The 'ripple effect' of Wangaratta's Project 365 mental health initiative continued to be felt this week, as more than 20 locals took part in mental health first aid training funded by the group. Sponsored with the proceeds of Project 365 fundraising events, the mental health first aid scholarships were made available to the community of Wangaratta and surrounds, and conducted by Nick McEwan-Hall from The Mental Health Coach. The scholarship program is part of Project 365's commitment to investing in the community's mental health, and builds on its work to destigmatise mental health and encourage important conversations. This week's two-day course aimed to develop participants' skills in recognising and addressing mental health challenges, by fostering mentally-healthy workplaces and communities where individuals are empowered to help not only their colleagues but also their clients, friends and families. "The work Project 365 does in this space is great," Nick McEwan-Hall said. "There is still stigma attached to mental health, so when an organisation like Project 365 starts talking about ways to get involved, and taps into the community spirit that is always there in regional areas, it makes a real difference." He said the course gave people skills to assist those they had a hunch may need their help. "Sometimes they see people struggling, but they tend to err on the side of 'I don't want to make it worse'," he said. "It's about building a skill-set of practical things you can do to help, which can really be life-saving." Nick said research had also shown that those who completed the course had better mental health outcomes themselves. Project 365 founder Pete Rourke said he was thrilled that 22 locals had stepped up to complete the mental health first aid course through the current round of the scholarship. He said the benefits would reach not only to the local businesses with which participants are involved, but into their social and community circles and beyond, ensuring knowledge was growing all the time. "This is why we do what we do," he said. "It's nice to see people engaging, and I feel this can only get bigger."
