Wellways

It’s time to ‘Sock it to Su***de’ and join our campaign to raise important funds to provide more su***de prevention training to communities at risk.

Wear your most eye-catching socks on World Su***de Prevention Day this 10 September, 2024!

Learn more about donating, hosting a get together and promoting your event via socials:

Sock it to Su***de - Wellways Australia Wear your most eye-catching socks on World Su***de Prevention Day to provide more su***de prevention training to communities at risk.

Kailah, Peer Rehabilitation and Recovery Worker for Housing and Accommodation Support Initiative (HASI) in Lismore, NSW, has been particularly inspired by a participant she has worked with. Through trusting relationships offering connection, empathy and empowerment, Kailah offers participants her mutual support and inspiration and receives the same back.

Participant Mal is just one example. Through peer support from Kailah and other participants, Mal found the courage to attend art groups and produce a unique piece of artwork centred around the intricacies of his brain after experiencing extreme agoraphobia.

Additionally, Mal uncovered his ability to submit his 'brain' tapestry to Serpentine Art Gallery in Lismore for the 'Dreamscapes' exhibit and attended the opening event for one hour. He brought Kailah along for the ride. Kailah was sceptical about submitting her four artwork pieces into the gallery, but encouraged by Mal and others, she ended up with all four on display and was thrilled when a guest purchased one entitled ‘Witness Within’.

A big congratulations to Mal and Kailah👏

Wellways Carer Gateway provided an art session for First Nations youth in Roma, Southwest Queensland, as part of its Naidoc Week celebrations. Local Indigenous artist, Susie Klein Art who is a proud Jaularoi woman from Mandandji lands, was chosen to facilitate the literally hands-on workshop.

“We also bought 40 canvases for the kids so they could take their art home. They really loved this creative outlet,” said Kieren Lisle Burns, Carer Services Navigator at Wellways Carer Gateway.

The event was part of Roma Skate Park Family Fun Day hosted by the South West Indigenous Network.



Image 1 (left to right): Susan Bambling, Service Manager, Wellways Carer Gateway, Kieren Burns and Susie Klein.

This EOFY help provide the gift of vital sensory support to assist people with acute distress. This is often experienced during a person’s mental health journey, and can be overwhelming for the person experiencing distress and the people who love and care for them.

Trauma-informed care such as sensory modulation techniques are a proven approach and assist people to feel grounded and gain control of their sensory experiences.

Help change a life. Your generous donation this financial year will help Wellways to provide this vital support.

www.wellways.org/donate

Meet Mike, a Peer Wellbeing Navigator with Lived Experience for Wellways at the Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Frankston. With physical exercise playing a big part in Mike’s mental health recovery, he’s reminding men this Men’s Health Week to take care of themselves in a holistic way.

Over the years, Mike tried a range of medications and saw a Psychologist for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). “I made the personal decision to stop medication, because I had the agency to try something alternative. For me, that was exercise (along with Psychology and Counselling support),” he explains.

"Running was such a simple strategy, that when you’re in it and those feelings are so big and consuming, it seems ridiculous that something so simple could be so helpful." Recovery for Mike was slow, but through regular running, and creating small habits that were easy to integrate into his daily life, the fog began to clear.

One of Mike’s personal breakthroughs came in 2019 when he ran the Melbourne marathon. “I remember thinking, I can do things with this diagnosis, I can still achieve things!” Exercise is something he loves to share about because it has been the most useful tool for increasing his mental health resilience over the years.

Read Mike's top tips for maintaining a sustainable exercise routine, and about his journey to becoming a Lived Experience Peer Worker via the Wellways Victorian Peer Cadet program:

https://bit.ly/3KFWTdt

“We find, a lot of the time, that the lack of social connectedness, and loneliness is what drives a lot of the suicidal ideation,” say Kylie and Kym, who are Su***de Prevention Peer Workers for the ‘Men’s Wellbeing Matters’ program.

“We want men to reach out and realise that a lot of men have these kinds of thoughts at some time in their lives, and it’s normal to have these feelings,” Kym explains. “The guy next to you could be going through the exact same thing, and you wouldn’t know it.”

Both Wellways workers, one a former policewoman and the other a former chef, have a lived experience of mental health challenges including suicidal ideation. Currently, they support men aged between 35 to 65 in the Mid-North Coast, NSW — a high-risk-of-su***de demographic, hidden in plain sight.

This Men's Health Week, our 'Spotlight On' series features Kylie and Kym's work for 'Men's Wellbeing Matters'. Read the full story here:

https://bit.ly/3WMcuPV

Images left to right:
1. Kylie and Kym.
2. Kylie
3. Kym
4. Tom Apin (Men’s Wellbeing Program Manager), Kym Watson, Garry (Participant) and Kylie Williams

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please contact one of these 24/7 services:

Lifeline 13 11 14
MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78
13 Yarn 13 92 76

If you are bereaved or impacted by su***de please call StandBy Support After Su***de (6am – 10pm, 7-days per week) on 13007 27 247.

“I’m a proud Ngemba Murruwari Man from North West NSW, and a little town called Brewarrina, home to Baiame's Ngunnhu (Brewarrina Fish Traps). This is one of the oldest man-made structures in the world and more than 45,000 years old.

To me, Reconciliation Week is about remembering the past and working together moving forward, we have had so many recommendations with little to no actions. Well now it's time for solutions with actions ASAP to go forward — and for us to live as one.

This photo, for example is of a turtle we found stranded from its past, on a sandbank a long way from the water and its home. Working together with some local Nywaigi men, who are the Traditional Owners and keepers of the land in the area, we came up with a solution to carry the turtle back to water deep enough for it to swim away.

So when there is a problem and we work together, we are stronger and wiser, which benefits everyone’s future,” says William Gordon, Su***de Prevention Support Coordinator in The Way Back Support Service. He is based in the Murrumbidgee Region, on Wiradjuri Lands.

This photo was taken during the annual Wellways First Nations Caucus gathering on Nywaigi Country in Far North Queensland, last week.

As we wrap up National Volunteer Week for 2024, there’s another volunteer who we'd like to highlight for the amazing support she gives to participants in the Murray region – Bec Taylor.

Volunteering in the Specialist Residential Rehabilitation Program (SRRP) and Prevention and Recovery Care (PARC), Bec uses her creative talents to teach participants the art of painting, drawing, print-making, creating collages, writing poetry, listening to and sharing music, making gifts for family and friends, and playing games.

As someone with lived experience of mental health issues, Bec knows the distraction, freedom, and joy that come from engaging in creative pursuits. ‘I want participants to feel as inspired and happy as I do,’ she says.

Manager of the SRRP and PARC programs, Agi Russo, says that Bec brings a whole new dimension to the programs. ‘It means that they get the chance to try something new, out of the box, in a comfortable space,’ Agi says.

Today we celebrated some of our amazing volunteers in Melbourne for National Volunteer Week.

"We just really want to say Thank You and from the bottom of our hearts — you are such an important part of our organisation and we hope that you feel that today, and we hope that you feel that this week, and throughout your experience with Wellways," said Rhiannon Matthews, Program Manager Trainee and Student Experience, to our Volunteers.

Tonight is the night of our highly anticipated annual Woodcock Public Lecture. Despite what we’ve learnt about trauma, we still have a long way to go in building awareness and acting on it. The process of becoming `trauma-informed’ will help us turn our growing awareness into action.

In-person places are sold out but not to worry, you can still join the livestream at 7pm.

Full agenda, bios and livestream link here:

https://bit.ly/3WSda6u

“I feel like I’m needed too,’ says James about volunteering at a Wellways mental health support program in the ACT. He is an electrical engineer and former participant of Wellways. “I’m generally by myself, and before I got my new partner [who lives in Sydney], I went through a bad divorce.” Back in 2019, James experienced a mental breakdown.

James was supported in his recovery by a particular volunteer, who made a life-changing impact on him. “I was just interested in giving back to the community, after he really helped me out.”

This Volunteer Week, James shares about volunteering with a lived experience of mental health challenges, how the role keeps him connected to the community, and being a mentor to the participants of our Youth Step-Up Step-Down program.

Read the full story

https://bit.ly/3USkLzj

Last chance to register to hear Kerry share her broad mental health industry experience and first-hand lived experience from a consumer and family/carer lens. Together with Maggie Toko and Jane Nursey we will explore the complexities of human trauma to identify better approaches to trauma informed care.

In-person seats are Booked Out, however you can still register for the online livestream.

https://bit.ly/4aBNUVj

Come and hear Jane share her extensive mental health service and treatment experience from a clinical and neuropsychologist lens. Together with Kerry Hawkins and Maggie Toko will explore the complexities of human trauma to identify better approaches to trauma informed care.

Register in-person or for the online livestream. Less than a week to go!

https://bit.ly/4aBNUVj

We’d like to give a big shout out to our peer workers in q***r spaces this Idahobit: International Day Against LGBT+ Discrimination. This includes two of our LGBTQIA+ Peer Recovery Workers for QHub Geelong and QHub Ballarat, Marcus Abbonizio (they/he) and Zerene Jaadwa (They/Them). Offering a safe space to rainbow young people (under 25 with no lower age limit) and their families/carers, QHub is based in Geelong and Ballarat, Victoria.

“Peer work gives our vulnerable youth the sense of feeling less alone. As lived and living experience peer workers we can understand, and we can sit in spaces knowing what these young people are going through,” says Zerene. “Even if we cannot solve and fix their problems, being able to have them see themselves reflected in the service they are accessing and to ‘get it’, is so important.”

Two in three LGBTQIA+ youth experience harassment or abuse due to their identity — this includes insults, humiliation and threats. Part of QHub’s wrap-around support to improve the mental health and wellbeing of this group and their families/carers, while reducing the rate of su***de and self-harm, includes access to positive peer and intergenerational role models.

“Something that's been really cool to witness at QHub is seeing friendships that are being built amongst q***r youth that are expanding outside of our space, along with witnessing them taking responsibility to engage with newcomers and make them feel welcomed,” says Marcus.

“It has also been meaningful to see their parents and carers having a space to connect with other parents of LGBTIQA+ young people, providing a space for these parents and carers to feel less isolated on their journey of supporting young people.”

QHub is funded by the Victorian Government, and is led by Drummond Street Services Inc via Queerspace in partnership with Cafs and Wellways.

Photos from left to right:
Image 1: Zerene Jaadwa (They/Them) Peer Support Worker
Image 2: Marcus Abbonizio (they/he) Peer Lead Recovery Worker
Image 3: Jack Khouri (he/him) QHub Manager, Marcus Abbonizio (they/he) Peer Lead Recovery Worker, Britt Hulbert (they/them) Community Engagement Worker, Rananjay Singh Chundawat (he/him) Youth & Family Practitioner
Image 4: Alex Miller (He/They) Youth and Family Practitioner, Zerene Jaadwa (They/Them) Peer Support Worker, Elizabeth Hardiman (She/Her) Community Engagement Worker, Jack Khouri (He/Him) QHub Project Manager.

Come and hear Maggie Toko share her vast mental health industry experience and first-hand lived experience from a consumer and family/carer lens. Together with Kerry Hawkins and Jane Nursey will explore the complexities of human trauma to identify better approaches to trauma informed care.

Register in-person or for the livestream online. Places are filling fast!

https://bit.ly/4aBNUVj

Wellways' annual Woodcock Public Lecture returns in 2024 to tackle one of the most relevant topics in mental health right now. It will be held on Wednesday, 22 May at the State Library of Victoria — register now.

This year's theme ‘Understand trauma; understand mental health’ intends to explore the complexities of human trauma through a consumer, carer and family lens to identify better approaches to trauma informed care and what this can look like for consumers, carers and the mental health workforce alike.

Learn more, and register to secure your spot in-person or via livestream online. All tickets are FREE but in-person tickets are going fast, so get in quick!

https://bit.ly/3Qt89Nq

A big congratulations to the Wellways Volunteer team and, of course, to our incredible volunteers, for receiving one of six Inclusivity Volunteer Awards (IVA) from EV Strengthening Communities.

Life in Community (LinC) Volunteer Supervisor, Leanne Renfree, says Wellways welcomes and embraces people from all walks of life. ‘This achievement acknowledges the fantastic work of our volunteers across the LinC and Helpline programs. We strive to provide an environment where each individual volunteer can shine in their own unique way to meet the needs of our participants. For us, diversity is a resource, not a challenge.’

We have the volunteers to thank for this award. It’s volunteers’ kindness, contribution, and uniqueness that play a crucial role in supporting participants and their journeys to recovery. We could not do it without them!

The Inclusivity Volunteer Awards recognise and celebrate organisations or community groups in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne that welcome volunteers from all walks of life. The Inclusivity Volunteer Awards Ceremony 2024 was held at Newhope Community Centre in Blackburn.

Volunteer with us!

https://bit.ly/3Wo70KV

“My mother also worked in a job she loved when she became a carer. There were occasions when she needed to take time off work to provide emotional support, attend appointments, and handle emergencies. The more she hid the reasons for her absences, fearing her coworkers would realise the extent of her responsibilities, the more stressful it became,” says Rowena Jonas, Practice Advisor, Family Support at Wellways.

“Mum never wanted others to think she required special treatment. She was a diligent, proud worker, which led her to feel like she was letting the team down when she took time off. However, in reality, the unpaid and unrecognised work she was doing to hold everything together was truly remarkable.”

The story of Rowena’s working life with caring responsibilities is in stark contrast to her mother’s. “Not only do I receive recognition for both the paid and unpaid work I do, but I am also recognised and celebrated as a whole person with a fulfilling life outside of work,’ she says.

Read Rowena’s blog on what it means to be an inclusive workplace for carers, and the mutual benefits for both workers and workplaces.

https://bit.ly/4d5SihN

After years of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Claire Conlon, National Advocacy, Policy and Research Manager at Wellways, found herself not able to bounce back — giving into “the deep sense of despair and hopelessness”. Claire blogs about her lived experience as a su***de survivor, and her harrowing five-weeks as an inpatient within the Victorian Mental Health System.

On the inside of the mental health unit, Claire witnessed many human rights abuses including harmful practices such as seclusion, restraint and sedation. “Unannounced room searches contributed to the feeling of being an inmate,” she recalls.

In contrast, Claire refers to her Lived Experience Peer Worker as “beacon of light” — and believes things can get better with radical change and a holistic approach, based on understanding, compassion and connection. In addition, Claire advocates for greater support for the lived experience workforce so they can thrive.

Read Claire’s blog here https://bit.ly/40cFJv3.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please contact one of these 24/7 services:

Lifeline 13 11 14
Su***de Call Back Service 1300 659 467
13 Yarn 13 92 76

If you are bereaved or impacted by su***de please call StandBy Support After Su***de (6am – 10pm, 7 days per week) on 13007 27 247.

Am I a Carer? Often, many unidentified carers consider their support role as simply being part of the family circle. Different diversities, generational stigmas and cultural customs can also lend to people not reaching out for help, often leading to burn-out, and or mental and physical health challenges.

Find out how five people in different situations go from not knowing they are a carers, to being proud of their caring role.

Listen to Tune in to Care, an innovative new podcast by Wellways Carer Gateway, from your favourite audio streaming service.

Real people with real carer stories Find out how five carers people in different situations go from not knowing they are a carers, to being proud of their caring role

Farmer-turned-filmmaker Leila McDougall's feature film ‘Just A Farmer’ premiered in Ballarat last week. It delves into the stigma faced by a young widow and mother of two in the aftermath of her husband's su***de in a rural Victorian town.

The film’s story parallels the real-life experience of Kristy Steenhuis, a Ballarat local and Wellways Program Coordinator of Western Victoria’s StandBy Support After Su***de Program, who played a key role in the making of 'Just A Farmer'.

We go behind-the-scenes of su***de worker Kristy's role in this new Australian film. Read the full story.

https://bit.ly/3x3mUQa

Did you know 56% of us at Wellways speak a language other than English and 35% of us were born overseas? We celebrate our different backgrounds at Wellways. Our diversity makes us stronger, do better and ensure all voices are heard because we learn from each other every single day.

Creating a safe and respectful space bolsters innovation and creativity, and allows for deeper connections with the diverse communities we support.