October (2021) is Mental Health Month!
You’ll find it celebrated by a number of groups.
Like any of the named days/months, Mental Health Month is about raising awareness of the importance of our mental health, encouraging open conversations about mental health and equipping people with the knowledge and skills necessary to enhance their mental health.
Oasis @ Flinders is celebrating Mental Health Month in a much bigger way than previously with activities happening each week over October.
We’re doing so with a Good Vibes Experiment and Be Well Plan theme. You might be familiar with the Good Vibes Experiment (GVE) campaign that was launched this year that encourages people to add positive emotion inducing activities into their everyday life. During Mental Health Month we will be exploring some of those activities and providing opportunities to engage in them. Activities including mindful yoga, Flinders Market, meditation, forest walks and events at the hub/plaza. We’d love to see you there!
We are also using Mental Health Month as a chance to promote the Be Well Plan. This wellbeing and resilience program was built by the crew at Be Well Co, with input from EPSW researchers here at Flinders. Students have access to this program for free, thanks to EPSW and Be Well Co. You can register your interest and find out the training dates remaining for this year at the link. We’d love for you to take up this offer and access this innovative evidence-based program. You can learn more about the program at this link.
As for what is happening on campus in the coming weeks, here is an overview.
Week 1
Tuesday 5th – Mindful Yoga – Oasis Community Centre – 12-1
Wednesday 6th – Meditation – 12-12.30 – Oasis Community Centre and Headspace day event in the Plaza
Thursday 7th – Flinders Market (GVE themed) – 11-1 – Oasis Community Centre
Friday 8th – Meditation – 12-12.30 – Oasis Community Centre
Week 2
Monday 11th – Forest Walk – 12-1 – Meet at Oasis Community Centre
Tuesday 12th – Mindful Yoga – Oasis Community Centre – 12-1
Wednesday 13th – Meditation – 12-12.30 – Oasis Community Centre
Thursday 14th – Flinders Market (GVE themed) – 11-1 – Oasis Community Centre
Friday 15th – Meditation – 12-12.30 – Oasis Community Centre
Week 3
Monday 18th – Forest Walk – 12-1 – Meet at Oasis Community Centre
Tuesday 19th – Mindful Yoga – Oasis Community Centre – 12-1 and Mental Health Month plaza event with FUSA!!
Wednesday 20th – Meditation – 12-12.30 – Oasis Community Centre
Thursday 21st – Flinders Market (GVE themed) – 11-1 – Oasis Community Centre
Friday 22nd – Meditation – 12-12.30 – Oasis Community Centre
Week 4
Monday 25th – Forest Walk – 12-1 – Meet at Oasis Community Centre
Tuesday 26th – Mindful Yoga – Oasis Community Centre
Wednesday 27th – Meditation – 12-12.30 – Oasis Community Centre
Thursday 28th – Flinders Market (GVE themed) – 11-1 – Oasis Community Centre
Friday 29th – Meditation – 12-12.30 – Oasis Community Centre
And if you can’t make it to campus for activities, never fear, there will be plenty happening on social media as well.
- Daily social media competitions with an end of month grand prize (simply like and share posts to enter)
- 4 x Wellbeing Ambassador social media takeover days where our Oasis Wellbeing Ambassadors (students) take over our social media feeds for the day. Drop by, ask them questions, hear about their own wellbeing and mental health experiences.
- New videos each week from the Oasis team on the topics of Good Vibes Experiment, mental fitness, the meaning of mental health month and self-care. That reminds me. I better go record some of these!
Stick close to Oasis Instagram and Oasis Facebook for all the action.
Also a quick note about a cool freebie
Hadleigh at Resilience Agenda, who makes a very cool mental fitness diary has donated 100 Financial Year Diaries (2021/2022) free to giveaway to students. These diaries would make a great companion during the summer break. A way to organise and plan your holiday period so you get the most out of it in terms of your mental health.
Some diaries are being given away as part of daily social media prizes, but a chunk of them will also be moved to the Oasis Community Centre. If you get in quick, you can get one for free.