These Community Evenings provided a multilayered method to the breaking down of barriers and developing discussion around the issues challenging community members in times of drought, covid, mice plagues and hardship. This approach included the following but had many more points of impact as each community responded to the evening's presentations.

 

• Listening to the powerful and lived experienced messages Wayne Wigham from the Black Dog Institute delivered. 

• Former NRL St George Illawarra great Nathan Blacklock sharing his stories with times of hardship and becoming a leader of his community through following his dreams.

• Ronny Gibbs a popular Aboriginal figure throughout western communities telling his story growing up in Goodooga and how he used Rugby League to escape to better himself.

• Having comedian Pooka the Clown perform putting smiles on attendees faces.

• Free dinner for all attendees

• The messaging in regards to training your brain assisted the participants to build resilience.

• Local community organisations were also in attendance who deal with Mental health. They were invited so people could talk to people on the ground if they or anyone they know maybe struggling. These included Red Cross, Mission Australia, Live Better, Australian Unity and school counsellors.

 

In the school sessions similar techniques were used to engage with students and also provided messaging about training your brain to assist the participants to build resilience. Students really increased their knowledge from the Mental Fitness interactive presentations. These sessions gave the students the skills to be able to address issues and provide them with diversionary capabilities that supports them through bad situations. After every session, teachers thanked the team and said how vital it was for their students to hear these messages.

 

The feedback indicated there was a need for such a presentation and the messaging from Black Dog Institute and the coping strategies that were provided has helped build resilience and improved the community’s mental health.

 

Community members in attendance seeking out support as they realized that they were affected by their current circumstances and that they needed help was a major outcome.