Mental Health Week: Mental health starts with our children

Coordinated by the Western Australian Association for Mental Health, with support from the WA Mental Health Commission, Mental Health Week provides a prime opportunity to address and highlight the important connection between social determinants and mental health; and promote effective prevention strategies to keep people mentally healthy.

With 80% of our member Centres targeting programs, activities or services for people at risk of social isolation, and more than 50% targeting programs, activities or services specifically for people managing mental health issues¹, addressing the serious public health issues of isolation and loneliness and other mental health issues is clearly a strong focus for our member Centres. Many of their regular activities and programs form part of effective prevention strategies to help keep people in their communities mentally healthy.

Given how critical the early years are for lifelong brain development and functioning, learning, and wellbeing, the theme for Mental Health Week 2021 in Western Australia is: Mental health starts with our children.

The theme recognises how a person’s mental health reflects the interaction of a lifetime of individual and lifestyle factors with a range of environmental, community and family risk factors.

For both children and adults, taking care of basic needs for shelter, food, warmth and rest are essential to mental wellbeing.

This year, Mental Health Week is from 9-16 October, and alongside their regular programs many of our member Centres are running a wide variety of events and activities in conjunction with and in recognition of Mental Health Week.

These events include:

• Waroona Community Resource Centre are having a special lunch and chat about strategies for improving wellbeing.
• Bridgetown Family & Community Centre are co-hosting a week of creative activities to suit all ages at the Bridgetown Arts Festival.
• In conjunction with the Shire of Kondinin, as part of the nationwide Blue Tree Project, Hyden Community Resource Centre will be joining with community members to paint a tree blue in support of Mental Health Week and It's Ok to Not Be Okay Day.
• Victoria Park Community Centre are hosting a range of events, workshops and activities during Mental Health Week.
• Bridgetown Family & Community Centre are running a special cooking workshop, recognising that cooking together is a great activity to feel connected with other people, with the bonus of sharing a delicious meal.
• Denmark Community Resource Centre are running 5 days of FREE (or by donation) Mental Health Week Events where you can get some meditation and relaxation tips, parenting advice, creative inspiration and much more!
• The Spiers Centre are supporting the Free Family Day in Merriwa with lots of family friendly activities.
• Collie Family Centre have a fun Monday morning with activities for children of all ages.
• Shark Bay Community Resource Centre are starting off Mental Health Week with a colour explosion at their second community Colour Run.
• Cocos Keeling Islands Community Resource Centre are running art workshops for children with a focus on positive affirmations.

¹ Statistics taken from the 2021 Linkwest Member Survey

Sources: mentalhealthweek.org.au