Dulcie’s outback travels

Dulcie Hyde: Travelling the outback

CONTENTS

2 : Dulcie’s outback travels 3 : Word from the Director & Chair 4-5 : IT Feature - Digital technology 6 : Mogumber commemoration day 7 : Researching Aboriginal history 8-9 : Aged care matters 10-11 : National Redress Scheme 13 : Fairbridge feature 14-15 : International redress 16 : Clontarf heritage update 18 : Catching up with old friends 19: Book launch: ‘Droplip’ 20-21 : Vale notices 22 : FACT Inc Board 24 : Thank you to our volunteers 25-27 : Notices, services & events 28 : Tuart Place contact details

Dulcie and Peter Hyde are seasoned travellers who are currently in the Leinster area of WA, doing a spot of prospecting and enjoying the wildflower season with their little dog BB La Blue (“Our little mate, who makes life worthwhile”). Dulcie, who lived at Nazareth House Geraldton as a child, says she has always been drawn to wide-open spaces. Dulcie says she gets plenty of visits from kangaroos and dingoes, and does beading and reading, so never gets bored. Happy travels Dulcie and Peter, and thanks for sending us these great photos, including the one on our front cover.

Welcome to the ‘Wildflower’ edition of The Tuart Times.

Our newsletter has a different look this time around, to reflect the fact that this year has been a very different one too. In WA we have been fortunate, but even here the effects of the pandemic have been dramatic (although some care leavers have commented that social isolation is not a change: ‘It’s life as normal – welcome to my world’). At Tuart Place, the main impact of COVID-19 restrictions has been the suspension of group and social activities and the ‘drop-in’ service. I know that all of us – participants, staff, volunteers Individual clinical support and counselling has and everyone who enjoys coming to Tuart Place – will continued, as has work on redress applications, advocacy, be looking forward to the drop-in centre re-opening supported access to records, and assistance with historical and social gatherings starting up again. abuse claims – both in Australia and overseas. The current system of individual In recent months we have provided both appointments is very different to the ‘pre-COVID oral evidence and formal written submissions to a Tuart Place’ we all know and love - with its open front parliamentary inquiry into the National Redress Scheme door, singing groups, and sharing of buffet lunches at and to an independent statutory review of the Scheme. the Centre. Phone counselling and outreach have increased Hopefully we will be enjoying these things dramatically during this time, and continue to be a large again very soon! part of our work. I’d like to thank Tuart Place staff and The COVID crisis has highlighted the importance volunteers for continuing the important work of of electronic communication, and increased the need for supporting care leavers during this very difficult time. IT assistance. Information about the kinds of IT support Much of their work happens ‘behind the available is provided in this newsletter. scenes’, in areas like phone counselling, National At the time of writing, Tuart Place is open for preRedress and the different international redress booked individual appointments, IT assistance, and limited schemes, as well as helping people solve their volunteer activities on site. computer problems and to connect via Zoom, and Some group activities are taking place off-site, generally keeping in touch. including a very successful series of lunches at Cicerello’s We really appreciate your ongoing hard work. in Fremantle, where there is plenty of room to spread out, and meals are served to the table. Cevrina We continue to monitor WA Government safety Cevrina Reed, Chairperson, FACT Inc. guidelines and look forward to the 2-square-metre rule being lifted so we can once again have social and group gatherings at Tuart Place. Thank you to our July 2020: Pip at Cicerello’s with Peter and Wayne in their Tuart Place t-shirts participants, volunteers, Board members and staff for the strength and caring you have shown throughout this time.

Pip

Dr Philippa White, Director, Tuart Place 30 September 2020

by Tuart Place Program & Volunteer Coordinator Jo Hocking

Having to stay apart during the

COVID-19 crisis has made us look for other ways to connect with people, and the demand for help with IT has increased dramatically. When COVID struck, the wonderful team of IT volunteers at Tuart Place immediately swung into action and were there to help. Even during the time when we couldn’t have face-to-face contact, our volunteers still managed to assist people over the phone or by email. Providing this kind of help remotely is definitely more difficult, but our volunteers rose to the challenge. I would especially like to thank Trish, Mary, David B, Hasitha, Emily, Florence and Yoyo. There has been a lot of interest in using video technology such as Zoom, with Tuart Place volunteers assisting many people to get started with Zoom. Jenny wanted to learn how to use Zoom on her mobile phone so she could have video-chats with her daughter and grandchildren, who live in Victoria. “I’m worried about them, and it gives me peace of mind to actually see them, not just talk on the phone”, Jenny said. “Zoom is free so it doesn’t cost me anything either”. Tuart Place now hosts regular social chats via Zoom, enabling groups of people from across Australia to stay in touch with each other. Let us know if you are interested in this! Since COVID restrictions have eased, we have also been able to organise individual face-to-face appointments with IT volunteers at Tuart Place. These have been extremely popular and have seen people learning how to use their laptops, access websites, download photos, use email and much more. Patrick has been coming to Tuart Place for appointments with Mary, one of our IT volunteers. Patrick said: “It’s been very helpful and instructive. I would recommend others to make haste because it’s taken me three years to get here and I wish I’d come sooner to make the most of what’s on offer.” We know that using IT and computers can seem a little daunting but our volunteers will take things at your own pace. If you would like an appointment, either in person or over the phone, please contact Tuart Place.

Patrick with IT Volunteer Mary at Tuart Place

Have you noticed that lots of people are talking about using Zoom? Why not get in the groove and join in one of these fun sessions? After coming into Tuart Place for a Zoom chat, Maria said: “It was nice to be talking to people in other states and seeing how they are coping. I would recommend it to others. We had lots of laughs and I would like to do it again, it was really good to come in and do this.” If you have a smartphone, tablet or computer (and an internet connection) then you can join in from home.

If you don’t, then you can book a place in our computer room at Tuart Place and join the Zoom chat from there. If you’re not sure how to use Zoom, we will organise for an IT volunteer to give you a call and help you set things up. Zoom is a great way to stay in contact with friends and family. Call Vicky to book in for a small group Zoom chat, either from your home or at Tuart Place.