WA Men’s Wellbeing Conference 2024

“What Makes A Thriving Shed? The Thriving Sheds Model”

This research collaboration between Men’s Sheds of WA and Curtin University aimed to answer the question – What Makes a Thriving Shed? We will discuss key findings from this research, along with the 8 factors in the Thriving Shed Model that will enable Sheds and potentially other mutual-aid organisations to thrive.

“What happens when you call Lifeline?”

It can feel hard for people to reach out and the purpose of this session is to illuminate what to expect when either yourself or for someone else you may recommend contact Lifeline.

“WA Cricket and Healthway partnership and their “Think Mental Health” campaign”

Sports play a vital role in promoting and maintaining positive mental health. Chris will talk through WA Cricket’s partnership with Healthway promoting the Think Mental Health campaign. This includes current health promotion approaches, relevant milestones so far, and future objectives of the campaign. This will be combined with a discussion on the importance of using sports as an avenue to address barriers that people – especially men – face towards seeking help for mental wellbeing, such as increasing social capital, decreasing stigma, and empowering clubs to place wellbeing at the forefront of conversations.

“Going beyond banter to meaningful connection”

We’ll look at and discuss the effects of ‘socially expected male banter’ versus the practice of creating space for genuine sharing. Meaningful connection comes from valuing genuine sharing through active listening, and not immediately offering solutions.

Join Elders from our local community to discuss men’s mental health and wellbeing in a panel discussion.

“Goldfields Suicide Prevention Project”

Hope’s Goldfields Suicide Prevention Project (GSPP) aimed to combine work conducted under isolated local action plans to enhance impact and scale up outcomes. This session outlines the project, it’s outcomes and projects that have emerged as a result of this work.

“Responding to Loss at Sport Clubs”

Critical incidents are difficult to address and respond to, with most of us not knowing what we’d do if tragedy strikes our sporting community. The True Sport Mental Health and Wellbeing Initiative aims to respond to mental health incidents and promote proactive mental health and wellbeing in community sport via multi-faceted learning and response tools. Jasmine and Caitlin will walk through how to respond to an incident, and what we can do in our sporting clubs to be better equipped to support our members and friends now and into the future.

“Best Self Model for Growing High Performance”

A wellbeing framework that has been proven successful in mainstream education, unpacking Growth Huntings ‘Best Self Model for Growing High Performance’

“How AI Can Assist with Bridging the Digital and Human Disconnect”

IYARN is a health and wellbeing software platform that facilitates safe spaces for people to come together to have meaningful conversations. IYARN works with businesses, schools and non-profits promoting mentally friendly workplaces.

“Co-designed Male Community Champion Campaign”

Holyoake’s Prevention Team collaborated with males across WA’s Wheatbelt to co-design a campaign that promoted the importance of looking after their own and other’s wellbeing. Hear about the process, messaging and assets, and their learnings from the campaign.

“Buddiup”

Data shows higher rates of mental health challenges experienced by men with disability. Buddiup is working to provide social opportunities through community and physical activity for men with disability to improve their overall physical and mental health. Buddiup exists to help men with intellectual and learning disability develop healthy lives and social connection through group-based health & wellbeing programs.

“Chronic Pain and the Mind-Body Connection”

Explore the transformative potential of mindfulness as part of a holistic approach to managing pain and leave participants with practical takeaways to incorporate into their daily lives.

“Identifying Disability in Remand Populations as a Mechanism to Reduce Re-Offending”

Prisons have always been a capture point for socially disadvantaged individuals, especially for the most vulnerable and at risk both to themselves and the wider community. This session seeks to categorise this at-risk population, identifies the multi-morbidity characteristics that define this cohort and offers a cost effective and sustainable solution that is being trialled within the women’s prison system that identifies a positive and impactful way forward for this unseen and underserviced population of men.

Chris is currently Head of Mental Health at Mineral Resources Limited. Chris now focuses on providing evidence informed therapies for men of all ages with anxiety, depression or related mental ill-health concerns.