A Wimmera-based mental health outreach team has been recognised for their hard work in educating the community on often difficult topics.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Lissy Johns and Mal Coutts, two instructors with the region's Mental Health First Aid program, have been awarded with Master status by Mental Health First Aid Australia, a designation given for delivering more than 30 accredited mental health courses.
The Mental Health First Aid program operates under the Grampians Public Health Unit and offers accessible mental health training courses to businesses, councils and sporting groups across the region.
The program was created as the result of the five Wimmera Southern Mallee shires investing seasonal condition funding in 2016 to expand mental health provision.
Ms Johns said since 2016, the instructors have delivered more than 80 courses to different organisations in the Wimmera.
"The courses give people an understanding of what mental health disorders look like, current statistics and practical advice to be a mental health first aider," she said.
READ MORE:
"If they see someone struggling for a period of time, to ask them the question how are they going and if they say not too good, to have the resources and confidence to be able to talk to them."
Ms Johns was one of five qualified instructors for the program and coordinates the Mental Health First Aid course delivery.
She said the course was aimed at early intervention for friends and family struggling with mental health issues.
"Living in a rural location we have less access to specialists. The pathways are always to go to your GP first for a referral," she said.
"Some places don't even have a GP, and if they do there is a waitlist, and when you get a referral there is another waitlist.
"Sometimes it can be a taboo or scary subject to ask, and it can also be scary to find out what the answer is, particularly when someone is feeling suicidal. They might not know how to follow that up."
Ms Johns said her passion for mental health education resulted from her father's suicide in 1992.
"He was a local man, and that was pretty devastating for us as a family, but also for the community," she said.
"After all this time, coming back to the Wimmera some people will know I have gone through that, but I think it is important for people in our class to know that we are vulnerable too."
For fellow Mental Health First Aid instructor Mr Coutts, his journey began on the football field.
"I have been coaching footy for a long time and you see all of the same patterns with young kids, men and women when you are getting older," he said.
"I have always had a passion for understanding and letting people talk to you.
OTHER NEWS:
"I really enjoy it. I am not into Lions or Rotary. My passion is to help communities. It has just grown from there."
The work they do will be broadcast across the country, as the Wimmera Mental Health First Aid team prepare to administer training for the Active Farmer program nationwide.
The Active Farmer program looks to promote physical health and mental wellbeing through group fitness classes in small regional towns.
Ms Johns, Mr Coutts and Warracknabeal-based trainer Justin Knorpp have been given the opportunity to bring the classes to the country, training more than 100 Active Farmer instructors via remote conferencing.
"We are doing that all online. That is one silver lining of COVID, that we would be able to create access to more people are cover a wider area," she said.
"It is a logistical nightmare with time differences but it is very exciting."
If you are seeing this message you are a loyal digital subscriber to The Wimmera Mail-Times, as we made this story available only to subscribers. Thank you very much for your support and allowing us to continue telling your stories. We appreciate your support of journalism in our great city.
