Extra help for flood-affected Queensland small business with mental health and wellness support

Small business owners in Greater Brisbane, Gympie and Ipswich still doing it tough from last year's flood events, will be able to turn to three new small business wellness coaches to reduce stress, overcome challenges, and improve mental health and wellbeing.

The coaches join a network of six Queensland Government funded wellness coaches appointed in 2022, who have provided support from the Darling Downs to Far North Queensland.

The coaches will help small business clients to navigate financial support programs helping to alleviate business-related stress, enabling them to take steps to address issues affecting their mental health.

An additional project officer has also been appointed in Bundaberg, delivering coordination and assistance to the coaches.

The new wellness coaches will be supported by the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), as part of the $14.5 million Small Business Recovery and Resilience Package rolled-out last year.

The Small Business Recovery and Resilience Package includes:

• $10 million for the Skilling Queenslanders for Work program for community-based-organisations to undertake flood-recovery projects.
• $2.5 million for Local Economic Recovery grants to impacted local councils to promote local small businesses, attract tourists, encourage locals to be tourists in their own region and to shop locally.
• $2 million for Small Business Support Services, which includes three Business Chamber Queensland business support managers to provide personalised and professional business information; and the three wellness coaches and support officer.

To find out more about the Small Business Wellness Package visit www.business.qld.gov.au/wellness or contact the Small Business Hotline 1300 654 687.