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Celebration of diversity The new mural at Tarneit Senior College paints a proud picture of the diverse cohort. Teacher Melissa Brown said the year 11 VCAL students had “the best time” immersing themselves in the creative process. “Our school is very, very diverse, we’re very multicultural, and the students felt like that was something that should be celebrated,” Ms Brown said. “They lead the project, they designed everything, they drew every single one of those faces, and then we scanned them onto the computer and then we traced them all on and we just finished painting it.” Ms Brown said participating in artistic activities is imperative for students who might otherwise find it difficult to keep engaged in the classroom. “There’s no artwork [at the school], especially outside, and they just wanted to create something that gave people a chance to recognise all the different cultures at our school,” she said. Year-11 student Oscar.
(Damjan Janevski) 304143_04
Ex-cops call for support After devoting 13 years of her life serving the public, Claire Walker’s career as a police officer was snapped short when the Wyndham resident retired due to ill-health in 2009. Ms Walker’s real name cannot be pubished, as many of the criminals she helped clear from the streets remain a threat to her and her children, even after being out of the job for more than a decade. The lack of support following the devastating loss of a job she had sacrificed her mental wellbeing and physical safety for made Ms Walker feel like she was just another number.
“It’s like I didn’t exist, I had absolutely nothing [when I left],” she said. Ms Walker was able to find solace in Police Veteran’s Victoria (PVV), an organisation with a focus on improving mental health amongst veterans, claiming to be the sole support group for Victoria Police Veterans and their families. “They give you support, they give you advice, they let you know what the process is, they’re there as a representative, and help with financial issues, addiction issues, domestic abuse, mental health issues,” she said. Ms Walker said she couldn’t stress “the importance of the work they do” and she truly believes “so many veterans wouldn’t be here”
Our aim is to take the stress and
without the support of the PVV. PVV says it received almost 300 referrals during the 2021-22 financial year, an increase of 500 per cent year over year. But chief executive David McGowan said the group, which relies mostly on donations from the public and corporations, doesn’t have the funding or resources for significant growth. “Police officers get stabbed, they get shot, they get run over, they are exposed to the worst of humanity,” he said. “They’re very private, they’ll just withdraw, that results in suicide, self harm, we have veterans living in the street, in their cars.” In a letter seen by Star Weekly, Police
Minister Anthony Carbines recognised the “vital work” undertaken by the PVV, but did not commit to funding the organisation. “The prevalence of mental health issues among our police force is highly concerning,” Mr Carbines wrote. “The Victorian government recognises it is critical that our police officers receive the support and resources they need, and this is something we are working to address.” Mr McGowan said without necessary investment, the lack of support could be detrimental. “We’re trying to pick them up … [but without funding] this will just continue to impact [them].”
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By Fatima Halloum