Community Connect

Today we are chatting on the phone with Lifeline Direct Geelong & South West Victoria Regional General Manager Jason Doherty.

Lifeline Direct Geelong & South West Victoria Region are fast tracking and digitalising training in response to great need in our community.

With the Summer Bushfires closely followed by the COVID-19 pandemic - Lifeline's 13 11 14 Crisis Support Service has never been more in demand.

To meet this demand locally, Lifeline Direct Geelong & South West Victoria is fast tracking its Crisis Support training program to increase those available to take calls. This new training will be delivered online.

The new hybrid training program will incorporate online learning components and video conferencing. The new program will equip Crisis Supporters to be able to provide phone support within 4 weeks. The first of the fast-tracked training courses is set to begin in June and those interested in taking part in this intake will need to register their interest by May 25th.

To get involved, go to www.geelonglifeline.org.au OR email [email protected]

This is a great chat with Daniel Witthaus, CEO of Australia's newest charity, the National Institute for Challenging Homophobia Education (NICHE).

Daniel Witthaus has spent the past two decades challenging homophobia one cuppa at a time in schools, rural communities and, occasionally, developing countries like Sri Lanka, Poland and Indonesia. He is the author of Beyond Priscilla: one gay man, one gay truck, one big idea... (2014), Beyond 'That's So Gay!': Challenging homophobia in Australian schools (2010) and the Pride & Prejudice educational package (2002, 2012) - which won three Tasmanian schools Human Rights Week awards.

There are many places to got for support, and Daniel supports many:-

Kids Helpline | Phone Counselling Service | 1800 55 1800

Qlife 1800 184 527 - Switchboard

Drummond Street Services 03 9663 6733

headspace

LifeLine on 13 11 14

Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

Strong Family Alliance 1800 184 527

You are not alone.

Edwina and I had a chat with Dot who is a wonderful supporter and friend of the Loud Fence Movement.

This movement originated in the city of Ballarat, Victoria, and is now universally recognised.

People are tying ribbons on fences to show we believe you, we hear you, we support you, and that this should NOT happen again.

Tamara Holmes, who is a Child and Family Counsellor, had a chat with us about her work at Colac Area Health.

Managing fear and worry in times of uncertainty was the theme we started with, and covered many areas of Mental Health, and places for support.

Telephone counselling for parents/carers in Colac-Otway Shire - "Managing fear and worry in times of uncertainty"

Child and family therapy at Colac Area Health are able to offer 15-30 minutes phone counselling and support sessions for parents/carers and other adults.

Each session can:

· Help to build skills in stress management when living with changing circumstances;

· Provide a space to discuss the worries about parenting and caring for children and young people;

· Brainstorm your plan for managing a range of emotions and situations in yourself, your children and young people.

We are committed to providing flexible and useful services during times of change and to assist with supporting you during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Please contact Tamara Holmes (intake) on 03 5232 5373 or at [email protected] for an appointment time.

In this chat with Merrin, we learn about Blueknot Foundation :-

If you have experienced childhood trauma, you can speak with a Blue Knot Helpline trauma counsellor including for support and applications around national redress

1300 657 380

Monday - Sunday - between 9am - 5pm AEST

or via email [email protected]

AND

Drummond Street Services:-

drummond street services is a Redress Support Service provider. We offer free and confidential support to anyone considering applying to the National Redress Scheme.

03 9663 6733

Delivering services to our communities during COVID-19 (Coronavirus).

Call us on 03 9663 6733 to see how we can support you.

Families looking for tips during isolation

Join our Facebook Group Tips to Staying Connected

WE chatted with Maude Berry

Counselling Team Co-ordinator

Senior AOD Clinician

2-28 Connor Street, Colac, Victoria 3250 [email protected]

http://www.cah.vic.gov.au

Alcohol and Other Drug Service - Colac Area Health has offered support for people who seek treatment for drug and alcohol misuse for twenty years. Our qualified team utilizes up to date information and treatment to help clients in their recovery.

Colac Area Health's Alcohol and Other Drug team offer Counselling and Care and Recover (case management) for clients who wish to address their AOD (Alcohol and Other Drug) misuse.

Call 1300 763 254 for intake and assessment

Stepping Up Colac

Community Hub Inc, 34 Connor St, Colac, 3250

In the Community Hub Inc

•T: 1300 022 293

•E: [email protected]

Orange Door Colac

Contact: Colac/Corangamite Access Point

03 5232 5500

In this episode of our program, we have a couple of chats recorded from home, once again.

First we have Erin, who is an Exercise Physiologist working mainly with DVA (veterans) and their families, then we speak with Jo Bangles, who is the President of Dykes on Bikes in Melbourne.

We talk about the ways of keeping up our movement both for our mental and physical health in this "unusual" time. Simple exercising, social connection through all the mediums available.

Erin gave us this site to go to, and it is great for ideas to exercise at home - https://exerciseright.com.au/

Look after each other at this time, and keep social connection, as well as physicat distancing.

This weeks program is with Karen Eccles, who is Nurse Manager at Anam Cara Colac, and Naomi Lettieri, their Community Liaison Nurse, with her son Alfie.

We talked about how the house is going in this period of physical separation, as well as Parkinson's Support.

This is over two recordings we made at home, and the "social" connection we had was fabulous.

Contact info :

Naomi Lettieri - Community Liaison Nurse

03 5233 8203 | 0439613132

www.anamcarahousecolac.org.au

Facebook -/AnamCaraHouseColac

www.parkinsons.org.au

www.parkinsonsvic.org.au

Freecall Information Line - 1800 644 189

Due to the social distancing we are all, hopefully, complying with, we are chatting with Jo Cook who is the West Street Supervisor with Colac Otway Disability Accommodation Inc., known as CODA.

Joshua, who is a resident at the West Street house joined us for this great chat.

This years theme: - Autism: It's time to change your reactions.

CODA - Shop 6 Otway Plaza,

58 Hesse Street

COLAC Victoria 3250

Phone: (03) 5231 1573

N.B. This program was recorded at our home using the little recorder, and a mobile phone, as in the picture.

In keeping with current time, I had a chat with Fion about her first nine months and why she chose Colac.

It's a great chat - shorter than our "normal" studio program, and well worth a listen.

To contact the Covid-19 spaecial clinis call 5232 5402: the clinic is open from 11.00am till 7.00pm, 7 Days.

The Colac Area Health Community Support Line - 1800 512 424