MHAW Day One: Connect
MEDIA RELEASE
5 October
Mental Health Awareness Week
October 5 - 11, 2009
The Mental Health Foundation is issuing a challenge to all New Zealanders to focus on a "Winning Way to Wellbeing" every day for the working week. The Foundation says everyone has a part to play in looking after their mental health.
Today's challenge is to Connect. This means developing one's relationships with friends, family, colleagues and neighbours, as these connections support you and enrich your life.
"Connecting is about being in touch with people around you. It means nurturing a sense of belonging and being part of something bigger than yourself," says Judi Clements, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation.
Connecting can be through such simple methods as calling someone you haven't spoken to in a long time. For activity ideas on connecting as an individual, workplace, community and more, visit our online toolkit.
Based on research by the Foresight Project that identified five ways to wellbeing, each Winning Way is a method everyone can use to support their own wellbeing and that of the people around them. Winning Ways to Wellbeing is also the theme for this year's Mental Health Awareness Week.
A series of exciting events have been planned for the week throughout New Zealand, including a fashion show and t-shirt launch, a gig, a fiesta, a CD launch, art exhibitions, a book launch, and more. Check out our events calendar.
Every day during MHAW, a new video on wellbeing will also be made available online. In today's video Judi Clements, explains the concept behind the Winning Ways to Wellbeing.
In addition, Johnny Matteson's moving CD single Fighting Shadows becomes available to download from the Foundation's website.
Mental Health Awareness Week begins today, with World Mental Health Day taking place on Saturday 10 October. It is endorsed by the World Federation for Mental Health and marked in over 150 countries.
For further enquiries please contact:
Carrie Briffett
Communications Officer
Mental Health Foundation
(09) 966 5725 or 021 918 220
carrie "at" mentalhealth.org.nz
