Weave Youth & Community Services is calling on the Indigenous community to share their mental health survival tips this October, Mental Health Awareness Month, to encourage more discussions about mental wellbeing and as a way to help those in need.
The #WeaveSurvivalTips campaign is in its third year and recognises that every person – no matter who you are, where you come from or what your background is – goes through tough times.
It encourages the community to share their tips, hints and advice on how they maintain good mental health and navigate through difficult times.
Weave is encouraging people support the campaign by sharing their own #WeaveSurvivalTips on social media to help promote the importance of mental health and wellbeing.
The mental health awareness campaign was developed by Weave in a bid to reduce suicide rates for young people. In 2016, over 2,800 Australians died as a result of self-harm[i], and it is the leading cause of death for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders aged between 15 and 34 years[ii].
Weave CEO Greg Benson said the campaign is a simple way that the community can connect and positively focus on resilience, solidarity and strength when it comes to dealing with mental health issues.
“We love reading everybody’s responses on what things, no matter how big or small, help them maintain good mental health,” he said.
“The campaign was launched to create a welcoming, inclusive space that allows the community to talk about what helps them cope on a day-to-day basis.
“By sharing our own experiences we hope that others, who may not be coping with their mental wellbeing, will learn new techniques or initiative a conversation that will help them improve their mental wellbeing.”