The National Mental Health Commission will bring its Making Connections for Your Mental Health and Wellbeing program (Connections2022) to the City of Casey on Saturday 23 July.
Connections2022 is an outreach program of the Commission that seeks to connect with people where they live, learn and work across diverse Australian communities in every State and Territory.
Connections2022 will help the Commission deepen its understanding of the current status of our national systems and provide it with critical insights as it develops a National Outcomes Framework.
The Commission wants to hear from everyone, and Connections2022 will provide a platform for all to share. This will include listening to people’s everyday experiences of the mental health and suicide prevention systems and discussing what improvements look and feel like for them.
Commission co-chair Lucy Brogden AM said Connections2022 is an important connecting point for people to contribute their personal experiences.
“The program reaches beyond the key national data points such as those reported in the 2021 National Census, where mental illness was identified as Australia’s highest experience of chronic illness, to provide opportunities for everyone to share their life experiences in the context of their community,” Ms Brogdon said
“People’s experiences are vital when seeking to understand what is and isn’t working.
“These experiences will help shape the outcomes we are all looking for in our unwavering pursuit of a mentally healthier Australia.”
In addition to in-person community meetings, Connections2022 will also include meetings with sector and community leaders and a series of special focus webinars.
The Connections2022 program will connect with all people and include a particular focus on the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to ensure a deeper understanding of their experience of the mental health and suicide prevention systems.
“Recognising the diversity of experience as much as the common grounds for remote and metropolitan communities will be critical to informing how improvements can be measured,” added Commission co-chair, Professor Ngiare Brown.
The full program can be found at making-connections.com.au, call toll free: 1800 220 246 or email community@making-connections.com.au
To attend the community event in the City of Casey on 23 July, register at making-connections-cityofcasey.eventbrite.com.au
