Building on Strengths: A Guide for Action

Building on Strengths: A Guide for Action
A New Approach to Promoting Mental Health in New Zealand/Aotearoa

Date of publication: July 2001

This document Building on Strengths – A Guide for Action complements the consultation document Building on Strengths: A Springboard for Action. It details the work signalled in the consultation document. Both documents have been developed by the public health group of the Ministry of Health, in conjunction with a reference group.

A Guide for Action gives an overview of possible activities that can be picked up by a broad range of players – from District Health Boards to government agencies to groups in the community. It also summarises some interventions that have proven effective in other settings.

The over-riding theme of Building on Strengths is that there is already good work going on in this country. There are strengths in the community that simply need to be tapped and combined.

Various interested communities have already been involved in the process of developing this document through fono, hui and meetings. As well as the framework for this approach, models of service delivery, current issues, and priorities for future funding were explored.

Published research and best practice information around promotion and prevention have also informed this document and a stocktake of services with a mental health promotion or prevention component purchased through Vote:Health is included.

Like the consultation document, the Guide for Action reflects the three key elements of this new approach to the promotion of mental health in this country:

creating healthy populations
focusing on wellness
and the community taking control.

It is designed to be a practical, working document for service providers and communities to use and adapt to their own particular needs. It is also designed to stimulate government bodies and others to think about a more collaborative approach to good mental health.

The backbone of Building on Strengths is a huge body of work, contributions and animated debate that has taken place over the past year. With the addition of your ideas through consultation, a fleshed out Guide for Action will steer us towards a picture of improved mental health and wellbeing for the people of this country.

Submissions have now closed.

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Building on Strengths: A Guide for Action

A New Approach to Promoting Mental Health in New Zealand/Aotearoa

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