Culturally sensitive mental health awareness initiatives are necessary to address these differences and ensure that care is accessible and acceptable to people from all backgrounds. This article provides an in-depth exploration of mental health awareness, covering its importance, the challenges, and the steps we can take to create a more supportive and inclusive society. Understanding the importance of mental health awareness can help individuals, families, and communities better support one another and promote well-being for all. Reducing workplace discrimination through awareness, training, and engagement with people living with mental health conditions creates healthier, more inclusive work environments. Some groups, including health and other frontline workers, students, people living alone, and those with pre-existing mental health conditions, have been particularly affected. Nature Kindy – inspired from some Scandinavian preschools that are held almost entirely outside – was her solution to getting Kiwi kids back into nature to learn, grow, have fun and form healthy habits for a lifetime of wellbeing.
- Mental Health Awareness Month creates a time and space to start a conversation.
- When Catie Nettlingham was diagnosed with bipolar disorder not long into her university studies, life as she knew it completely changed.
- "They got to explore more of Aotearoa, see snow-capped mountains and go on the Interislander. It’s all about showing them there is air to breathe and land to look at, while doing their bit for the planet," says Mina.
- We’re moving through very uncertain times and we need to be able to still support families, as well as keep looking and moving forward.”
Care for the land and you will be cared for
“Whereas for me, I’d had these massive experiences when I was younger, so it made perfect sense that I wouldn’t be behaving typically, or feeling so great. I’ve had to learn to love those components of myself, because they are the things that allow me to be alive, to be creative and to survive the first 21 years of my life.” She is now passionate about passing on the message that living with mental distress can be something to work with, rather than work against. Turning those experiences into something that no longer defines her has been Hannah’s life work for the past 20 years.
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It’s a spiritual connection to signify that my tupuna are https://anchor.fm/s/7cef2f50/podcast/rss looking after me, and a resilience I carry with me, knowing that whatever situation I get into, I know they’re looking after me.” “It grounds me and gives me the energy to continue to work in an environment that’s a bit of a concrete jungle.” “Bringing a kōhatu or stone is bringing life force or energy into a workplace,” says Mental Health Foundation Māori development manager Ellen Norman. “When our kaimahi engage in our programmes they are able to see our values in action and understand their reciprocal benefits within the workplace whānau. Most importantly, it allows me to take a step back from the complexity at hand and take a more strategic outlook on things,” Mr Vargis says.
The establishment opened its doors in February 2021 and is currently occupied by thirty-six people, some of whom may occasionally access wellbeing support services. Situa had wanted to find a mentor there, and not only did she meet a mentor, but also an entire community of supportive women pushing each other to grow and achieve their goals. Everyone says your wedding day is supposed to be the happiest day of your life, and a couple of months later I realised it wasn’t, and it was because of how I felt about myself. I have seen how mindfulness practices like ‘hā’, the breath, can support people in ‘te mura o te ahi’, the centre of the fire. I've chatted with people I've helped, and it's been really rewarding to hear how my support has brightened their lives.
World Mental Health Day 2023 "Let’s talk about mental health"
Tauira/students and kaiako/teachers at the North Hokianga kura have joined forces to plan their first MHAW activities, which are aligned with Te Whare Tapa Whā and the Five Ways to Wellbeing. “MHAW helps students feel comfortable to come forward for help early, and this is really important.” Maggie says taking part in MHAW helps spark conversation about wellbeing between students and normalises the conversation. “With exams coming up, we’ve decided to run MHAW on one day rather than the full week. They can also attach post-it notes on the billboard explaining what has made them feel good in the last month.
