Support Act announces new Wellbeing Helpline: 1800 959 500

Support Act is delighted to announce the launch of its long-awaited Wellbeing Helpline, made possible with support from Alberts’ The Tony Foundation and Levi Strauss Australia.

“The launch of this service is in direct response to requests from our colleagues working in music to help improve overall mental health and wellbeing,” said Clive Miller, CEO Support Act. “Based on our consultations and research, we believe that a specialised service specifically tailored to the unique challenges faced by artists and music workers will be of enormous benefit to all people working in our industry.”

The Support Act Wellbeing Helpline, will be staffed by professional counsellors* who will offer expertise in all areas related to mental health (e.g. depression, anxiety, addiction, suicidal ideation) as well as issues which can be mental health related (such as loneliness, relationship breakdown, financial worries, illness and workplace conflict).

The free and confidential service is available to anyone working in Australian music who needs to talk to someone about any aspect of their wellbeing. The service will also offer specific urgent support for people who may be a risk to themselves or others. It is accessible 24 hours a day, 365 days per year by calling 1800 959 500 within Australia.

“We are thrilled to see this idea brought to fruition in less than 12 months under the dynamic leadership of Jo Cave and the team at Support Act,” said Emily Albert, Executive Officer at The Tony Foundation, which provided seed funding for the initiative. “We have gone from initial conversations at the BIGSOUND Mental Health Summit last September around how to best support wellbeing in the music industry, to the helpline being made available this week. Alberts is delighted to have been able to contribute to enabling this vision to become a reality and to making this much needed service available to people working across the music industry in Australia.”

Nicky Rowsell, Marketing Manager of Levi Strauss Australia & New Zealand, which has provided additional funding and expertise, added: “Levi’s is proud to be a part of such an important initiative that will see our local musicians and music industry workers receive Australia’s first mental health and well-being help line. This is a critical first step in a longer journey that Levi’s is heavily invested in; to really give back to the music (and wider) creative community in a meaningful way that we hope will make a real difference. We look forward to continuing to work with SUPPORT ACT on breaking down stigma and raising awareness around mental health. If this work can help to save lives – then I think we all need to make it a priority to protect the future of the music industry itself.”

To access the Support Act Wellbeing Helpline please call 1800 959 500 within Australia. Enquiries can also be made at www.supportact.org.au. To access the Wellbeing Helpline page click here

* Support Act’s Wellbeing Helpline is supported by AccessEAP, a leading not-for-profit Employee Assistance Program provider with close to 30 years experience in mental health and workplace wellbeing. Support Act’s Wellbeing Helpline has been designed especially for people in music in partnership with AccessEAP.