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Table 7 Awareness campaigns

From: Review of Australian initiatives to reduce stigma towards people with complex mental illness: what exists and what works?

Campaign name

Organisation

Type of mental illness

Campaign activities

Anti-stigma messages/component

Lived experience involvement

Campaign duration

Where provided

Duration and reach

Funding

Level of evidencea

Mental Health Month

WayAhead—Mental Health Association NSW

Mental illness (non-specific)

Aims to raise awareness of the importance of mental health and wellbeing. Activities include Mental Health Matters Awards, Campaign theme, Collateral, Small grants to organisations to undertake activity, Community engagement, Advertising, Social media, website

The grant program supports organisations to undertake activity—some of which is contact interventions

Campaign includes online stories of people with LE

Key messages include ensuring the variety of causes of mental ill health are communicated and not reliant on medical model descriptors, violence is rare, majority of people recover etc

Led by a person with LE, some reference committee members have LE. Grant recipients must involve people with LE in activities

1 month

NSW, metro, regional/rural, remote

More than 10 years, hundreds of thousands

State gov

Unclear

World Mental Health Day (Australia)

Mental Health Australia

Mental illness (non-specific)

Aims to raise public awareness of mental health issues. 54 partners promoted the 2019 WMHD Campaign including the provision of partner specific posters and collateral, as well as partner specific events. Campaign participants were asked to make a mental health promise on the virtual promise wall at www.1010.org.au as a pledge of support, as well as share this promise via social media channels

Do You See What I See? Challenges perceptions about mental and encourages everyone to look at mental health in a more positive light, in an effort to reduce stigma and make way for more people to seek help and support

There was consumer engagement and storytelling at the major event for the 2019 WMHD campaign in Townsville

18 consumers and carers were involved in helping inform the 2019 WMHD campaign. LE involvement in the design of photos and imagery of campaign

1 day (October 10)

Australia-wide. Metro, regional/rural, remote

More than 10 years, 100,000 + annually

Commonwealth gov

2

Mental Health Week (Tasmania)

Mental Health Council of Tasmania

Mental illness (non-specific)

A statewide campaign with the aim of reducing stigma around mental illness in the Tasmanian community. A number of health promotion events and activities held around the state all united under the one theme which last year was: We All Have a Role to Play

Several events included personal stories via talks or recorded interviews from people with lived experience. Most were around building resilience and community compassion—what interventions/supports have helped people

Many people with LE deliver, organise or facilitate MHW events. Steering committee has people with LE and carers

1 week

TAS, metro, regional/rural

5–10 years, ~ 13,000 per year

State gov

1

Mental Health Week (Northern Territory)

Northern Territory Mental Health Coalition

Mental illness (non-specific)

A statewide campaign with the aim of raising awareness about mental health and reducing stigma. It involves health promotion and events coordinated in partnership with member organisations and other mental health services

Various activities that involve the community and include an artwork display and competition, awards, and public forums. At events, printed materials are displayed and staff are available to discuss programs and interventions

People with LE are involved in all events. E.g., LE speakers at events, creating artwork or award recipients

1 week

NT, metro, regional/rural

2–5 years, 1,000 + 

State gov, contributions from organisations

1

Schizophrenia Awareness Week [97]

Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia

Psychosis, schizophrenia

A seven-day awareness campaign that runs during Mental Health Awareness month. Government, citizens, media, and NGOs provide activities and events

Designed to raise awareness about schizophrenia and psychosis

N/R

1 week

Australia-wide. Metro, regional/rural, remote

More than 10 years, N/R

N/R

1

BPD Awareness Week

Australian BPD Foundation

Borderline Personality Disorder

Presentations by people with lived experience, online videos, postcards, posters and social media messages

The campaign highlights facts taken directly from The Clinical Practice Guideline for the management of Borderline Personality Disorder, in an accessible way

The campaign also uses the strong voice of lived experience— promoting recovery, positivity and hope

People with lived experience are involved in the design of the campaign and collateral, providing quotes and video clips as well as presenting at events

1 week

Australia-wide, metro, online

2–5 years, some online posts reached 189,433 with 18,959 engagements

Commonwealth gov, volunteer

2

Odd Socks Day [98]

Grow

Mental illness (non-specific)

An annual national mental health anti-stigma campaign that encourages all Australians to wear odd socks on the Friday before Mental Health Week and World Mental Health Day

To support and show people struggling with their mental health that they are not alone

N/R

1 day

Australia-wide. Metro, regional/rural, remote

5–10 years, ~ 500,000 in 2018

N/R

1

One Sock One Goal [99]

batyr

Mental illness (non-specific)

Encourages teams and individuals to wear bright coloured batyr socks

To start positive conversations around mental health, whilst visually promoting their willingness to smash the stigma

N/R

N/R

N/R

N/R

N/R

1

  1. 1 = No evaluation evidence, 2 = Post survey feedback or qualitative interviews, 3 = One or more uncontrolled trials or repeated cross-sectional surveys, 4 = One or more controlled trials, 5 = One or more randomised controlled trials
  2. LE Lived Experience, N/R Not Reported