About Us

Mentally Fit EP ('EP' referring to Eyre Peninsula) began when a group of ladies had a collective vision to flip mental illness on its head; to stop talking about the negative, and up skill support people. The first event held by the Mentally Fit EP team was a successful "Life's a Circus" gala dinner during Mental Health Week in 2014. The funds raised, combined with a Community Partnership Grant from ICAN (the Innovative Community Action Network - DECD), allowed for Kirsty Traeger to be appointed as a Community Development Officer for West Coast Youth and Community Support to bring the vision of a "Mentally Fit Eyre Peninsula" to life. Kirsty was a passionate driving force behind Mentally Fit EP from the beginning, and is commended for laying the successful foundation of the project. Sadly Kirsty passed away in 2016. Her legacy continues to fuel the success of Mentally Fit EP.

 

The project has been designed and developed by qualified staff that live, work and raise their families on the EP. It focuses primarily on three aspects:

Firstly by raising awareness that individuals can do much to look after their own mental health;

Secondly by offering an accessible program where individuals can learn how to look after their mental health and,

Thirdly by increasing knowledge in this community of where to go for support either as part of learning new self care skills, or to access more direct support when it is needed.

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Challenging situations and ongoing stress often lead to periods of being mentally unwell. Many people including those who have recovered from a period of mental illness are looking for support and skills to stay well;  other members of the community are caring for a family member with mental illness and are looking for ways to cope with this added pressure.

 

The issues of coping with busy lives, relationship difficulties and unforeseen changes in circumstances are familiar to us all. The project is focused on developing capacity in the community as a whole by taking a proactive approach in the belief that there are choices a person can make which enable them to positively influence their own mental well being.

Mental Health service access is a re-occurring theme raised at forums we have held across the Eyre Peninsula, which is not always related to not having services, but knowing where and how to access and navigate the system. This can be one of the most difficult aspects of a person’s journey.

 

The importance of consumers having a clear understanding of service provision and the differentiation between crisis services and psychological/therapeutic care services (which are of a longer term nature and can at times have sustained waiting lists), needs to be transparent and understandable.

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Providing prevention programs and ensuring there are place based service responses for regions is what is making a difference (and what the communities are screaming out for across the EP). Mentally Fit EP strives to provide this across a distance of 170,500sq km with a population capture of 58.700 people! Since 2014, MFEP has coordinated and delivered over 150 events, such as community forums, talks and workshops. Venues and audiences have included Primary and Senior schools, nursing homes, hospitals, prisons, auxiliary groups, Mental illness fellowships, Rotary groups, community sector workers, teacher training and development sessions, and local council talks.

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An important and proud aspect of Mentally Fit EP are the FREE 'Take Charge of Your Life' courses that are offered all over the EP. It is fun, interactive workshop based on William Glasser's Choice Theory psychology and how to apply it to your life. The course empowers individuals to look after their own mental health by understanding why and how to make positive choices. Over 250 people have taken part in the courses to date. 

 

The Mentally Fit EP project is largely delivered through the generous funding of Cummins District and Port Lincoln Community Banks through their customers banking at these local branches. Support from Port Lincoln Rotary is also unwavering, as well as community donations and fundraisers, which all contribute to Mentally Fit EP's success.

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This website is no longer updated. Our main source of communication is through Facebook. The current website is www.wcycs.com.au