The 6 Focus Areas
During a Mental Health Project, there are 6 key focus areas we will ask each team to focus on in regards to tackling mental health.
These are derived as legitimate strategies to tackle the misconceptions and misinformation that can promote fear and shame associated with mental illness. This stigma can cause young people to lack help in seeking the support they need, or lead to negative coping mechanisms when dealing with stress. The age old saying “prevention is better than cure” is especially true when resources & training for ill-mental health are low on the ground. In Fiji today there remains just one psychiatric facility and just 3 doctors with postgraduate mental health training. Meanwhile, suicide rates in Fiji are concerning and continuing to rise.
Mental health is much more than the absence of illness, and anyone can experience challenges to their mental wellbeing. However, 42% of Fijians said they would be put off seeking any help due to embarrassment (Aghanwa 2004). If local mental health ambassadors can influence attitudes and understanding, then they can break the stigma surrounding discussing mental health.
Hear Matthew from Youth Champs 4 Mental Health talking more on why our project take the approach they do and why we believe them to be a successful outreach.
The 6 Focus Areas on Your Project
- Advocacy Workshops
Each day, there will be a thematic focus and together with your team and youth group you shall support activities to promote learning, understanding and long-term action to promote aspects of positive mental health.
2. Healthy Habits
The project aims to help promote healthy habits within the communities and support advice from our government partners, including distributing messages about nutrition, diet, smoking, drugs and NCD awareness. We work alongside Fiji’s National Wellness Centre and facilitate the Towards a Health Fiji Islands Initiative to link physical health benefits to mental health promotion by distributing government information.
3. Peer to Peer Support
You will assist in implementing strategies from Pacific charities, we create enabling spaces where young people feel able to talk about problems, open up and discuss their mental well being without judgement. Encourage peer-to-peer discussions and empower youths to be role models and support each other and their younger siblings in facilitating conversations and spreading positive messages.
4. Care Strategies
Establish and demonstrate self-care and well-being activities within rural villages. This may include organising community walks, women’s aerobics, dance, music, art, drama, swimming, nature walks, hiking, family time, journal writing, blogs or community talks. These are activities that can be replicated and innovated by Fijian Youths.
5. Physical Activity
The benefits of sport and physical activity on our mental health are endless: improved mood, decreased chance of depression and anxiety, and a better and more balanced lifestyle. Any kind of physical activity can boost mental wellbeing – unleash your passion and help Fijian youths develop basic sports skills so they can run community, youth and children’s sports clubs long term.
6. Leadership
Engage in team building and group challenges in areas of communication, decision making, self-leadership, time management, presentation skills, positive mindset and empathy which encompass effective leadership cross-culturally, advancing employability skills and boosting confidence.