that supports positive employee experiences and positive emotional responses.

Workplaces can assess their ‘culture’ through a survey or audit, through detailed exit interviews or by using an independent observer, she said.

“This helps employers understand assumptions that might be shared by staff about the types of behaviours ‘expected’ and ‘accepted’ in the workplace by both management and co-workers,” Dr Green said.

“People’s beliefs about expected and accepted behaviours will be reinforced by what other people tell them has happened previously; the way people communicate with each other, both verbally and non-

verbally; and by what they observe about ‘how it’s done around here’.”

Dr Green busted myths that positive psychology is about being happy all the time and only about peak performance at an individual level.

“Positive psychology is about identifying what makes people flourish and live their best life – at home, at work and within the community,” she said.

“It is about enabling people to experience the full range of emotions, albeit experiencing more positive than negative emotions on average, and to develop resilience and a strong sense of well-being that allows them to be their best self and contribute freely to their workplace and their community.

“This also includes creating a work schedule that does not lead to emotional and physical distress.”

Positive emotions had numerous benefits in workplaces including:

• broader mindsets – influencing creativity and innovation

• improved immune functioning – influencing absenteeism and productivity

Five tips for creating a positive workplace culture:• Practice thankfulness - feeling appreciated helps people feel satisfied at work

• Exercise time - encourage stretch breaks, lunchtime walks.

• Embrace creativity - give employees time, space and silence to form and articulate ideas.

• Use of mentoring and coaching - a person who feels their employer has invested in their development and actually cares about their progress is usually more productive and are more likely to remain, than one who feels like another cog in the wheel.

• Engage a positive psychology professional.

• Source: Dr Suzy Green


• increased goal attainment, energy and productivity

• positive workplace relationships which create positive emotional climates

Staff workshops on the key principles of positive psychology could help people of all management levels to increase their levels of positive emotions, engagement, positive relationships, meaning and accomplishment, Dr Green said.

She suggests workplaces consider broadening their coaching offerings to all staff as part of a proactive mental health approach, rather than just offering reactive employee assistance counselling.

For further information about positive psychology workshops visit: www.thepositivityinstitute.com.au.

Dr Suzy Green.

If the nature of work is properly appreciated and applied, it will stand in the same relation to the higher faculties as food is to the physical body. It nourishes and enlivens the higher man and urges him to produce the best he is capable of. It directs his free will along the proper course and disciplines the animal in him into progressive channels. It furnishes an excellent background for man to display his scale of values and develop his personality. J C Kumarappa


Mental Health Week - 4 to 10 OctoberA big week of events and community education is planned to mark Mental Health Week this year.

The Western Australian Association for Mental Health (WAAMH) has planned a massive week of events and community education to encourage people to take action to improve their mental wellbeing. Mental Health Week is a national event and always falls around World Mental Health Day on October 10. In Western Australai, Mental Health Week will run from October 4 – 10.

“Our Opening Ceremony this year promises to be bigger and better than ever,” WAAMH executive director Rod Astbury said.

“As the opening event and with the support of the Mental Health Commission, Lotterywest and the City of Stirling, WAAMH is hosting a free community concert at the beach, with a great line up of music to get people moving. Our theme this year is Make a Move Towards Better Mental Health and we are reminding people to get outdoors, get in touch with their community, get active and most importantly, move their attitudes towards mental health and wellbeing.”

The Opening Ceremony is the flagship event of Mental Health Week and is being held on Sunday, October 5 from 3pm to 7pm at Scarborough beach Amphitheatre. The concert will be MC’d by Western Australia’s Mental Health Week 2014 Ambassador Amy Coombe.

“We are very much looking forward to Amy being the face and voice of Mental Health Week this year, “ Mr Astbury said. “Amy is energetic and engaging and donated a lot of her time during last year’s event to ensure its success. Amy is able to connect with a wide range of audiences, from schools children, to youth and adults alike. She is a great speaker and her positive attitude towards talking about mental health, hope and recovery embodies all the objectives of this national Mental Health Week awareness and promotion campaign.

The Make a Move beach concert will provide a youth-focused, family friendly atmosphere featuring relaxing tunes, a chilled out coastal vibe, sport displays and stacks of mental health resources.

After the launch, a range of community and workplace-based Mental Health Week events and activities will be held throughout the rest of the week. To stay up to date with what’s happening near you is to visit: mhw.waaamh.org.au

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, the best place to start is your local GP or call after hours GP Helpline on 1800 022 222.

A range of other mental health professionals can also help. For a list of community managed mental health, drug and alcohol services: visit www.greenbook.org.au.

If you feel someone is at risk of harm or in an emergency call 000.

For mental health emergency assessment, support and referral callMental Health Emergency Response Line (MHERL)

MHERL metro - 1300 555 788 MHERL Peel - 1800 676 822 RuralLink - 1800 552 002

Alternatively, go to your nearest public hospital emergency department.

If you need someone to talk to contact:

Crisis Care Helpline - 1800 199 008 Kids Help Line - 1800 551 800 Lifeline - 13 11 14 or online chat at www.lifeline.org.au Suicide Call Back Service - 1300 659 467 Youthbeyondblue 1300 224 636 Men’s Line Australia - 1300 789 978 Samaritans Crisis Line - 135 247, Youth Line - 1800 198 313 headspace - www.headspace.org.au Reach Out - au.reachout.com Youth Focus - www.youthfocus.com.au

For a detailed list of mental health services and supports visit theMental Health Commission’s website at

Getting

www.mentalhealth.wa.gov.au

Government of Western AustraliaMental Health Commission

help

Head2Head- Autumn 2014

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Transcript of Head2Head- Autumn 2014