News
February
2010 Yan Oi Sei psychoeducation schedule
These start on 2 March and run every month from 10am - 12 noon. Sessions will be in English and/or Cantonese. English and Chinese handouts will be provided. Read the flyer for more information.
Catonese opera night
The Chinese Positive Aging Charitable Trust is having a Cantonese opera fund raising night at Skycity on Friday 23 April, organised by Yi Chun. Tickets cost $30.00 and $50.00. Please contact:Sandy Nip, Phone: 624 1368 / 021 052 0930, Email: cpa.trust "at" gmail.com
The Chinese Positive Aging Charitable Trust is a non-profit organisation, and was established in 2006. Its aim is to promote the quality of life of Chinese seniors in New Zealand. Through psychological, physical and social activities, the programme aims to enhance the holistic health of Chinese elderly by maintaining regular social contacts in the community.
The Trust meets every Saturday at Ponsonby Centre from 10 am to 3pm, and Thursday at Pakuranga Anchorage Centre from 9.30am to 3.30pm. The activities include: health talks, Tai Chi, craft, Chinese movies and videos, Mahjong, outings etc. These activities are run by Chinese speaking volunteers.
The Back to School Network and the Mental Health Foundation bring you The Bullying Forum
This is a full-day forum on 13 April featuring experts and practitioners currently working in research and programmes in and around schools to combat the issue of bullying. The following professionals will be presenting around the issues:
- Dr Janis Carroll-Lind - Children's Commission
- Kate Butterfield - Rape Prevention Education
- Yvonne Duncan, Christina Barruel and Jonnie Black - The Peace Foundation
- Mike Williams - Guidance Counsellor, Edgewater College
- Lee Chisholm - NETSAFE
- Priscilla Penniket - Rainbow Youth
- Gaayathri Nair - Eating Difficulties Education Network
- Jo Robertson, Siobhan Harrod - LearnEd (formerly facilitators of the Student Wellbeing Contract with the Ministry of Education)
The day will also consist of a panel discussion with Yvonne Duncan, Jo Robertson, Dr. Janis Carroll-Lind, Mike Williams and Lee Chisholm. Proceedings are to be held at the Onehunga Community Centre and will run from 8:30am-5pm. The Forum is free of charge and all catering is provided.
Numbers are limited, so please ensure that you register Friday 9 April. Enquiries to tina "at" mentalhealth.org.nz or phone: (09) 300 7013.
NZ schools encouraged to consider Asian studies in their curricula
The Asia New Zealand Foundation is working to encrouage schools to offer students opportunities to learnmore about Asia. Its New Zealand Curriculum and Asia Guide presents examples from schools that have included an Asian dimension in their teaching and learning across a range of curriculum areas.
This work is in line with the Ministry of Education's desire for schools to consider how they are preparing their students for living successfully in the 21st century.
Secretary for Education and Chief Executive of the New Zealand Ministry of Education Karen Sewell says schools need to consider how best to respond to and support the diverse needs, talents and interests of their students, in order for them to be competent and confident in participating in and contributing to our own society as well as the wider world.
Are you passionate about fighting stigma & discrimination?
The Mental Health Foundation and the Regional Consumer Network are hosting a free public forum on countering stigma & discrimination associated with mental illness on Thursday 18 March, 10 am-2.30 pm (lunch included) at Western Springs Garden Hall,956 Great North Road, Western Springs, Auckland.
Aubrey Quinn discusses his experience of being the face of the national Like Minds campaign to counter stigma and discrimination. Find out what you can do to get involved.
Looking for Chinese consumers' stories
Kai Xin Xing Dong is seeking Chinese people who were institutionalised in New Zealand during 1970s and 1980s to give us their personal stories - you can use a fake name or ask for anonymity if you wish. Your stories will be used to share with various existing Chinese Mental Health projects to raise public awareness of the legacy of institutionalisation. This information will be accessible to not only the general public but for use in research projects and as a record of New Zealand's history from many perspectives. Let's not have history repeating itself!
If you are interested on sharing your story or have inquiry about this project please contact Ivan Yeo ivan "at" mentalhealth.org.nz phione: (09) 3007017 for English, or Charlie Tang Charlie "at" mentalhealth.org.nz phone (09) 966 5727 for Mandarin.
January
Take part in this year's Chinese New Year celebrations!
It's the Year of the Tiger and there are plans in Auckland to celebrate in style:: Chinese calligraphy and art, lantern and card tube fire cracker making, music, dances, silk flower art, mask making, Tai Chi and much more!
WSN District Mental Health & Addiction Service Strategic Plan 2009-2015 launch
3 February 2010, Time: 9.30 am to 12.30 pm, Harbour Function Centre, ASB North Room, Oteha Valley Road, Albany
Waitemata Mental Health and Addictions Stakeholder Network (WSN)
You are invited to the launch of the WSN plan.
9.30 am Welcome and Karakia
9.45 am Dr Janice Wilson
Ministry of Health Perspective
10.15 am A word from the project sponsors
Background to the plan
10.35 am Morning tea
11.00 am Workstream Action Plans & Priorities
Next steps
12.30 pm Close
Please RSVP to Rachel Boles by midday, Thursday, 28 January 2010, Email: Rachel.boles "at" waitematadhb.govt.nz or Phone: (09) 487 1413
Have you ever hurt yourself on purpose?
PhD student Robyn Langlands is conducting a survey about the thoughts, feelings, and events that lead people to injure themselves on purpose. The kinds of behaviours that she is looking at include cutting, burning, hitting, and severe scratching. The survey should take you no more than an hour to complete and you could win one of two iPod Shuffles (2GB).
You can participate in this study if you:
- are 16 years of age or older
- live in Aotearoa/New Zealand
- have injured yourself on purpose, without intending to kill yourself, one or more times in the past 12 months, and
- were not experiencing psychosis (eg, delusions or hallucinations) or mania when you most recently injured yourself on purpose.
If you'd like to take part, click on http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BTKFQTD and you will be directed to the survey. For more information or if you would like a paper version of the survey, please contact Robyn by email robyn.langlands "at" vuw.ac.nz or phone (04) 463 5233 ext 8605.
NB: The survey is in ENGLISH only.
Self-injury can be a distressing topic, and there is a risk that some of the questions asked in the survey may bring up past memories or feelings that are unpleasant or distressing. Mental health support groups are listed on our website.
Taking a look at Te Pou's Asian research agenda one year on
It is now one year since the publication of Te pou's Asian and the Refugee and migrant mental health and addiction research agendas. The year focused on establishing the first piece of research, promoting the research agendas, and research and evaluation work of others in the sector and supporting service developments to be better informed by the research that already exists. Please visit the Te Pou website for further details on this work.
Hearing voices workshop - 29 January
An innovative mental health workshop in Christchurch will give participants the opportunity to gain an understanding of some of the experiences of people who hear voices that are distressing.
The Mental Health Foundation, along with Supporting Families in mental illness Canterbury, is supporting the Hearing Voices workshop, which uses a specially-designed audio resource.
By participating in a range of tasks while using the resource and concluding with a reflective discussion, participants are able to look at and challenge attitudes and misconceptions commonly experienced when interacting with people who hear voices that are distressing.
The workshop takes place on 29 January at Lincoln Road, Christchurch, opposite Hilmorton Hospital. Numbers for this workshop are limited and registrations essential.
Anyone interested in participating should register with Peter Abrams. Email him at abramspcme "at" slingshot.co.nz or call (03) 351 6402 and leave a message on the answerphone. Register by 28 January at the latest. The workshop has a registration fee of $20.
