Stigma reduction update; call for ongoing transgender support services: Free online lived-living experience training; Power Up! Lived Experience Summit 2025; Social impact advisory roundtable; Funding boost for six First Nations mental health initiatives; Inquiry into the health impacts of AOD in Australia submission; AOD Harm reduction in CALD communities funding recipients; Community prevention funding recipients
Happy New Year to you all - it's hard to believe we're at the end of the first month of 2025 already. However you celebrated your holiday period, I hope you found time to rest and have come back feeling refreshed and ready for another year of meaningful work.
With that being said, I'm aware that this time of year can be difficult as we get back into regular routines. Post-festive season spending and cost-of-
living pressures can also place increased stress on us. Beyond Blue and Financial Counselling Australia have developed the Money and Mental Health Quiz to help you understand where you sit on a financial and mental wellbeing scale. If you're experiencing this pressure, I encourage you to take the quiz and access the free resources and support available to you. The Commission contributes to Beyond Blue funding each year to help support the wellbeing of Queenslanders.
Stigma reduction work progressing
Work is continuing on the development and delivery of the stigma reduction work package. A Stigma Project Lived-Living Experience Working Group (LLEWG) has been formed and has started working with us. LLEWG members represent diverse lived experiences and have made a significant contribution already. We received overwhelming interest in this opportunity, and thank the many people who applied and continue to offer their support for this important project.
In late 2025, we conducted in-depth formative research program with 79 participants (including the LLEWG) from diverse backgrounds and locations across the state. The research aimed to gain deep understanding of existing knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours among Queenslanders relating to lived-living experience (across mental health, alcohol and other drugs, and suicide), stigma, help-seeking and help-offering. These insights will inform the development of the creative campaign strategy and opportunities for capacity and capability building initiatives.
As this important project progresses, I look forward to keeping you updated. If you're interested in being involved, I encourage you to sign up to our stigma mailing list.
Call for ongoing services for transgender Queenslanders
Queensland Mental Health Commissioner Ivan Frkovic has said it is vital that support services were available to young transgender people and their families across Queensland.
“Access to the right care, at the right time, improves peoples’ mental health and wellbeing and it is crucial that appropriate healthcare is available to all Queenslanders,” he said.
Mr Frkovic said the Commission shares concerns raised by the Human Rights Commissioner, the RACGP, AMAQ and the federal sex discrimination commissioner regarding access to health services for the transgender community, particularly with regards to mental health impacts.
Finally, as we settle back into another working year, I encourage you to make time for your wellbeing. Queensland's Dear Mind campaign focuses on positive mental health and wellbeing, and is a great source of ideas for how you can boost your wellbeing throughout the year. This includes the six building blocks of wellbeing that help us respond to the range of tasks we face every day.
On behalf of all of us at the Commission, I'm looking forward to another big year - there's a lot on the agenda and I encourage you to subscribe to our eNews (if you aren't already), follow us on our socials or get in touch if you're keen to hear about everything underway at the Commission in 2025.
FREE training - Dr Louise Byrne
The Commission has invested in free online training for eligible Queensland organisations to gain essential understanding of Lived-Living Experience workforces and work.
The training, delivered by Dr. Louise Byrne, takes an hour to complete and is designed for all staff—not just Peer workers—to build shared understanding of Lived-Living Experience work and help embed this essential workforce in your organisation.
Louise will be a keynote speaker at QLEWN's 'Powering Up' event next
month, so get your tickets if you want to discuss the training, with Dr. Byrne, in person.
We encourage you to sign up to this valuable training.
The Commission is proud to sponsor QLEWN (Queensland Lived Experience Workforce Network) to deliver Queensland's inaugural Lived Experience Summit on 20-21 February 2025. With limited professional development opportunities available to the Peer Workforce, the Summit is specifically designed for the Queensland Lived-Living Experience workforce, offering practical learning that can immediately elevate peer practice.
Tickets are still available and we encourage you to register yourself, or your staff, and contribute to the ongoing development, capability building and support for our growing Lived-Living Experience Peer workforce across the state. Get your tickets.
Social Impact Advisory Roundtable
The Commissioner attended a roundtable hosted by Hon. David Janetzki MP on 16 January. The roundtable brought together leaders from the social impact sector to discuss potential opportunities and challenges to upscale Queensland's social enterprise industry. The discussion will help inform the development of a sector roadmap to define the role of the Queensland Government’s $80 million Social Entrepreneurs Fund in supporting social entrepreneurs and impact investors driving positive impacts to Queenslanders' lives.
A social enterprise is a business that primarily operates with a social purpose, aiming to solve community problems and improve lives. Social enterprise aligns with priorities outlined in Shifting minds, Every life, Achieving balance, and the Queensland Trauma Strategy to reduce barriers to sustainable employment and foster supportive work environments. Read more
Funding boost for six First Nations mental health initiatives
The Commission is funding six First Nations community organisations across the state, under the First Nations Social and Emotional Wellbeing grants. These grants aim to reduce suicide rates among Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander people and enhance prevention and early support to reduce harm and improve outcomes. The grant program is funded through actions from Every life and Achieving balance, and will be administered by the Department of Women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Multiculturalism. Read more
Our submission: Inquiry into the health impacts of AOD in Australia
The Commission made a submission to the Commonwealth Inquiry on the health impacts of alcohol and drugs in Australia. We highlighted evidence-based policies to reduce alcohol and other drug related harm and increase safety. We also highlighted the need to address stigma and learn from people with lived and living experience.
Funding recipients: AOD Harm reduction in CALD communities
We're pleased to announce that QuIHN (Queensland Injectors Health Network) in partnership with ECCQ (Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland); and World Wellness Group are the successful recipients of our tender for AOD prevention, awareness and harm reduction in culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
Over one in five Queenslanders are born overseas. Culturally and linguistically diverse communities across the state, face unique challenges that can influence experiences of AOD issues. The two community projects aim to reduce and prevent AOD related harms to culturally diverse communities. Find out about the projects
Announcement: Community Prevention funding recipients
We're pleased to announce Queensland Positive People (QPP) and Queensland Remote Aboriginal Media (QRAM) as the successful recipients from our July AOD tender for the Community Prevention initiative. The two organisations will work to reduce AOD related harm and improve health literacy in Queensland.
Innovative AOD primary prevention resources will be designed for people living with HIV (QPP) and culturally appropriate AOD awareness resources will be designed for 19 First Nations communities in remote Queensland (QRAM). Read more
Expressions of interest are now openfor the Stratford Scholarship. The scholarship is an opportunity for an emerging Peer leader or small group of peers across Australia to complete a 12-month project. The project should contribute to innovation and transformational change that supports the mental health and wellbeing of people in their own, and the broader, community. Apply now.
The Money and Mental Health Quizis a free online tool developed by Beyond Blue to see where you sit on a financial and mental wellbeing scale. Financial challenges can cause mental stress which can make it harder to get on top of our finances. This quiz can help you understand what kind of support you might need and links to free resources and support to take action earlier. Take the quiz now.
The Lived Experience of Suicide Summit is taking place in Brisbane on 13-14 March 2025. Delivered by Roses in the Ocean, the Summit is a forum for people with lived experience of suicide to be the change they want to see in suicide prevention. Key focus areas include emerging innovations in suicide prevention, workforce sustainability and collective care and digital suicide prevention, and integration, partnership and leadership. Get your earlybird tickets.
The Women's Wellbeing Line is now live.The Women’s Wellbeing Line (1800 4WOMEN) provides free mental health support and therapeutic counselling, and is available to all women, girls, and gender diverse folk in Queensland. Visit Women's Health and Equity Queensland for more information.
Arafmi is looking for 10 individuals, with carer experience, to be part of their new Carer Consultative Group. The Group will help Arafmi support mental health carers across Queensland by providing feedback on their work to — engage with mental health carers, advocate for changes, and provide information, resources, services and supports. Want to be involved? Submit your expression of interest, here.
Sponsorship
We offer sponsorships up to $10,000 for sector events. The next round opens3 February 2025.
