MerriNews
Volume 13. October 2016
Inside this issue:
1. NEW HEALTH HUB FOR COBURG
2. VICTIMS ASSISTANCE GOES REGIONAL
3. NATIONAL CARERS WEEK EVENTS
4. MORE HELP: LEGAL ADVICE
In this issue:
3. M erri Corner
4. Victims assistance goes regional
5. Wellness outings
7. Support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander carers 7. National Carers Week: events
Merri Health @MerriHealth
© All applicable copyrights reserved for Merri Health. No part of this publication may be replicated in any manner or medium, without the permission of Merri Health, except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth).
2. | MerriNews October 2016
Welcome As the end of 2016 fast approaches, we reflect on what has been a busy year for the whole team and on the opportunities that lay ahead. The ongoing policy reform environment has continued to impact the entire health and social services sector. Many of our program areas have been working hard on the necessary internal realignment needed to operate in this new environment.
Our performance has remained strong over the past 12 months, meeting and exceeding many of our activity and performance targets while also achieving a strong financial position. This allows us to continue to reinvest in our facilities and infrastructure.
I’d like to sincerely thank all staff who have been working extremely hard over the year to help position Merri to respond to these changes.
We have been undertaking a strategic review of our facilities to ensure we can continue to deliver services to local communities. In August, the Board made the decision to purchase a significant land holding in Coburg by purchasing the ‘Coburg Corner,’ something we’ve already colloquially renamed the ‘Merri Corner’. We will now commence planning for the redevelopment of this site with the vision to create an integrated primary care centre to deliver services to communities across northern metropolitan Melbourne. I look forward to keeping you posted on these developments over coming months.
On 1 July, the first roll out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) commenced. Several of our programs will be impacted by the NDIS and these teams have been preparing to make this transition. We have already started to accept NDIS referrals which will assist us in making the transition and ensure we can continue to respond. We were excited to officially launch the extension of our Victims Assistance Program to northern regional Victoria on 15 September; an area spanning 13 municipalities in the Hume region. Congratulations and thanks to all Merri staff involved in establishing this service and the opportunity it provides Merri to continue to grow services to support local communities.
The end of the year will soon be here and I look forward to celebrating this with staff at the end of year function on 15 December. Nigel Fidgeon Chief Executive Officer – Merri Health
Merri Corner Merri Health announces a new state-of-the-art community health hub for Coburg.
Set to be built on the corner of Sydney Road and Bell Street, Coburg, the community health hub will provide local health services for every age and stage of life.
services in one location, giving northern residents access to advanced health support in their community.
“This is an incredible time for Moreland and surrounding communities as we’re set to bring one of Victoria’s largest community health hubs to Coburg.
“We’re continuing to expand as we integrate our health services. It will provide better opportunities for our community as we anticipate further job prospects and extended services.
“The hub will provide a one-stop-shop for health services for Melbourne’s northern region,” said Merri Health chairperson, Carlo Carli.
“Our mission is to create healthy and connected communities – this hub takes us one step closer,” said Merri Health’s chief executive, Nigel Fidgeon.
The multi-level building will see the integration and expansion of key health
Its development will see Merri Health extend its footprint, since its beginnings in 1975.
Supporting merry kids On the 1 July 2016, the National Disability Insurance Scheme, known as the NDIS began to roll out across Australia. The NDIS is a new National Government initiative for people living with a permanent and significant disability. As part of this change, Merri Health has introduced MerriKids, which will help to make the NDIS easier to understand and navigate for families. MerriKids provides early childhood intervention services to support children with developmental delay and/or disabilities, and their families. Working together, our team will develop ways to support the health, development and wellbeing of the child. Our team of professionals provide a range of services that are designed to meet the individual needs of each child and their family. “One of the fantastic things about early intervention is that the service providers are a range of practitioners. It gives the family lots of support in different disciplines,” early childhood intervention practitioner, Clare said. The program, formerly known as Foundations, has already had success. Beth, mother of 2 year-old Ben who has global
developmental delay, has had a positive experience with the program and has seen improvements in his behaviour. “The difference early interventions has made to us has been enormous. When we started with the program Ben wasn’t a happy boy ... a lot of the time he was very frustrated and wasn’t able to articulate to us what was wrong. The program has really helped us understand him,” Beth said.
Want to find out more about MerriKids? Call our MerriKids team 1300 63774 4 Visit the Merri Health website https://goo.gl/l0lVlS
MerriNews October 2016 | 3.
The Clothesline Project
Every year, the Merri Health counselling team support a group of women to voice their stories via the Clothesline Project, which takes place in October during Week Without Violence. The Clothesline Project is an international project that bears witness to the violence against women. It first started in 1990 in Cape Cod, USA, by a group of women who wanted to create a unique way of taking the statistics of domestic violence and turn them into an educational and healing tool. The concept was simple; “let each woman tell her own story, in her own unique way and hang it out for all to see” (Carol Chichetto – Chair of Clothesline Steering Committee, USA).
Why are they erected for all to see? The project aims to: >> Empower women to share their stories and knowledge of abuse, >> Educate the public about the extent, prevalence and impact of violence and, >> Promote respectful relationships. Last year, we supported two t-shirt painting workshops at our Vic Place, Coburg site and Elizabeth Morgan House Aboriginal Women’s Service. Participants were generally female survivors of family violence or supporters of those who have experienced violence. We will be doing the same this year, with plans of decorating our reception areas and work spaces in a bid to start conversations and showcase that it is never okay to be violent. 4. | MerriNews October 2016
Victims assistance goes regional Based on the strong track record of the Victims Assistance Program service delivery and commitment to supporting victims of crime, Merri Health will now deliver the service to the Hume region. Merri Health has been providing the Victims Assistance Program to the metropolitan region of Melbourne since 1999. Now, the program will extend to over 12 municipalities in the Hume Region. As of 1 July, 2016, the geographical coverage spans from the City of Yarra to the Rural City of Wodonga and from the Shire of Mitchell to the Shire of Towong. In the 2014-2015 financial year, Merri Health supported 1,434 clients and delivered 8,690 Victims Assistance Program service hours across the northern metropolitan region. With this additional funding, Merri Health can support 1,130 new victims of crime against the person in the Hume region and 1,580 in the northern metropolitan region each year,
and also continue to support their existing clients. Team leader of Victims Assistance Program, Vivianne Woska said the service had seen an increase in demand in the recent January to March quarter and the team is ready to provide this much needed support to rural areas. “We have a strong team and practices that will allow us to provide the right support across the Hume region,” said Ms Woska. Merri Health was awarded the Victims Assistance Program contract for 2016 – 2018 by the Department of Justice and Regulation and will work closely with the Department in its service development.
“It provides us the opportunity to build synergies between metro and rural approaches to victim’s assistance.” – Vivianne Woska, team leader of the Victims Assistance Program
Community Grocer gets a fridge! The Community Grocer Fawkner along with partners Fawkner Community House and Open Table have been successful in receiving funding from Feed Melbourne to buy a large refrigerator. At the end of each market, our team distribute left over fruit and vegetables to local organisations to help those in need. The refrigerator will help the team keep produce fresh for longer, which means we can hopefully make a bigger impact on helping our local communities.
Welless Outings Linkages and Home Care Package clients have been given the opportunity to rediscover parts of Melbourne and reconnect with their community.
“I am a very proactive resident in Moreland and think it’s wonderful that we are able to meet every now and then for activities,� said client, Adua Rosso. Wellness at Home will host another three events this year and are already in planning for 2017.
Our Wellness at Home team have been organising outing for their Linkages and Home Care Package clients, giving them the opportunity to meet new people, reconnect with the community and experience new things that are out of their comfort zones. Each month, the team decide on a new venue or activity. In the past, this has included a visit to the National Gallery of Victoria, the cinema and Romsey for lunch. Due to their success, they will continue to organise outings for their clients. The Wellness at Home team also hosted a Christmas in July Morning Tea on Wednesday, 13 July, at Interchange North West, which attendees found to be a pleasant experience. MerriNews October 2016 | 5.
Talking to take the load off One of our clients shares her experience of talking to one of our CarerLinks North counsellors.
Taking on a caring role can take a toll on your physical and mental health but you should not feel guilty for thinking of yourself. Recently Suheyla* contacted CarerLinks North because she was having trouble coping with being a carer. As a fulltime carer of her brother who has an intellectual disability, she has spent the last 15 years assisting him during her mother’s illness and in the wake of her recent passing. While she felt she was coping with her role as a carer, she found herself feeling tired and resentful for not being able to live her own life. “Of course there is the guilt of feeling like this and so it goes on. [I’m] getting older, and with my own health issues, I found that I really could not cope,” she said. For many years, Suheyla resisted getting help but eventually agreed to a counselling session with one of our counsellors at CarerLinks North, who helped her understand the feelings she was going through. Suheyla found this experience of talking through her feelings and options very helpful. “Counselling really was of great help and good to know that it is available should I need it again. “I could speak to someone who really understood what I am going through and the counsellor also confirmed things that I had been thinking,” she said. Our counselling service is confidential and respectful of your needs. For more information or to book an appointment with a counsellor, please call 03 9495 2500.
*Names have been changed to respect the privacy of our client. Stories and quotes have been included with the permission of the client.
6. | MerriNews October 2016
It’s okay to take time out Our CarerLinks North team know that caring for someone is challenging and taking time out for yourself seems impossible. However, if you’re not looking after yourself, you might not be able to care to your full abilities. We’ve put together 10 tips to help you take care of you. 1.
Spend time with people you love
2.
See your GP for a health check – it’s important to be healthy when you’re looking after people
3.
Connect with other carers – they will understand what you’re going through
4. Try and get a good night’s sleep
5.
Treat yourself – think about what you enjoy doing and do it!
6. Eat a healthy, well balanced diet 7.
Take a break – even for 15 minutes
8. Try and be active – 20 minutes a day is all it takes 9. If you’re worried, talk to someone – it’s good to get things off your chest 10. Get help and learn – find out what services are available for and near you If you would like to talk about any of these tips, call our team on (03) 9495 2500 or email carerlinksnorth@merrihealth.org.au
All carers are eligible for free health and wellbeing coaching with a trained professional. Call 1800 052 222 or carerlinksnorth@ merrihealth.org.au
Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families We understand that everyone’s situation is different. That’s why we work with you to meet your needs as a carer. You may be helping a family member, friend or neighbour who has a mental illness, disability, a chronic illness, or a elderly person living in the community. You might even be looking after more than one person in your community. If your feeling overwhelmed in your role, we can help you. Our service can help you take time out for yourself through respite. and link you to services that will make your life easier. Putting yourself first is hard but necessary. It is important to take a break otherwise you may become sick or unwell youself. At CarerLinks North we are: •
Respectful of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’s history and beliefs,
•
Culturally appropriate and inclusive to promote a feeling of trust and safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, and
•
Person and family centred. This means we work with you based on what you tell us that you need.
If you need support for yourself or your family, let us know and we will link you to the help you need. We work with people in the local government areas of Hume, Moreland, Darebin, Whittlesea, Nillumbik, Banyule and Yarra. Get in touch with our team on (03) 9495 2500 or email carerlinksnorth@merrihealth.org.au
National Carers Week: events This year, Merri Health is celebrating National Carers Week, from 16-22 October. We see first-hand the outstanding contribution that carers make to Australia and want to take the opportunity to formally recognise and celebrate their hard work. In Australia, there are currently 2.8 million unpaid carers of all ages, who look after different types of members of the community with diverse needs. From the end of October to the beginning of November, CarerLinks North will host four events for carers and their families. The first event will be the Young Carers Festival for all young carers. The day will feature a petting zoo, jumping castles, blender bikes, cooking workshops, arts and crafts, nail art, airbrush tattoos, circus workshops, superhero training, and more. Our calendar of events for National Carers Week 2016 is now available. If you would like to attend or have questions, call us on (03) 9495 2500. Transport support and respite is available. Young Carers Festival Saturday 15 October Treasury Gardens, East Melbourne For all young carers Thank you Lunch Wednesday 19 October Montsalvat, Eltham For all carers who live in Hume, Moreland, Yarra, Darebin, Banyule, Whittlesea or Nillumbik. Family Fun Day Saturday 22 October Funfield, Whittlesea For carers and their families who live in Hume, Moreland, Yarra, Darebin, Banyule, Whittlesea or Nillumbik *Please note, this event is now at capacity. Koorie Carers Lunch Thursday 9 November Lynda Blundell Centre, Dallas For CarerLinks North and Koorie carers from the North West region. MerriNews October 2016 | 7.
Honouring Women of Moreland In 2014, Sadia and Sarwat started an Urdu speaking women’s group in Fawkner. Along with our team, the group supports local women to get together, help each other and learn about local services. Sadia and Sarwat have been awarded a Moreland City Council Honouring Women in Moreland award their work. Congratulations Sadia and Sarwat, for your hard work!
More help: legal advice
meet with staff and access support, and for our teams to share information, skills, expertise and practice.
Lawyer now co-located at Merri Health.
Following on from this success, the Northern Community Legal Centre out-posted a lawyer to Merri Health in July 2016, who works half a day at our Vic Place site.
In October 2015, we welcomed a specialist family violence worker from Berry Street Victoria. Co-located at our Coburg site, the worker helps to provide a timely local response for women who have been referred to Berry Street’s Northern Family and Domestic Violence service through Victoria Police.
Would like to book an appointment with a lawyer?
We’re happy to report that the partnership has been highly successful, providing a safe and accessible space for women to
Visit their website
Call the Northern Community Legal Centre (03) 9310 4376
www.northernclc.org.au
Brunswick 11 Glenlyon Road Brunswick VIC 3056 Ph: (03) 9387 6711
Brunswick West PAG 382-386 Moreland Road Brunswick West VIC 3055 Ph: (03) 9386 3575
Fawkner 79 Jukes Road Fawkner VIC 3060 Ph: (03) 9357 2444
Thornbury 298 Victoria Road Thornbury VIC 3071 Ph: (03) 9484 5314
Chifley Drive, Preston Level 2, 110 Chifley Drive Preston VIC 3072 Ph: (03) 9495 2500
Coburg 93 Bell Street Coburg VIC 3058 Ph: (03) 9350 4000
Harding Street, Coburg 1st Floor, 368 Sydney Road Coburg VIC 3058 Ph: (03) 8319 7400
Glenroy 5D Cromwell Street Glenroy VIC 3046 Ph: (03) 9304 9200
Victoria Street, Coburg 21 Victoria Street Coburg VIC 3058 Ph: (03) 9355 9900
Interchange North West Shop 9E Anderson Street Pascoe Vale VIC 3044 Ph: (03) 9350 4600
Disclaimer: The information contained in this publication is provided by Merri Health and is for general information purposes only. While information is current at the time of publication, subsequent changes to events may occur. Merri Health ventures to provide current and accurate information and we make no representations or warranties, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, or availability, with respect to this publication. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore at your own risk. In no event will MCHS and its employees be responsible or liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or significant loss or damage, or any type loss or damage whatsoever, suffered by any person as the result of reliance on information contained in this publication.