This Report Card provides a summary of key achievements of Brimbank City Council’s Mental

Wellbeing Plan 2022-2024 over the past financial year. The plan aims to support improved

mental wellbeing in the Brimbank community. The Victorian Department of Health defines

mental wellbeing as ‘a dynamic state of complete physical, mental, social, and spiritual

wellbeing in which a person can develop to their potential, cope with the normal stresses of

life, work productively and creatively, build strong and positive relationships with others and

contribute to the community’.

‘Supporting improved mental wellbeing’ is a health and wellbeing priority for Brimbank

City Council, and Council is working internally, and with its partners and the broader

community, to achieve this goal.

Mental Wellbeing

Plan 2022-24

;

New one-stop Mental Health Hubs for adults,

children and families opened in October 2022

and the Brimbank-Melton region was selected in

the first tranche of the Mental Health in Primary

Schools program.

;

Council, in partnership with LeadWest, is advocating

for $200,000 from the State Government for

a dedicated youth mental health program. This

project aims to work with service providers, health

professionals and young adults to design a program

tailored to their needs.

;

Council is a member of the Social Prescribing

Project Control Group which is overseeing the

implementation of social prescribing trials in the new

Mental Health and Wellbeing Local Services.

;

Council delivered Youth Mental Health First Aid

Training to adults to support young people aged

between 12 and 18 years. The training program

was delivered at Taylors Lakes Secondary College,

Victoria University Secondary College and St Albans

Secondary College.

;

Council’s Youth Counsellors and support officers

have supported 54 young people through individual

counselling support sessions.

;

Council delivered the Tuning into Teens program to

parents across Brimbank. Tuning into Teens is a six

session parenting program for parents of teens to

help teens develop emotional intelligence.

;

Council launched the Men’s Health Mental Health

Campaign consisting of five wellbeing tips videos.

;

Library Services conducted digital literacy sessions

for Burmese women and other marginalised ethnic

communities. Neighbourhood Houses delivered

the Digital Literacy program run in partnership with

Jesuit Community College. Council also established

an iPad Learning Group which rotated through

library branches. The program allows community

members to loan an iPad from the library and

attend six weekly sessions.

;

In the past financial year Council approved eight

community grant funding applications totalling

$53,920 for mental wellbeing initiatives.

;

For Mental Health Week in October 2022, Council

organised activities that included meditation and

yoga sessions, community bike rides, nature walks

and a webinar.

;

Council hosted the ‘in between stability’ drawings

and embroidery exhibition by Cassie Harper,

showcasing how art provides emotional therapy.

;

Council hosted several social support events targeted

at the LGBTQIA+ community, including a Trans

Awareness Week Short Film Gala, a Q&A Youth

LGBTQIA+ Trivia Night. The Crystal Queer program

developed the ‘Ida the Hobbit and the Crystal Queer

Deers’ podcast in partnership with Duke Street

Neighbourhood House. Council also held a panel

discussion on the lived experience of trans and

gender diverse creatives in the community as part of

the Brimbank Writers & Readers Festival.

;

Council developed the Young@Heart program

supporting adult digital literacy, and the Future

Wood Workers Program supporting primary

school children’s training in woodwork.

;

In May 2023 Council held two Mental Health &

Wellbeing workshops for volunteers.

;

Delivered the first two phases of the ‘Inclusive

Communities at the Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness

Centre collective impact program run in partnership

with tenant partners. The program engages different

cohorts of people who are at risk of social isolation

and poor mental wellbeing and has focused on carers

and single parents.

;

Council implemented a range of programs at Leisure,

Sport and Recreation facilities to foster inclusion for

people who traditionally face barriers to participate

in physical activity due to social isolation and stigma.

Programs included water safety sessions to the Chin–

Burmese Early Years Playgroup as part of the Living

in Your Neighbourhood program, Iraqi Womens and

Children’s Program, and the Leisure Centres Senior

Members Christmas Party.

;

A total of 22 youth ‘pop-up’ sessions were

conducted outside the Visy Cares Hub and Victoria

University Sunshine Trades Campus. In partnership

with Youth Junction Inc. and the Western Bulldogs

Community Foundation, activities included soccer,

basketball, music and food events targeting

disengaged young people.

;

Council delivered the Drumbeat Program in five

secondary schools and a mental wellbeing program

supporting body image in two primary schools. R U

OK? Day was celebrated online, via the Crystal Queer

RUOK Day Party and in Brimbank Schools.

;

Council partnered with Duke Street

Neighbourhood House, CommUnity Plus and the

local community to co-design Hunters Patch, a

multi-use outdoor space for social connection and

community-led group activities.

;

As part of Men’s Health Week Council offered twelve

mental health activities including healthy eating and

cooking workshops, exercise, a woodwork session

for father figures to connect with their children and

other men, a sensory modulation workshop and a

Yarning Circle. The main event was a talk by former

AFL premiership player, Tom Boyd who shared his

journey with mental health.

;

Council offered a series of programs to support social

connection including the Women’s Conversation Club,

Rake and Create Cultural Group, Strength Together

Acquired Brain Injury Group and Westvale Men’s Shed

Social Sessions.

;

Council established a formal partnership with

cohealth as the provider of the new Brimbank

Mental Health and Wellbeing Local service. Council

secured funding from cohealth to establish a new

Mental Health and Wellbeing Partnerships Officer to

facilitate organisational linkages and help identify

and resolve barriers in mental health access, service

delivery, and navigation.

254 - 0823

9249 4000

info@brimbank.vic.gov.au

PO Box 70, Sunshine, VIC 3020

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133 677

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