SANE Australia

I was contracted by national mental health charity SANE Australia to fill a three-month contact as a Media Advisor. In this role, I managed the day-to-day activity of SANE’s StigmaWatch program, which promotes the responsible reporting of mental illness and suicide. I worked closely with Mindframe Media and the Australian Press Council to ensure the quality of reporting and portrayal of mental illness and suicide-related issues by Australian media outlets. I also produced content for SANE’s website including press releases, fact sheets and guides on mental illness and suicide, blog posts, email marketing and social media updates.

As a result of my success in this role, I have an ongoing relationship with SANE Australia, and regularly freelance for them as a digital content producer and social media strategist. I write, edit and proofread a wide range of communications including fact sheets and guides, case studies, blog posts, job ads, email newsletters and social media updates.

Below is a range of content that I have written, edited or helped develop.

Media releases

Anne Deveson Research Centre launched to better understand and meet needs of Australians affected by complex mental illness (26/11/2018)

https://www.sane.org/media-centre/media-releases-2018/online-support-services-crucial-for-those-living-with-mental-illness-in-rural-and-regional-communities

Online support services crucial for those living with mental illness in rural and regional communities (8/10/2018)

https://www.sane.org/media-centre/media-releases-2018/2259-online-support-services-crucial-for-those-living-with-mental-illness-in-rural-and-regional-communities

Increase in suicide rate puts us back to where we were two years ago, highlighting more work needs to be done (26/09/2018)

https://www.sane.org/media-centre/media-releases-2018/2257-increase-in-suicide-rate-puts-us-back-to-where-we-were-two-years-ago-highlighting-more-work-needs-to-be-done

Australian-first research will examine how people with complex mental illness experience stigma and discrimination (02/08/2018)

https://www.sane.org/media-centre/media-releases-2018/2237-australian-first-research-will-examine-how-people-with-complex-mental-illness-experience-stigma-and-discrimination

New discussion paper looks at the role of mental illness in suicide prevention (23/07/2018)

https://www.sane.org/media-centre/media-releases-2018/2220-new-discussion-paper-looks-at-the-role-of-mental-illness-in-suicide-prevention

SANE Australia and The Dax Centre merge to reduce stigma (04/06/2018)

https://www.sane.org/media-centre/media-releases-2018/2195-sane-australia-and-the-dax-centre-merge-to-reduce-stigma

Osher Günsberg calls for top song that’s impacted your mental health (15/2/18)

https://www.sane.org/media-centre/media-releases-2018/2115-osher-guensberg-calls-for-top-song-that-s-impacted-your-mental-health

Research examines impact of supporting someone who has attempted suicide (24/01/2018)

https://www.sane.org/media-centre/media-releases-2018/2111-research-examines-impact-of-supporting-someone-who-has-attempted-suicide

Fact sheets and guides

Website landing pages

National Stigma Report Card

https://www.sane.org/adrc/current-adrc-projects/national-stigma-report-card

Hocking Fellowship

https://www.sane.org/about-sane/hocking-fellowship

Careers at SANE

https://www.sane.org/careers-at-sane

SANE Peer Ambassadors

https://www.sane.org/changing-attitudes/peer-ambassadors/2132-sane-peer-ambassadors

Blog posts

Five ways to reduce stigma in the workplace

https://www.sane.org/the-sane-blog/wellbeing/five-ways-to-reduce-stigma-in-the-workplace

Nine great books about living with mental illness

https://www.sane.org/the-sane-blog/wellbeing/nine-great-books-about-living-with-mental-illness

What is the DSM? Your questions answered

https://www.sane.org/the-sane-blog/mental-illness/what-is-the-dsm-your-questions-answered

How to connect when you feel alone

https://www.sane.org/the-sane-blog/wellbeing/how-to-connect-when-you-feel-alone

SANE’s Cameron on How ‘Mad’ Are You?

https://www.sane.org/the-sane-blog/my-story/cameron-on-how-mad-are-you

Why diagnosing at a distance doesn’t help (and what to do instead)

https://www.sane.org/the-sane-blog/mental-illness/why-diagnosing-at-a-distance-doesn-t-help-and-what-to-do-instead

What you need to know about relapse in bipolar disorder

https://www.sane.org/the-sane-blog/wellbeing/what-you-need-to-know-about-relapse-in-bipolar-disorder

‘Giving Voice’ to mental illness and trauma

https://www.sane.org/the-sane-blog/wellbeing/giving-voice-to-mental-illness-and-trauma

Feeling excluded from a loved one’s recovery journey

https://www.sane.org/the-sane-blog/caring-for-others/feeling-excluded-from-a-loved-one-s-recovery-journey

You can’t ask that!

https://www.sane.org/the-sane-blog/my-story/you-cant-ask-that

Can exercise help manage symptoms of bipolar disorder?

https://www.sane.org/the-sane-blog/wellbeing/can-exercise-help-manage-symptoms-of-bipolar-disorder

Breaking down the stigma, the final barrier

https://www.sane.org/the-sane-blog/mental-illness/breaking-down-the-stigma-the-final-barrier

Behind the scenes: Leonie Newton

https://www.sane.org/the-sane-blog/wellbeing/behind-the-scenes-leonie-newton

StigmaWatch reports

To raise awareness of SANE’s StigmaWatch program, I resurrected the defunct Stigma Files blog and created a fresh template for reporting outcomes. By focusing on the issue, the result and why it mattered, I highlighted why it’s so important that media professionals make informed choices about the language and images they use and the messages they convey when reporting on mental illness and suicide.