Bulletin of Moreland Rotary
EDITION 20|5 MAY 2022
THE MORELANDER
A HEALTHY AND CONNECTED COMMUNITY
Merri Health and Rotary working together for our community
Award of Excellence for Club Bulletin 2018-2019
Pages 3 and 4
Moreland Rotary acknowledges the Wurundjeri people of the eastern Kulin Nations on whose unceded lands we conduct our business. Moreland Rotary respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past, present and emerging. Moreland Rotary also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.
Cover: merrihealth.org.au
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“A healthy and connected community”
It was a pleasure to invite the CEO of Merri Health, Tassia Michaelas, and General Manager Family and Community, Dr Carolyn Wallace, to a recent club meeting; to engage in a discussion around our shared objective of achieving a healthy and connected community. Unfortunately, Tassia wasn’t able to attend the meeting due to a minor illness, however we had a very good discussion on the relationship between our organisations, and get a thorough update from Carolyn on Merri Health’s operations and future strategy. We were also fortunate to have Rotarian Anne Jungwirth provide a perspective as a recently appointed director of Merri Health. Anne has had a long career in health and community health, in education, policy and as a former CEO of a rural Community Health Centre, and as a Board Member for 9 years at neighbouring DPV Health in Broadmeadows, Craigieburn and beyond. The relationship between Merri Health and Moreland Rotary was forged from a meeting five years ago. That meeting followed an earlier meeting with representatives of Brunswick Police, where elevated experiences of mental health from young offenders was highlighted.
Carolyn addressing our meeting
Moreland Rotary’s response was to step into the community and endeavour to bring stakeholders together to resolve ways to improve the responses to the growing levels of Youth Mental Health issues. This initiative was undertaken as a demonstration of how Rotary can connect communities. The first initiative for our two organisations was to conduct a Q&A session involving a panel of Youth Mental Health Service providers on World Mental Health Day in 2019. The event was made possible from the sponsorship of Merri Health, which confirmed the complementary roles of Merri Health and Moreland Rotary.
The difficulties experienced by police officers in responding to increasing levels of mental health issues amongst young people was mirrored by issues raised by Merri Health representatives with a seemingly high level of disfunction and inefficient provision of mental health services for young people in Moreland.
THE MORELANDER
TEXT: TREVOR MOYLE | IMAGES: DAVID REDFEARN AND MERRIHEALTH.ORG.AU
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“A healthy and connected community”
Moreland Rotary subsequently connected with Moreland Council and Merri Health to sponsor a follow up Q&A forum in 2020 where the focus was on listening to young people. The forums set off an increasing involvement of Moreland Rotary in working diligently to bring about improvements in the mental health service provision for young people in Moreland, something openly recognised by Carolyn. Carolyn noted that the Covid pandemic provided challenges to what turned out to be a growing mental health issue, in particular for young people. Anne Jungwirth provided some very complementary and She recognised and complemented the work of Moreland Rotary supportive observations from her role as an independent in such difficult circumstances and expressed satisfaction in director of Merri Health: supporting the Lift the Lid Walk for Mental health in 2021 with a platinum sponsorship. • The importance of new opportunities for Merri Health and other Community Health services to develop community based Carolyn’s update on Merri Health's services indicated a focused mental health services through a current tender. organisation, committed to its very wide brief of Community • The value by Merri health of relationships with community Health services. groups like Moreland Rotary for connecting parts of the community who may benefit from accessing Merri services. Mental health was prominent in Carolyn’s presentation, in • Recognition that members of the public are unlikely to go to a respect to: service provider they haven’t been to before unless they hear about it from people they know and trust. Merri Health’s mental health services: • As services are developed in partnership with Moreland Council, Merri health would appreciate any help from Moreland • Merri Health has a range of programs to promote mental Rotary in talking positively to their local Moreland Councilors wellbeing as well as programs that support people with mental about the important services Merri provides in the community, health problems. These include: social supports and especially around early intervention and support for people community connection, counselling, Child Health psychology, Q experiencing mental illness or distress and their families too. health, Stepped Care for Older Adults, Healthy Mind Hub providing psychosocial support to people with long term mental The presentation by Carolyn, supported by Anne, was illness. complemented by some enthusiastic discussion including how • Partnership for collective impact with 6 other Moreland our relationship can be further developed with further providers with youth social connections focus initiatives. Rotary and Mental Health: • An example of the role of community groups and local business in promoting mental health • A desire to pursue further partnership opportunities between Merri Health and Moreland Rotary • Co-design work leading into tender for Moreland Local Adult and Older Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing Service- where Carolyn expressed a desire to seek some input from Moreland Rotary
THE MORELANDER
TEXT: TREVOR MOYLE | IMAGES: MERRIHEALTH.ORG.AU
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About Rotary
District Governor's Newsletter
"Our District, Our Voice" is the monthly newsletter of District Governor Anne Reid in 2021-22. There is a lot of information about the many Rotary projects and events across our District. Simply click here to read the latest edition Members of Rotary are part of a diverse group of community and professional leaders working to address community and international service needs and to promote peace and understanding throughout the world.
Rotary districts are a way of grouping a number of clubs in a particular geographic area. The area covered quite often crosses state and even international boundaries.
Rotary District 9790 encompasses the northern Rotary clubs receive a charter suburbs of Melbourne and from the worldwide organisation - stretches north and north east of Rotary International. Victoria to the Murray River and up into parts of NSW. A Rotarian belongs to a particular Rotary Club often near his/her For more information about home or work or sometimes Rotary District 9790, click here because of the club meeting time. THE MORELANDER
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Rotary Leadership 2021-22 Rotary International: President: Shekha Mehta(Susanne) , Rotary Club of District Governor: Anne Reid , Rotary Club of Alexandra Assistant Governor Group 2: Emma Davis, Rotary Club of Moreland Rotary Club of Moreland President: Emma Davis Club Service Roles 2021-22
President President Elect Secretary Treasurer Community Service Vocational Services Membership, International Service and Assistant Bulletin Editor Rotary Foundation Youth and Assistant Secretary Club Administration and Governance Environment and Bulletin Editor Australian Rotary Health Public Relations Club History Valued members Honorary Members
Emma Davis TBA Rosemary Freeman John Hoffmann Rosemary Freeman Brian Bennett Trevor Moyle Rosemary Freeman Silvana De Pretto Nino Galgano and Lee Garwood David Redfearn OAM Rosemary Freeman Russell Stuckey and Brian Bennett Nino Galgano Elly Gardner, Jo Connellan The Hon. Kelvin Thomson, Helen Bailey, John Awler, Richard McCarthy
District 9790 /Multi District Roles 2021-22
Assistant Governor, Group 2 and Director, 2023 Convention Host Organising Committee District Community Service Chair and Australian Rotary Health District Legal Officer District Bulletin Editor and Peter Toomey Community Police Award Shine On Awards
Emma Davis Rosemary Freeman Nino Galgano David Redfearn OAM Brian Bennett
WHEN AND WHERE WE MEET:
Moreland Rotary Club meets most Wednesdays at 7.30 for a 7.40 am start. We meet at the Sorrento Bar, 801 Sydney Road, Brunswick, 3056 HOW TO GET A COPY OF THE MORELANDER:
If you would like to receive our bulletin via email each week, email our editor at: dredfearn@vtown.com.au WHERE TO SEND FORMAL CORRESPONDENCE:
Attention: The Secretary, Moreland Rotary Club, PO Box 219, Coburg, Victoria, 3058
Chartered 14 August 1996 - Sponsor Club Coburg Rotary Club | Incorporated 13 August 2019 Designed using Canva - www.canva.com
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Images by David Redfearn and logos from rotary.org unless otherwise specified.
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Upcoming events and meetings A standing invitation exists for all readers of The Morelander to attend Moreland Rotary Club meetings and some of our other events. Please let us know if you intend to join us by ringing David Redfearn on 0448 852 747 or emailing on dredfearn@vtown.com.au (click on email address). Upcoming speakers/events
4 May: Strategic plan review 11 May: Monthly Board meeting 18 May: Robby Choucair, Bite and Sight Marketing 25 May: Joe Cassar, Sussex Neighbourhood House
Our Guest Speakers
Moreland Rotary invites speakers to our club both from our local community and further afield. They come from a wide range of backgrounds and are invited because they hopefully inform and stimulate our members and guests. We feel that this is of value in fostering a deeper understanding of our diverse community and even providing guidance as to the types of activites and projects our club may engage in. However the opinions expressed by our speakers do not necessarily reflect any official viewpoint of Moreland Rotary nor those of individual club members. Irrespective of this we always offer a warm Rotary welcome to all of our speakers.
click here @RotaryMoreland
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During the pandemic we met via Zoom on Wednesday mornings from 7.30-8.30 am but we NOW MEET in person at our usual venue (listed on page 7). You should contact us beforehand in case restrictions are in force but you can still join us on Zoom at any time and the link is below.
We always aim to have great guest speakers whether meeting in person or virtually! Why not join us one morning? Simply ring David on 0448 852 747 the day before to RSVP or go to: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3068589175 just before the meeting to join in.