Ħu Ħsieb – Invest in Your Mental Health
The Ħu Ħsieb campaign was a joint collaboration in the Ministry for Health, between HPDP Malta, Mental Health Services, Primary Health Care, and Mater Dei Hospital. This campaign sought to educate and enable the population in Malta with respect to key habits that are beneficial for both physical and mental health.
The campaign’s key message emphasized the importance of prioritising mental health and to view mental wellness as a crucial aspect of overall health and happiness. The principal objectives were to encourage a culture of commitment towards mental well-being, to raise awareness and understanding of mental well-being, to promote the use of well-being tools and strategies, whilst signposting to the National Mental Health Helpline 1579 for any support needed.
The campaign focused on engaging and empowering individuals and communities to choose healthy behaviours and make choices that protect both mental and physical health. Furthermore, it was delivered in phases that focused on targeting a number of groups in the Maltese population whose barriers to mental health and wellbeing were specific, and thus required tailored messaging (WHO, 2022):
1) Phase 1 - The benefits of each key behaviour for both physical and mental health
2) Phase 2 – Tips to enable each key behaviour
3) Phase 3 – Tailored messages for ‘Ageing Well’ including tips to enable each key behaviour in persons aged 60+
4) Phase 4 – Workplace-specific practical tips to enable each key behaviour and overall wellbeing at the workplace, with reference to previously-published Workplace Guidelines
5) Phase 5 – Messages for parents and children including tips for mental wellbeing
Tailored specific messages were developed that took into consideration the barriers and enablers faced by these cohorts. Additionally, messages were tailored appropriately for each mode of delivery. Modes of delivery included outdoor media (e.g. billboards and bus shelters), social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn), radio and TV messaging, and outreach talks in schools, workplaces and within the community.
Online Mental Wellbeing Platform
To enable a sustainable approach to information provision and behaviour enablement, a Mental Wellbeing Platform was created (mentalwellbeing.gov.mt) that includes information about the benefits of each of the habits for physical and mental health, as well as practical tips for building and maintaining these habits based on behaviour change principles. A specific webpage was also developed for seniors entitled ‘Ageing Well’, which constituted tailored messages and information about all habits in an easy-to-read manner. This platform was created with a view to continuously be developed beyond the end of the campaign.
Social Media:
Tailored social media messaging was delivered in accordance with the phases of the campaign, with signposting to the Resilience Programme and National Mental Health Helpline throughout.
Mental Wellbeing at the Workplace
Whilst printed posters were disseminated to a list of workplaces working in collaboration with the Directorate, ‘Mental Wellbeing and Resilience Sessions’ were also offered. Workplaces were provided with ‘Network Cards’ to share to their social circles with links to the Mental Wellbeing Platform, the Resilience Programme, and the National Mental Health Helpline
Resilience Programme for Adults
A face-to-face Resilience Programme was delivered in collaboration with Ħamrun’s Active Ageing Centre to persons aged 60+ in order to begin targeting this age group. This Programme was well-recieved by the participants, leading to continued collaboration with other Active Ageing Centres in the following year.
Webinar – Child Mental Health and Wellbeing: A Roadmap for Parents and Guardians
For Children and their Parents, a Webinar was organized at the end of October entitled ‘Child Mental Health and Wellbeing: A Roadmap for Parents and Guardians’. An expert Consultant Psychiatrist in Child and Adolescent Mental Health was invited to speak at this Webinar. The Webinar sought to educate about pertinent definitions in the realm of mental health, to reduce stigma around mental health conditions, and increase awareness of the dimensions of mental health and wellbeing. Practical tips and strategies to manage stress and emotions were shared with participants, including reframing the idea of stress, physical activity, breathing exercises, and challenging negative thinking. The Webinar can be found here.
Youth Outreach at Fresher’s Weeks
HPDP Information Stands were present at Freshers’ Weeks initiatives in a variety f educational institutions, including Institute for Education, Institute of Tourism Studies, Junior COllege, MCAST and the University of Malta. These stands were fully equipped with tips, guidebooks and other material that will help students to lead healthier lifestyles and invest in their mental wellbeing. Printed posters with signposting to the Website Platform as well as the National Mental Health Helpline was also included in these outreach initiatives.
Outreach in the Community
Outreach was also organised in the community, and constituted HPDP information stands in events such as Farmer’s Market (Ta’ Qali) and Notte Bianca (Valletta). Here, members of the general public were engaged with printed materials published by HPDP, and also signposted to the Resilience Programme, Mental Wellbeing Website, and to the National Mental Health Helpline.
