A New Look Mental Health Update is Coming Soon!

Next edition will have a new look so keep your eye out!

Jamie’s Ministry of Food – Mobile Kitchen comes to Carina

Want to learn Jamie's hints, tips and shortcuts to cooking delicious, nutritious and affordable meals from scratch? Jamie's Ministry of Food Mobile Kitchen will be located at: The Clem Jones Centre 391 Stanley Rd, Carina. 5 week hands on cooking course (One 90 minute cooking class per week) Courses run 6 days per week, including weekends and evenings $20 per class ($100 per course), $15 per class student ($75 per course) or $10 per class concession ($50 per course)

Cycle 1 (5 Week course): Monday 17th August to Saturday 19th September 2015

Cycle 2 (5 Week course): Monday 21st September to Saturday 24th October 2015

To book, please visit www.jamiesministryoffood.com. If you are interested in volunteering please send an email to to receive a copy of our volunteer application form

Lessons for Life video

SANE Australia has released a new video, Lessons for Life. Five people have shared their incredible stories of resilience after attempting to take their own lives. It is hoped that the stories of recovery will aim to increase empathy and understanding and break down commonly held assumptions about those who attempt suicide. To watch and share the video please visit the SANE Australia website.

Redlands Suicide Bereavement Group

Redlands Suicide Bereavement Group (RSBG) is launching their ongoing support group to family members, friends and colleagues who have been impacted by suicide. RSBG provides a safe, non-judgemental space for individuals to explore their loss and grief experiences. “Grief isn’t something you get over... it’s something you go through” Commencing 2nd September on the 1st & 3rd Wednesday of the month at Redlands City Lions Club, 122 Shore Street, Cleveland (Next to the Old School House Gallery) from 7:00- 9:00pm. Cost: Free

For more information please contact: Redlands Suicide Bereavement Group, Rose on 0422 124 564 or www.roseslifestyletherapies.com.au or Kelly on 0488 234 812 at Kre8tive Connections E:

Wellways – 12 Week Building a Future Courses

The Recovery Connections Program at Kyabra is once again hosting the Wellways 12 Week Building a Future Courses, for carers supporting a loved one with a mental health difficulty. We have 2 courses coming up over the next couple of months. The first course begins on Wednesday 9th September and will be happening in the evenings from 5.15 – 9.15, for 12 weeks. The second course will be held on a Tuesday from 9.30 – 1.30 commencing 27th October, for 12 weeks. Wellways is a peer led education program that provides family members, friends and carers of a loved one with a mental health difficulty up-to-date knowledge on mental health, recovery, treatment, support options, legal and service systems, stigma and rights. This is a free course for families/carers. A requirement of the program is that you must be able to attend the first session of the course you wish to attend. To register or for more information, please contact the KRC team at or phone: 3373 9499.

Young carers encouraged to apply for study support funding

Applications for the 2016 Young Carer Bursary Programme will open on 18 August 2015. The 2016 Young Carer Bursary Programme will deliver 333 bursaries worth $3,000 each to assist young carers up to 25 years old to continue studying and to relieve the financial pressure on them to work in addition to their caring. The Government recognises carers play a vital role in the lives of many Australians, and in our communities more broadly. Young carers often have to juggle part-time work and caring responsibility with their study. We want the programme to provide an effective level of financial support to as many young carers as possible. Online application forms for the 2016 bursaries will be available on the Carers Australia ‘Young Carers’ website.

Standing Beside You Carer’s Week Mental Health Forum.

Aftercare and Mental Health Carers Arafmi Qld would like to invite carers and families to attend this forum. This event is free of charge with morning tea served upon arrival and lunch provided during the break. As a carer; your role is valued and respected, your own wellbeing is important. Please join us and make some new connections.

Benefit for carers to attend: hear who is standing beside you in your community and how they can help going forward; listen to resilient speakers who inspire and give you a lift; learn why keeping fun in your life is so important; leave the forum with joy in your heart and know that you are not alone.

Date: Tuesday 13 October - 9.30 to am to 3.15 pm

Venue: Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Boulevard Level Rooms 1,2 & 3

RSVP: Numbers are limited. To attend please register via Arafmi Mental Health Carers at:

Hearing Voices Group Facilitation Training

The Queensland Hearing Voices Community is pleased to announce the first of three workshops funded by the QLD Mental Health Commission (QMHC) Community Awareness Initiative and supported by Aftercare. The first workshop is a 2 day Hearing Voices Group Facilitation Training will be held on the 15th and 16th of September 2015, at the Merthyr Road Uniting Church at New Farm.

Hearing Voices Groups offer a safe place for people to feel accepted and comfortable sharing their experiences of voices, visions, tactile sensations and other unusual experiences and perceptions. People meet together to help and support each other, to exchange information, and to learn from one another. Groups also offer an opportunity for people to accept and “live with voices” in a way that enables them to regain some control over their lives. There is an established and emerging body of evidence to support the effectiveness of Hearing Voices Groups. They offer people who hear voices the opportunity to share their experience in a safe space and find ways of coping with this experience. There are – at this point – very few Hearing Voices groups in Queensland and in order to continue the development of a network of Hearing Voices Groups, a 2 day training programme for people who are interested in becoming group facilitators has been organized by the QLD Hearing Voices Community. The training will be facilitated by Amanda Waegeli who is a Peer Specialist and Independent Mental Health Recovery Consultant who has gained mastery over her experience of voice hearing through Hearing Voices Groups and the Hearing Voices Approach. On completion of the training participants will have learned the skills required to develop, facilitate and sustain a community hearing voices group. Places are limited, participants are expected to attend both days. Cost: is Waged - $50.00/Concession - $25.00. Further info: Amanda Waegeli, Mob: 0411809604 or To request a registration form contact: Sam Jemison, Mob: 0434193483

Improving Services for LGBTI People

The Queensland AIDS Council has published a good practice guide "Many Shades of Blue: Enhancing service delivery to address the mental health needs of LGBTI populations". The guide provides an overview of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people who access mental health services. It includes strategies for services to improve the attractiveness to LGBTI people as well as strategies to support disclosure by LGBTI people. The guide also has a comprehensive list of resources to support service delivery for LGBTI people.

Download: "Many Shades of Blue: Enhancing service delivery to address the mental health needs of LGBTI populations".

Support for LGBTI people

QLife is a national counselling and referral service for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people, offering telephone and web-based support for LGBTI people as well as the services who support them. QLife is made up of various state based LGBTI support services that have been operating in some cases for up to 40 years. QLife brings together the resources and expertise of these services under one banner. They offer telephone counselling 7 days a week between the hours of 5.30pm and 10.30pm, while web-based information and referral will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. QLife is looking to connect with agencies that could offer support to LGBTI people, in order to improve their referral service. More details are available on the QLife website

Mental Health Professionals Network Meetings:

Logan Beaudesert Mental Health Community Collaborative Network Meeting

Topic: Maori - Te Hauora Pai Rawa (Maori health and wellbeing)

Guest Speakers:Matiu Cheesman – Peer/Recovery Support Worker, Maori & Pacific Islander; Andre Pirini – Support Facilitator, Partners In Recovery; Tania Schott – Social Worker, Maori & Pacific Islander; Michael Maire – Occupational Therapist, Homeless Health Outreach Team

This presentation will explore:

·  Engagement strategies, including traditional and contemporary practices to improve engagement

·  Strength in identity: whanau identity (family), hapu (sub tribe), Iwi tribe

·  Wairua (Spiritual) importance within the culture connects everything (traditional and current)

When:Wednesday, 2 September 2015, 9:00am – 10:30am (Light catering will be provided)

Where: Conference Room, 51 Wembley Rd, Logan Central. Please note that parking on site is limited. Parking is available in the shopping centre across from 51 Wembley.

RSVP:Please click here to register your acceptance or apology for this meeting.

Metro South Dual Diagnosis Network Meeting

Topic: “You can’t learn that stuff from a textbook”: the last place we might think to look for direction

Guest Speakers:Ms Leisa Brandon, Social Worker –Client Engagement and Participation Project, Statewide

Clinical Support Services/InSight/Dovetail/Metro North Mental Health-Alcohol and Drug Service & Ms Niki Parry- QPAMS Coordinator (QLD Pharmacotherapy Advocacy and Mediation Service); President QLD Injectors Voice for Advocacy and Action (QuIVAA); President Australian Injecting & Illicit Drug Users League (AIVL).

This presentation will focus on the importance of involving Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) clients in active and meaningful participation and engagement activities. The presentation will cover an overview of the current research, legislative context, AOD specific barriers and benefits of client engagement and participation.

When: Thursday, 10 September 2015, 8:00am – 9:30am (Light catering will be provided)

Where: Conference Room, 51 Wembley Rd, Logan Central

RSVP:Please click here to register your acceptance or apology for this meeting.

Ipswich and West Moreton Hoarding and SqualorAction Group

You are invited to the first event run by the Ipswich and West Moreton Hoarding and SqualorAction group. The forum is aimed to both provide information and start building a response to this complex issue in our community. Being held on September 4th. A brief overview of our program:

·  Definitions and explanations of the Mental Health conditions related to Hoarding and Squalor and the impacts of these environments on our community.

·  Practice Models shared from other Working Groups established in SE Queensland.

·  Response models used by Emergency services and RSPCA.

·  Safety and specialist cleaning resources available.

·  Plans and response models to be implemented in the Ipswich and West Moreton area.

·  Networking opportunities.

Please click http://www.trybooking.com/153807 to Register and pay online ($20).

Queensland Mental Health Commission (QMHC) -Grants now open

Local government and non-government groups wanting to strengthen mental health and wellbeing in their communities can apply for grants up to $50,000. The Queensland Mental Health Commission’s Stronger Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Grants Program 2015-16 is now open. This year the grants focus on social inclusion and community participation for people experiencing mental health problems or illness, or problems around alcohol and other drug use. Projects should promote supportive relationships, connection to others and activities that build confidence and self-worth and contribute to good mental health and wellbeing. Apply here. Applications close Monday 31 August 2015.

Canefields Clubhouse River Walk

The event is a wellness riverwalk for mental health – it is a 4.5 K walk called Canefields Clubhouse Wellness Riverwalk – walking from the Gabba to Suncorp Stadium – we will walk along the Southbank riverwalk to the Go Between Bridge and into the forecourt of Suncorp Stadium on Sunday 4th October 2015. This event is to promote mental wellness and de-stigmatize mental illness in the work place and community – along with an opportunity for local mental health community programs and services to have a free platform to get onboard and enter a team and then have that team raise funds for their chosen charity. Canefields Clubhouse owns the walk and retains all registration fees to pay for the event – but all funds that teams and individual walkers raise will be given to their (pre approved by us) selected mental health charity 100% - we do not keep any of it teams/walkers fundraising – we will also pay the administration costs for making this happen. This is a great opportunity for local mental health programs to raise some additional funds. All charities who are interested in having their service listed for walkers to select them as their charity to fundraise for must first email me to get approval. We will then add them to our preferred mental health charities list ready for selection– there is no cost for this other than they must hold charitable not or profit status to enable them to fundraise publicly. We have now launched our Wellness Riverwalk website – it is now open and ready for registrations, supporting and donations the link is www.wellnessriverwalk.org.au

A partnership between the Southside Mental Health Network Page 2 of 4

& Metro South Addiction and Mental Health Services www.smhc.org.au