March 6, 2018

Mental health spotlight for Bundanon Trust event

UOW joins Shoalhaven community for annual business dinner. 

The University of Wollongong’s (UOW) investment in the Shoalhaven’s mental health was the key focus of the region’s premier annual business event last Wednesday (28 February).

While delivering the keynote address at the Shoalhaven Business Chamber’s 2018 Bundanon Super Dinner, UOW Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Health and Communities), Professor Alison Jones, highlighted the importance of the Shoalhaven community to the University’s recently released Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

A key part of the strategy is a new, purpose-built $2.5 million Mental Illness in Nowra District: Goals and Prevention (MIND the GaP) facility - a joint initiative of UOW, Shoalhaven City Council and the Commonwealth Government.

MIND the GaP will help address the high mental health care needs in the Shoalhaven, particularly among younger people.

“Through the MIND the GaP facility we are working together to serve the Shoalhaven community, particularly its most vulnerable members,” Professor Jones said.

“We are using community consultation and feedback to drive an important mental health initiative and deliver services that will have a positive impact on the local community.”

Located adjacent to the existing buildings at UOW’s Shoalhaven Campus at West Nowra, MIND the GaP will include research, consultation and assessment rooms, meeting spaces, a 60-seat conference and training room, outdoor courtyard and children’s play area as well as provision for a future expansion.

MIND the GaP will bring together health care professionals, researchers and frontline support services to create an integrated mental health and wellbeing facility to apply ‘best practice’ mental health care initiatives that will support the community and help improve the prevention, early recognition and treatment of mental health issues, including suicide prevention and trauma recovery.

The 2018 Bundanon Super Dinner brought together more than 100 business and community leaders from across the Shoalhaven at Bundanon Trust’s Boyd Education Centre at Riversdale.

Nestled among 1,100 hectares of farmland on the banks of the Shoalhaven River given to the people of Australia by famous Australian artist Arthur Boyd, Bundanon Trust supports arts practice across all disciplines through its residency, education, exhibition and performance programs.

UOW and Bundanon Trust have had a formal collaboration agreement since 2008, which was last renewed in 2016. The collaboration aims to support creative arts and environmental stewardship while developing the next generation of creative thinkers.