Newsletter
Monthly(ish) Newsletters - September 2026
10 mins
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Summary / Most Important Things
Where The Trail Leads is on Saturday October 17th, 4:00pm to 6:30pm, at Walyalup Civic Centre. Tickets are still available.
Workshops are now officially open for bookings.
300 Caring With Integrity packages are heading to CAMHS Community Clinics next month, with more deliveries in the works.
My first journal article pre-print is out, co-written with Gabriel Lubieniecki.
We are working through the final hurdles before incorporation.
Rachael’s Update
Wow. What an incredible, terrifying, frightening, joyful, heart breaking, mundane, encouraging, empowering, tedious, painful, emotional month.
While I’m still waiting for NFP approval - I have had a brief update and still have a bit more work to go to get there -it’s been a big four weeks regardless. It’s not in my nature to wait passively. I’ve been building relationships, scouting connections into philanthropy and bigger grants, getting back into the swing of care packages, planning future workshops and preparing for Mental Health Month (the best month!).
I have also come to realise that the professionalisation of Integrity Initiative into its own body is not just important for me and for the sustainability of the work, but also valuing Peer work and demanding systems do better. Communities do so much of the work in mental health spaces, and that work doesn’t happen for free. Right now I’m doing a full-time job without the supports of one. Not even my own Microsoft account (thanks to CoMHWA for still letting me piggyback on theirs). Incorporation means we can finally put the systems and supports in place that let this work grow in a way that is sustainable, for me and for everyone who gives their time to it (and that we can actually share documents…)
To help with that, and to poke at some of my own impostor syndrome, I started a personal challenge with my close friend and fellow founder, Lily Gresele (check out How To Be Well - shout out to Lily’s regional tour 2026!). We are reaching out to at least one person a day who intimidates us a little (in the BEST way possible!) just to build a connection and spread the word about Integrity Initiative. Of course, in true ‘me’ fashion, one is never quite enough… some days I’ve managed up to nine. It has been incredible. It’s changed the way I see myself, and the way I see people in leadership roles. It’s also been wonderful for Integrity Initiative, with several real leads already on the table, including possible workshops, grant avenues, philanthropic connections, and general supporters. I’ve been floored by how generous people have been with their time.
So far I’ve met such an incredible, accomplished, determined, passionate and, most importantly, human bunch of people who I truly see as role models. Thank you all for your generosity and wisdom. I’m looking forward to continuing these conversations, either in person or online.
A few of these conversations have really shaped my sense of self and growth for Integrity Initiative this month. Amanda Hunt reminded me how important it is to keep talking about failure, especially in a world that doesn’t find it palatable. Tanya Steinbeck reminded me that people are in my corner. Monica Taylor at the Mental Health Commission of Western Australia gave me one of the high points of my month, and it felt like progress, like building something real. Georgia Kennedy at Healthway offered the kind of practical, hands-on support that is rare from a funding body.
Thank you also to everyone I spoke to, and everyone I will speak to (fingers crossed!).
We also had a few funding knock-backs this month, and I won’t pretend they didn’t sting. One in particular was less upsetting than frightening. It raised a question I think many people in this space carry quietly, which is whether this can ever be a financially sustainable career. So much of the work in community and mental health runs on people doing hard, honest, good work out of altruism, and altruism doesn’t pay the bills or keep the lights on. Lived experience deserves to be paid, resourced, platformed and taken seriously.
At the same time, I feel confident that doors will open very soon, so long as I keep knocking on them. When I shared that rejection publicly, the response from our Board, our Army and so many of you reminded me that I’m not doing this alone, and that Integrity Initiative is bigger than me now.
I’ve also been refining how we record and measure our impact. I’ve drafted an impact and outcome measurement strategy I’m quite proud of, paired with a new tracking sheet and a set of standardised surveys to help streamline the process.
All in all, another busy month. It still feels like we’re on the cusp of a lot, and I’m hoping things start properly landing soon.
Board Update
The Board met a few times informally this month, which was a wonderful change of pace. We were also lucky enough to have both Dan McKenna (Pilbara) and Ryan D’Lima (Canberra) make trips over to Perth this month, and it was lovely to catch up with them both.
On Saturday the 12th, myself, Ryan and Raff went to a living wake for the incredible Lorraine Powell, an absolute powerhouse advocate who is celebrating what she has left of her incredible life. Thank you Lorraine for inviting us along, it had been an absolute honour to exist in your orbit.
On Saturday the 19th we held a Board x Integrity Army dinner that offered a casual place to connect and relate over the shared value, visions and motivators that led each of us to that table. The day also marked 99 days since our Made By Many event, when the Board was officially launched and announced. A lot has happened in those 99 days, and none of it would have been possible without this group.
As always, thank you to our Board for the time, care, and expertise you bring to Integrity Initiative every month.
Integrity Army Update
It has been an exciting month for the Integrity Army, and one which has felt really connected. We’ve had several opportunities to spend some time together, brainstorm and learn more about one another.
But first, and more importantly, here is an update from one of our wonderful Army members, Abbi.
Hello! My name is Abbi, I’m 24 and I have lived experience of mental health, AOD and homelessness. Some of you who read this week’s Substack may already know me from other organisations surrounding lived experience or some of you may not, either way it’s nice to say hello, HELLO! :))
I’m so thrilled to be a part of the Army! I first came across Rachael and her amazing work with Integrity Initiative through an email from another organisation I advocate for. It was a workshop collab with Integrity Initiative and Maeson’s Soapbox in Victoria Park named Word Travels, where I learnt about zines for the first time (mini magazines), got to know Integrity Initiative and Rachael, and connected with some awesome people who also attended.
Since then, I’ve kept up to date with Integrity Initiative and Rachael’s progress (which I’m always incredibly proud of and amazed by!). I stayed in touch, and now I’m a part of the amazing Integrity Frog (🐸) Army!
I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Integrity Initiative, and I’m more than excited about it, along with the progress that has already been accomplished! I am a very passionate person when it comes to lived and living experience, especially in this tough world and society.
Have an amazing week peeps!
- Abbi Innes
The Integrity Army also had a team planning day on Sunday the 20th. We planned the months ahead and talked through how each person wants to be involved. I always love spending time with this group. They are fabulous, wonderful humans with such a range of ideas, and I’m looking forward to involving them in ways that go well beyond sharing updates.
Trail of Creativity - Creating In Community
Creating in Community was a huge success! We had plenty of people come and create, share and contribute to a space that felt wholly, completely, beautifully imperfectly human.
The event was well-attended and produced some absolutely stunning creative pieces. Most importantly, it also saw some unapologetically bad (good) frogs come to life.
You can read more about the event here
You can see the gallery that has been created at Where The Trail Leads
Trail of Creativity - Where The Trail Leads
The Trail of Creativity will celebrate its final wrap-up event on October 17th (there is still time for you to register here). It is set to be our biggest event, with artwork for sale, local market stalls, information from Freo mental health services, speeches from artists, a panel discussion and beyond.
See the access guide here - Where The Trail Leads Access Guide
Share your catering preferences here - Dietary Requests
The event runs from 4:00pm to 6:30pm at Walyalup Civic Centre, where we’ll take over all of Level 1, including the Council Chambers, the Moodjar Meeting Room and the lobby. The Council Chambers will hold most of the gallery, the presentations and the panel, with stalls set up across the lobby and the Moodjar Meeting Room.
We currently have pieces of artwork coming in, with many artists generously choosing to donate some or all of their sale proceeds back to Integrity Initiative if their piece sells.
Stalls you can expect
…and hopefully some more! If you are interested in hosting a stall, you can complete the EOI here
We will also have a raffle with a selection of prizes, including a voucher donated by Fox in a Box Perth for a 4-person escape room to the value of $208. We have also had a $100 voucher donated by Standing Fork catering, thank you! Every bit of generosity like this helps us build community and create memorable events.
Workshops
Though we are still working on the planning and development of workshops, we are also now officially taking bookings!
We offer anything from a keynote (presentation-style) to a one-hour micro-workshop, all the way through to full-day interactive workshops and strategic multi-session engagements. These can be based on a version of the workshops we already offer, or customised to fill a gap you have noticed within your workplace. If that gap is best described as “nobody here has said the word feelings out loud since 2019,” we can work with that too.
Some of the new content we are creating is aimed at supporting school and university students, some at carers within the eating disorder space, and of course, plenty of creative workshops. We have also been branching further into schools and the realm of Gifted and Talented Education, specifically the relationship between academic giftedness, mental health challenges and neurodivergence.
If your organisation is interested in bringing an Integrity Initiative workshop to your team or community, get in touch. We’d love to chat. Reach out to rachael@integrityinitiative.com.au or complete this form Integrity Initiative Workshops – Fill in form
Caring With Integrity
We have been VERY busy with Caring With Integrity this month, with so many deliveries planned or in progress! Stay tuned for a delivery NEXT MONTH, branching slightly outside of wards and into community mental health, with 720 packs planned, across Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) Community Clinics, the Buffalo Club Fremantle, and North Metropolitan Health Service.
These are still early days, but more deliveries are in the works and we hope to share more soon.
From a logistical standpoint, we’ve updated our feedback process with shorter surveys and a simple check-in model, so we can keep learning from the people we support. This also means less administrative load!
Stock donations have also been sprinkling in. Huge thanks to all the organisations who have expressed their support of late! It is deeply appreciated not just by the Integrity Initiative team, but also by the people who receive the packages
Peers Helping Peers Acquittal
Some of you may have looked through the wonderful Peers Helping Peers report highlighted in last month’s newsletter… well, now it is all on a beautiful webpage.
https://integrityinitiative.com.au/peers-helping-peers
Thanks again to Liam Moore, who - as always - has put together something wonderful, he has also been deeply supportive throughout.
External Projects, Advocacy, and Resources
Recovering Dignity: Rebuilding the Five Tenets of Family-Based Treatment for Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa
Alongside the wonderful Gabriel Lubieniecki, I have now officially released a pre-print of what I hope will soon be my first published article. This piece means everything to me. It is validation and accountability aimed at a model of care that has caused me so much harm, but is still recognised as the gold standard. All the while, it remains fair, honest, balanced and nuanced in its approach. It does not seek to discredit approaches that may suit some. Instead, it draws attention to where they have not worked for others.
WA Recovery College
I have joined the WA Recovery College Alliance Governance Committee, representing Integrity Initiative. This will be wonderful for our workshops and their professionalisation, and I hope it will also help WARCA in their wonderful work.
Mental Health Speakers
I have also joined the Mental Health Speakers Program, alongside a fantastic lineup of advocates and other incredible professionals. You can now book me as a speaker through the program. I have also put together a speakers pack outlining some of the topics I can speak to, which you can request here.
International Association for Youth Mental Health Dublin
Preparations for the International Association for Youth Mental Health conference in Dublin are tracking nicely. I have officially finished my ‘When Hope Becomes A Hindrance’ poster and have prepared my slides for my ‘Concern Vs. Condescension’ presentation. I have also prepared for two engaging tabletop presentation sessions, ‘Introducing Integrity’ and ‘This Is Not What I Had In Mind’.
Pat Deegan & Associates Personal Medicine Coaching
On the professional development front, some of our team members and I are starting Personal Medicine Certification training with Trish Tran (through Pat Deegan and Associates) this weekend, which will bring even more depth to our workshops going forward. It will be a wonderful opportunity to refresh skills, gain new language, and put it all into practice.
Writing and Publication
This month has seen several pieces of writing published, including
This Is Not A Story of Hope (Butterfly Foundation)
We Need To Talk About Body Image and Eating Disorder Awareness Week
…you know it’s been a month of deep feels when the blog count starts rivalling the inbox.
I have several more coming out over the next month, but for now, please enjoy this small library!
How To Get Involved
When we have our NFP confirmed and receive DGR-1 status, we will be looking into strengthening the avenues for partnership through Integrity Initiative. This will include tiered memberships and avenues to support us both in-kind and financially through once-off or recurring donations.
More on this to come very soon!
In the meantime, some ways you can support us are:
Attend our ‘Where The Trail Leads’ event on October 17th at Walyalup Civic Centre. Get tickets here
Book a Workshop or Speaker, either from our existing catalogue or customised to suit your needs. Complete the form here
Volunteer for Integrity Initiative as a casual volunteer or as an Army member. Complete the form here
Become a Heart Hopper and stitch little felt hearts for our packages. Complete the form here
Donate storage items, craft supplies, unused toiletries, envelopes, or printing
Subscribe, read and share our Substack
If you’re interested and want to hear more, or you would like to discuss a way you can help beyond what is listed, book a chat with Rachael here
Slay Takeaways
There is evidence that frogs have roamed the Earth for more than 200 million years, at least as long as the dinosaurs. That’s a lot of lived experience, and they got through most of it whilst occasionally screaming as a survival mechanism. Just sayin’.
Take care froglets,
- Rachael and the Integrity Army
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