Innovative Pilot increases Mental Wellbeing in Priority Communities

MEDIA RELEASE 8/2/23

An innovative peer-to-peer education programme has proven to be a successful model for improving mental health knowledge and skills, particularly amongst hard to reach and ethnically diverse communities, according to a new report released by headlight.

headlight, a Queenstown-based charitable trust whose purpose is to empower communities in Aotearoa to support their mental health and wellbeing, piloted the ‘GoodYarn Community’ programme1 between April 2021 and June 2022.  

Its aim was to increase mental health literacy in the Queenstown Lakes community, particularly amongst priority populations such as migrant communities, new parents and small businesses who were under increasing mental pressure following the COVID related events of 2020 – 2022. 

The pilot project was designed using an established, evidence-based mental health literacy programme called GoodYarn that is delivered in corporate and rural settings.  The pilot team trialled delivering the workshops in an ethnically diverse community, including running workshops for different migrant audiences using their native language and in culturally appropriate settings to make it as effective and accessible as possible. 

Completed by Anna Williams, a research consultant supported by the Lotteries Community Internship Programme, the report highlights the value of upskilling local, non-clinical, ethnically diverse community members to deliver mental health education to their peers.

The peer-to-peer model was also found to be invaluable in helping to break down stigma and discrimination against people with mental illness. 

Overall, the report emphasises how the pilot programme has had a potentially deep and lasting impact on the community, stating “its approach to delivering mental health education training will have a substantial impact on the mental wellbeing of the Queenstown community over time as the information begins to positively impact relationships and interactions with priority community groups, and their family and whānau.”

Between April 2021 and June 2022:

• 267 participants from priority groups participated in the free mental health workshops

• 15 peer facilitators were trained from diverse populations 

• 97% of responders agreed or strongly agreed that the workshop increased their knowledge of mental health and wellbeing. 

• 44% of participants had English as a second language

• Significant improvements were seen in three learning outcomes of;

• increased awareness of signs and symptoms of mental distress,

• increased confidence in having a conversation with someone you are concerned about,

• increased knowledge of what support is available to help.

• The most helpful and educational aspects of the workshop were: recognising the signs of stress and mental health problems, suicide awareness and additional resources and support.

Anna Dorsey, Chief Executive of headlight says she’s delighted that the report confirms what her team has been hearing in person.

“We’re so pleased that the programme helps to empower people of all ages and cultures to learn how to have more open conversations about mental health as part of their everyday life. That’s so important when you consider most people who are struggling with mental distress will usually reach out to a friend, family member or colleague first before talking to a clinician.”

She says the report findings also affirm headlight’s focus on investing in community-driven, peer-led mental health education as a strategy to help to keep people well, prevent mental distress and support early intervention. 

“This pilot is an example of how we can think differently in designing future peer-led services in communities that can sit alongside clinical services and actively support our collective mental health and wellbeing,” says Ms Dorsey, who recently shared the key findings with delegates of the e-Mental Health International Congress 2022.

The report notes the potential of the pilot model to be broadened so that it can positively impact the mental health and wellbeing of other diverse communities nationwide. It recommends that further investment is warranted to ensure the programme can continue to increase mental health literacy in diverse, rural and remote communities.  

The pilot project was made possible thanks to several organisations and individuals including the New Zealand Lotteries Community Fund and Community Internship Programme,  Te Hau Toka Southern Lakes Wellbeing Group, Central Lakes Trust, Community Trust South,  Ministry of Ethnic Communities, Altrusa Queenstown, the Dick and Diana Hubbard Foundation, Perpetual Guardian, the Ministry of Social Development, Greatest Needs Fund, Wakatipu Community Foundation, Impact 100, FoodStuffs Community Trust, Ziptrek Eco Tours and EPSON New Zealand. The headlight team also wishes to acknowledge the valuable support of individual donors who supported the project.

For more information and a copy of the full report, visit https://headlight.org.nz/goodyarn-pilot-report

About GoodYarn

GoodYarn is an evidence based, clinically developed mental health literacy programme helping workplaces to talk about mental health. Read more at (www.goodyarn.org)