Start (Step 1)

Your project must relate to promoting or increasing the awareness of youth mental health.
  

What's mental health?

Think about physical health which is about keeping yourself healthy through eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep. Mental health is really similar - keeping yourself healthy in terms of how you feel and how you live in the world. All those things that are important for physical health are important for mental health, family/whanau as well. Sometimes the word 'wellbeing' is used which includes physical health, mental health and the things in your life that impact on you. Think about the things that make you feel good or happy - they keep you mentally healthy.
For more info check out:
www.headspace.org.nz/young-people/what-is-mental-health.htm
http://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/

What's mental health promotion?

Mental health promotion is about teaching people about mental health. It can take many forms including challenging the myths that surround mental illness (e.g. all people with mental illnesses are dangerous), or increasing people's knowledge about mental health. It's about increasing the information that young people have about how to have good mental health and wellbeing and how to improve it when things aren't as good.

Applying for a Grant

So do you have an idea for a project that sounds like it fits with youth mental health promotion? You can apply for up to $1000 if you are going to do a project by yourself or you can apply for up to $5000 if you're a group of 2 or more young people.

Click here for some examples of project ideas.

You can also receive a koha(gift) as a thank you for all your hard work if your project application is successful. Please include and allow for this in your project budget. You can receive up to $200 in the form of a Westfield voucher which will come out of the maximum amount you are allowed ($1000 for individuals or $5000 for groups). You can also choose to use all the money on your project instead. You will receive your koha once you have handed in a final project report that explains how you spent the money, how it went and any photos or other things that your project produced. If you are going to do a group project you may choose to spend your $200 koha as a celebration of the completion of your project. Most Westfield malls have supermarkets, so you can pick up all you need for a fab wrap party.