Flourish Summer 2019

FLOURISH ISSUE NO. 7

SUMMER 2019

11 AMBITIOUS ART PROJECT TO COMMEMORATE 100 YEARS IN THIS ISSUE:

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New cafe provides positive social impact

Reflecting on a generous season of Christmas giving

Program helps mums find their happiness

Bordertown team puts community front and centre

All the colour from our latest festivals and events

“ Across our 100-year history, much has changed but the people we support have always been central to our mission.”

CEO LIBBY CRAFT, 2019

WELCOME

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elcome to our first edition of Flourish for 2019 – an especially significant year for UnitingSA.

Another recent initiative which is truly inspiring is a new cafe launched in Adelaide’s north to provide hospitality training to people with a disability.

Called Flourish on Coventry Cafe, the project is a partnership between our Employment and Training Support team and the City of Playford. Over a period of six months, trainees will learn practical skills while gaining a Certificate 3 in Food Production to support their future employment. You can read all about it on Page 5 and if you have time, drop by the cafe for a cuppa and chat.

This year we mark 100 years since our organisation was founded as the Port Adelaide Central Mission.

We will officially launch our Centenary celebrations at the Port Adelaide Uniting Church on April 8 and will proceed to commemorate our history at sites across South Australia throughout the year. Our Centenary celebrations will culminate with a community event in the Port Adelaide area in October. Make sure you pick up a copy of our special Centenary edition of Flourish in April for a full events calendar, historical photos and interviews with people who have been pivotal to our story. Throughout the year, a special Centenary arts project will also unfold.

Turn to page 11 to read all about it.

You will also find in this edition several stories with people in the community we support, including a mother who needed help following the birth of her child, a woman we assisted through the provision of affordable housing, and someone we have walked alongside to support over many years through our mental health programs. We thank each of them for sharing their stories and in doing so, helping to reach other people in the community who may find themselves in similar circumstances.

Also in this edition, we bring you a summary of our annual Christmas Appeal, which once again brought a smile to hundreds of families during the festive season. We were touched by the generosity of the many individuals, community and church groups, who spent time collecting toys and food items to donate to others. A sincere thank you to everyone involved and a special mention to those who joined our appeal for the first time this year. We look forward to working with you in years to come to provide support to those in need.

UNITINGSA

Across our 100-year history, much has changed but the people we support have always been central to our mission.

I look forward to a productive, exciting and history-making year together as we celebrate 100 years of UnitingSA.

Ms Libby Craft Chief Executive Officer

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FLOURISH MAGAZINE | ISSUE NO. 7 | 2019

IN THIS ISSUE

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David’s contribution to the Aboriginal community recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award

Suzanne shares her inspiring story of struggle, support and above all, survival

Redevelopment in Salisbury North takes out Award for Excellence in Aged Care

UPCOMING DATES February

March

April

5 Chinese New Year

5 Shrove Tuesday

7 World Health Day

13 Anniversary of Apology

21 National Close

8 UnitingSA

to Stolen Generations

the Gap Day

Centenary launch

20 World Day of Social Justice

21 Harmony Day

19 Good Friday

UNITING SA ANNUAL PROFILE

16,007

986

117

2,748

6,893

PEOPLE SUPPORTED

EMPLOYEES

VOLUNTEERS

PEOPLE CARED FOR ACROSS AGED CARE

OCCASIONS OF EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE

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FLOURISH MAGAZINE | ISSUE NO. 7 | 2019

“Working for the Aboriginal Family Violence program as a trainer and educator was a life changing experience for me,” he says.

“Another highlight of my career was working with young offenders and setting up a rural based cultural youth program in the Flinders Rangers.”

He has also spent much of his life volunteering in various roles supporting the health, education and legal rights of Aboriginal people.

In 2003, David joined UnitingSA as an Aboriginal Men’s Worker and then moved to a position in our Supported Tenancy Program, where he provided support and advocacy for Housing Trust tenants at a high risk of being evicted.

After several years he moved to our Men and Family Relationships program as a counsellor – a position he has held for the past decade.

In his role, David works with families with a focus on supporting men to form positive relationships.

A LIFETIME OF POSITIVE IMPACT

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avid Akbar isn’t one to go looking for accolades but after spending his life behind the scenes helping others, he can no longer escape being front and centre.

David has been officially recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Awards.

The award acknowledges David’s contribution to the Aboriginal community, both with UnitingSA and in his previous roles supporting children, young people and families.

He was awarded at a special presentation at Chasers Restaurant and Function Centre in Angle Park on November 7, during the council’s Nunga Week celebrations.

“It’s nice to be acknowledged after all these years and to get feedback that you don’t go looking for,” David says.

“What has led me to stay in it this long is working with the clients and seeing sustainable change in their lives.”

David spent much of his early life living in the Great Victoria Desert, which covers parts of South Australia and Western Australia.

He lived traditionally, learning much about language and culture that would benefit him during his career supporting Aboriginal people.

“We lived back in the community when I was 3 and I mean real community, not the city community,” he says.

“My forte is to try to give them better tools for communication, especially men who often aren’t good at talking things through,” David explains.

“My counselling is around a broad range of issues – mental health, partners, child protection issues, parental skills, separation.

“I do a lot of trauma counselling as well, to open people up and talk to them.

“There’s a saying, ‘Never open up a can of worms unless you are prepared to look inside’.”

Through it all, David says his biggest challenge has been “understanding the diversity of Aboriginal people in South Australia and being able to work with all of them in different ways at different times”.

And his ultimate reward for a lifetime of dedication?

“I spoke language before I spoke English in my childhood.”

He moved between the community and city over several years before settling in metropolitan Adelaide and beginning his career in his 20s.

David’s roles over the years are too many to recite but include State Manager for the Aboriginal Advocacy Unit within the Department for Family and Youth Services, Manager for the Aboriginal Youth Offender Service within the Department for Family and Community Services, Aboriginal Education Worker for the Education Department, and Acting Coordinator for the Aboriginal Family Violence Program.

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“That “That would would be be seeing seeing people come people come back back to to their their life life when when they they think think it’s it’s not not worth worth it. it.

Helping Helping them them to to get get through through the the hard hard patches and patches and seeing seeing the the changes.” changes.”

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | ISSUE NO. 7 | 2019

DAVID DAVID

OUR NEW CAFE CREATES BRIGHT FUTURES

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here’s a new cafe in Adelaide’s north and it’s producing more than great coffee and cakes.

Flourish on Coventry Cafe is creating opportunities for people looking to get a leg up in the hospitality and food production industry.

Run by UnitingSA as part of a partnership with the City of Playford, the cafe is a training ground for people wanting to learn cooking and customer service skills, while obtaining qualifications.

Trainees visit the site in Smithfield Plains two days a week to undertake hands on learning in the kitchen and theory in a nearby classroom.

UnitingSA Employment Services manager Cherie Jolly says it is providing people with a disability new skills to create opportunity and choice for their future pathways.

“It’s about building skills in food production to give them a variety of options to move forward in open employment,” Cherie says.

“It’s a real life training setting with support from a qualified chef who is the supervisor, plus we have disability expert support through Barkuma and UnitingSA will bring in our own support workers as well.

“Through a six month period we will give them a variety of work experience

options and at the end they will gain their Certificate 3 in Food Production.”

Cheryl is one of the inaugural trainees and at age 23, she is excited by the new opportunity.

“One of my favourite parts is food handling and learning new skills that I haven’t learnt before, like using the coffee machine,” she says.

“I like talking to customers and working with the others here as well.

“I just try and put my head down and do the best I can.”

Fellow trainee Chelsea, 20, also says developing new skills is her favourite part of the experience.

“It’s pretty cool,” she says.

“I like doing the food preparation, plus being outside of Barkuma gives us something different to do.

“I like learning new things.”

The cafe is situated at The Precinct, a council-led project which includes a food cooperative – the Healthy Food Co. – and will soon launch a Men’s Shed, op-shop and more.

Healthy Food Co. coordinator Kelly Clay says the whole concept aims to support people in the community, with an affordable place to buy healthy food and participate in activities.

“We want to make it a community environment so people can come in and have the ability to shop, have a coffee, go to the op-shop,” she says.

“At the Healthy Food Co. people can buy small portions so it is easier to budget.

“The Precinct is for everyone and anyone.”

Cafe supervisor Jeanette Kranz feels fortunate to have joined UnitingSA to take on the role.

“It’s nice to do something that I know is helping people and giving back,” she says.

KELLY

“I supervise, help them cook, and develop the skills they will need if they want to get employment in the hospitality field.

The initiative has been made possible thanks to funding through the Department for Industry and Skills (formerly the Department of State Development).

“I enjoy passing on the skills I have learnt over the past 20 years to young people and they are great – so easy to work with.”

Flourish on Coventry Cafe is open to the public at 112 Coventry Rd, Smithfield Plains, Monday to Friday, 9.30am–2.30pm.

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FLOURISH MAGAZINE | ISSUE NO. 7 | 2019

Donations stitched with love

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e are excited to be involved in a new partnership with community group, Knit a Care Square.

Group founder Tricia La Bella visited our team at Wesley Social Enterprises in December to donate some beautiful blankets knitted by the volunteers.

Not only did the donation brighten Christmas for our supported employees, but Tricia is also becoming an ongoing supporter of UnitingSA. She plans to deliver more blankets in future to support families through our Emergency Relief and Homelessness Services.

Knit a Care Square is a wonderful example of the community coming together to support others.

It is so heartening to meet people who are passionate about giving back!

Lived Experience Award

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huge congratulations to Kez Robelin, who was awarded in October for her incredible contribution to SA’s mental health sector.

Kez received the 2018 Mental Health Coalition of SA’s Lived Experience Award during a special event to launch Mental Health Week in Victoria Square.

Kez is UnitingSA’s Coordinator of Lived Experience, working within our Mental Health Services team to support people’s journey of recovery from a place of understanding.

We thank Kez for her incredible passion and commitment to her work, and for all she does to support the community.

COMMUNITY UNITES IN CHRISTMAS GIVING

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undreds of families experienced a brighter Christmas, thanks to the community’s incredible generosity in supporting our Christmas Appeal.

Each year we collaborate with UnitingCare Australia and Target to collect gifts and monetary donations to support people during the festive season.

By working together this year:

yy We raised more than $33,000 locally to support our community, including with supermarket vouchers and other emergency relief. yy Almost 2800 toys were donated to our Family Centre in Port Adelaide to bring a smile to children on Christmas morning. yy We collected more than 1500 food items to provide a meal to people in need.

That’s a huge effort and would not have been possible without the generous support of people in the community who hosted collections and donated funds to the appeal.

A special thank you goes to our major donors, the SA Power Networks Employee Foundation, Rotary Club of Largs Bay, Clare High School,

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Westminster School, Kennett Builders, Cook Building and Adelaide Brighton Cement.

A big shout out also to Para Hills Quality Meats for their donation of 25 hams. Some of the hams were enjoyed by clients during our free Christmas lunch, while others went to our Youth Homelessness Services and to local families.

We were also overwhelmed by the number of new groups to join the appeal for the first time, including the wonderful families and educators at Seaton Community Children’s Centre.

Centre director Carrie Johnson said it was a wonderful way of teaching children about community giving and involving them in helping those who are less fortunate.

“The messages that underline the reason for the Christmas Appeal have really had an impact on families, the children and educators,” Carrie said.

“We’ve heard some really positive conversations between parents and their children about why there are toys and food in the box.”

What an amazing community we work in! We look forward to uniting with you all again next Christmas to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | ISSUE NO. 7 | 2019

Communities for Children program, was the turning point for her family.

“I had never experienced mental health problems before so I didn’t understand what I was feeling at the time,” she says.

“Just hearing other people were going through the same thing was really reassuring.”

DANIELLE

“Every week I was feeling different and they had the right thing I needed each time – whether it was a one-on-one chat with a psychologist or a session on sleep or anxiety.

“The group was a place to go where it was okay not to be okay.”

Through the 10-week program, Danielle received crucial support and created friendships with other mums going through a similarly difficult time.

PARENTING PROGRAM HELPING FAMILIES SMILE

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anielle has faced many challenges in her life but nothing could prepare her for parenthood.

When her daughter Estelle entered the world in late 2017, it was the start of three months of continuous screaming from the newborn.

While medical professionals struggled to identify the cause of Estelle’s distress, Danielle and her husband Daniel lived off less than three hours’ sleep a night.

“We used to rock her for two hours and she would fall asleep for five minutes,” Danielle recalls.

“There was no enjoyment, there were no smiles, she was just so distressed.

“I’m pretty tough but it was so overwhelming and we were running on empty.”

Estelle’s condition – believed to be related to milk and soy allergies – also started to improve, meaning Danielle was able to get some sleep, which greatly improved her mental health.

She then took part in a follow-up 10-week Circle of Security parenting course, while Daniel took part in a support group for fathers.

“The whole package helped our family,” Danielle says.

“I was so emotional on the last day because I knew how terrible I had been when I first walked in there and then by the end I was feeling so amazing.

“It was the right support at the right time.”

Sleep deprived and out of ideas, Danielle visited Torrens House to receive support.

With Estelle’s allergies now under control, everyone in the family is able to sleep – and smile.

The centre in Adelaide provides feeding, settling and sleeping assistance to families with infants.

They are enjoying attending a weekly playgroup, also funded

by Communities for Children.

It was here Danielle was referred to the Western Perinatal Support Group, which helps women suffering post-natal depression.

Danielle sums it up: “I just feel so grateful for all the support we received. Now, we are able to live the life we were supposed to live.”

Danielle says the group, which is funded through UnitingSA’s

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FLOURISH MAGAZINE | ISSUE NO. 7 | 2019

Kez says her ultimate dream would be for the site to one day become a mental health hub providing a holistic, integrated model of care not currently offered in South Australia.

It would be somewhere people could receive services across a range of areas such as housing, employment and finances, with support workers with a lived experience of mental health central to the process.

COMMUNITY COMES FIRST AT EDWARDSTOWN

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ur Mental Health Services team is breathing new life into a building in Edwardstown and in doing so, creating a community hub where people are heard – and helped.

The sign when you walk in to the Dunorlan Rd site says ‘Chill, bliss, calm, relax’ and in keeping, essential oils burn, music plays, couches are dotted around and colourful prints hang from the walls.

Staff working in our GP Access, Metro Adelaide Community Living (MACL), Avalon and PHaMs programs work from the site, and several groups such as gaming and art are run from the large activity space.

There is a computer room where people can drop by to check their NDIS portal, submit job applications and carry out other tasks.

Plans are also underway to create a co-designed mural involving

What’s in a name?

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taff nicknamed the Edwardstown office ‘Eddie the Cow’ after hearing about a Cambodian man who lost his leg in a landmine explosion when he was ploughing his fields.

people supported through our mental health programs.

UnitingSA’s Lived Experience Coordinator Kez Robelin says the move from Goodwood to Edwardstown in September provided an opportunity to re-envisage what the service should be.

By listening to the people they support, the team is slowly introducing new initiatives that align with their community’s wants and needs.

One of these is a new ‘op-swap,’ where people can visit to swap items such as clothing, furniture, food – and even exchange their time.

“Someone might come in and be able to give their time to listen to a person who needs someone to talk to and in return they might take some food for example,” Kez says.

“It’s going to be all peer, peer, peer – the idea is for staff to get out of the way and let growth happen from the community.”

Kez recognises the path to a fully integrated model would take considerable time, but says the Mental Health team has started taking smaller steps and celebrating wins along the way.

In the coming weeks, the Humane Clinic and Lived Experience Leadership & Advocacy Network (LELAN) will co-locate at Edwardstown some days, utilising the activity space to provide services not currently offered by UnitingSA such as open dialogue training, voice hearing therapy and trauma groups.

The team is also in discussions with Marion Council to get the word out to the community that Edwardstown can act as a gateway to other UnitingSA services for people living in the inner-south.

“We want to create strong communities so what we do isn’t as required.”

KEZ

“It’s about us listening to what our community needs at a particular time and then having the flexibility to shift things to make sure we are always on the right track.”

Unable to return to his usual work because of the trauma he had experienced there, he started spending his days in bed extremely depressed.

“The cow was the community’s response to what he really needed,” Kez explains.

On noticing the man’s distress, his community bought him a cow and taught him to be a dairy farmer.

“In mental health, there is no one-sizefits-all solution.

He now sits on a stool milking his cow, able to make an income without enduring the trauma of returning to the scene of the explosion, or the pain of having to walk on his prosthetic leg.

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The moral of the story?

“It’s all about active listening and responding to what people are telling us.”

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | ISSUE NO. 7 | 2019

SUZANNE IS A SURVIVOR

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any words come to mind when hearing Suzanne’s life story.

Her childhood, when she moved between foster homes and mental institutions, could be described as ‘traumatic’ and ‘destructive’.

Her years as a young adult, when she experienced multiple miscarriages and abusive relationships, were ‘troubled’ and ‘harrowing’.

The time she spent sleeping on the streets was often ‘lonely,’ and living in boarding houses could be ‘scary’.

Then, 15 years ago, things started to change.

Suzanne secured community housing and around the same time, was put in touch with UnitingSA’s Mental Health Services.

Through our Metro Adelaide Community Living (MACL) program, she began receiving support to live independently and develop connections within her community.

“That was when I started turning my life around,” Suzanne, now 57, says.

MACL is no quick fix – years of abuse and struggle do not simply disappear overnight.

However, over time people supported through the program make inroads to improve their wellbeing, independence and inclusion.

That journey looks different for every person, as explained by Suzanne’s Community Support Worker LE, Wendy Rowe.

“We work with individuals to find out what their idea of good mental health is – not what their doctor or their family or friends think it should be,” Wendy says.

“We walk beside them and try to link them into supports to achieve that.

“It could be anything from housing, education, family relationships, religion… it’s very important we discuss these elements with clients because it can have a real impact on mental health.”

For Suzanne, that has involved support to join in UnitingSA groups run at our Avalon and Edwardstown sites, including cooking and art classes.

She has been supported to attend clinical appointments and Grow Group, which is a fellowship for people with a mental health condition who want to better their lives.

“We focus on the person’s strengths at all times,” Wendy says of the MACL approach.

“We support people by advocating for them and supporting people to self-advocate.

“We see our role as empowering people and really feeling that in our hearts.”

Given Suzanne’s past, it is surprising to hear how she describes her own life.

She chooses words such as ‘lucky’ and ‘grateful’.

She loves living with her two cats, volunteering at her church and getting involved in UnitingSA group activities, where she often now takes a lead role in helping others.

“I like doing something nice and showing how much I care for other people with a mental illness,” Suzanne says.

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“I don’t like getting money for things.

I would rather volunteer and give support where it is needed.”

She says she is particularly looking forward to getting involved in a new ‘op-swap’ and coffee shop being set up by Mental Health Services (see separate story).

“I feel that the people at MACL have given me love and kindness,” Suzanne says.

“They have treated me better than my own family.

“I wouldn’t have got to where I am today without them.

“I am very blessed.”

Suzanne’s recent years haven’t been without their setbacks.

Two years ago, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy, which was a particularly difficult time.

Through it all though, the fighting spirit she developed from childhood has stuck with her.

“I was told I would never get out of a mental institution and look at me now.”

SUZANNE

“I didn’t think I’d make it past 17 and now I hope to reach 100.”

The final word to describe Suzanne?

“I’m a ‘survivor’.”

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | ISSUE NO. 7 | 2019

Q: What would you like people to know about the Agent services?

A: That we are able to complete most services here in Bordertown and customers do not have to travel to Mt Gambier to complete their paperwork. People shouldn’t feel disadvantaged because they live in a small community.

Q: How has the way people access Agent services changed in recent times?

A: Most services occur online now, which is a major change and the customer has a greater responsibility for completing tasks associated with their claim. I think this is a good thing for people to take responsibility if they are able to. But there are those who really struggle and require support.

Not everyone has good enough literacy or computer skills to enable them to work online. We also still have areas in our community that are black spots, where internet and mobile phones don’t work.

We try to assist people to utilise the equipment that is here in the agency so they can still make their claims or complete their reporting on time.

A CHAT WITH KELLY WIGNEY Our UnitingSA team in Bordertown in the South-East offers support to the local community in many ways, including with disability services, emergency assistance and employment support.

We spoke with Bordertown Coordinator Kelly Wigney about the service and her 11 years working for UnitingSA.

Q: Firstly, can you tell us a bit about Bordertown and the local area?

A: Bordertown and our office, which is in Hawke House, is famous as the birthplace of former Prime Minister Bob Hawke.

Our main industries are meat works, Blue Lake Milling and agriculture. We are fortunate to have low unemployment – much lower than the state average.

Q: How long have you lived in the community?

A: Most of my life. My grandparents used to own the local hotel, so I got to know most people in the town.

Q: What services does UnitingSA provide in the area?

A: Our services have been offered in the Tatiara region for 30 years. We have a strong commitment to the community and deliver a range of services, including:

yy In partnership with a small Social Enterprise (Tatiara Handy Help) which hires people with disabilities, we provide mowing, cleaning and car washing services around the community yy We also act as a service hub for visiting specialist services such as Job Active and DES providers, Allied Health services and Corrections.

Q: You are also an Agent for the Department of Human Services.

What does that entail?

A: As an Agent, we provide a hub for people in the area to seek assistance with their Centrelink, Medicare and child support needs. Some of the help we provide includes: yy Assisting farmers to access drought relief or household payments yy Helping people obtain the correct identification so they are eligible for payments

yy Disability services for people who have an NDIS plan

yy Assisting people with change of payments after the death of a loved one

yy Emergency assistance, including food hampers

yy Helping people access other services they need, including referral to other community agencies such as SA Housing and Community Health

yy On-the-job support for people with a disability yy Building Family Opportunities (BFO), which assists long-term unemployed families to connect with employment and training through intensive case management support

yy Helping people from diverse backgrounds settle into the community and giving them information about Centrelink and the services available to them.

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Q: What is one of your favourite parts of your work?

A: I love that every day is different and you get to meet people that you would never usually get to know. The best things are the small differences we can make for individuals.

This might be as simple as giving information.

Q: Can you tell us about any memorable people you have met through the service?

A: There are many, but someone who immediately comes to mind was a fellow who was pushing a cart around Australia with his very old dog in it because the dog was no longer able to walk. The dog was “on borrowed time” and he wanted to give him a good send off. The gentleman and his dog came back not long after and dropped in a photo of the dog for me, which was very kind of them.

Q: What is your personal philosophy in your work or life in general?

A: I try to “do unto others” and put myself in the person’s shoes. I also believe that personal empowerment is a powerful tool as well and strive to support that.

Q: How would someone describe you in terms of your work and how you provide a service?

A: I hope they would say a problem solver, a good advocate and a positive role model.

Q: What is the best way for people to access support through UnitingSA Bordertown?

A: They can give us a call on (08) 8752 2569 or drop in to see us at 63 Farquar Street, Bordertown.

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | ISSUE NO. 7 | 2019

“When Les asked me, I said it would be an honour,” he recalls.

Robert plans to travel across South Australia throughout the year to paint in locations pertinent to our organisation.

This will include places where we still operate services, as well as notable sites that form part of our past.

Among our regional areas he will visit are the Riverland, South-East and Whyalla.

He is also keen to make a trip to the former Baxter Detention Centre to create a painting representing our history supporting refugees leaving detention.

Our former polio treatment centres and fishing fleets are also likely to feature in his works.

The paintings will come together to be displayed as a whole series at our Centenary community celebration in Port Adelaide in October.

They will then be sent in small groups to our offices to be on display, with the view that they may be reunited in a permanent installation in the future.

100 YEARS, 100 PAINTINGS: A TRIBUTE TO UNITINGSA

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ccomplished artist Robert Habel is taking on his most ambitious project yet as a salute to UnitingSA’s 100th anniversary.

The Mental Health Services coordinator with UnitingSA will create 100 oil paintings from across South Australia – one for every year since our organisation was founded on April 8, 1919.

“The organisation has been around for 100 years, so I thought the least I could do is 100 paintings,” Robert says.

“Our older history is centred in Port Adelaide but now we have services across the state and I want to reflect that.”

Robert has spent much of his life travelling the world painting landscapes

“The idea is they will work as a series but they will also have their own presence and their own integrity.”

ROBERT

but late last year turned his attention to methodically creating 100 frames and stretching canvases for the Centenary project.

Diamond House, where many of our Mental Health Services clients take part in groups and activities, kindly allowed Robert to use one of their rooms for his work.

He was assisted by clubhouse member Richard, whose talents in carpentry were put to good use over several weeks.

Now that the canvases are prepared, Robert is full steam ahead painting at a steady pace.

It will be a long process but one which Robert has embraced ever since UnitingSA Minister Les Underwood first suggested he consider creating an artwork to mark the Centenary.

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“They can work in isolation or be viewed together.

“If you put them together side by side without any spaces, the whole display will be approximately 4 metres by 3 metres.”

We will reveal Robert’s artworks as they are created during the year via UnitingSA’s social media channels.

We will also feature an update in our special Centenary edition of Flourish, which will come out in April to coincide with our official anniversary launch event at Port Adelaide Uniting Church.

For more information about Robert Habel’s art, visit www.roberthabel.com.au.

To follow the journey of his Centenary artwork, visit www.facebook.com/unitingsa

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | ISSUE NO. 7 | 2019

We were privileged to have keynote speaker Robyn Archer AO deliver her inspiring address, ‘From Prospect to Paris and how care got me there’.

Many of our staff across aged care gave wonderful presentations about their own innovative work, including ways of supporting younger residents in aged care and how to integrate spiritual care into the residential setting.

A huge thanks to our conference partner, TerryWhite Chemmart, for their ongoing support and generosity.

AGED CARE CONFERENCE

Thanks also goes to our gold and silver sponsors, as without their support the event would not be possible: yy Bunzl yy Dominant yy Fulham Funerals yy AvantiCare

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he 2018 Aged Care Conference was a tremendous success, with around 150 staff from our diverse aged care portfolio coming together on November 30.

UDIA Award for Hawksbury Gardens Aged Care

It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our successes, learn from one another, and enhance our service delivery to ensure older members of our community lead a full and meaningful life.

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e are thrilled to announce our redevelopment of Hawksbury Gardens Aged Care in Salisbury North has been recognised with an Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) award.

The project took out the SA Award for Excellence in Aged Care during a special gala event at the Adelaide Convention Centre on October 19.

yy Belmore Nurses yy CH2 yy Flavour Creations yy KCI yy Mölnlycke yy Positive Rehab

The redevelopment included 26 new bedrooms with private bathrooms, a new kitchen, sitting areas, staff room, laundry and dining room.

We worked with architects Walter Brooke and Associates and Kennett Builders to bring the project to life.

“The whole team behind this project should be congratulated on creating a warm and welcoming home for residents at Hawksbury Gardens,” UnitingSA Executive Manager Aged Care Deborah Burton says.

“The new kitchen has allowed us to employ chefs to cook meals fresh on-site, which the residents are really enjoying.

“The new communal areas have created wonderful spaces for residents to engage with each other and their visiting family and friends.”

The redevelopment brings the total number of bedrooms at Hawksbury Gardens to 89.

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FLOURISH MAGAZINE | ISSUE NO. 7 | 2019

A CELEBRATION OF HEALTH AND WELLBEING

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olour, creativity and kindness were in abundance at Light Square during Mental Health Week for the annual Festival of Now.

The festival has evolved from humble beginnings in 2012 when UnitingSA’s Mental Health team decided to create an event with and for people with a lived experience of a mental illness.

Today, non-government organisations, carers, consumers and mental health workers co-design the annual event, which aims to break down the stigma

Recognition for helping young people thrive

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hen Joanna Hunter was recognised in Youth Work SA’s 2018 Youth Worker of the Year Awards, her first instinct was to keep quiet.

“I tried to not say anything and fly under the radar but a friend of mine posted something on Facebook and that was it,” she says.

“I was particularly overwhelmed but soon I became proud.”

Joanna, known to most as Joey, was awarded during a special presentation ceremony at Parliament House, hosted

by Nat Cook MP, Susan Close MP and Jayne Stinson MP. She took home one of three runner-up awards during the November event,

attached to mental illness and promote creativity and open conversations as important parts of the healing journey.

During this year’s event on October 12, our Mental Health Services team set up a relaxing ‘breathing room’ to allow festival-goers to take a break on some deck chairs, play a board game or do some mindful colouring-in.

Kristy, one of our lived experience workers, says the relaxing, calm space was created in response to feedback from previous festivals, where some people found the sights, sounds and happenings a little overwhelming.

with Colin Axford taking out the top honour of Youth Worker of the Year.

For Joey though, her work isn’t about accolades – it is about building relationships with young people and pursuing positive outcomes.

She works as a case manager in our Flexible Learning Options (FLO) program, providing support to young people who are disconnected from mainstream schooling.

“The best thing is assisting them to achieve their goals and there are lots of little steps along the way to that,” she says.

We also facilitated a ‘renaming’ exercise which helped people reflect on the labels they may be given by others, and reclaim their true identity.

Other attractions at the festival included peer sharing circles, arts and crafts, a petting zoo, live music and stallholders who kept flyers to a minimum – with a preference to engage in meaningful face-to-face conversations with passers-by.

The Festival of Now is Australia’s only festival celebrating Mental Health Week.

Joey works for our FLO program across our Christies Beach and Paralowie sites, working one-on-one with an average of five different young people each day.

When asked for one word to describe her work, Joey says “privileged”.

“I think it’s a real privilege that young people share their lives with you and their stories.”

Find out more about Flexible Learning Options at www.unitingsa.com.au or phone 8281 4137.

“Their goal might be to get a part-time job. The small steps might be that they don’t leave the house, so it’s getting them to work towards catching the bus or looking at jobs online.

“If it’s schooling and they are not attending school, it might be doing some work online and then participating in a program.

“It’s those small wins that give you that job satisfaction.”

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FLOURISH MAGAZINE | ISSUE NO. 7 | 2019

UNITINGSA OUT AND ABOUT Spring Fair supports Anti-Poverty Week

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e joined with community members and organisations from across the western suburbs at the Findon Community Centre for the Community Spring Fair on October 10.

The annual event is co-hosted by UnitingSA, the City of Charles Sturt and UnitingCare Wesley Bowden in support of Anti-Poverty Week.

The community centre was bustling with children, families and older people enjoying food and activities, as well as collecting information about the health and community services available in the area.

The Rapid Relief team served up a free lunch and fresh fruit among the colourful gardens, while live musicians kept everyone entertained.

Children particularly enjoyed the face painting, pop-up library and giant board games on offer.

Representatives from our Communities for Children, Employment and Training, and Financial Counselling teams hosted stalls providing information about their services for people facing financial hardship.

The Financial Counselling team educated passers-by on cash loans and rent-to-buy schemes, while the Communities for Children team asked young and old about what community means to them, and how we can make it better.

It was a wonderful opportunity to interact with the community and network with other organisations.

A big thanks to our co-hosts and all who came to the fair!

Smiles galore at Family Fun Day

Ability Awareness Festival

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lime, bubbles and playdough were all the rage at our Family Fun Day in Port Adelaide in October. Children and their families gathered at 58 Dale St to enjoy a host of activities in the sunshine. As these photos show, it was smiles all around!

ur services in Whyalla did not let grey skies deter them from spreading the word about our services at the Ability Awareness Festival.

Music, food, kids’ activities and stallholders filled Civic Park to create the free community event on October 27.

Our staff hosted a creative doll-making activity and our WSE crew potted plants for passers-by. It was a wonderful collaboration and opportunity to let the community know about our work in regional areas.

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FLOURISH MAGAZINE | ISSUE NO. 7 | 2019

HOUSING SECURITY KEY IN TWILIGHT YEARS

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vonne will always be grateful she found UnitingSA Housing when she did.

It was nine years ago, and she and her husband Kevin had nowhere to live.

Financial struggles meant they had to leave their Two Wells home but with no rental history and limited income, their housing options were bleak.

“We didn’t have any rental references so it was so difficult to get a house,” Yvonne, 84, recalls.

“Then someone told us about Portway Housing (which has since become UnitingSA Housing).

“I think they could see how worried we were about the situation we were in.”

Staff soon offered Yvonne and Kevin a two-bedroom property in Birkenhead, which they have called home ever since.

Yvonne says it has meant much more to them than somewhere to sleep each night.

Their home is where they enjoy visits from their family, including four children, 10 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

“We were just so fortunate to get this place.”

The mementos and photographs that line the shelves and walls are testament to their life together.

Their front garden is where Yvonne likes to unwind, breathe in the fresh air and tend to her flowers.

The property’s proximity to public transport and shops means they can get out and about, despite no longer being able to drive.

And in recent years, their home has become a place where Yvonne can care for Kevin, 89, in his declining health.

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YVONNE

“The Housing Trust at the time couldn’t help us at all.

“We would have ended up going into a caravan park or something if it wasn’t for the team here.”

To find out more about UnitingSA Housing visit unitingsa.com.au/housing or call 8440 2244.

FLOURISH MAGAZINE | ISSUE NO. 7 | 2019

70 Dale Street • PO Box 3032, Port Adelaide, SA 5015 P. (08) 8440 2200 E. unitingsa@unitingsa.com.au W. unitingsa.com.au @unitingsa @unitingsa Photography Catherine Leo at cathleo.com.au Editorial enquiries or feedback: (08) 8200 9213 © Copyright 2019 UnitingSA