Our Town Berri
In 2019, the Glossop High School Wellbeing team applied for grant funding and for the opportunity to work with the Fay Fuller Foundation and other Philanthropic organisations on behalf of the town of Berri. Since 2019, ‘Berri Our Town Incorporated’ has been formed.
The Our Town initiative arose in response to the findings of the Health Needs and Priorities in South Australia Report. Commissioned by the Fay Fuller Foundation and undertaken by The South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) in partnership with The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI).
The report uncovered a significant gap between the perceived provision of services from the top, and the actual accessibility of services for individuals. This gap was even more apparent in rural and regional areas.
Further insights found that people living in non-metropolitan areas experienced higher rates of mental health challenges and were less likely to seek help.
The initiative supports towns and regions to define what’s right in and for their community, so that they can reclaim the mental wellbeing of their community.
Berri, and the Berri Regional Secondary College community have committed to working with the Fay Fuller Foundation and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) in partnership with The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI) to develop, fund and coordinate sustainable initiatives to build mental health capability in our region over the coming years.
Berri Regional Secondary College initiatives that are currently being developed through collaboration with Berri Our Town include:
- Nunga Driving: A participatory grant making idea to assist transitions of our aboriginal students as they prepare to leave school
- The Berri Regional Secondary College Volunteer Involvement Framework: A partnership between Volunteer SA&NT and Berri Regional Secondary College to bring generations together through volunteering
- Raise Mentoring: Bringing community mentors into Berri Regional Secondary College to connect with and support our Year 8 students
- Story Telling in collaboration with Parts of Things: To increase our sense of belonging through knowing our stories
