By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
JESS White would love if every week was Mental Health Week.
As the director of Kane’s Crusade – a depression support and awareness group specialising in, but not restricted to, helping young men – Jess, from Berwick, has always been a strong advocate for the importance of mental well-being.
And while she tries to push the message at every chance she gets, Jess said Mental Health Week, which was running now from Sunday 4 to Saturday 10 October, and the ABC’s coverage of the initiative, was a project that everyone should get behind.
One in four young Australians, aged 16 to 24, have currently experienced a mental health disorder.
“It’s important, I would love to have more than one week’s focus,” she told Star News this week.
“And with the spotlight it has through the ABC doing its ‘Mental As’ programming, this week has become a week to celebrate mental health.
“To feel inclusiveness, support and appreciation that this happens in everyday life.
“I think it’s vital.”
Kane’s Crusade was set up in August 2014 and since then has amassed close to 6000 likes on Facebook.
Earlier this year, Star News reported on how the group had launched a petition they hoped to deliver to State Parliament, calling for new laws to be promulgated in Victoria which would make it mandatory for all secondary school teachers to undertake Applied Suicide Intervention Skill Training (ASIST).
With more than 1000 people responding to the petition call out, Jess is currently getting the numbers together and plans to soon approach her local MPs to table the petition in parliament.
Jess, who is trained in ASIST, is also pushing feverishly to set up an ALIVE centre in the City of Casey – a facility specifically for people suffering from depression where they could get medical treatment, physiotherapy, alternative medicines and counselling all under one roof.
For more information on Kane’s Crusade, visit https://www.facebook.com/Kanescrusade, or www.kanescrusade.net.
Those in need of immediate assistance can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
