Wellington Public Forum

12.15 - 1.30pm 16 February 2010

Large Gallery, Turnbull House, Bowen St, Wellington

Mental Health and Wellbeing – Possibilities for the Future

Hugh Norriss

Director of Policy and Development  for the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand

For many if not most people the term mental health means something to do with a mental illness, or having a mental health problem.  It’s as if mental health is something to be avoided, or at least not valued.

Mental health also has a positive side to it however, closely aligned to concepts such as wellbeing, happiness, flourishing and positive psychology.  Positive mental health is a state that can increase general health and wellbeing, and resilience.

Many people work out informally for themselves what is good for their own positive mental health and wellbeing. However it may improve a range of health and social outcomes if individuals and communities are more widely and publically engaged in understanding and applying ways to improve mental health and wellbeing in their own lives and their communities.

Over the coming years our individual and collective mental health is likely to be under increasing stress from growing uncertainty, the pace of technological change, information overload, complexity in life, consumerism and global events affecting us but beyond our control. The prevalence of depression is increasing rapidly in the wealthy countries and predicted by the World Health Organisation to be the second leading cause of global disability by 2020.

To counteract the effects of these changes and the impacts on our health there are many opportunities we can take to understand and master the quality of our own mental health and ‘way of being’ to promote mental health and wellbeing generally.

This forum will provide the chance to explore what the emerging challenges are relating to mental health and wellbeing in our communities. It will also look at some of the evidence, initiatives and aligned disciplines relating to positive mental health and wellbeing.  Discussion will be invited from presentation participants on how these applied concepts can lead to greater resilience and happiness in individuals and improved social, cultural, economic and environmental outcomes for Aotearoa/New Zealand.

Hugh Norriss has worked in management and planning roles in not for profit and public mental health services over the last 14 years, and has held the position of Director of Policy and Development for the Mental Health Foundation since April 2009.

Cost: New Zealand Futures Trust members: $  5

Non- NZFT members: $15

Please register your interest in attending using the form below by Friday 12 February 2010.

Contact details: Box 12 008, Wellington, 6144.  Ph: Yvonne 04 383 5080,

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Mental health and wellbeing – possibilities for the future

Tuesday, 16 February 2010 from 12.15 - 1.30pm

Large Gallery, Turnbull House, Bowen St, Wellington

$ 5 (NZFT members)          $15 (non NZFT member)

Name:

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NZFT    $5 (...........)

Non NZFT member    $15 (...........)

Payment:    By cheque (made out to New Zealand Futures Trust) (.........)

By direct credit (...........) - Account: 02 0585 0025 130 00 With ref  - Attendee’s surname & Feb10Forum (New Zealand Futures Trust, Bank of NZ, North End Branch, Wellington)

Futures Thinking Aotearoa (NZ Futures Trust),

PO Box 12 008, Wellington,

ph:Yvonne 04 383 5080,

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