The CheckUP team celebrates Queensland Mental Health Week 2023

This is the sixth year that CheckUP have coordinated Queensland Mental Health Week (QMHW) on behalf of the Queensland Mental Health Commission and with the support of a strong cross-sector collaboration. Taking place last week from 7-15 October in 2023, Queensland Mental Health Week is an awareness week that aims to shine a spotlight on individual and community mental health and wellbeing. The theme, ‘Awareness, Belonging, Connection’, reflects the important factors that help people maintain positive mental health and wellbeing.

We’re thrilled to share that this year there was a record breaking number of events, with over 500 events officially registered on the QMHW website. As the coordinators of QMHW it was incredible to see all the creative and varied events happening across the state. Last week the CheckUP team had the pleasure of attending just a few of the fantastic QMHW events.

Here’s a snapshot of what the CheckUP team got up to during Queensland Mental Health Week 2023.

The first weekend of QMHW was a busy one for us. Some of the team attended the North Coast Aboriginal Corporation for Community Health Well Persons Health Check Day, while others kicked off the week with the Walk for Awareness.

During the week the CheckUP and Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council teams in Brisbane and Cairns held their own QMHW events, taking some time out for cupcakes, colouring and connection.

CheckUP’s Brisbane team members were lucky enough to check out a few of the local exhibitions happening around the city. We visited Out from the Mist, an international photography, music, and short film competition and exhibition. We also visited the Recovered Futures Art Exhibition in King George Square, which featured 270 amazing artworks. Both exhibitions celebrate the work of artists with lived experience of mental ill-health.

The marketing and communications team headed to Parliament House Brisbane for their QMHW event. The event was a hit, with addresses from Shannon Fentiman, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services and Minister for Women, and Ivan Frkovic, Queensland Mental Health Commissioner. It was fantastic to see the support for Queensland Mental Health Week from Parliament, not to mention the adorable therapy dogs!

We also had the pleasure of celebrating the remarkable achievements of organisations in the sector at this year’s Queensland Mental Health Week Achievement Awards. Congratulations to all the nominees and the finalists!

We would like to thank the Queensland Mental Health Commission and all the members of our Reference Group and Working Group — particularly our lived experience consumer representatives — for their guidance, collaboration, and support to make QMHW what it is. We would also like to acknowledge people living with mental illness or mental health challenges, problematic alcohol and other drugs use, and those affected by suicide, their families, carers and support people. We commend their resilience, courage and generosity of time and spirit in sharing their personal stories, experiences and views.