THE BYRON SHIRE ECHO Advertising & news enquiries: Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au http://www.echo.net.au VOLUME 21 #44 TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2007 22,300 copies every week $1 at newsagents only
New ACE course guide in this week’s Echo!
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New program to support local mental health carers Story & photo Lou Beaumont
as well as aiming to enhance their general wellbeing, resilience and relationships. The program is set up to first look after the carer, so they, in turn, are able to give more of themselves to those they care for. Natalie Joy, Education and Training Officer for the program, says, ‘One of our primary aims is to better connect the services available in the local area to the people who need them. This also means we aim to improve the professional and service responsiveness to the needs and circumstances of carers.’ Family and Carer Mental Health is running a free educational program for families,
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Farmers market keeps youth fed up
friends and carers of people with mental health problems. ‘Foundations’ will be held in Mullumbimby on May 1213 at the Ex-Services Club. The weekend will give carers the opportunity to meet others in similar situations. Attendees will learn more about mental illness, discover coping skills and strategies, how to access relevant services in the area, and much more, and all in a supportive environment. Natalie adds, ‘Also, in the next month or so, a Support and Advocacy Officer will be appointed for the region who will be able to visit carers and those they care for, in addition to the existing phone From left, Farmer’s Market manager Donald Recsei with Jasmine Ward, Marina Diprose, Danny Pat-
Do you care for someone who suffers with a mental illness? There is now an educational system in place to support these carers across the Byron Shire. The Family and Carer Mental Health Program is a structured education program operating out of Alstonville, and offering phone and mobile support services to the entire Shire. Often people who care for someone who is mentally ill do not even call themselves carers, but in essence, a carer is anyone, whether they are a friend or family member, who assists in any part of the life of a mentally challenged person. This assistance can continued on page 2 come in the form of financial, physical or emotional support. Mental illness is a wide umbrella with innumerable categories within it. Often, being so complex and intangible by its very nature, mental ill health often goes undiagnosed. The mentally ill can suffer from anything from schizophrenia, bipolar and other mood related imbalances, depression, anxiety and personality disorders. In addition to these blanket definitions, there are of course shades of grey within each diagnosis, some barely detectable symptoms and others which need fulltime assistance. Because there are so many kinds of carers and even more forms of mental illness, it can often be difficult to ascertain what help and support is required, and subsequently difficult to know how or where to seek it. The Family and Carer Mental Health Program seeks to improve the coping, knowledge and management skills of carers Mental health program education officer Natalie Joy.
terson and BYS program coordinator Simon Dubois.
Story & photo Hans Lovejoy
The Byron Farmers Market is keeping the Shire’s youth fed by donating produce to YAC (Youth Activities Centre) every week. ‘The Food for Thought Program provides an excellent opportunity to expose young people to healthy nutritious food and give them the fuel they need for their work,’ says program coordinator Simon du Bois.
‘Having lunch provides a focus around which young people and workers at the centre can sit down together and interact. It encourages young people to stay at the centre rather than going into town and spending what little money they have on fast food.’ The Byron Youth Service operate programs out of the YAC designed to assist young people with acquiring further
life and academic skills. Courses cover such areas as hospitality, film making and landscaping. Farmers Market manager Donald Recsei told The Echo he is delighted to provide young people with healthy fruit and vegetables and highlights the importance of shopping for locally made produce. ‘The food mile issue [the distance travelled continued on page 4
Youth to raise a Rukkus in Mullum Rukkus Youth Festival is on again this coming Friday and organisers say it will be bigger and better than ever! The skate comp is still at the Mullumbimby skate park but to accommodate a larger crowd, the ‘dance party’ will be moving to the Mullumbimby Leagues Club. Mullumbimby High School student Baylee Johnson is one of the organisers of the festival and has been
the main driving force behind the festival for three years. ‘I wanted the local kids to have something positive to do and to show the community that young people can do positive things,’ she says. The Mullum Youth Crew will be running a sausage sizzle, the high school Rock Eisteddfod dancers will be selling drinks and the high school Drama girls will be painting faces. There will be a range of food stalls as well
as rides. The Dance Party night event will include a range of DJs such as Jackie Onnasid and DJ Scooter. This is a free all-ages event so drugs and alcohol will not be tolerated and responsible behaviour will be essential to the success of Rukkus. More volunteers and further sponsorship are needed. ‘This is our opportunity to support young people in continued on page 2