The Mental Illness Fellowship of the ACT (Australian Capital Territory), formerly Canberra Schizophrenia Fellowship, was formed in March 1980 by concerned relatives in response to the problems of families with a member who had a major psychiatric illness. These problems ranged from medical and social, to accommodation, financial, and the difficulty of finding and retaining employment. The Mental Illness Fellowship of the ACT is a community-based volunteer non-profit organisation, incorporated in March 1984, which seeks to overcome these problems by providing support, information and advocacy in the ACT community for people suffering from schizophrenia or other mental illness, and their families and carers.

The Mental Illness Fellowship of the ACT welcomes anyone with an interest in mental illness. Apart from its monthly newsletter, regular public meetings and other activities, it manages two important rehabilitation programs, which provide part-time paid work experience and vocational training in two small businesses, in a supportive environment. Clients are referred through the ACT Mental Health Service or their General Practitioner. The two businesses are NorthSouth Contractors, with headquarters located near the O'Connor Shops, and Café Pazzini, located in the ACT Health Building in Canberra City. Depending whether a client would like to work for NorthSouth Contractors or Café Pazzini, training is provided in essential tasks for that job, for example, food handling requirements, use of cash register, customer service, safe use of machinery, garden maintenance, lifting and loading.

The Mental Illness Fellowship of the ACT also has an extensive library. Anyone interested in mental health issues is welcome to borrow books, articles, videos etc. on a range of subjects in the mental health field. The library is managed by the Mental Health Foundation office (which also has a wide array of information brochures and directories) at 42 Townshend Street, Phillip ACT 2606. Phone (02) 6282 6658.

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