Act Belong Commit in the City of Armadale

The City of Armadale has partnered with Mentally Healthy WA to promote the Act Belong Commit campaign and its messages to encourage and promote good mental health and wellbeing throughout the community.

The Act Belong Commit campaign encourages people to take action to improve and protect their mental health and wellbeing, promotes good mental health strategies at both the individual and community level, and encourages the creation of supportive environments for good mental health in schools, workplaces, and community groups.

Act Belong Commit encourages action through three key messages:

• Act on something and keep active physically, mentally and socially.

• Belong to a community and keep connected to your friends and family, get involved in groups and join local activities.

• Commit to something meaningful, become a volunteer, learn a new skill or take up a challenge.

We know that staying active, connecting with others, and doing something meaningful are protective factors for mental health and provide the foundations for mental wellbeing.

Mayor Ruth Butterfield said the City’s Community Health and Wellbeing Survey 2020 indicated the partnership was appreciated by residents.

‘Residents who participated in our survey indicated that poor mental health was one of their biggest health concerns.’ Mayor Butterfield said.

‘Act Belong Commit is a preventative mental health promotion campaign that encourages people to adopt the habits and behaviours that put them on the path to mental wellbeing. The City is partnering with Mentally Healthy WA to spread the word about the different ways to build connections in our community and create mentally healthy and supportive environments,’ said Mayor Butterfield.

Mentally Healthy WA Director, Dr Christina Pollard, said local governments had a key role in helping people to stay mentally healthy.

‘Not only can local governments help us share this important mental health message, they also have the power to create environments that can encourage people to be active, connect with others and engage in meaningful activities like volunteering,” Dr Pollard said.

The partnership with Mentally Healthy WA is about sharing the Act Belong Commit messages to as many people as possible while providing opportunities for individuals and communities to put the messages into practice. More information is available on the City’s website https://www.armadale.wa.gov.au/act-belong-commit