2008

November

Foundation's 30 Year Celebration a Great Success!

TE PAPA, 10 October 2008: World Mental Health Day, left to right: Peter McGeorge (MHF co-patron), Andrew Hornblower (former MHF board chair), Judi Clements (MHF CEO), Bernard Te Paa (MHF board member), Sir Paul Reeves (MHF co-patron), and Materoa Mar (MHF board chair).

The Mental Health Foundation celebrated 30 years with an anniversary event at Te Papa, Wellington, on 10 October 2008. Change in Mind / Kia Puāwai ā Mua, a book about the history of the foundation, was launched as part of the event, which was widely acknowledged as a great success!

Around 100 people attended, including past and present foundation patrons, chairs, board members, chief executives, and staff, along with key people the foundation has worked with over the past 30 years. Many commented on the celebratory nature of the event and the value of understanding the foundation's history.

It was a relaxed evening with a warm and inclusive feel, enhanced by the venue with views overlooking Wellington harbour and Te Papa's native gardens. The music of Mahinārangi Tocker and Johnny Matteson and a historical photograph montage played throughout the evening. Speeches were interspersed with time to mix and mingle.

Bernard Te Paa and Rawiri Wharemate opened proceedings on behalf of foundation kaumātua Takutai Wikiriwhi. Fuimaono Karl Pulotu-Endemann was master of ceremonies. Keynote addresses were given by co-patrons Sir Paul Reeves and Dr Peter McGeorge, who highlighted changes in mental health and public attitudes over the past thirty years.

Change in Mind / Kia Puāwai ā Mua was blessed by Sir Paul and launched by Professor Andrew Hornblow, former chair of the board, who described it as an important contribution to New Zealand social history.
Board chair Materoa Mar opened the floor to other speakers, with a special introduction to Sir Basil James, inaugural Chairperson, who had travelled from Queensland to attend.

Those who took the podium included former and current chief executives Max Abbott, Barbara Disley, and Judi Clements, consumer advocate Mary O'Hagan, and fashion designer Denise L'Estrange Corbet.

Each of the speakers offered personal anecdotes from the foundation's history and reflected on the unique role the organisation has played in mental health and social developments in New Zealand.

Grow a Mo

Support Movember this month and start growing a mo - men and women are both invited :-). It's true! Just listen to TVNZ's Breakfast Regional Round Up podcast featuring Movember from Friday 31 October. The clip gives some tips on how to grow the "Dirty Sanchez" moustache and reminds us that money raised from November events goes to the Cancer Society to fight prostate cancer and to the Mental Health Foundation's Out of the Blue Campaign to help men with depression.

PODCAST TIP: Once on the TVNZ page, be sure to click on the 'Breakfast Regional Round Up' link at the bottom of the blue panel.

September

Distinguished Visitor

The foundation recently provided coordination of travel and accommodation to support Professor Margaret Barry's travel to New Zealand and Australia. In September, Professor Barry was a speaker at TheMHS Conference, and a key note speaker at Margins to Mainstream, the 5th World Conference on the Promotion of Mental Health and the Prevention of Mental and Behaviour Disorders.

While in New Zealand, Professor Barry provided a series of presentations and seminars that linked in with a range of stakeholders (government agencies and NGOs) on the practical application of mental health promotion theory and evidence.

Margaret Barry is Professor of Health Promotion and Public Health and Director of the Health Promotion Research Centre at the Department of Health Promotion, National University of Ireland, Galway.

Professor Barry has published widely in the field of mental health promotion and has worked closely with policymakers and practitioners on the development, implementation and evaluation of mental health promotion interventions and policies at both a national and international level.

Elected as Global Vice President for Capacity Building, Education and Training by the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE) in 2007, she is a board member of the Clifford Beers Foundation and temporary adviser to the WHO.
Contact

Email margaret.barry@nuigalway.ie

Phone +353 91 493348
Fax: +353 91 494547

Department of Health Promotion
National University of Ireland, Galway
University Road
Galway
Ireland

Steven Onken's TheMHS Presentation

Steven Onken, from the School of Social Work Social Science Research Institute, University of Hawaii at Manoa, was a key note speaker at the recent TheMHS Conference held in Auckland in September. His speech focused on Honouring the First Territory: Integrity ~ A ohe pau ka ike I ka halau ho okahi and is available on our website due to popular demand.