QUT Mates

01/02/2021

Good afternoon friends!

2020 was a huge year for everyone, not least of all the team here at Mates.

We're taking some time off and reassessing what we want to be doing in the transition back to relative normality.

A huge thank you from the team to everyone who engaged with our digital and physical events, and everyone who were so ready to access the services they need when they reached out to us.

If you have ideas of what you'd like to see in 2021 feel free to reach out! We won't get to it today, or tomorrow but we'll definitely keep you posted!

Have a wonderful day, mates

10/01/2021

Hi mates,

Beyond Blue have some resources on coping with loneliness, and taking care of yourself during the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown

https://coronavirus.beyondblue.org.au/managing-my-daily-life/coping-with-isolation-and-being-at-home.html?gclid=CjwKCAiAxeX_BRASEiwAc1QdkUNClXKWxd71Tlq9VftW87VLOcB1XRgisIbPWRO0jenzVcyWR3XRkBoCOPMQAvD_BwE

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought abrupt changes to daily life. We look at ways to manage your mental health given the physical distancing measures in place.

12/10/2020

11/10/2020

10/10/2020

On World Mental Health Day, 10 October, the World Health Organization will, for the first time ever, host a global online advocacy event on mental health. At this event—the Big Event for Mental Health—world leaders, mental health experts and celebrity guests will join WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to tell the world what we can all do to improve our mental health and how we can help make sure that quality mental health care is available to everyone who needs it.

https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2020/10/10/default-calendar/the-big-event-for-mental-health

On World Mental Health Day, 10 October, the World Health Organization will, for the first time ever, host a global online advocacy and fundraising event on mental health. At this event—the Big Event for Mental Health—world leaders, mental health experts and celebrity guests will join WHO Directo...

09/10/2020

Hi mates,

Today is World Mental Health Day
1 in 5 Australians are affected by mental illness annually, yet many don’t seek help because of stigma.

You can make a promise, for yourself, and your mental health on the link below



https://lookafteryourmentalhealthaustralia.org.au/

During this time of physical distancing and heightened anxiety in our community, we are encouraging all Australians to look after their mental health.

07/10/2020

𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁, 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 - 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁?
Unsure who to contact? Here is part 2 of a number of important contacts to get in touch if you’re not feeling great:

𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation. They help young people who are going through a tough time. Looking for someone to talk to? If you're 12-25, you can get health advice, support and information from headspace. With centres all around Australia, maybe headspace can help you.

𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 provides 24/7 crisis support and su***de prevention services. Phone 13 11 14

𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 is a professional telephone and online support and information service for Australian men. Phone 1300 789 978

𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 provides a national focus for advice and support to providers and governments on mental health and su***de prevention for people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.

𝗺𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗴𝘆𝗺 is like an interactive self-help book which helps you to learn and practise skills which can help to prevent and manage symptoms of depression and anxiety.

𝗢𝗻𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 aims to support the Australian community to achieve mental and physical health and wellbeing. This is achieved in several unique ways. Quizzes, information, referrals and programs. It is a national, independent, not-for-profit organisation.

𝗤𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 - 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗱 is Australia's first nationally-oriented counselling and referral service for Le***an, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) people. The project will provide nation-wide, early intervention, peer supported telephone and web based services to diverse people of all ages experiencing poor mental health, psychological distress, social isolation, discrimination, experiences of being misgendered and/or other social determinants that impact on their health and wellbeing.

𝗥𝗮𝗽𝗲 & 𝗗𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗩𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 provides 24/7 telephone and online crisis counselling for anyone - women and men - in Australia who has experienced or is at risk of sexual assault, family or domestic violence and their non offending supporters. Phone 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗢𝘂𝘁.𝗰𝗼𝗺 is Australia's leading online youth mental health service. It's the perfect place to start if you're not sure where to look. Every year it helps hundreds of thousands of young Australians with information support and stories on everything from finding your motivation, through to getting through really tough times.

𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 is a leading provider of relationship support services for individuals, families and communities.

Head to https://qutguild.com/help/mental-health/ for all the details on how to contact each organisation.

𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘘𝘜𝘛 𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥, 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘰𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵. 𝘙𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘘𝘜𝘛 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘶𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘮𝘢 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩. 𝘞𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺.

14/09/2020

𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁, 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻

Know someone who’s living with a mental illness? One of the best ways to support them and show that you care is to educate yourself. But that doesn’t mean you should ask them to explain it to you. Rather take some time out to do your own research.

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

Over the course of your life, if you experience mental health problems, your thinking, mood, and behaviour could be affected. Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including:

💜 Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry
💜 Life experiences, such as trauma or abuse
💜 Family history of mental health problems

Not sure if you or someone you know is living with mental health problems? Experiencing one or more of the following feelings or behaviours can be an early warning sign of a problem:

💜 Eating or sleeping too much or too little
💜 Pulling away from people and usual activities
💜 Having low or no energy
💜 Feeling numb or like nothing matters
💜 Having unexplained aches and pains
💜 Feeling helpless or hopeless
💜 Smoking, drinking, or using drugs more than usual
💜 Feeling unusually confused, forgetful, on edge, angry, upset, worried, or scared
💜 Yelling or fighting with family and friends
💜 Experiencing severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships
💜 Having persistent thoughts and memories you can't get out of your head
💜 Hearing voices or believing things that are not true
💜 Thinking of harming yourself or others

Part of educating yourself often also includes unlearning a lot negative stereotypes and misconceptions that you may have unconsciously adopted. There is a long history of ostracisation and stigma surrounding many mental illnesses which can contribute to the barriers many people face when they try to seek help. Educating yourself about this and the signs and symptoms of mental illnesses is an important step to becoming an ally. We’ve included some links below to get you started:

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts
https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/resources-support/
https://www.ruok.org.au/signs

𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘘𝘜𝘛 𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥, 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘰𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵. 𝘙𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘘𝘜𝘛 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘶𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘮𝘢 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩. 𝘞𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺.

07/09/2020

https://www.facebook.com/247629961967284/posts/3437190169677898/?substory_index=0

𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴

In any given year one in five Australians (20%) will experience mental health difficulties with reports that Australian University students are more than one in four. A lot of us are also experiencing increased levels of anxiety, stress and loneliness due to the global pandemic and the radical changes that have happened to life as we know it.

Many of us are just not doing that great right now and that's ok.

It can often be difficult to talk about how you’re feeling with the people in your life or know how to help a friend, family member or colleague who’s struggling. That’s why the Guild is launching the ‘not great, thanks for asking’ mental health awareness and resource-based campaign. We will be working with the University in the lead up to R U OK day, and throughout the rest of the semester, to ensure that more students and staff members know how to have a conversation about their mental health and where to access support both at QUT and beyond.

Throughout the coming weeks we will be signposting information and support through our social media platforms. We will also be setting up stalls on both campuses for R U OK day this Thursday where we will be giving out leaflets, badges, care packs and cupcakes to help start the conversation. We look forward to seeing you all there!

Stalls will be run on both campuses and you can find all the details here:
Gardens Point - https://qutguild.info/ngtfa-gardenspoint
Kelvin Grove - http://qutguild.info/ngtfa-kelvingrove

04/09/2020

Hi mates,

September is national su***de prevention month. It aims to inform and engage health professionals and the general public about su***de prevention and warning signs of su***de. By drawing attention to su***de prevention the campaign also strives to reduce the stigma surrounding the topic, as well as encourage the pursuit of mental health assistance and support people who have attempted su***de.

If you ever need help, please reach out to counseling services, lifeline, support networks and your friends

https://www.lifeline.org.au/

Lifeline is a national charity providing all Australians experiencing a personal crisis with access to 24 hour crisis support and su***de prevention services.

28/08/2020

Hi mates,

QUT Guild has created some anonymous surveys to guage students mental health and whether the university to assisting them both during COVID-19 and generally.

Please fill out as many as apply to you as mental health is a serious topic we'd love the university to do more for

Anonymous surveys are:
Student Mental Health & COVID-19
LGBTQIA+ Health
Women's Health
Men's Health

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScVLjpbiGvurmPZsjZV1hYLWOIS8SbRwoIV_RAM4dRMYs9Mug/viewform?fbclid=IwAR1rkxQ_arYOWqRh0RsrgH-KrTESDp_jtH0vIpUG9hQnJ0dF6_8ZxdWMqKQ

The purpose of this anonymous survey is to gauge interest and assess your needs for mental and physical health. This survey will ask for input on possible initiatives that could be implemented around university for students to access resources and facilities to assist them. We hope that the anonymit...

12/08/2020

Hi mates,

Dr Heidi Grant has a useful video of 3 Steps to Stop Procrastinating

https://www.heidigrantphd.com/three-things/3-things-to-do-to-stop-procrastinating

10/08/2020

Hi mates,

The Aurora Internship Program offers internships to students and graduates with a background in law, anthropology and some social sciences.

Aurora interns are academically strong with a keen interest in native title, land rights, social justice or policy development, all with an Indigenous focus. They offer under-resourced host organisations assistance and support while gaining first-hand experience and skills in their fields of professional interest.

Applications open Monday 10 August until 28 August.

https://mcusercontent.com/41c8804d670047ac13227fae4/files/59e605eb-7827-42b2-bcc6-a450ad42055c/Aurora_Internships_summer_2020_21_internships_flyer.pdf