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Master chefs in the making And they smelled delicious! Billy and Xavier were eager participants in Surfside Primary School’s Master Chef day. The school teaches grade 3 to grade 6 pupils about food and cooking and they approached the tasks with enthusiasm, with some amazing dishes being prepared. ■ For more pictures and the full story, see page 13.
Mental health concerns By Justin Flynn Mental health is the biggest social justice issue affecting the region, according to a survey completed by the Salvation Army. The Salvation Army this week released its Social Justice Stocktake, in which more than 15,000 people across the country were surveyed on what social justice issues concerned them and their community. For respondents in the Corangamite electorate, which includes the Bellarine Peninsula, the leading issue was mental health. More than half (59.2 per cent) of Corangamite electorate residents nominated mental health
as a concern, higher than the national average of 53.9 per cent and the Victorian average of 56.7 per cent. Housing affordability (48.5 per cent) was the second biggest concern for the electorate, followed by family violence (39.8 per cent), alcohol and drug misuse (37.9 per cent) and homelessness (34 per cent). City of Greater Geelong deputy mayor Trent Sullivan said the findings of mental health and housing affordability were “consistent with existing data that indicates that mental health is an increasing concern for the community”. “While these are complex issues that involve
all levels of government and agencies, we have a number of actions aimed at making an impact in this space, including significant investment in community facilities that help create social connections.” Barwon Health mental health, drugs and alcohol clinical services director Associate Professor Steve Moylan said since the pandemic, health services had seen greater demand for mental health support. “Health services across the region, including Barwon Health, have experienced growing demand for appointments and care related to mental health, drugs and alcohol in recent years,” he said.
“Health care is a human right and caring for people with mental illness is critical in maximising people’s participation in society. “Poor mental health can lead to poorer participation in work, education, poorer relationships with family and community, and is associated with worsened physical health outcomes, including chronic disease and early mortality. “For this reason, mental health care is an issue of social justice, and it is not surprising to see it so prominently recognised by the Salvation Army’s Social Justice Stocktake.” ■
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