The Victoria University Counselling Service has chosen a theme of Winning Ways to Well-being for the upcoming Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW), which will run from 5 October until 11 October 2009.
The Winning Ways theme identifies five scientifically proven actions to ensure mental well-being. These actions are based on a review of the research of over 400 scientists undertaken by the New Economics Foundation (NEF) for the UK Government’s Foresight Project 2008.
NEF’s Winning Ways to Well-being include connecting into social relationships; being active; taking notice and reflecting on the world and one’s daily experiences; keep learning new hobbies and skills; and giving to others, and trying to see one’s happiness as linked to the wider community.
Nic Marks, founder of the centre for well-being at NEF, said that while the health of the nation has placed economic measures such as spending and consuming as priorities, people should invest time and effort into their mental well-being as this is just as—if not more—important.
“For too long we’ve measured the health of the nation by how much we are consuming rather than the things that really matter, which is how things are really going for people,” Marks said.
Gerard Hoffman, Head of Counselling Service at Victoria, said the MHAW09 Committee is currently working on designs for posters and a toolkit, which will highlight how students can incorporate the winning ways into their everyday lives.
“The MHAW09 committee is currently working on the designs for the awareness week posters and toolkit, which will be available to order on our website closer to the launch date. The toolkit will highlight practical things that people can do in their everyday lives to enhance their own well-being and that of others”, Hoffman said.