Page 12 - BOL Feb 22 Edition

Assisting Communities through

Direct Connection

Sometimes all it takes is a conversation. CMHA are working with local service provider, Stride Mental
Health, to doorknock in Redcliffe from January to April 2022.
A new project in Redcliffe aims to talk with community members
about their mental health and help link them with wellbeing The ACDC Project are not typical door knockers. They make
services in their area. contact via friendly ‘People Connectors’ who let people know
about the free services available and deliver an information pack
With the COVID-19 pandemic still affecting Australians, the with a fridge magnet and brochures.
Assisting Communities through Direct Connection (ACDC)
project is going door-to-door to check-in with locals.

The ACDC Project, run by Community Mental Health Australia
(CMHA), is visiting over 20 sites in Australia to improve
community wellbeing and collect important data.

“Unfortunately for many reasons people do not want to talk
about or even think about their mental health,” says CEO of
CMHA, Bill Gye.

“People may prefer to tough it out, hide it from others, or avoid
the stigma. The ACDC Project is going directly to households in
Australia to engage them in conversation about these important
issues.”

ACDC Project Line Manager, Tristan Brownson, is excited to run
the project in Redcliffe after successfully running the project in
Brisbane and Ipswich in 2021.
“We have seen the positive impact that this project is having in
communities. We have been able to facilitate multiple referrals
for people needing connection with services and allowed
people to be heard and feel valued, and sometimes that is all
they need,” she says.

The other aim of the ACDC Project is to gather feedback on any
service gaps, so that improvements can be made by local, state,
and federal governments.