I was finding the multiple email chains overwhelming so suggest we can move our conversation here. Here is the proposal I made via email:

I wonder whether we offer several different but related posts on Action Station, related to the different areas that mindfulness can impact. This could look like:

Mindfulness in primary and secondary schools.

• Can refer to PBS and Atawhai / KI here, as well as literature that Grant and Tash have supplied already.

Mindfulness in the workplace, starting with government agencies.

• This could also call for workplaces to have greater responsibility for the wellbeing of employees - measured not only in terms of mental illness but also with regards to flourishing. Will make for a more effective public service. Can refer to Mindful Initiative UK's report on Mindfulness in the Workplace.

Mindfulness in the health sector, for doctors, nurses, allied health professionals.

• Can refer to burnout / compassion fatigue in the healthcare professions, and the increased effectiveness of outcomes when the clinician is mindful and empathetic. Lots of literature on this.

I think that is probably enough - don't want to spread our efforts too thin - but if you have any other suggestions then feel free to suggest them. There is a distinct literature for each of these three areas.

What do you all think? Do you support this proposal - to eschew the document idea in favour of a focus on creating these three ActionStation campaigns? If you're in favour, do you have any alterations or additions you would like to suggest?

One con to this approach is that it doesn't allow people to edit the petition and add their own stories, but that could be addressed by inviting people to submit their stories directly via email.

Brigid, I love what you've done here with putting mindfulness into a broader context, both from a public health perspective and how it links with Te Ao Māori etc. For me this feels like too long for a petition, and too brilliant to not share widely. I think it could help garner public support for the changes we are advocating, and give the public a broader context for what we're talking about. I wonder whether we could keep working on it and submit it as an article to thespinoff.co.nz or another media outlet?

Then we could include it as a link in each of the ActionStation petitions, and also reference the petitions in the article, so they support each other, and that it also builds public awareness and support for what we're saying. I know Kristina Cavitt has a relationship with thespinoff so we could look into leveraging that connection? (P.S. Brigid I have transferred your Word Doc into a Google Doc so we can collaborate on it together, I hope that's okay. I'd suggest we all use this link now so it's all in one place).

Here is the link to the draft for a proposed Open Submission #1: Funding for Mindfulness Training in all NZ Primary and Secondary Schools. @grantrix @tashrix

Here is a link to the draft for a proposed Open Submission #2: Supporting flourishing workplaces through evidence-based mindfulness and wellbeing programmes. @heatherkean @clareelizabeth would value your input here.

Here is a link to the draft for a proposed Open Submission #3: Fund Mindfulness and Wellbeing Training for Healthcare Professionals @nadavny would value your input here, and if anyone knows Lila O'Farrell and/or Tony Fernando it would be great to get their input.

Hi just catching up on all the comms - you guys have been busy! So yes I’m really happy to proceed as proposed with the 3 action station petitions - best bang for buck. There are some questions I have though.
1. Is there still the intention to submit a version of the ‘broader mindfulness’ doc I drafted? I still think it is useful to have something overarching like this to contextualise mindfulness and put the various indications for mindfulness into place (I could just send as my personal submission maybe?)
2. The 3 action station petitions are all prevention focussed from what I can tell which is great. But what about also pushing for the benefits of MBIs for acute mental illness (vs. current biomedical model)? I wouldn’t want this message to get lost but perhaps it’s best addressed by the ‘broad mindfulness’ doc.
3. Sorry I have no idea what the spin off is but I like the idea of also developing the broad mindfulness doc into a promotional mindfulness article for wider distribution.
4. I notice Kyle McDonald’s action station petitions didn’t make any attempt to address the consultation document 4 questions. What is the view on the value of answering these or not?
Btw I heard from Nadav last night and he said Chris Ruane and also a Swedish mindfulness colleague are both happy to do submissions on MBCT. He was asking the best way to submit. I suggested written submission plus video message upload. Thoughts?
Also who will be at Raglan Hui this weekend? I’ll be there and happy to continue the conversation in person!

1. I think it could be submitted as a personal submission. If it was a Spinoff article - like this one by Kristina - then we could include it as a reference in the ActionStation petitions, which was my intention.
2. In terms of acute mental illness, there is already good uptake of interventions such as ACT and DBT, which are probably more popular than straight CBT nowadays. Interventions that are more meditation-based (such as MiCBT, MBCT, MBSR) are less common, but the barriers to these are not political, it depends on the clinicians and the developing evidence base - this is all changing at a quite rapid rate already, in a mindful direction. The push for a more holistic approach to mental health is something bigger than mindfulness (e.g. including Te Ao Maori, community-based approaches), and potentially another petition, or something to be covered in the Spinoff article / broad mindfulness paper. See attached for an inspiring vision on what this could look like from Mary O'Hagan, former Mental Health Commissioner and founder of PeerZone that could feed into this. Do you have energy for doing more of a push for system-wide change to a more holistic/community-led approach @brigidmareeobrien?
3. See link above for Spinoff
4. Good point, and perhaps we could structure the petitions so that they can easily put it into their framework, even having subheadings that match the questions?

That's great about the MBCT submissions, yeah I imagine written submission via the Have Your Say would be best (including references), plus a video, especially from Chris Ruane. I will be in Raglan, as will Robin Youngson, Robert Isler, and a bunch of others who could feed into the holistic health petition conversation.

Just flying out the door to Raglan! I live Mary O’Hagan’s piece and yes I have energy for a holistic piece integrating mindfulness and te ao Maori and public health approach and holistic view - but possibly not the time before 5 June as busy with other work. Let’s korero in Raglan. Also possibly open space in Raglan to work on the action station petitions???

Kia ora all. Kristina has been in touch with Eliot Pryor of Action Stations and in response to inquiring about whether a petition from us re: mindfulness in education would be acceptable and how long it would take for them to approve for release, this was his response:

Happy to chat about it and help with set up - just so you know we won't have much capacity to promote as we're also putting together a submission ourselves from the ActionStation community.
!We give our member review panel 2 or 3 days to consider a petition but can make it quicker if it's urgent, or if it's clearly in line with the community guidelines.

Kyle's one is a great example to follow though - he has a very simple 'ask', did a home-made video explainer, and got a bit of media attention with a press release.
Eliot Pryor
Community Campaign Coordinator
[email protected]

On behalf of Kristina and Grant, I voted 'no' to the three campaigns via Action Stations - not because we don't think the three areas of focus are not a good idea, but just because from the wider community perspective of who is going to be receiving all these different petitions, it is likely to be much the same people. We think there is too much risk that three campaigns about mindfulness to the MH inquiry will be overwhelming and confusing and potentially off-putting for people to sign all three.

I wonder:
Could we consider having MfC-led campaign along lines of "mindfulness is supported and promoted for all New Zealanders in education, workplaces and healthcare as an evidence-based approach to positive mental health" (that's just words thrown together off top of head, sure we could do better if we agree to this kind of approach). SO the "ask" is that the MH inquiry recommends the government include mindfulness in its mental health approach /vision for 2019 and beyond. Then the details of what/where/how for each setting would be figured out post-inquiry, if the concept of mindfulness gets over the line and makes it into the Panel's recommendations?

Thaks for this Tash, Grant and Kristina. Actually this is a really great point that hasn’t occurred to me so I tend to agree. So I would agree that an action station petition on advocating for mindfulness broadly would be a good option. However in my opinion it should call for mindfulness as part of both mental health prevention/promotion and treatment in all the areas that I mentioned in the fuller draft I wrote - basically a super condensed version of what I drafted? Would that work? (And link to a fuller document that is published in spin off maybe)....?

Yes this makes a lot of sense, thanks Tash, Grant and Kristina, and I'm happy with this approach. And yes I agree Brigid, I think we could call for it to be involved as prevention/promotion and treatment, find a way to say all the main points in a very concise and consolidated way. So just to confirm, you're still suggesting we do it through ActionStation?

I wonder whether we can still encourage our networks to make personal submissions as well, for example by telling them how to make an online submission when we share the link to the ActionStation campaign?

Yes a really well-worded visionary high-level submission calling for "mindfulness as part of both mental health prevention/promotion and treatment in all the areas" is exactly what we've been thinking and talking about this morning too. :)

Does make the task now, before we meet again tomorrow, to edit Brigid's draft? Is best use of everyone's time to edit as and when we have time? We're all pretty busy so I wonder if Brigid or Nick, do either of you want to do the next edit version and then send a loomio post / thread when it's ready for more eyes to review? I don't want to make it a complicated process of editing for anyone, but I know how hard it is to co-edit a doc with lots of people all at once.

I'm not sure if ActionStation will be right for this, but I'm open to whatever medium people think will work best.

Yes I think we should encourage our networks to make personal submissions as well and send them / post links for how to do this.

Thanks folks :)

Great, good to find alignment - this is what Loomio is for, being able to make decisions as a group asynchronously (i.e. not having to all be in one place at one time), and to allow us to change our minds as we go.

Yes I think that is the task for now :slight_smile: . I will have a go at editing Brigid's draft this afternoon, am pretty tired after the hui but will see what I can do, as I agree it would be good to have something closer to ready to review in the call tomorrow. From talking with Brigid she had a pretty full schedule this week.

Yes unfortunately I have almost no capacity this week due to other commitments. I’d love to put my hand up to do the editing but can’t promise that so if Nick is ok to make a start that would be wonderful. I think I go most of what I thought was relevant (at least for mindfulness) into last week’s draft. The only thing I thought of to add in afterwards was some really amazing stuff by psychiatrist Peter Kinderman that I think helps make the link between mindfulness and the social and biological determinants of mental wellbeing ie. that mindfulness can mediate the effects of these determinants. If I get a chance I’ll have a look and try to add in.

Will MEG/TKI still plan to write a separate fuller submission advocating for PBS/Atawhai?

Yes we are working on it and we are hoping to be able to say that it's supported by Mindfulness for Change and you have you all share it among your networks - that would be awesome! WE'll share it once it's ready (getting close).

Look forward to seeing you all at 11.30 today.

Okay I'm still working on the doc, but here is the link to draft v3. And here is the link for the Zoom call today: https://zoom.us/j/818680385

Thanks Nick I actually did manage to add the Kinderman stuff late last night but that was to v2 and I think you must have started v3 before I’d done that. It doesn’t make a huge material difference actually from the perspective of mi dfulness as our primary focus. I’ve just had a brief skim through v3 - looking good although I’ll need you to explain social labs to me as I’m not sure I get it yet. Also this is way too long for a petition so I guess this zoom call will be about distilling into a few punchy points and paragraphs? Speak soon 😀

Here's the original doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PC-BePMGlvPjFuRdIyVNOsuD8DWY0e_WAJrD2kevsOI/edit?usp=sharing

Here's a new doc for drafting an ActionStation petition on Mandate for Mindfulness: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15w0d0ep-KTFwGG1BFhR18H5K8-oMIk9_UFz2d8FQB3o/edit?usp=sharing

Hi all just checking in where we’re at with this process. I’m unavailable until this afternoon now. Being a perfectionist and feeling really strongly on the issue we’re submitting on I’m trying to let go of wanting to spend lots of time perfecting it and making sure it reflects exactly what I think/feel! Bit it’s looking good and the value add of further tweaking in the big picture possibly quite low. One thing I did want to suggest is that rather than just talking about the pressures of a digital age we also say something on the increasing pace of CHANGE and uncertainty in the 21st century (climate change and other ecological threats, technological unemployment, artificial intelligence, which is unprecedented and leads to a feeling of loss of control and instability (speed wobbles). Such that in many ways mental dis-ease is a sane response to an increasingly crazy world. And that mindfulness provides a necessary antidote in these crazy times. I also noticed that Kyle McDonald did a press release around his petition which was picked up by stuff - an awesome way to promote this petition and what it represents. Could we do the same? Tash would October have energy to draft a press release? What do people think?

I think press release is a very good idea. I wonder if talking about the future threats would make it seem less pressing - the need for mindfulness is already there, it's not something we need to worry about for the future but something that is needed right now.

Okay, have more or less finished writing the final draft for the Mandate for Mindfulness doc, thanks for the contributions everyone! We're at 557 words currently.

Can you all have a look and see what you think? I think the easiest way to do the fine tuning-style editing required now would be to make suggestions on the doc, which can be done by switching to "suggesting" in the top righthand corner.

Thanks so much Nick, great work. I've put in some tweaks - don't be alarmed by the amount of green lines, it's mainly cutting potentially unnecessary words to keep it short

Hi everyone, just to let you know I've heard back from Prof Craig Hassad and he's happy to sign our online petition, although he doesn't have time to write a separate submission. He has also sent a lovely article summarising the benefits of mindfulness with evidence - attached. We could possibly tweak/enhance our draft based on this (although it's looking pretty good so far) or at least reference it. And Nick we cold possibly submit it as supplementary info with our broader submission piece.

Hi everyone, I've had a go at adding in your point about increasing uncertainty and pace of change @brigidmareeobrien and I've had a final read. I'll also ask my partner to have a read of it (she used to be in public relations) for a sense test. Otherwise I think it's ready to go to Marianne if she's up for looking at it. Good idea about the press release - my partner and I might be able to have a go at one over the weekend - I'll check and get back to you.

I asked for feedback from Carolyn McCombs, Martin Giles' wife who works in comms, and she has come back with a doc that has tracked changes on it. I have copied and pasted this new text into our doc, with the old text unchanged below. I've reached out to Marianne Elliott on FB but it doesn't appear that she has viewed my message yet.

Hi Nick I don't seem to be able to open the google doc link that appeared in the email notification....how can i view this latest doc then please?

I have added it to the Mandate for Mindfulness Doc - you should be able to see it there. Edited text above, original below.

Hi team, sorry for absence on my part - getting to launch of the PBS/ Atawhai petition has been intense and steep learning curve but we've just re;eased! Have sent it all to you by email and social media to start soon. Please sign and share, share, share!

From what I learnt on action stations:
-you can't do any formatting (bold headers etc),
-restrictions in place for length of whose campaign it is (so Mandate for Mindfulness Working Group will probably be unacceptable, but try first - you need to put it as the first name).
-The opening title "ask" is restricted in length.
-You can't do footnotes, see how I did them in end.

I am happy to help now that I have done it once.

My recommendation is to not worry about trying to get it perfect and get every single point in it, just get the first few sentences punchy and encouraging action and get it out there.

No matter what you do, you'll look at it again and want to make changes anyway, so at some point someone needs to make call "that's enough"!

I am fried, its been a huge week and I need some space. So I'm not going to look at the track changes version just yet. Can come back to it Monday.

I am leading a retreat day for cancer patients on Sunday so need to create right mental space to prepare for that.

xxx Tash

Thanks for all these insights Tash. I'm just finishing an epic week too and agree there are diminishing returns in editing the doc much more - we just need to get it out there, and ideally with a press release. I've looked at the latest version and just made a tiny suggestion. Otherwise I'm happy enough to press 'go'. BTW got your PBS petutuion Tash - looks awesome, well done. Of course I have already signed it and disseminated across the globe! Hope you can enjoy some R and R before Sunday Tash xx

Sorry one more thought - can we make it pretty with a pic like the PBS one?

Thanks Tash, for everything you've done this week - it's really important work you're doing :heart: . I thoroughly support you creating the space you need for yourself!

Thanks also for the learnings from the PBS/KI petition. Perhaps we could put MFM Working Group as our title or something like that. Also, I agree with Brigid that a picture would be great - really like the one in your petition! Have been sharing the petition already and will continue to do so next week.

I suggest we find a picture then push "go" on submitting it to ActionStation on Monday morning. Is the group in agreement on that?

Agreed

I agree too! And I share Brigid and Nick’s comments about your contribution Tash and hope you manage to find some time to nurture yourself soon. Great work Nick and Brigid too. The petition is reading really well. I can upload it to Action Station. I might start doing it over the weekend (assuming I can save a draft) and then hit go on Monday morning.

That would be fantastic if you could start the process over the weekend Caroline! Thank you :raised_hands: :pray:

I’ve had a quick look at Tash’s learnings and made a tweak to the petition by putting the references as footnotes. @nicklaurence it’d be great if you could do a quick check to make sure they’re still correct.

I’ve also just been through Mindfulness for Change’s photos and here are 3 possibles

Beautiful pics! I like the bottom 2 best. What about also one with people in it (possibly kids meditating or something?). Does MEG have anything like that?

A photo of kids meditating would be great. I looked for something like that in my search and couldn't find anything.

I've now created an account with Action Station. Our name is the Mandate for Mindfulness Working Group and our password is theotterstrikesback. Here's the link to the draft of our campaign https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/put-mindfulness-at-the-heart-of-our-mental-health-system/launch. And here's a link to their tips on starting a campaign http://www.actionstation.org.nz/oas_starting_your_campaign. From reading the tips I think they'll suggest we add a personal story or two and make our text on why its important shorter and more chatty. Welcome your thoughts.

Thanks so much for doing this Caroline. I’m on kid duty today so sorry not much time to devote to this today but a quick couple of points:
- if the kindness Institute was happy for us to use them there are some great home grown pics of kids meditating on their website https://thekindnessinstitute.com/our-programs
- re personal stories could we add something after the main body along the lines of: the kiwis behind this submission feel passionately about bringing mindfulness into the mainstream for mental wellbeing not only because of the robust science behind it but because of our own lived experiences. It has transformed each of our lives in different ways, for example in recovery from post-natal depression, insert other examples, and we’ve seen it touch so many others in amazing ways.

Also I couldn’t get into the action station draft. I signed up to action station but then couldn’t find or access our submission. Would I need to logon using your email
Caroline?

Great thanks Brigid. I’ll add some text along the lines you suggest. Good idea about the Kindness Institute photos - @tashrix what do you think - do you have something we could use or could you ask Kristina?

I’ve just logged into Action Station and I realised in my earlier instructions I didn’t say the email I used is [email protected] and the password is theotterstrikesback. The campaign is in there.

Thanks for your kind words everyone. The photo image is the hardest part! We were ready to go and then endless texts and phone calls back and forth trying to find a suitably representative photo! We're still not very happy with it, but maybe its not too bad based on your feedback.

Here's some options we have that could be used...

Oh, you can go back into the petition and change the image later, if you find a better one you want to use. None of these are that great, and certainly not very diverse!

I have emailed Kristina about using an image from her website, but I know she is tied up all week so may not get a chance to reply for a while.

Thanks so much for sharing the PBS petition! We really appreciate it

Great thanks Tash and Brigid. I've updated the draft petition and added a cropped version of the first image. Comments welcome. Here's the link to the revised draft of our campaign on Action Station https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/put-mindfulness-at-the-heart-of-our-mental-health-system/launch. Hopefully you can log into it using the MfC email [email protected] and the password theotterstrikesback

Thanks Caroline! Have had a look and made a few edits. The main one was putting the definition of mindfulness and its research benefits back at the top, as I feel that those are the most salient/important parts of our petition. I've also copied and pasted the reference list into a Google Doc, published it, and made a shortened link that I have put in the ActionStation text, which will save us a lot of characters in that text. People can just click the link to get to the list of references, instead of having them clutter up the petition. Here's the link: goo.gl/fj65Yi

Great thanks @nicklaurence. I’ve had a read and it looks good. Are we all happy to go live now? @tashrix @brigidmareeobrien

I'm happy with it, apart from the picture really (which can be changed). How about this one? It's of Kristina, so we would have to get her permission, but it has a grounded, positive feel to it that I quite like.

I feel really strongly that we should not use a photo of Kristina. It's too confusing with the other petition, and for the wider mindfulness community it could be like, "why her"? Also, she's unavailable until Wednesday so we can't get her permission. (Just got an auto reply form the email I sent her about using other images from her website).

Sure, good points, I didn't really like it for Kristina, more the vibe of the photo, which feels agreeable, positive, and grounded to me. Very happy not to use a photo of Kristina but I would like to change it from the one that we have currently. The image choice feels really important to me.

I’m happy to change the photo - do you have another suggested image?

Being a bit of a 'policy wonk' I am a bit obsessed with consistency, especially for our main 'ask'. To me, it's like the main 'ASK' is written in four different ways in this petition:

1. "Put mindfulness at the heart of our mental health system"
2. "recommend that mindfulness is included as a central part of the Government’s approach to mental health for a flourishing Aotearoa New Zealand".
3. "we recommend that mindfulness is embedded cohesively within the diverse sectors of society that impact on our mental health"
4. "Together we can make Aotearoa a world leader in mental health, with MINDFULNESS AS A CENTRAL STRATEGY to creating a flourishing Aotearoa New Zealand with thriving New Zealanders: Sign the Open Submission".

Do others think this matters? If yes, then I can quickly change some words for consistency.

If no-one else thinks it matters, then yes it looks great (very robust in terms of references) and I agree it is ready to go.

Well done team!

I agree Tash, and I would be very happy with you changing it. Of the 4 points you've listed, I like 2 the best and I feel like that's the one we agreed on as a group.

"Put mindfulness at the heart of NZ's mental health system" feels like not quite what I personally want to ask for, it feels like too strong a statement, and not inclusive enough of other approaches that are important parts of the solution. I would be happier with "Mindfulness be included as a central part of our approach to mental health in NZ" as the title.

Or maybe it's just the word "include" instead of "put". So "Include mindfulness at the heart of our mental health system", which feels snappier and catchier as a title, but also inclusive of the need for other approaches?

I like adding include Nick

Thanks Tash. A bit more consistency might be useful so I’d appreciate you having a go. The first one needs to still be catchy.

For the first one, which is the big bold header, do you prefer:

OPTION ONE: "Include mindfulness at the heart of our mental health system"

OPTION TWO: "Include mindfulness as a central part of our approach to mental health in NZ"

OPTION THREE: "Include mindfulness as a central part of our mental health system"

OPTION FOUR: "Include mindfulness as a central strategy of our mental health system"

OPTION FIVE: "Include mindfulness as a central strategy for creating a flourishing Aotearoa New Zealand" (my personal fav)

OTHER?
I'll then use the preference as the basis for my consistency changes.

I like option five as well, as it broadens the conversation to be about more than "mental health" (which is really doublespeak for "mental illness") and more than the "mental health system". My only concern is that it's not seen as quite as relevant to the mental health and addictions inquiry if we don't use those terms.

I wonder if we could edit option five slightly to take out the words "creating a" - so it becomes "Include mindfulness as a central strategy for a flourishing Aotearoa New Zealand" - at least for the title, which would benefit from being snappy.

Because this is the format on the petition, the relevance to the inquiry is quite obvious

To: Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction
Put mindfulness at the heart of our mental health system

@brigidmareeobrien @carolinetaylor - can you please vote for your preference of the five options above so I can do some editing?

Hmmm. I feel that the word 'mental' needs to be in to keep it relevant for the ToR of the inquiry but also that 'mental health system' is too narrow because it fails to acknowledge the broader determinants outside the 'system' that the inquiry has also signalled it's interested in. None of these 5 options actually address both these points and I also think starting with the word 'include' sounds weak so can I throw a spanner in the works and suggest....
OPTION 6: Mindfulness matters for mental health: include mindfulness as a central strategy for creating a flourishing Aotearoa NZ
OPTION 7: Make mindfulness a central strategy for mental wellbeing in Aotearoa NZ

My fav is option 7 - I also like options 5 and 6!

So what if it was:
To: Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction
Include mindfulness as a central strategy for a flourishing Aotearoa New Zealand

Hmm. Maybe the word "recommend" needs to be in there as well, because that's what we're actually asking the panel to do. And I think "New Zealand" could be shortened to "NZ" to shorten the overall length of the title. So it could become:
To: Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction
"Recommend mindfulness be included as a central strategy for a flourishing Aotearoa NZ".

I think we can use word recommend in other parts of the body text, but including it in the header starts to make the sentence long and clunky.

I agree with Tash on this point

The photo is meant to be a different post! (different topic). Trying to find an alternative agreeable, positive, and grounded photo. The image choice is very important but it's also really hard to find the right one.

I like this photo the best so far - it's good having a group, and diversity represented too. I feel this is also, positive, grounded, and agreeable. It's hard finding the perfect one, agreed! A con for this one is that mindfulness could be perceived as just for kids, which is not what we're asking? It's going to be hard to find any one photo that speaks to everyone though.

Sorry coming to late....agree re consistent messaging. I like using the word heart as it literally speaks more to the heart than the other options which are very heady, but I also agree having mindfulness only at the heart is overstating it. Ideally something that speaks to both head and heart (my impression from the meeting was that the panel definitely have aspects of both). Something that’s come to me in an ill formed way just now is something around ‘mindfulness matters’, or perhaps ‘mindfulness matters for mental health - make mindfulness matter to this government’

Also agree the photo of Kristina is gorgeous but not appropriate to this submission. I feel we need something (could be more than one pic) that reflects the different aspects of mindfulness - both inner calm but also relating to the outer world both whanaungatanga and something around nature as well something around diversity demonstrating that it is cross sectoral and cross cultural and inter generational ....
Can we use something from google images or are there copyright issues?

Also a point around the numbered references that my partner brought up when he read it - he thought they were meant to be numerical points in the text and got confused. Can we make them superscript instead?

You can only have one image and no you can't make the references different text / superscript.

You can take any image off the net, there are only copyright images when the photographer has watermarked the image to stop people using it without purchasing. To be ethical, rather than taking images from websites, we purchase ours from adobe stock. These are also far better quality / higher resolution. The images of school kids I have posted are all our own images that we paid for (not on adobe). Not sure if there is time / energy to create an adobe stock account and search for a suitable image? If any of you are really passionate about finding the right image you can search adobe stock online, give me the code of the image you want, and I can get our graphic designer to purchase it through our account. This all takes time though and I doubt it would be dine by end of today.

Might be too low resolution

I like this as focus on one person but in context of a group. However it does look a bit too perfect, like a stock photo (she's a bit too model-like!). I can have a quick look at adobe stock now....

Resolution looks bad

Can't really have the opposition leader in the petition!

I like option 7 the best, and my favourite picture is still the one with the three children in red sweatshirts.

Got an adobe stock account! Here's a few that grabbed me. I think it needs to be super eye catching. Two themes here: either showing what it's like to be distressed by a monkey mind (could possibly write a caption, something like 'mind full...or mindful') - looks distressing but I think that does grab attention; or mediation in cityscapes to depict it being appropriate for normal people in a modern world rather than just Buddhist monks and yogis

A few more options....

I have made all the consistency changes based on number 7. Hope you're all happy with it, I think it reads better with what we're asking repeated. I am signing out for today - will leave you guys to nut out the images!

Awesome thanks Tash!

Hi again, confession is that I've just gone into ActionStation and made some minor tweaks - do feel free to challenge these:
- changed 'mental health' to 'mental wellbeing' throughout for consistency (wellbeing is the word used in key message)
- tweaked a few words in the paragraph on 'threats to health' to soften it so that it doesn't come across as mental health threats being the only threats of today - I feel more comfortable with how it now reads (it's being nagging at me for a while but I couldn't quite put my finger on exactly why - I now think it's because although mental health is a leading cause of disability physical morbidity is still significant)
- copying the PBS submission I have added a request to 'sign now' after the opening call
- under 'why is this important?' after the initial section essentially summarising the research and personal stories I've added a subheading called 'MINDFULNESS: THE DETAILS' which is where we expand on the summary. Not sure if this is the best term but couldn't think of anything better (maybe More Mindfulness Details or Mindfulness in Detail or Further Information - but none sound particularly punchy). Rationale for this is that when I got my partner to read he thought it was too long and wanted to have the summary differentiated from the detailed bits so he could stop reading and skip to the signing bit!

Re the photo I'm actually pretty happy with the one that's in there at the moment, less keen on Nick's fav (3 kids in red - sorry Nick but it doesn't really speak to me), and happy enough with any others that have been suggested. Does someone just want to make a call and press go on the submission so we get it out there tonight? I'm happy for Caroline to do this if all else are? Once done who would like to post to the M4C FB page? I'm happy to do but also happy for others too. And then we revisit our wider dissemination plan?
Thoughts @nicklaurence @carolinetaylor @tashrix

Great thanks @brigidmareeobrien - it’s reading well! The only change I’ve made is to change “Mindfulness: The Details” to “Mindfulness is Effective” as it’s more descriptive and engaging.

Nice thanks

A few more pics to add to the mix....I checked out Kyle McDonald's petition and see he had 'mental health' written in scrabble letters so go the idea to do something similar maybe...it definitely makes it clear what the submission is about anyway!

If people like any of these adobe stock photos I can apparently get up to 10 free so let me know. Or suggest another theme to search under. @nicklaurence @carolinetaylor @tashrix

I am more comfortable with these ones than any of the people ones we've managed to come up with so far. I have found that finding a picture of someone meditating is almost impossible! Top picks are:
- the last one on the road 'Healthy Mind'
- the hand with word mindfulness in white and other key words behind
-the typewriter cos its on-trend and stylish!
-the blackboard has the best selection of relevant words
I'm going to insert one in the petition so you can see what it looks like live.

I also am happy to just use the one that's there, but it's fine to change it.

That's done, take a look at it online and see how it makes you feel. Without purchasing them, we can play around with inserting different ones and see what we think. We should probably set a deadline for final decision so that we can finish it. Who agrees?

https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/put-mindfulness-at-the-heart-of-our-mental-health-system/launch

Oh, also about meeting again to discuss next steps for spreading it. I fly to Westport tomorrow for rest of week training teachers there. I leave ere about midday so can meet up in morning if needs be. But I don't really need to be at another meeting about this, I will just share it around the networks I have, including ones that we identified and put my name to in original google doc. If you'd like me at another meeting, happy to attend when I can, but suspect a lot can happen from here by going back to that doc and putting names beside contacts/networks/FB groups. I won't post it to the MfC FB group - seems more appropriate for one of you to do that.

I agree @tashrix re difficulty of getting a suitable photo of people meditating. They mostly look too new-agey, and unless you're a yogi it might not resonate. Also embodied mindfulness is so much more than sitting in the lotus position! I like the pic you've put in with the road, but to trump that (I wasn't sure about the wording for our key message) I've found the same pic but with the word mindfulness - attached.

Agree with @tashrix let's set a deadline otherwise it's a bottomless pit! I'm online till just before 9.30am and then busy till around 12.30/1pm and then can be available again till early evening, and again after kids in bed. I don't think we necessarily need another zoom call, we can probably just divy up dissemination over loomio by going back to that original doc. As I said I'm happy to post on Auckland M4C and/or national M4C facebook, but equally happy for someone else to.

oops! I was looking at the doc trying to change the pic and somehow I accidentally sent it live! Sorry! How do we undo this????

OK I managed to go in and edit the photo - but petition is still live but I didn't share it and I think it won;t be actually live on Action Station website until gone to moderater which takes a couple of days. I've got to go in a minute so will now try and purchase the stock photo and insert. WE can then change it later if people want to. Sorry for the balls up!

This is done. Signing off for a bit. Feel free to take over now!!! Let me know if you want me to 'purchase' any other photos (I get 9 more free)

It's all good @brigidmareeobrien - I'm happy with the photo so great if you can purchase the photo and insert it then click next. I'm happy to agree who's disseminating it online in the google doc - and I'm happy for you to do the Auckland and national MfC posts Brigid. Great work everyone! Go us!

I've just hit next so we're live. Over to you @brigidmareeobrien to post it in the facebook groups and then I'll start sharing it!

GREAT JOB TEAM! We're go!!

WOOHOO! Awesome stuff, it's looking so great team!!

Were we going to organise a press release for this? I can't remember who talked about this before?

Phew! Posts done to M4C FB both Auckland and National. Thanks team - it's awesome being part of this collective action - definitely feels like something more than the sum of the parts! I'm in support of a press release (I think I raised this) - but have no idea how to make that happen. Anyone?

BTW make sure you guys sign the petition too individually!

@nicklaurence where are we at with our other joint submission?

Ah I forgot about the press release. My partner and I might be able to help as she used to work in comms - I’m out at the moment so let me ask her when I get home about 5.30-6

@tashrix @nicklaurence @carolinetaylor just to let you know that some of my network have been confused by me posting about first the Schools submission and now this one mistaking them for being the same one and saying they’ve already signed it. So maybe when you spread the word try and make it explicit that they are 2 separate but complementary (not competing) submissions and that it’s worth signing both for more impact.

@tashrix @nicklaurence @brigidmareeobrien my partner and I have quickly whipped up a draft media release https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HpDHCHwotEKKsKJsV5-B2HimJv-vNgXxD3v9Sw_oCIc/edit?usp=sharing. Comments welcome (although she says it needs to be engaging for the media)

Wow that was quick work! I’m pretty jaded so need to see this with fresh eyes after sleep. Especially since I’m responsible for a number of quotes there I need to make sure they resonant! How would you get the press release out and what would be the likely response? Would they want to interview someone?

Cool! It's up to us where we send it - it depends on what we want. I saw Kyle got his on Scoop - they usually just publish them - and we know Jan Rivers there. We could also send it to media outlets - like local papers, newspapers, radio, TV. If a media outlet decides to run a story they might want to interview someone - or ask a few questions. We could also maybe put it on Action Station and on our facebook group pages. Happy to chat about it if its useful.

@carolinetaylor would be good to discuss via ph. Does anyone else want to join discussion? Other maybe Caroline and chat and report back. I think if we do do a press release we probably need a bit of a comms plan in advance. I’m wondering whether this might be an appropriate channel to share my or other’s personal stories and back up with evidence....?

@brigidmareeobrien I’m on for a chat today before 4 - when works for you? @nicklaurence do u want to join us? I’m pretty sure Tash said she’s offline because the rest of this week she’s training.

I'm free now until about 1.30, then maybe around 3.30. I'm on 021554151 so just text/call

BTW the reference link works for me but only when paste into browser

Let's go for 3.30 - I'll call you then!

I'm going to a funeral which starts at 2 , not sure what time finishes so maybe text me your number and I'll call you when get out

Yeah we can't do hyperlinks via ActionStation so the only option is for people cutting and pasting into their browser. It is working for me, does copying and pasting work Caroline? Sorry team I don't have energy for a press release conversation, it would be really great if the two of you could organise that @carolinetaylor and @brigidmareeobrien.

@carolinetaylor @nicklaurence @tash Hi all I think I’ve exhausted all my contacts for the petition. It’s hovering around 130 signatures but seems to have plateaued. Tash I know you have had a busy week but any chance you could reach out to your MEG network. Looks like the schools mindgulness petition is going super well at more than 1200!!!! That’s so awesome and gives me hope you might actually get some traction with it 🤞 Caroline I’m still incubating the potential press release stuff as have been sick but will send you some ideas when/if it comes clearer. Nick shall we pick up again on our joint submission next week? Have a great weekend everyone 😀

@carolinetaylor I've finally put pen to paper and come up with some draft stuff that actually feels more authentically like what I would actually say as opposed to the quotes you wrote for me (but they were a great start and impetus for me to connect with what I actually feel so thanks!). It's not really a 'press release', not sure what it is - probably a version of what I might submit as my own written submission. Anyway do you want to see if you and Sarah can work with any of this to craft it into a relevant press release for our submissions? I was thinking it might segue nicely with both our general one and the PBS/TKI one. But if not no worries - I can just use it as a submission, it's been a useful and cathartic exercise for me.

@carolinetaylor The link for doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KMK3B34HK50iQwryVntChQPnnE14LC6Lfyn4fL00bW8/edit?usp=sharing

@carolinetaylor @nicklaurence @tashrix
Hi all, returning to our earlier idea for an article in the Spin Off or similar that links to our open submissions (and just generally supports the messaging we're trying to get across to the panel) I've had a go at editing the doc I loaded yesterday down to 800 words. Please have a look and let me know what you think. If we want to use it we need to get it out soon as 5 June looming! https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WgLs1CyFwCjZFpR2rl1Jxp54FVcpdWJq44Stu6mHbqE/edit?usp=sharing

@brigidmareeobrien Hi Brigid, great work on the article. Sarah and I have both read it and we think you've done a wonderful job.

We've got a few thoughts to hopefully make it even better and more engaging.

To make the first paragraph even more catchy we suggest limiting the statistics to your top three (and either weaving the other two into the body of the article or taking them out). For the same reason we also suggest reformatting the first paragraph as text rather than bullets.

So it flows more easily we suggest taking out the footnotes (and leaving in the references at the end of the article).

Paragraph 4 is long so we suggest breaking it into three paragraphs with the first three sentences as one paragraph (ie "The statistics speak...the root cause) and the third paragraph maybe starting with "Such thinking..."

As paragraphs 7 and 8 are your core ask we suggest moving them up to after the new paragraph 4 (ie "The statistics speak...the root cause).

I'm happy to have a go at making the changes or to have a final read if you'd like me to before you go live.

Fantastic work!

@carolinetaylor I've had a go at making the changes you suggest. I take your point about getting the recommendations in earlier in the doc but the logic doesn't flow properly as I haven't argued the rationale for connection and mindfulness yet....so I've put a high level recommendation where you suggested and then more detailed ones at the bottom. See what you think. It's at 800 words. I've taken refs out and can put a bibliography in later at bottom if that's what you suggest. Doc at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eYawBEizvwYMXPHSxs5YKBwBT1rY1tAEk6qZaQYgAgw/edit?usp=sharing

https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/23-05-2018/is-otago-university-okay-with-censorship-or-not/
https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/23-05-2018/is-otago-university-okay-with-censorship-or-not

@nicklaurence and @tashrix Brigid is about to go live with her article. She's going to send it to Spinoff and Scoop to start with. I also thought it'd be good to post it as a MfC blog on medium.

@carolinetaylor @nicklaurence @tashrix So the final 'media' doc is at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eYawBEizvwYMXPHSxs5YKBwBT1rY1tAEk6qZaQYgAgw/edit?usp=sharing
I have just emailed to a few writers at The Spinoff. We'll wait and see what happens.....Thanks so much to Caroline and Sarah for their editing and encouragement.

This is a really powerful article Brigid! Very well articulated :). It's sure to spark some thinking and conversation in people who read it! Keen to hear any updates / responses from the writers. I feel like it'll get snapped up, writers want something topical to post about the mental health review. Nice work Caroline and Sarah with your help too :slight_smile:

Following up on Caroline's comment about posting it as a MfC Story on Medium, which I feel is a good idea, here's the link to the MfC Stories channel on Medium. You just have to copy and paste the text (and the picture) to create a new story, and then submit it to the editors of MfC Stories when it's there. https://medium.com/mindfulnessforchange

OK managed to post on Medium, complete with links: check it out https://medium.com/@brigidobrien74/the-mental-health-crisis-why-we-need-a-mindful-revolution-7358322dfa3b

It looks awesome @brigidmareeobrien - did you manage to submit it to the editors of the MfC medium channel?

Didn't know I was meant to do that! How do I do it?

It’s an option - if you want to do it here’s how Nick said to do it “here's the link to the MfC Stories channel on Medium. You just have to copy and paste the text (and the picture) to create a new story, and then submit it to the editors of MfC Stories when it's there. https://medium.com/mindfulnessforchange

Sorry when I click on that link I can't see how to do that....can you do it for me???

Sure - I’m out at the moment so I’ll have a go when I’m next in front of a computer

@brigidmareeobrien I just tried an d it didn't seem to work - go to go out now - I'll try again later

@brigidmareeobrien I don't think I can add your story to the medium channel - it looks like I'd need to be an editor to do it @nicklaurence can you please add Brigid as a writer then I think she can add her story to the channel - can you also please add Brigid and I as editors so we can do it in future - thanks very much

I've added you both as editors to Medium @carolinetaylor and @brigidmareeobrien. Hopefully you will be able to add the story yourself now Brigid :)

Awesome thanks @nicklaurence - hopefully you're sorted now @brigidmareeobrien

@brigidmareeobrien @nicklaurence @tashrix - hey everyone, I'm wondering if we want to make a small event of the delivery of the petitions (eg. deliver them to a DIA office and take a photo or video of handover). Action Station recommends doing a delivery event. We'd need to contact the Panel support people and check out it was okay. What do you think?

@brigidmareeobrien @nicklaurence @tashrix - hey everyone, I'm wondering if we want to make a small event of the delivery of the petitions (eg. deliver them to a DIA office and take a photo or video of handover). Action Station recommends doing a delivery event. We'd need to contact the Panel support people and check out it was okay. What do you think?

It's a good idea. Happy for Wellington-based people to lead on this, very hard to be involved in something in-person at DIA office like this from rural BOP.
We have managed to secure a private 20-minute slot with the panel when they are in Tauranga on 11 June. This will be to present on PBS/Atawhai and give them that petition/submission. If you like we can give them the other one at same time, but it wouldn't have same impact and might get lost in the more specific mindfulness in education focus.

It sounds like a good idea Caroline! I don't personally have energy to organise it though sorry. And thanks for the offer to include the handover in the PBS/Atawhai one Tash, but I feel that keeping the two separate would be better for both petitions.

Hi all, great ideas re delivery but sorry I don' t the capacity for that - go ahead if you like Caroline! I've posted the article of MfC Medium page now: https://medium.com/mindfulnessforchange/the-mental-health-crisis-why-we-need-a-mindful-revolution-2b261dc8cea4
Re submitting the petitions I think best if we either submit a copy of it in person or online Tuesday with the number of signatures to date, but provide also the inquiry with a link to the petition and make it clear that the petition is still live and gaining more signatures by the day. Then they can check in later when they actually get around to the analysis.

Just an update from me: I've finally done my own submission. In case anyone else is thinking of using the online form my experience of it was not great. I decided to use it as I thought it would be helpful to address their questions and also fill out their demographic info and confidentiality info. I ended up cutting and pasting stuff I had written from a word doc but it lost all the formatting including hyperlinks so wasn't very easy to read in the end. So eventually I actually also emailed them word docs. As supplementary material I included a written transcript of my oral submission, a copy of the petition (cut and pasted into a word doc) with link to it so they can check the signature count and a copy of the Medium article (cut and paste into a word doc). If you want to see my submission it's at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/f6ixuma8zhhoe4y/AABnv0VwCVC3ipmSQPAwo507a?dl=0 Check out my clause on confidentiality before sharing it.

@nicklaurence @carolinetaylor @tashrix Morena everyone! The 2 petitions are going well. What’s the plan for submission of the general mindfulness one team? Caroline how are you feeling about personal delivery? I’ve already attached a version of the petition (converted into word doc) to my personal submission but I think it should also formally be submitted as a stand alone submission from mandate for mindfulness - is there an email address for this? 5pm deadline today

@brigidmareeobrien my son is home today so I haven’t got space for a personal delivery. We could use the [email protected] email address - what do you think @nicklaurence? It’d be great to get a photo of one of us submitting it even if that is online - @brigidmareeobrien are you up for that? The action station campaign platform has a delivery function - I assume it closes the petition off though so we could do that on the date of their last public meeting and close it and send it in then too - what do you all think?

Personally I'm not up for a photo sorry. I think best is if a copy of petition including all the signatures to date is emailed from mindfulness for change email (if that is deemed appropriate) explaining that the petition is still active and gaining signatures daily, and provide the link. I think keep petition active at least until the Inquiry report is out (or better still beyond then as the report might spark public discussion and get more signatures if we're lucky...... nothing is a done deal until the government actually responds to the report with policy). I checked out the 'deliver petition' option last week and you can get a pdf of just the first paragraph of the petition with all the signatures, or an excel of all the signatures, but this loses the content of the body of the petition that's why I think it needs to be copied and sent. I don't think it should come from my email address as I've sent enough already, but if I can get access to MfC one (if that's appropriate) I can do, or someone else can, ?@nicklaurence @carolinetaylor

Sounds good @brigidmareeobrien I’m happy for it to go from the MfC email address and for you to send the email. Instructions on how are in slack - text me if you have problems

Hi I'm happy to do this but can't find those instructions on slack - please enlighten me!

Hey @brigidmareeobrien, others, you might be interested to read the NZ Psychology Society's submission the Inquiry. There are some parallels to what you are saying Brigid in terms of a broader focus and eschewing the medical model in mental health, although they don't go quite as far and are (understandably) more focused on psychology and psychological interventions. http://www.psychology.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/NZPsS-Submission-MHA-Inq.pdf