Arafmi Ltd

Arafmi advocates for systemic reforms to government and service providers. Mental Health Service

Arafmi provides free support for mental health carers in Queensland, including a 24-hour Carer Support Line, individual and group support, workshops and respite accommodation.

16/01/2026

❗Flooding and severe weather update for carers after Cyclone Koji ⛈️

If you need up-to-date information, these trusted sites can help:
• BOM warnings and alerts: https://buff.ly/EPEossZ
• Get Ready QLD alerts: https://buff.ly/GF7OzTt
• What to do during a disaster: https://buff.ly/pFjcCnV
• Find your local council updates: https://buff.ly/XyOjcvE

Helpful reminders from Get Ready Queensland:
• Follow instructions from emergency services
• Keep checking official warnings
• Have your emergency plan and kit ready
• If safe to do so, fuel your car and park on higher ground
• Check in with family, friends and neighbours
• Take slow breaths and stay grounded where you can

With so much information around, it can help to focus on small, steady actions that support calm. Writing down key contacts, keeping comfort items nearby, and talking through a simple plan with the people you support can ease anxiety if routines are disrupted.

We also have a Disaster Support Resource for mental health carers you can access anytime. It includes:
• Key contacts
• Simple preparation steps
• Support after an event

Access it here: https://buff.ly/tUgmAZl

Need support? Our 24/7 Carer Support Line is here for carers across Queensland:
📞 1300 554 660 | Regional QLD: 1800 351 881

You’re not alone. 💛

16/01/2026

A valuable training opportunity for mental health carers wanting to strengthen their skills and confidence in supporting someone at risk. 🤝

Please note there is a small cost involved.

Hosted by CORES Queensland - see the original post for details and registration.

Get tickets on Humanitix - Community Su***de Intervention Training (Brisbane). St Lucia Community Hall, 27 Guilfoyle St, St Lucia QLD 4067, Australia. Thursday 22nd January 2026. Find event information.

14/01/2026

Mental health carers often tell us they want practical tools to feel more confident supporting the person they care for, especially during challenging moments.

Free, fully funded Mental Health First Aid training is currently available for people in unpaid caring roles, delivered by Wellways Carer Gateway in partnership with Get Real International. The training is designed to build confidence, skills and understanding in a supportive learning environment.

Both Standard and Youth Mental Health First Aid courses are available.
The Youth course also explores:
• Eating disorders
• Adolescent development and mental health
• Scenarios specific to supporting young people under 25

In-person training at Champion Health, Springwood:
• Saturday 17 January 2026 – Standard Mental Health First Aid
https://buff.ly/2bqAPVh
• Saturday 21 February 2026 – Youth Mental Health First Aid
https://buff.ly/VXhLCaC

Online training options:
• Saturday 31 January 2026 – Standard Mental Health First Aid
https://buff.ly/xM8mkDs
• Wednesday 4 February 2026 – Youth Mental Health First Aid
https://buff.ly/4s1p63I

If building your skills feels helpful for you or the person you support, this is an opportunity to learn at your own pace, with no cost involved. Please share with other carers who may benefit.

12/01/2026

Following Cyclone Koji, the ongoing effects of flooding and heavy rainfall are affecting carers, families and communities across the region. With so much information circulating right now, it can be helpful to focus on the small, steady things that support calm and confidence.

Taking a little time to think about everyday preparedness can help you feel more settled and supported if routines are disrupted. Simple actions like having comfort items on hand, writing down important contacts, or chatting through a plan together with the people you support can ease anxiety and create reassurance for everyone involved.

We have a Disaster Support Resource for mental health carers that you can refer to anytime. It covers:
• Key contacts
• Simple preparation steps
• Support and care after an event
Click here to access https://buff.ly/tUgmAZl

💬 Need support? Our 24/7 Carer Support Line is here for those navigating caring challenges in Queensland:
📞 1300 554 660 | Regional QLD: 1800 351 881

12/01/2026

Mental health carers, if you’ve been wanting practical tools to support the person you care for and feel more confident knowing what to do in a crisis, there are free, fully funded Mental Health First Aid training sessions available through Wellways and Get Real International - Empowerment Programs. It is fully funded for anyone in an unpaid caring role at home delivered blended online + in-person.

This training gives you simple, practical tools to notice when someone isn’t doing well, know how to help in the moment and connect them with the support they need.

How the blended training works:
- Complete 5–6 hours of self-paced online modules at home first.
- Then attend one in-person workshop at Champion Health, Springwood.

Choose one of the in-person dates:

Saturday 24 January, 9:30am–5pm
Register: https://buff.ly/dmmh7uJ

Saturday 21 February, 9:30am–5pm
Register: https://buff.ly/as6okNQ

If building your skills could help you or the person you support, this is a great chance to learn in a supportive, practical environment. Please share!!

09/01/2026

Meet the wonderful Celine Roth, a dedicated Creative Arts Therapist and the heart behind Cooroora Arts Therapy in Pomona. Through artistic mediums like drawing, painting, and collage, Celine provides a safe space for individuals to explore emotions, process challenges and build resilience when words aren’t enough.

Beyond her one-on-one work, Celine is also involved in the Cooroy Carer Support Group, which launched last year—helping to create a welcoming community where carers can connect, share and access support.

To learn more about her approach or how arts therapy can support you, reach out to Celine at 0422 548 056. Discover more about her work here.

Celine also facilitates the Cooroy Carer Connection Group who meet monthly on the third Thursday from 10am to 12pm.

08/01/2026

Carers play a vital role in supporting people with mental health challenges, yet their insights are often overlooked in healthcare settings. Early conversations about who is involved in care, seeking consent, and revisiting preferences over time can ensure more personalised, effective, and responsive support.

We’re proud to share Working with Carers, Family and Kin – A Guide for Healthcare Professionals, developed by Arafmi through our membership of the Queensland Carer’s Advisory Council. This guide helps healthcare professionals understand carers’ rights, the challenges they face, and how collaboration leads to better outcomes.

📄 Download the guide: https://buff.ly/jKzqkwM
🌐 Explore the website: https://buff.ly/BTu32Ss
💡 Share your feedback: https://buff.ly/dxgJBUl

07/01/2026

It was a privilege to attend last month’s Conference 2025: Changing State and the Queensland Community Impact Awards alongside community sector peers from across the state.

Congratulations to all nominees and winners. Your work reflects the depth, care and commitment that underpins Queensland’s community services sector.

As QCOSS CEO Aimee McVeigh shared, each winner embodies the tireless efforts, commitment and passion of those in the sector making a positive difference every day.

“Our 2025 Queensland Community Impact Award winners remind us of the impact the community services sector has every day across our state. Working alongside Queenslanders in the toughest moments of their lives, our award winners show us that services and supports can change the trajectory of people’s lives.”

We are proud to stand alongside such dedicated organisations and people working to support Queenslanders when it matters most.

06/01/2026

If you’re supporting someone experiencing mental health challenges and live in a regional area, Arafmi invites you to join our monthly Online Regional Carer Support Group.

The group brings carers from across regional and rural Queensland together in a safe, supportive space. You can share your experiences, learn new coping strategies, or simply listen. You’ll also be able to learn more about the support, services and resources Arafmi offers to support you in your caring role.

Group details:
• First Wednesday of each month
• 5:30pm–6:30pm (AEST)
• Held online via Zoom
• Please note: sessions do not run on public holidays

To join, you’ll need a device with internet access and a stable connection.

How to register:
• Email: carersupport@arafmi.com.au
• Call: 1300 554 660 or 1800 35 1881 (free call from regional Queensland landlines)
• Visit: https://buff.ly/SEecCdc

Arafmi provides free support for mental health carers in Queensland, including a 24-hour Carer Support Line, individual and group support, workshops, and respite accommodation.

As the peak body for unpaid mental health carers in Queensland, Arafmi also advocates for systemic reform across government and service providers.

06/01/2026

Did you know every month we run FREE online workshops to support unpaid carers and supporters of people experiencing mental health challenges?

These sessions are practical, supportive, and designed to build confidence in your caring role to support others.

🗓 12 Jan
Developing a Stay Well Plan and Committee
Learn how to plan for wellbeing, identify supports, and put practical structures in place.
https://buff.ly/MPbsa7e

🗓 14 Jan
Developing a Safety Plan. Helping your person through crisis
Build skills to support someone through difficult moments, with clarity and care.
https://buff.ly/zxvymWt

🗓 28 Jan
Adapting our Communication to Support our Caring Role
Explore communication approaches that support connection, boundaries, and understanding.
https://buff.ly/j7M7asS

All workshops are online and free to attend.
Register via the links above.

05/01/2026

For almost 50 years, Arafmi has been bringing carers together across Queensland. Each month, we host welcoming support groups for unpaid carers and supporters who provide emotional or practical care to family, kin, or friends experiencing mental health challenges.

Our groups run in person across Brisbane, Ipswich, and regional Queensland, and online for those who prefer or need to join from home.

Some carers come to listen, some to share, some just to sit with people who understand the role. All are welcome.

🌱 Find strength in community. Build connections. Feel supported.

🔗 Explore our full range of support groups here: https://buff.ly/ehA2p9Y
Register for a group that suits you via the events page at arafmi.com.au/events

Address

6 Ambleside Street, West End
Brisbane, QLD
4101

Website

http://www.arafmi.com.au/

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Our Story

In 1976, a young social worker on his final placement at the Stones Corner Community Mental Health Service, (then the only such service in Queensland) recognised a need among the families of his clients for a ‘relatives’ discussion group’. Such a group would enable families to meet and share their experiences as carers of family members with a serious mental illness. The group initially commenced with five people who discovered, many for the first time, that they were not alone. They began the fragile process of hearing each other’s stories and working through the pain together, with both tears and laughter.

From these beginnings Arafmi built a model which mutually supports people in one of the most primary roles of humanity – caring for people more vulnerable than ourselves and the ones we love. Arafmi built a model of service which both created and shared knowledge about how to understand who we are, the roles we fulfil and how to take action in the world. From these humble beginnings, Arafmi took action in the world!