New Executive Director appointment
Transcription
New Executive Director appointment
November 2012 News and Events “Doctors estimate at least 2 million Australians self-injure.” (60 Minutes story 25 October 2012) Giving teens a clear head start Prof Graham Martin recently completed the world’s largest survey, where the prevalence of self-injury was an alarming 8.1%. High rates were seen in the 15-19 year age group (females being 16.6% and males 11.6%). See full article about Prof Martin’s research work on page 4. New Executive Director appointment ClearThinking is pleased to welcome our new Executive Director, Tracey Hunter. Tracey is joining the ClearThinking team at an exciting time as we continue to build our organisation through the generous support of the community. Her appointment will ensure ClearThinking moves to the next level of growth as we strengthen our advocacy, fundraising and research efforts aimed at bringing change to young people and their families impacted by mental illness. Tracey’s experience encompasses senior leadership roles in private, public, and not for profit sectors – both here in Australia and internationally. She brings an expertise in fundraising, ‘start up’, and stakeholder engagement, and believes strongly in the capacity of single individuals to bring significant change when highly motivated by a cause. Tracey is deeply passionate about the issues relating to youth mental illness, and believes one of her greatest opportunities with ClearThinking is to mobilise others around the issues – to bring real change today in the lives of many of our young people. Through ClearThinking’s approach and focus around research and assessment of young people, Tracey believes positive change can occur now, not just in the distant future. Tracey can be contacted at [email protected] “Tracey is deeply passionate about the issues relating to youth mental illness, and believes one of her greatest opportunities with ClearThinking is to mobilise others around the issues.” Page 2 55 hours in the ClearThinking Cube To make the invisible suffering of young people with mental health issues visible, three volunteers camped out in a 6 x 3m clear cube for 55 hours at the Queen Street Mall from the 7 - 9 October. It was the third cube camp out for Louise Bellchambers, who first camped out for 100 hours while 20 weeks pregnant. This year she was joined by 20-year-old Mikaela Moore who volunteers with Brisbane based group Youth Voice and the CYHMHS Beautiful Minds Advisory group. Mikaela said “Overall I really enjoyed living in the cube. I had a lot of fun! I met some amazing and inspirational people including my 2 fellow cubees.” Our third “cubee” Nate Hamon has delivered programs that help young people with mental health issues find ability and confidence in activities they enjoy. Nate is the lead singer of his band Mayan Fox, who played their blend of exotic pop as the “cubees” exited the cube after 55 hours. Thanks Mayan Fox! 178 members of the public also “got cubed” by writing down what helps them to feel mentally healthy on squares of paper, and folding them into origami cubes. Thanks to the volunteers from Youth Voice for running this activity. ClearThinking would like to thank the VIP Visitors who were interviewed at the Cube, and the major supporters of the event: Shingle Inn, Carlosus, Fantastic Furniture, Exhibition Display Service and Action Air Conditioning Hire. The ClearThinking team would like to thank these supporters for donating prizes to our raffle: Fantastic Furniture, Strike Bowling Bar, Jo Jo's Restaurant, Story Bridge Adventure Climb, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, MAD Dance House, Funhouse Family Entertainment Centres, Shingle Inn and Event Cinemas, Myer Centre. Thank you to Chifley at Lennons Hotel, Officeworks Windsor and our ClearThinking volunteers for also supporting the event. Page 3 ! e b u c e h t t a t i g Kickin Youth Hip Hop, B-Boy, B-Girl and Freestyle artists from all over Brisbane came to the ClearThinking Cube to ‘Make their Move’, launching this year’s camp out. The showcase celebrated the resilience, capabilities and empowerment of young people. ClearThinking would like to thank MnB Entertainment, Zenith HipHop Troupe, Brisbane Krump Movement, Genesis Dance Troupe and Aspley SHS for participating in the group showcases. A big shout out to all the solo performers who went head-tohead in the hip-hop and breakdance battles. The audience really enjoyed the high energy and remarkable skills of the dancers. More pics and videos @: clearthinking.com.au facebook.com.ClearThinkingQSRF ClearThinking would like to thank Francis Owusu our ‘MC’ and KG our ‘DJ’ from Kulture Break, Errol Cenita from Prince Academy for ‘MC’ing, Rap Artist ‘Blind Sight’ John Araneda, Raw Dance for supplying the tarquet mat, and our judges Tomomi Nishizawa, Matty Balaba, Matt Gavet and Steez. A big thank you goes out to these supporters for donating prizes to the Hip-Hip and Break Dance Competition: Zen Zen Zo, AMART All Sports Queen St Mall, Strike Bowling Bar, MAD Dance House, McDonald's and Grill'd Burgers Wintergarden. Page 4 Research News Self Injury - the unseen epidemic Prof Martin recently completed the world’s largest survey to determine the prevalence of self-injury in a representative sample of 12,006 randomly selected Australians. Key Findings: Graham Martin OAM is Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Queensland and Clinical Director of the Royal Children’s Hospital and Health Service District Child and Youth Mental Health Service. Graham’s research is dedicated to suicide prevention. He played a formative role in Australia’s National Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy. Graham currently chairs Queensland Health’s Mental Health Promotion Prevention and Early Intervention Committee. His main passion is working in the area of self-injury in young people. The prevalence of self-injury was an alarming 8.1%. High rates were seen in the 15-19 year age group (females being 16.6% and males 11.6%). Males used different methods of self-injury deliberately hitting a body part against a hard surface or punching, hitting or slapping self. Females tended to cut or severely scratch themselves. The most common motivation for self-injury was management of emotions. It was almost always done in private to avoid drawing attention to the self-injuring behaviour, which occurred on average seven times per month. Nearly two-thirds of those who selfinjure never ask for help; only 14% receive medical treatment. The cost of this care was estimated to be between $5 million and $10 million per month. Those who self-injure are more than 11-times more likely to experience recent suicidal thoughts and more than 8-times more likely to attempt suicide than those who do not selfinjure. Prof Martin concluded that much of selfinjury is hidden though it causes distress for family, friends, and carers, and when it escalates into more serious harm, places a financial burden on the health system through emergency medical care and hospital admission. A new type of group therapy for young people who self-injure is being developed. Preliminary results suggest the treatment is remarkably effective in reducing self-injury and improving the well-being of young people. A research paper is currently in press in the journal “Music and Medicine”. A Clinical trial must be carried out to accurately assess the effectiveness of this approach in a broader group of young people. To watch the 60 minutes story “The Hidden Epidemic” about self-injury featuring Prof Graham Martin go to http://sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/ article.aspx?id=8553846 If you are thinking about self-injury or suicide Phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Kids Help Line on 1800 55 1800 The ClearThinking Research Centre is designed to do this sort of research, thereby making the best treatment available to young people attending the Research Centre as well as driving the new treatment into standard clinical practice. Post PO Box 23 Royal Brisbane Hospital PO HERSTON QLD 4029 Email [email protected] Phone (07) 3346 5126 Fax (07) 3365 5488 ABN 88 362 932 406 Patron Ms Penelope Wensley AC ClearThinking™ is an initiative of Queensland Schizophrenia Research Foundation. Giving teens a clear head start Facebook.com/ ClearThinking.QSRF @_ClearThinking_