Screen Aus funds Mental Health training for screen sector

On this R U OK? Day, what is being achieved in the screen sector in mental health advancements?

Five online courses to train 60 screen practitioners have been funded by Screen Australia’s Industry Partnerships program, and there are hopes for more.

“Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is the nationally accredited training for individuals that teaches participants how to provide initial support to a person who may be experiencing a mental health problem, or be in a mental health crisis,”said filmmaker & accredited instructor Ben Steel.

Recent MHFA course participant and Co-chair of the Equity Wellness Committee Kathy Lepan-Walker said, “Often screen colleagues don’t know what to say or do, or how to help someone they are concerned might be struggling with a mental health challenge, and that’s where mental health first aid training helps. It provides you with the framework and the skills to have these conversations and enables you to provide initial support to someone that you are worried about.”

While 5 courses already fully subscribed, Steel -whose film The Show Must Go On screened on ABC- is hoping other industry stakeholders will invest in additional MHFA training.

“Early intervention and encouraging professional help seeking is the key to help create a mentally healthy screen sector” continues Steel. “Often people that are struggling can’t see a way out and they feel that they are all alone, so having these interventions and conversations early – before conditions worsen, is absolutely vital.”

Jungle Entertainment CEO Jason Burrows added, “MHFA training for the screen sector is a fantastic idea and initiative. For too long, the mental health of our screen workforce has been neglected despite the terrible statistics and it’s time for change. Great work has been done creating guidelines and protocols that look at the physical health concerns of our cast and crew, and now we need equal consideration and support to help strengthen mental wellbeing.”

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