MARR Mooditj Training students are hoping to change the stigma surrounding seeking help for mental health issues.
A group of nine mature-aged mental health students will hold the third annual Change Da Shame mental health expo, at the Park Centre, East Victoria Park from June 19 – June 21.
Mental health program developer and educator Tania O’Dea said the student-run expo was her pet project.
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READ NOW“The idea was to introduce advocacy in the course and challenge students to get the expo off the ground,” she said.
“The students are all keen and eager to do it, even though it is growing into a bigger event each year it’s run.”
Mrs O’Dea said students had put a lot of effort into organising the expo by creating posters, T-shirts, applying for grants and working out the messages they wanted to share.
“The main message is to not be ashamed to seek mental health resources and to help each other,” she said.
“They will have a survey and they will be engaging the public as they seek to raise awareness about mental health.
“Over the past two year, these surveys have been filled in by about 500 local residents, with data showing nearly 30 per cent of those did not know where or how to find mental health services in their suburb.”