By Angela Borgerding and Lisa Mallett (aka “The Mapsys”)
Our last week in Melbourne has been fast and full of interesting agency visits. 
We started the week at Lighthouse Foundation and had a truly amazing presentation on trauma in children, including the physical effects of stress, abuse, neglect and prolonged trauma on brain development. We also had a great Skype conference with the folks over at ReachOut in Sydney. Their work providing education, resources and peer and professional forum space for young people, regarding mental health and wellness, is truly unique. VICSEG provided us with a full day of introduction, education and discussion on their work with immigrants, refugees and those seeking asylum in Australia. They offer assistance with job training, English as a second language, housing, and cultural awareness in communities and schools for recent arrivals to the country.
(VICSEG: Rosa Parks’ message has spread around the world!)
Beyondblue is an organization whose vision is that all people in Australia achieve their best possible mental health. They “create change to protect everyone’s mental health and improve the lives of individuals, families, and communities affected by depression, anxiety and suicide.” 
Their goals include prevention and early intervention, reducing stigma and discrimination, and active intervention and recovery. One of their programs, “Kids Matter”, targets primary schools and helps to promote good mental health in schools. It is not a program, so much as a framework, which allows schools to exercise flexibility by incorporating already existing programs, or to use as a starting point to begin the development of a mental health focus in the school. This early introduction and promotion of mental health well-being allows for it to develop and normalize within the culture. Evaluation of this program has demonstrated that it increases children’s performance in school.
The final week also saw our final goodbyes to Melbourne and last minute visits to important city locales, sights and eats. Some of us made sure to get to that museum we missed, or that store we saw on the way to somewhere else, or to experience that special meal that would leave us unique and personal tales to tell our friends and family about when we return to the U.S. It was also a time to say goodbye to each other, with the knowledge that we will surely see each other again soon in O-H-I-O!
