Mental Health First Aider Network Event
Wednesday 13th October
6pm-7:30pm AEDT
Registrations are now closed
Thank you for your interest in attending the upcoming Online MHFAider Network Event to celebrate 21 years of MHFA.We have received an overwhelming response to this event and unfortunately we have now closed event registrations. We will also be hosting more of these events throughout 2022 so please keep an eye on our bi-monthly MHFAider updates for these opportunities.
Thanks again for your interest and we look forward to seeing you at one of our future events.
Please note: This event will be recorded, and will be made available to the MHFAider Network.
Celebrating 21 years of MHFA
MHFA Australia is proud to invite you to the upcoming Mental Health First Aider Network Event, to celebrate the 21st Anniversary of the MHFA Program.
21 years ago, the very first MHFA course was delivered, and this event is an opportunity to acknowledge the impact of MHFAiders across Australia as we mark this incredible milestone.
On Wednesday October 13th, we will bring together a panel of inspirational speakers, and take the time to celebrate the MHFA Program, the importance of self-care, and the impact that reaching out to someone in need can truly have.
MHFA Australia CEO, Shannon Anderson, will welcome MHFAiders and announce the key aspirational goals from our newly released 2021 – 2025 strategic plan.
Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, child and adolescent psychologist and MHFA Instructor, will deliver an important and inspiring talk on self-care in the time of COVID-19.
Mental health advocate and MHFA Instructor, Peta Dampney, will share her lived experience with mental illness, and talk about the true impact of mental health first aid conversations, and what MHFA means to her.
Finally, our very own Dr Claire Kelly will join our guest speakers on a discussion panel, where we will have the opportunity to delve deeper into questions submitted by you!
Meet Our Speakers and Panel Members
Dr Michael Carr-Gregg
Dr Michael Carr-Gregg is one of Australia’s highest profile child and adolescent psychologists.
He wrote his PhD at the University of NSW on Adolescents with Cancer and together with a group of young cancer patients, founded CanTeen more than 30 years ago. He headed up the Coalition Against Tobacco Advertising and Promotion in NZ, was the inaugural Director of the New Zealand Drug Foundation and worked as an Associate Professor at the Centre for Adolescent Health and Managing Director of the Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre.
He has held positions on the Board of CanTeen, the Australian Psychological Society, the Alannah and Madeline Foundation and is currently the Federal Government’s representative on the Board of the Australian Children’s Television Foundation.
He is the Patron of Read the Play, author of 14 books and for the last 14 years has been the parenting expert on Channel 7’s Sunrise, as well as a social commentator on the Morning Show with Neil Mitchell on Radio 3AW.
Peta Dampney
Peta Dampney is a Principal Master Instructor of all of the MHFA 2 day courses and specialised and blended courses. She has also worked at MHFA as an Instructor Development Advisor and continues to be involved with MHFA as a consultant.
Peta is a former high school teacher, who entered the mental health and suicide prevention sector over 6 years ago and has shared her lived experience of surviving suicide and living with mental illness via the media nationally. As an educator, advocate and speaker, she has contributed to the development of national suicide prevention programs and regularly presents at national and international conferences on the topics of safe language, social and cultural contributors to wellbeing and mental wellbeing at work.
MHFA Australia CEO, Shannon Anderson
Shannon Anderson is an experienced non-profit Executive who has worked in the Australian non-profit sector for the past twenty years.
Shannon commenced as the Chief Executive Officer at Mental Health First Aid International in 2019, and prior to joining MHFA, Shannon had worked for some of Australia’s most trusted charity organisations including Lifeline Australia, Guide Dogs Victoria and St Vincent de Paul Society.
Shannon Anderson has extensive experience in fundraising, project management, stakeholder engagement, change management and organisational development and transformation. Shannon’s qualifications include an MBA and Graduate Certificate in Corporate Management from Deakin University.
Shannon is particularly passionate about the strategic advancement of non-profit organisations that provide programs and services that are evidence-based, guided by people with lived experience and community-led.
Dr Claire Kelly
Dr Claire Kelly, Director of Research and Curriculum, has been involved with Mental Health First Aid since 2003, when she became an instructor while completing her doctorate.
She attended one of the first Mental Health First Aid courses in 2001 and knew right away that it was something she wanted to be a part of. She became an instructor in 2003, and since then has worked across research, curriculum, instructor training and international mentorship.
Claire has suffered episodes of depression and anxiety since adolescence, which has been a driver for much of her work.
