We're surveying men about wellbeing – can you help?

March

Blokes needed for wellbeing study

The Mental Health Foundation is running a research project, with funding from the Movember Foundation, on how men access and use information to support themselves through stressful life events.

Our project will look at the type of information men currently use and the support they need during stressful times. It will also find out how information and support can be delivered better, and be more appealing to men.

We are asking blokes to complete an anonymous online wellbeing survey and/or take part in focus groups during March and April, 2014. These groups will give men the opportunity to share their thoughts with other men and the researchers.

Once the research is complete, we will share our findings with other agencies so that they can target their information and support more effectively to men experiencing emotional difficulties.

Please help support our work by taking the survey, or encouraging other men to complete the survey or join a focus group.

For more information, email Hugh Norriss at the Mental Health Foundation, or our researcher Dr Peta Wellstead.

February

Concerns over reporting about Charlotte Dawson

The Mental Health Foundation has been deeply disappointed in some of the coverage of Charlotte Dawson’s tragic death, and we know many of you share our concerns. We have reached out to all NZ media to remind them that while international suicides are not covered by the Coroners Act, safer reporting guidelines are there to protect members of the public, regardless of where the death occurred. 

The speculation as to the cause of Ms Dawson’s death is both distasteful and irresponsible.These attempts to distil Ms Dawson’s life and death into a single plotline do a disservice to Ms Dawson, to her family, and to vulnerable members of the public. 

Now is the time to remember to be kind to each other, to look out for those who might be struggling, and to ask for help if you need it. Many, many people care very deeply about the experiences of people who are in distress, and want to help. 

Worried about yourself or someone else?

If it’s an emergency, call 111. A good first port of call is your GP, or phone a helpline such as Lifeline 0800 543 354 or the Suicide Prevention Helpline 0508 828 865. 

More information is available on the Suicide Prevention Information New Zealand (SPINZ) website, including:

Are you a teacher? Do you know a teacher?

The Mental Health Foundation has designed a competition for secondary school students to create a video that encourages young people to stop and think when they hear or use words like “nutjob”, “retard”, “schizo”, or “mental”, and reflect on language that is stigmatising or discriminatory.

Through consultation with young people, we have learned that young people are overwhelmingly in favour of a campaign that discourages the use of cruel and hurtful words associated with mental distress, and they want a YouTube video that communicates directly with them to inspire behaviour change.

Who better to create this campaign than young people themselves?

The competition is open to all secondary school students, but could be the product of a formative exercise for media production standards 2.6 and 3.6, for which we will provide a teaching unit plan.  The project must be submitted by 20 June 2014.

Our objectives are:

• to provide students with useful insights into social marketing that encourages positive behavioural change;
• to support students to develop their own ideas to help curtail bullying,
• and to participate in mental health promotion;to generate a high-quality resource we can use in a viral marketing campaign.

Brief for the video:

• it will be youth-friendly and accessible;
• it will help to change people’s attitudes
• it will provide tools and skills to challenge inappropriate and demeaning language.

The Mental Health Foundation is seeking expressions of interest from teachers for this project. 

Please contact:
Ivan Yeo 
Ivan “at” mentalhealth.org.nz or 027 280 8972

Our Auckland office has moved

Our Auckland office has relocated to Edwin Street in Mt Eden. 

Our new address is:

Units 109-110, Zone 23
23 Edwin Street
Mt Eden 1024

Our new telephone numbers are:

09 623 4810 (Main reception)
09 623 4812 (Resource and information service/Library)

Our postal address remains the same. 

The library is closed while we unpack; full library services will resume on Monday 17 February. 

January

We are moving to new premises 

Our Auckland office is relocating to new premises during the two weeks from 3-14 February.

Our lending library is now closed in preparation for the move.

Our new premises are at Units 109-110, Zone 23, 23 Edwin St, Mt Eden. Our last day at our current location will be Wednesday 5th February; full library services will be available at the new site from Monday 17th February.

If you have any questions about the move, please call us on 09 623 4810 or email: resource “at” mentalhealth.org.nz

Chinese volunteers needed for Positive Energy project

Are you of Chinese descent and have personal experience of mental illness? The 2014 theme for Kai Xin Xing Dong (KXXD), the Chinese Like Minds, Like Mine programme, is self-stigma and the KXXD team is looking for seven people to talk about how their beliefs on mental illness have affected them.

The project’s title is Positive Energy because, by overcoming self-stigma, we gain positive energy. By telling the personal stories of Chinese people with lived experience of mental illness, we want to raise awareness of how negative beliefs can stop people from seeking help and treatment.

If you, or someone you know, would like to take part, email rebecca “at” mentalhealth.org.nz. For more information on KXXD, see the KXXD website.

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