COMMUNITY

CelebrAte indiA’s ‘viCtoriAn festivAl of diwAli 2021’ will stArt live streAming from fed. sq., 30 oCtober 2021

By sat news desk

mELBOURNE, 4 October 2021: This year again you can enjoy programs of the Celebrate India, Fed. Sq., Diwali celebrations virtually. The celebrations will kick off by live streaming starting 30 October 2021 from the Federation Square, city. The live streaming will take place at the Celebrate India’s Website & Facebook page.

“The live stream program from the Federation Square will portray Indian culture via its folk music and dances, “says Mr. Arun Sharma, Chairman Celebrate India.

He adds, “We are inviting all Victorians to illuminate their homes or apartments (a new category to include city dwellers and students) to bring some happiness in their lives during these difficult times.”

Another highlight of this year’s celebrations will be that the Melbourne Cricket

Ground (MCG) will be illuminated on 30 October and on Diwali Day on 4 November 2021.

People can also join the Facebook competition ‘Dance for Diwali’ (19 Sept – 3 October 2021) and ‘Light for Diwali’ (16 Oct – 21st November 2021). Details can be accessed at the Facebook page and website of Celebrate India.

Site- www. celebrateindia.org.au

Email- contact@ celebrateindia.org.au

Facebook- facebook. com/CelebrateIndia

Twitter- Celebrate@ CelebreateIndia2

Instagram- celebrate_ india

SMS only- 0499161230

1151 jAbs At pop-up CliniC At offiCer siKh temple from 1-4 oCtober 2021

By sat news desk

mELBOURNE, 4 October 2021: A special Vaccine clinic setup at the Officer Sikh Temple (Gurudwara Sri Guru Nanak Darbar, Officer) made its massive contribution to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, by organising a successful four-day vaccine drive. According to the Gurudwara officials 1151 jabs were administered to people at the temple. The target of 1,000 was beaten. Many devotees volunteered for the clinic and work was done in a professional and dedicated manner.

The doses given were – 1st Oct – 242, 2nd Oct – 341, 3rd Oct – 303 and 265 on the 4th of October 2021.

Harpreet Kandra, spokesperson for the Gurdwara thanked the department of Health and volunteers for the pop-up clinic success.

The Gurudwara Sri Guru Nanak Darbar is situated at 33 Officer Road, Officer 3809.

mentAl heAlth month viCtoriA 2021 lAunChed

By sat news desk

mELBOURNE, 2 October 2021: Mental health issues have risen their head massively during the pandemic. Victoria is no exception. To raise awareness of this issue, the National Mental Health Foundation (NMHF), today virtually launched the National Mental Health Month 2021 (Oct 1 to 30 October 2021. Simultaneous launches also took place in NSW, Queensland, WA, NT, Tasmania and the ACT.

A video presentation by NMHF, Chairperson, Mr. Vasan Srinivasan about the organisation and its importance kicked off the launch. The intention, he said, was to reach out to maximum Australians and educate them.

In a media release he said, “At the MHFA, we pride ourselves in making sure all of our programs are for the community and powered by the community. We have a vast growing network of Multicultural Ambassadors, Youth Ambassadors and Future Leaders, who further the community voice in promoting mental health and wellbeing. Our multicultural network has inspired our educational and multicultural webinars, as an initiative to assist individuals cope with success during the pandemic.”

The virtual launch heard messages from The Hon. Alan Tudge MP, Federal Minister for Education and Youth, The Hon. Luke Donnellan MP, Victoria’s Minister fro Child Protection, Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers, among others. (List of all speakers below)

A media release after the launch from the MHFA says, “We achieved the mammoth task of launching our National Mental Health Month Awareness Campaign for 2021 in each state and territory of Australia, both virtually and physically. Through these launches, we reached out to over 3000 individuals, who joined us in the quest of advocating for, and raising awareness of mental health.

We would like to thank our staff members, board directors, scientific advisory committee members, special guests, multicultural and youth ambassadors, future leaders, volunteers, and attendees for their support, and ultimately for this grand success. We would also like to thank our sponsors, Australian Unity and Chemists Own and, supporting organisations involved.”

Live Bollywood music-dance items and solo songs graced the occasion.

new reseArCh finds Ageism rife in AustrAliA, but few Know whAt to do in response

By neeraj nanda

nearly half of all Australians over-50 experienced ageism in the past year, but only one in five of them took any action in response, according to new research launched to mark the first Ageism Awareness Day today.

Australia's campaign to end ageism, EveryAGE Counts, commissioned a nationwide poll by The RedBridge Group, to help understand the gap between the widespread prevalence of ageism and our collective willingness to combat it. Findings of the research include: 45 per cent of Australians over 50 say they have experienced ageism in the past year, and 52 per cent of all Australians say they have witnessed ageism in the past year 82 per cent of older Australians who experienced ageism say they did not take any action in response. Of these: 27 per cent said it was because it was hard to prove 24 per cent said it was because they didn't know how to respond 22 per cent said was because they were not sure if it was really ageism 9 per cent said they "didn't know what my options were"

EveryAGE Counts is today looking to raise awareness that although knowing how to respond to ageism can be tricky, there are a range of constructive actions people can take, including setting up affinity groups at work, escalating complaints strategically, and understanding how to approach conversations that make a difference. "Ageism is pervasive, but often hidden. The only way we can end it is to bring it out of the shadows," said EveryAGE Counts Campaign Director Marlene Krasovitsky. "Often older Australians feel powerless when we encounter ageism. However, if we know what it looks like and name it, we can take constructive actions in response. In this way each of us can help build an Australia without ageism. "People often don't know how to approach difficult conversations about ageism, but we know there are approaches that work better than others. For example, it's tempting to argue that 'one day you'll be in my shoes,' but the latest research shows people find it hard to conceptualise their future selves, and that it may actually be more persuasive to simply explain the impact the ageism had on you personally. "Another example is ageism in the workplace – people may suspect they're missing out on opportunities to learn new tech or skills because of ageism, but it can be difficult to prove. Setting up an affinity group of older colleagues can be an effective way to compare experiences and identify patterns You may also take a look at your organisation’s Diversity and Inclusion strategy and if age is not included as a ground of diversity, suggest it is."

Ageism Awareness Day ambassador Monica Trapaga is well known to Australians through her decades of work on stage and screen, including on the ABC's Play School. She said she was inspired to join the campaign to help raise awareness of this form of discrimination. "I've encountered all kinds of ageist discrimination during my time in television, and I know my experiences are far from unique," Ms Trapaga said. "It's something I believe we really need to start taking more seriously in Australia. Yes, we're ageing as a nation, but that's only a negative if we continue to discriminate against older people and make unfair assumptions about who they are and what they can and can’t do.. "Like all forms of discrimination, the place to start is by spreading awareness. So much ageism happens unconsciously, and it's allowed to keep happening because we don't feel sufficiently informed or empowered to push back. Ageism Awareness Day is about ending that and I couldn't be prouder to play this role."

EveryAGE Counts co-chair and former federal Minister Robert Tickner said Ageism Awareness Day was an important initiative and it was very pleasing to see so many individuals and organisations around the country having conversations about ageism and its impacts. "The proportion of the Australian population over 65 has doubled from 8 per cent to 15 per cent over the past 50 years. We can’t keep discriminating against a fifth of our population. We need to update our attitudes, structures, and practices.

"Of course, the responsibility to act lies not just with those who experience ageism, but with everyone else. Discrimination and prejudice survive when we turn a blind eye or allow it to go unchallenged."

Source- medianet, 1 October, 2021.