About the Program
Background
The Grit and Resilience Program came about after the Rural City of Wangaratta and community rallied in 2018 to address mental health and suicide in the municipality.
Coordinated by the Rural City of Wangaratta, the Program is guided by a consortium of agencies along with four community partners, including youth.
The Program follows the collective impact model and takes a community-driven approach to better address and improve mental health and wellbeing and support for those affected by suicide in the Wangaratta municipality.
Within the Program there are three priority areas, two of which were directly nominated by community. These priorities are:
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Creating connections – improving opportunities for people to connect.
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Including and involving – promoting inclusion.
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Postvention - promoting a change in community attitudes and in the response of services before and after a death by suicide within our community.
Each priority area is supported by an Action Plan that was developed following community consultation which shaped the activities included within.
How We Work
The operational structure for the Program is called The Heart Framework. The Framework outlines how the Grit and Resilience Program team connects and works with the community in delivering the Program. This was presented to the community in November 2020.
Watch the Video
As part of the Heart Framework, the Grit and Resilience team connects with the community every three months to talk about what’s happening with the program activities and how to get involved.
So far, we’ve held three Heartbeat events. The next is scheduled to occur in May 2022. Keep an eye on the 'What’s on?' page or our social media for details.
How to Get Involved
Individuals
You can join an existing activity - look at the ‘What’s on' page for activities currently underway or at the Action Plans (above) for a broader look at the types of activities we are working on.
Or, if you can’t see something that suits you and you would like to start your own activity to support social connection and inclusion in your community, and to promote positive mental health, contact us for a chat about how we can help.
Contact the Grit and Resilience team at gritandresilience@wangaratta.vic.gov.au, we would love to hear from you!
Business Collaboration
Are you a business, organisation or community group that would like to collaborate with us to change attitudes to mental health, including those affected by suicide? Let's talk!
Email gritandresilience@wangaratta.vic.gov.au or phone 03 5722 0888