Case Study: Caloundra
Key initiatives by Caloundra Chamber of Commerce:
- Conduct survey to understand the mental health needs of their region
- Utilise data and insights to respond appropriately
- Obtain funding to extend access for business to mental health education and supports
About the program:
Caloundra Chamber of Commerce worked with the Thompson Institute to provide direct access for local businesses to the Emerald and mental health awareness programs. Emerald is a 8 week telehealth and educational training program delivered by health professionals.
Partners:
The Emerald program is delivered by leading clinical services and research organisation, the Thompson Institute.
Journey of the program:
During COVID, the Caloundra Chamber ran the Business Health Check survey to better understand and support local business. 70% of businesses reported strong financial results at this time. Alarmingly, one-third reported mental health concerns, such as often feeling down, depressed or hopeless. Realising this is an issue, sought out innovative solutions to support their community.
Partnering for solutions:
Conversations with mental health experts identified that mental health awareness and supports needed to be improved in the small business community. There are many programs available, though Caloundra Chamber partnered with local Mental health experts at the Thompson Institute.
To fast track access to the Emerald program and provide accessible and targeted mental wellness education for small businesses, Brady and the Chamber sought out financial support from interested and mutually aligned partners. These partnerships including Sunshine Coast Council, the Queensland Mental Health Commissioner, and Stockland were integral in provided the local community support.
Advice from Brady, CEO Caloundra Chamber of Commerce to other Chambers
Collaboration with aligned partners and mental health experts is essential. The most important part is just starting the conversation.
There are a lot of learnings and sometimes it seems like you are not gaining the traction you might like but the benefits that you will make to business and more so individuals in your community is truly rewarding.
Further contact
USC’s Thompson Institute addresses society’s most pressing mental health issues. We integrate world-class research, clinical services and education under one roof, because it enables fast translation of research breakthroughs into practice. Everything we do is underpinned by neuroscience. This uncovers promising new insights into mental health and how it is linked to our brain structure and function.
https://www.usc.edu.au/thompson-institute
Timeline:
Emerald support launched with 6 months of consistent messaging to the business community. At 6 months a free Wellbeing in the Workplace breakfast was held with leading health experts for 100 local business people.
Funding:
Over $30,000 was raised through aligned partners to deliver support to the local community.
Key outcome:
The program greatly improved wellbeing of participants. 81% of participants indicated an improvement in wellbeing. Up to 40% reported reduction in severity of depression.
12 months later after the launch of the program, there is considerably more openness to discuss to seek out support in the community. Many business owners and their staff have accessed support.
Impact of EMERALD:
Other statistics on impact of EMERALD include:
40% of participants reported reduction in severity of depression
49% of participants reported reduction in severity of anxiety
38% reported reduction in impairment of functioning
$970 annual savings per individual, through savings in wellbeing costs and improvement in workforce participation
Further information of impact of the EMERALD program can be found by clicking here.
Impacts from Brady’s perspective:
Taking on these projects not only help our community from a social and economic standpoint, they are also significant individual learning and personal growth opportunities. To hear people say that they have enrolled in the Emerald Program and say it has been life changing or even life saving makes one realise how important these types of programs really are. There’s not a one size solution for everyone, so sure you start the conversation and make the most of the many great support programs that already exist.
Advice for Chambers:
Investing time and funding into these projects will provide significant economic and social benefits to your community. It is not a one week blast type of project. It does take commitment over longer periods, you will definitely learn as you go and you will engage in conversations that might be personally challenging but the benefits that you see and especially those that you won’t see make it all worth it.
“But in the long term, if you know you've made impacts on one person, Yep. Regardless of how broad the effect was, like the effects can't be broad because it’s going be all the things you don't see. Yep, that regardless, at the end, if you know you're making effect on people, that's a huge reason to invest your time in doing it.”
Summary of activities:
- Establishing support program
Using their connections and community support, Caloundra Chamber of Commerce establishes the support program through their partnership with Thompson Institute. Funding raised by the chambers was utilised to support businesses and members to use the EMERALD program.
- Social connections and events
To leverage and promote their mental health initiative, Caloundra Chamber of Commerce held Workplace Wellbeing Breakfast events.
- Education and training
As part of raising awareness and conversation in the community, Caloundra Chamber of Commerce also held workshop and information session with professional service providers.