From the CEO
Hello everyone.
At this halfway point of 2024, I would like to take this opportunity to share how proud I am of everything we have accomplished this year so far and acknowledge that there is more to do in order to shape a world where people with mental health challenges are valued, supported and treated as equals.
On Tuesday 25 June, One Door came together for our annual All Staff Day at Novotel Sydney - Parramatta. This event provided a wonderful opportunity for our teams to connect in person, celebrate our successes and look to the future. Thank you to Gill Callister, CEO, and Jo McMahon, Senior Manager Integration, from Mind Australia for making the trip to Sydney to participate in the day. It was fantastic to see everyone being honest, creative, open and engaged during the day.
I was excited to hear the Australian Government announce the establishment of the National Mental Health Consumer Peak Body and the National Mental Health Carers, Family and Kin Peak Body. These organisations will represent people with lived experience of mental ill-health and work closely with the Government to ensure people with lived experience are included in decision making at the national level. We look forward to partnering with these two peak bodies as we collaborate to improve the mental health outcomes for all Australians.
I was fortunate to be invited to attend the June Central Coast Schizophrenia & Bipolar Fellowship meeting in Gosford, and July Balmain Carers Support Group meeting in Rozelle, which I visited with Gill from Mind Australia. Thank you to the people who invited us and shared your stories of impact.
The team at headspace in Campbelltown hosted the Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Emma McBride and local federal MP, Dr Mike Freelander back in June. The team welcomed the opportunity to show both MPs around the centre and speak about all of the impressive work being done by One Door in South Western Sydney.
NAIDOC Week took place from July 7th to 14th, celebrating this year's theme, “Keep the Fire Burning." This theme honoured the unyielding spirit of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and invited everyone to stand in solidarity, amplifying voices that have long been silenced. I attended one of the many events held throughout the state, the NAIDOC Family Fun Day in Campbelltown on July 11th. I would like to thank everyone who took the time to visit one of our stalls at these events and share their stories with us.
The Wellness Walk is back for this year’s Mental Health Month. Newcastle will host the walk on Saturday 12 October and Sydney on Sunday 13 October. The event brings together hundreds of people from different walks of life to raise awareness for people living with mental health challenges. You can register here.
Tickets are now on sale for the inaugural Mental Health in the Workplace Conference on 18 October at the Sage Hotel, Wollongong. This full day conference will bring together an impressive group of speakers, panellists and workshop facilitators to boost awareness and raise funds for mental health services in the Illawarra.
Finally, congratulations to Julie Millard, OAM. Julie has been a dedicated member of One Door for over five years, serving as a professional Educator at the Western Sydney Recovery College. In this role, she has excelled in co-developing and co-producing vital mental health education. Julie has been a tireless advocate for the rights of individuals with lived experience of mental distress, consistently championing their voices and walking alongside them in their journeys, and her outstanding contributions to mental health have earned her the prestigious appointment as a Companion of the Order of Australia.