Mental Health Week Meeting

Posted by Colin West 
on Oct 11, 2015
 
ROTARY DONATES $5,000 TO MENTALLY FIT E.P. PROGRAM
 
On Tuesday 6th Oct. The promoters of the EP Mentally Fit program Kirsty Treager, Sue Berry and Angela Cordon gave a progress report to the Port Lincoln Rotary club. The program was born some two years earlier when Rotary was approached to see how and if they could assist in the delivery of a pilot program on EP targeting those with depression and or some mental health problem that seemed to be being missed by other agencies.
Money was the driver that was needed to be added to the enthusiasm that Kirsty and Sue and other locals already had in abundance, it was decided that a fundraiser was the answer. That, coordinated by Angela Cordon from Country Health S A turned out to be a real success; some readers will remember the Life’s a Circus Gala Cabaret held at the Port Lincoln Racing Club last year that raised $24,000 that was matched by $24,000 from the Department of Education and Child Development
Armed with this money and the backing of the West Coast Youth and Community Support Service they set out to deliver the Choice Theory to Cummins, Tumby Bay and Port Lincoln. The Choice Theory has been developed by Dr William Glasser and in a nut shell it is aimed at teaching people who may be confused about life that THEY have choices and do not have to settle for second best.
The Mentally Fit E.P. program has been so successful here that some elements of it have been shared with other parts of Australia and indeed back to the Glasser organisation in America.
But all good things face hurdles and the main one of course is money, West Coast Youth and Community group are willing to continue support and with Rotary’s donation there is still a shortfall that it is hoped that other sections of the community will pick up.
The program started out dealing with adults but is being refined to present to Year eleven school groups as far away as Ceduna having already had success on Lower Eyre Peninsula.
It is a three by two hour set of lessons that teaches the need to speak more openly about depression and mental wellbeing issues and the fact that everyone is able to exercise choices.
It would be a real pity if this program folded from lack of funding; it has already produced excellent results.O
 
 
Names for photo left to right
 
Sue Berry Family and Youth Counsellor, Kirsty Treager West Coast Youth and Community Support Service , John Myers Rotary President, Angela Cordon Country Health S A