Prabhat takes things into her own hands to end a stigma

Prabhat Sangwan has taken it upon herself to help end the silence and stigma around mental health among members of Melbourne’s Indian community.

The $10,000 Westfield Local Heroes grant provided Prabhat with the ability to organise a mental health day for the Indian community. Funds from the grant were put towards venue hire, food, promotion, photography and guest speakers.

This event was created to shine the light on mental health within the Indian community and to show the local community that it is okay to experience concerns and to focus on how important it is to share and seek help.

The Westfield Local Heroes grant provided the additional resources that allowed Prabhat’s newly formed event the ability to reach a wider audience than she could have ever hoped and individuals who attended the event were treated to a fun family atmosphere, with entertainment, mindfulness sessions and stories about mental illness.

Concerned that her friends, family and community at large were experiencing mental illness in silence, Prabhat decided she had to do something to raise awareness and encourage people to seek help.

“That’s why I started volunteering with mental health organisations, including the Brothers and Sisters Foundation,” says Prabhat.

“We are a registered foundation and always looking for opportunities to provide assistance and services to disadvantaged people living in Melbourne to achieve their potential for a better life.”

Already balancing a full-time job and raising a young family, Prabhat regularly volunteers her time to promote mental health awareness around the Plenty Valley region.

She has also started a mental health support group dedicated to the Indian community with help from Mind Australia and the Whittlesea Council. Through the group, Prabhat actively assists people to find timely and culturally supportive medical and social support.

She says she is blessed to have been voted by her community as a Westfield Local Hero.

“By voting for me, they have actually voted for mental health, which is a very positive sign,” she says.

For further information on the Westfield Local Heroes program, click here.