MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands Mental Health Project, “Wide Skies, Open Minds”

The name Wide Skies, Open Minds was chosen from suggestions made by people with lived experiences of mental health challenges.

Following on from the research elements and offering training for Champions, FIG the Falkland Islands Government, Public Health Unit are excited to be able to launch the brand identity for the anti-stigma in mental health project.

 The name Wide Skies, Open Minds was chosen from suggestions made by people with lived experiences of mental health challenges.

The next steps are to start developing the initial creative content and the FIG Public Health Unit will be making a shout out soon to ask workplaces, organizations, sports clubs, families, groups of friends from across the community to come forward and be part of the voices for change to reduce stigma around mental health so that everyone may feel confident to talk openly and to undertake help seeking behaviors.

The FIG Public Health Unit are taking this route as one of the key features evidenced for change is to use real people in the advertising and to show community support for raising awareness and social change and hope that sharing collective voices in this early phase of the campaign may empower those individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges to be willing to come forward in the future to be the faces of the campaign and share their stories.

More details will be released soon about how you can make your photo submissions to be included for collective voices to reduce stigma around mental health.

If you would like to be involved contact wideskies.openminds@horizon.co.fk or https://www.facebook.com/FIGPublicHealthUnit

If you would like support relating to your own mental health and wellbeing, please contact the Emotional Wellbeing Service on 28082 or email emotionalwellbeingservice@kemh.gov.fk . For GP appointments or out of hours emergencies please call 28000. Support is also available by contacting the Samaritans helpline on 51515 or Childline 28888.