180 NEW ABORIGINAL MHFAiders

Wow - what a year.

Yesterday I faciliated workshop 20 of 20 the ‘Ngayiny wirimbirra’ (Wiradjuri: take care of mind)

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid workshops that were sponsored by the Victorian State Governments’ COVID 19 Funds.

180 First Nations people and a number of non-Indigenous allies from Victoria participated in mental health literacy programs of:

- Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander MHFA blended course

- Let’s talk about suicide: AMHFA

- Let’s talk about NSSI: AMHFA

- Let’s talk about Gambling: AMHFA

We want to thank a number of organisations for getting community involved:

- Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place

- LEAH

- Derrimut Weelam Gathering Place

- GMAR Grandmothers Against Removal

- Lake Tyers Health and Chldrens’ Services

- Sunbury Aboriginal corporation

- Yoowinna Wurnalung Aboriginal Healing Services

Due to COVID restrictions many of these workshops (besides the Gambling, NSSI and Suicide) were conducted via virtual mode - often a difficult and challenging time and environment- but with strength and good will we made it through.

Thanks for all the hard work everyone who made this such a wonderful experience.

Feedback has been amazing.