The power of community couldn’t be clearer than in the way we are seeing people come together to form local Alliances Against Depression, promoting support for people living with depression by initiating community-based intervention activities.
Alliance Against Depression (AAD) is an integrated, whole of community-based approach to improving treatment of depression and reducing suicidal behaviour. It is not a service, but a way of working together and strengthening and bringing together existing resources.
Last month, Imagined Futures Alliance Against Depression was launched with the support of a Lotterywest grant that will enable them to bring their community together to raise awareness of depression and provide training to community members.
Imagined Futures Executive Officer Leigh Sinclair said the only way to tackle the increasing prevalence of depression in our community is by banding together and that is why it is so important that we have a road map to guide us.
“The funding from the Lotterywest grant will bring the community together to raise awareness of the many faces of depression and provide training to community members so that we are all better equipped to respond when we see someone is struggling.
“Over the next twelve months our many partners will be working together to put systems in place to help build GPs understanding of referral pathways in our community, undertake a communication campaign to raise awareness of depression and encourage people to seek help, broker training for community members, and facilitate greater access to supports to people in crisis.
“We are especially grateful to Fremantle Dockers player, Alex Pearce, for sharing his own journey with depression, giving personal insight into the impacts of the black dog. Alex relayed a hopeful message, saying after reaching out for help he now has the tools in place to maintain his mental health.”
Since launching the AAD Coordination Centre in mid-2019, WA Primary Health Alliance has supported six communities to establish their own local Alliances.
Find out more about the Alliance Against Depression.