The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health system recognised that communities are best placed to understand and drive local social connection and inclusion efforts that support mental health and wellbeing.
Social inclusion action groups (SIAGs) will support local communities to prevent social exclusion and to promote social inclusion and connection. They will bring together community members and leaders in communities across Victoria to guide and lead local social connection and inclusion efforts.
SIAGs will manage a Local Social Inclusion Investment Fund for initiatives that support social inclusion and connection to promote good mental health and wellbeing in the community
SIAGs will be reflective of the communities in which they operate. They will be made up of a broad and diverse range of community members and local leaders of all ages and backgrounds, including people with lived experience, Aboriginal people and those from LGBTIQA+, disability and culturally diverse communities.
What we are doing
The first five SIAGs are being established in the local government areas of Frankston, Benalla, Mansfield, Wangaratta and Latrobe.
Supported by a local government coordinator in each local government area, the groups will see community members and leaders working together to deliver initiatives that boost social inclusion and connection.
They will manage a Local Social Inclusion Investment Fund to support community initiatives that foster local community participation, inclusion and connection.
Guidance to support councils to deliver SIAGs can be found in the SIAG Guidelines.
SIAGs will complement Local Connections – a social prescribing initiative (social prescribing trials), which aim to reduce loneliness and social isolation and will operate in the first six Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals.
Membership
Membership of SIAGs should reflect the demographics of the local community. Membership should include a variety of lived and living experiences including members with experience of mental illness, psychological distress, addiction and/or social exclusion, isolation and discrimination.
SIAG membership should also reflect diverse communities (defined as people with a disability, LGBTIQA+ people and people from CALD background), as well as include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, young people and older adults.
It is expected that membership will evolve over time.
How can people join a SIAG
An Expression of Interest (EOI) process will be held to recruit SIAG members in each local government areas (LGA). For further information please contact your local council or email MHWPO@health.vic.gov.au.
Find out more
Have questions or want to learn more about a project? Email the Wellbeing Promotion Office at mhwpo@health.vic.gov.au.
Reviewed 06 December 2023