400+ organisations collaborating to reduce stigma this World Mental Health Day

More than 400 organisations across Australia will be promoting World Mental Health Day this year in a bid to reduce stigma and foster connectivity throughout the community, with that number expected to grow considerably in the lead up to Thursday 10 October.

World Mental Health Day – Thursday 10 October — is a day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy. It is an initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health to raise public awareness of mental health issues worldwide.

The 2019 Australian World Mental Health Day campaign challenges perceptions about mental illness in Australia and encourages everyone to look at mental health in a more positive light, in an effort to reduce stigma and make way for more people to seek the help and support they deserve.

The campaign tagline, ‘Do You See What I See?’ aims to encourage people to ‘see beyond the stigma’ that so often surrounds mental health issues, and to ‘make mental health more visible.’

The campaign has received a strong response so far, with over 30 different organisations partnering with Mental Health Australia to help reduce stigma and promote help-seeking throughout Australia, and a further 400 ordering campaign materials to promote to staff, students and colleagues.

The 2019 World Mental Health Day Partners so far include R U OK?, Soldier On, Playgroup Australia, the National LGBTI Health Alliance, batyr, the Black Dog Institute, headspace Darwin, Suicide Prevention Australia, the Healthy Tradie Project, and many more.

To get involved by ordering free campaign materials or making a #MentalHealthPromise, head to www.1010.org.au.

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