Act-Belong-Commit is a community-based health promotion campaign that encourages people to take action to improve their mental health and wellbeing. This evidence-based campaign was developed primarily from research undertaken by Curtin University into people’s perceptions of mental health and the behaviours they believed protected and promoted good mental health. Following a successful pilot phase in six regional communities in Western Australian (2005–2007), the campaign was expanded state-wide.
Evaluation shows the campaign has the capacity to sensitise people to the belief that there are things we can and should do to look after our mental wellbeing, to change attitudes towards mental health and mental illness; reduce stigma associated with mental illness; and encourage people to engage in behaviours to boost their mental health.
After considerable success in Western Australia, the campaign has expanded to other parts of Australia, with organisations in Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and New South Wales adopting the campaign philosophy and strategies. Whilst there is no funding outside of Western Australia, the campaign continues to spread, with the first international partner, Fulham Osteopaths joining the mentally healthy movement in 2012 (www.fulhamosteopaths.co.uk). Waseda University in Japan looks set to be our second international partner.
The Western Australian campaign is funded by Healthway and the Mental Health Commission and supported by Curtin University.
