Mental health awareness over brekky

A LOCAL initiative aimed at strengthening youth mental health in the region is acknowledging World Mental Health Day with an insightful breakfast offering.

Hand in Hand Ballarat, an organisation which has been bringing the Open Parachute peer-to-peer led mental health program to Ballarat schools since last year, will host the event next month at Craig’s Royal Hotel.

Hand in Hand co-founder Leah Ashton said the upcoming event will be more about raising awareness around the group as well as initiatives.

“We want to focus on local community for this event,” she said.

“Last year we wanted to showcase the schools involved with Open Parachute as well as the program itself. This year it’s about awareness.

“It’s about showing the community who we are and what we do, and what the program can do with our community. It’ll also showcase what other things are happening.

“We really believe a community-based approach to mental health is so important and it’s something we’ve been focusing on in the second half of the year.”

Alongside an al a carte breakfast, guest speakers will include St Joseph’s Primary School principal Troy Strybosch, Ballarat Foundation CEO Andrew Eales, City of Ballarat Youth Awards Major Award 12-17 winner Gemma Gale, and 2024 Paris Olympic high jumper Yual Reath.

Following its formation last year, Hand in Hand’s Open Parachute program has grown to include seven schools in the region.

With Hand in Hand Ballarat taking part in initiatives like Tomb Rider, the James Petrie Fund’s Peach’s Run, and SpringFest, Ms Ashton said it’s important to know what’s being done to campaign for suicide awareness in the region.

“This event will be very close to our hearts, being very localized,” she said.

“It’s not just celebrating us and what the program is doing. it’s celebrating what’s happening in our community.

“It’s about people like Gem Gayle who are standing up and talking about mental health and the courage behind that. At 16, to write a book about your mental health journey, take strength and vulnerability.

“For all these people to stand up and be a bit vulnerable and share their stories is pretty important.”

The event will take place from 6.45am to 8.45am. To book, visit bit.ly/3NfWLTn.

The non-profit’s inaugural World Mental Health Day event last year saw special guest Guy Sebastian speaking to young people about the Open Parachute program at Regent Cinemas.