Topic Tuesday // Men's Mental Health and Peer Support // Tues 9th March, 7:00-8:30PM AEDT

[Daisydreamer]

Welcome @TAB @outlander @Former-Member and @BanksiaProject! 🎉

Great question @TAB, I didn't know that was a book 😊

Very similar to our first question in fact, I’ll pass the first question to you Jack @BanksiaProject:

Question 1: What is The Banksia Project? And what brings you to the SANE Forums today?

[BanksiaProject]

@TAB Great question!! The name The Banksia Project was chosen for a few reasons:

- After bushfires, the vibrant pink of the Banksia flower is one of the first things to rejuvenate and thrive! Regeneration after fire.

- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations used to utilise the nectar of Banksia flowers for energy.

We thought these were two pretty special metaphors that linked closely to the work we do, supporting people to thrive!

[Daisydreamer]

@Bentley @bha @QuintoScorze @Shaz51 @Meowmy 

We are just getting started with our first question😊

[BanksiaProject]

Hey @Former-Member, Thanks for welcoming us. Very excited!!

[BanksiaProject]

Question 1: What is The Banksia Project? And what brings you to the SANE Forums today?

The Banksia Project is a men’s mental health charity that focuses on supporting men with their mental health and wellbeing through support groups called ‘Growth Rooms’.

These are free monthly sessions hosted virtually and in-person around Australia, which are facilitated by trained volunteers and supported by mental health professionals. We equip men with the tools and resources they need to safely deal with any challenges they may face in their day to day lives.

Our Growth Rooms are safe spaces for men to be open, honest and vulnerable.

My name is Jack and I’m extremely proud to work for The Banksia Project!

[TAB]

Ok no worries didn't see how it related to men Anyhoo
Umm what do you think about so many people living alone esp in later ages ? Homelessness is looking like my future Im 58 and never quite got enough for house deposit so have given hundreds of thousands of dollars to people who get huge tax benefits for owning existing housing. Makes me want to go and live in Antarctica

[Daisydreamer]

@BanksiaProject You’ve mentioned trained volunteers facilitate the monthly sessions, are these volunteers peers?

[TAB]

Hi Jack I had an excellent counsellor who was GP like 20 years ago I picked myself up went and did a degree etc 'clicked' with his advice til felt did not need it. Went to counsellor/psych last year just wanted to get up and walk out no empathy or at least a display of it . May as well have been a lecture. A very average repetitive one. Never went back

[BanksiaProject]

I think living alone is a challenging aspect, which is why we try to provide our services to all who can access. We have face-to-face services in certain areas, but provide virtual programs in an attempt to reach those who need it. We do our best to incentivise people to reach out to our programs if they are feeling lonely, as often a group of support can be a great thing. 

We also try our best to act as a 'triage and referral' pathway. If we recognise that participants in our Growth Rooms may be struggling, we try to get them to the appropriate professionals to guide them!

[BanksiaProject]

@Daisydreamer all of our program Facilitators are Peers - They aren't qualified professionals, just everyday men who want to put their hand up, undergo some training and have the capacity to understand their own health and wellbeing. Some of them have a lived experience with mental health challenges, others simply want to help others. Our 'peer' reference is that they are not trained mental health professionals, just everyday blokes!