award nominations - anglicare · improvement (pssi) team is a new unit within anglicare tasmania...

AWARD NOMINATIONS

A N G L I C A R E A U S T R A L I A N A T I O N A L A W A R D S 2 0 1 72

Held as part of the Anglicare Australia Annual National Conference, these awards recognise outstanding services, projects and programs provided by agencies of the Anglicare Australia network, as well as individual volunteers who have made a significant contribution.

We wish to express our sincere gratitude to TELSTRA Corporation LTD, which has again sponored Anglicare Australia’s 2017 National Awards for Innovation and Excellence.

Anglicare Australia values its long-standing connection with TELSTRA through the Low Income Measures Assessment Committee, the Bill Assistance Programme and the recently launched Digital Inclusion Monitor.

TELSTRA’s sponsorship of the Awards helps make the ceremony, and the Awards themselves, a success.

A N G L I C A R E A U S T R A L I A N A T I O N A L A W A R D S 2 0 1 7 I N N O V A T I O N • E X C E L L E N C E • P A R T N E R S H I P • V O L U N T E E R A C H I E V E M E N T 3

A W A R D N O M I N AT I O N S

excellence innovation

partnership volunteer achievement


NOMINATIONS FOR EXCELLENCEEarly Childhood Intervention Program, Samaritans Foundation ..............6

Rhythm of Life, Anglicare Sydney .........................................................................7

Professional Support and Service Improvement, Anglicare Tasmania....8

Brand Awareness Campaign, Anglicare Southern Queensland ................9

NDIS and Aged Care Online Tools, Anglicare Southern Queensland ..... 10

Mobile Community Pantry, Anglicare Sydney ............................................... 11

CYPRESS, AnglicareWA ........................................................................................... 12

NOMINATIONS FOR INNOVATIONDolphin Program, Anglicare Victoria ................................................................. 13

Beyond the Violence, Anglicare Victoria ........................................................... 14

Tenancy Education Program, Anglican Community Care .......................... 15

Recovery Point, Samaritans Foundation .......................................................... 16

Keeping My Place, St John’s Youth Services .................................................... 17

Pens Against Poverty, Anglicare NSW South, NSW West and ACT .......... 18

Service Integration Project, Anglicare Tasmania ........................................... 19

Arts and Minds, Anglicare Southern Queensland ........................................ 20

Kimberley Family Violence Service, AnglicareWA ......................................... 21

C O N T E N T S


NOMINATIONS FOR PARTNERSHIPIndigenous Youth Leadership Academy, Anglicare Victoria ..................... 22

Tenancy Resource Service, Samaritans Foundation ..................................... 23

Wanggaay Koori Out of Home Care Service,

Anglicare NSW South, NSW West and ACT ...................................................... 24

Housing Connect, Anglicare Tasmania ............................................................. 25

Waves of Wellness, Anglicare Sydney ................................................................ 26

Headspace Darwin, AnglicareNT ........................................................................ 27

Financial Counselling Network, AnglicareWA ................................................ 28

NOMINATIONS FOR VOLUNTEER ACHIEVEMENTMeryl Adams, Anglicare Victoria ......................................................................... 29

Knit Natter Crochet Chatter Group, Benetas ................................................... 30

Anna Lattas, Anglicare SA ...................................................................................... 31

Emma Belanus, Samaritans Foundation ........................................................... 32

John Bellert, Anglicare Southern Queensland ............................................... 33

Noelene Hutson, Anglicare Southern Queensland ...................................... 34


Early Childhood Intervention Program Samaritans Foundation

Samaritans Early Childhood Early Intervention is a program offering support to children aged between 0-12 years through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). It engages with families, educational providers and community support services on the Mid North Coast of NSW.

The program offers support to children living with autism, developmental delay or other disability. The team provides a holistic and sensitive way though home visiting, advocacy, accessing community services, school visits, breaking down inclusion barriers and day-to-day management.

The Samaritans Team is a trans-disciplinary team made up of experienced and qualified Early Childhood Teachers with backgrounds in disability and social science. The role of the specialist educator is to work in partnership with the family to co-ordinate services to ensure there is one blended and functional plan for allied health professionals, educational settings and community agencies.

The core focus of this service is to support families with their identified daily challenges and the service is delivering excellence in its role offering transition provider support – providing assistance to families to help them navigate the NDIS process and goals.

Samaritans Early Childhood Early Intervention is a program offering support to children through the National Disability Insurance Scheme

NOMINATIONS FOR EXCELLENCE


Rhythm of Life Anglicare Sydney

The Rhythm of Life Project has delivered the implementation, adoption and embedding of a person-centred care model within residential care at Anglicare Sydney. It encompasses excellence in the areas of resident and client services, research, governance and continuous improvement.

It has involved an organisation-wide implementation and change management strategy, resulting in measured and ongoing improvement in outcomes for residents, families and staff. The program has been designed using evidence-based practice by translating current literature into contemporary practice, underpinned by consumer directed approaches to care.

It is a truly holistic model and philosophy of care which is underpinned by Anglicare Sydney’s values. As an organisation Anglicare Sydney values every person as they are made in the image of God. Rhythm of Life encapsulates the Christian intent more than other care models.

Rhythm of Life has brought national and international recognition and has clearly given Anglicare a point of difference in the aged care industry.

Rhythm of Life encompasses excellence in the areas of resident and client services, research, governance and continuous improvement


Professional Support and Service Improvement Anglicare Tasmania

Anglicare Tasmania’s Professional Support and Service Improvement (PSSI) team is a new unit within Anglicare Tasmania Community Services.

It was developed and implemented as a support for the new Integration of Support Services Model, and in recognition of the need for a more highly skilled and engaged workforce to deliver consistently high levels of support to clients.

The PSSI team has been involved in the development and delivery of customised training and, more recently, supervision, to a range of stakeholders including Service Tasmania staff in the Department of Premier and Cabinet, Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania staff, Tasmanian Council of Social Services and member organisations, the Tasmanian Association of Community Houses, Multiple Sclerosis Society (Tasmania), and Headspace.

In addition, Anglicare Tasmania is developing a proposal for training managers in a large Tasmanian agricultural business in relation to mental health of their employees.

The PSSI team continues to oversee and coordinate student placements for University of Tasmania social work students, with 14 student placements in 2017.


Anglicare Tasmania’s Professional Support and Service Improvement team supports the Integration of Support Services Model and delivers support to customers, clients and participants


Brand Awareness Campaign Anglicare Southern Queensland

Anglicare Southern Queensland went to market September 2016 to early November 2016 with a Brand Awareness Campaign. The campaign sought to raise awareness for Anglicare and its breadth of services in preparation for the sweeping government reforms in both the disability and aged care sectors which would shift the purchasing power to the client and increase competition.

Going into the campaign Anglicare agencies were synonymous only with aged care, with very low awareness for all other services.

The specific campaign objectives included:

- Raising the awareness of the Anglicare brand and its full range of services

- Increasing consideration and referral for Anglicare

- Fulfilling Anglicare’s mission and bringing its values to life.

Client research was used to inform the campaign and used to measure the results of the campaign.

Real staff, clients and ‘friends of Anglicare’ were used to bring our customer promise to life visually as demonstrated throughout our TV, cinema, digital advertising, videos, posters, brochure wear and website.

Client research was used to inform Anglicare Southern Queensland’s Brand Awareness campaign, and was used to measure the results of the campaign


NDIS and Aged Care Online Tools Anglicare Southern Queensland

In May and June 2017, Anglicare Southern Queensland launched two online calculators aimed at improving outcomes for clients in two key industry sectors: disability support and aged care.

The first calculator, called Anglicare’s NDIS Support Builder (yoursupportbuilder.org.au), was launched in May and supported by a local area marketing campaign in areas where the NDIS was or was soon to become active. The second calculator is called Anglicare’s Help at Home Package Builder (helpathome.org.au) and was launched in June, supported by a Help at Home TV and digital media campaign.

The launch of both calculators was accompanied by walkthrough animations to help guide users through the process of building their packages and support.

To ensure a desirable user experience, the NDIS Support Builder was piloted at length with the Anglicare Disability Support Team and their clients, while the Help at Home Package Builder was tested with customers prior to launch to ensure functionality and aesthetics were simple and intuitive. Relevant sections of the Anglicare website were completely revamped to better house their new online tools.

Both calculators are visible demonstrations of Anglicare’s promise to customers to provide the support they need for the life they want.


Anglicare Southern Queensland has launched two online calculators for disability support and aged care clients


Mobile Community Pantry Anglicare Sydney

Sometimes the sun shines on an initiative for Anglicare Sydney. The Mobile Commnnity Pantry initiative is one of those times. Run in partnership with local churches, the Mobile Community Pantry provides grocery items at very low cost to help stretch budgets further.

Some of the benefits that have come from Anglicare’s Mobile Commnnity Pantry service innovation include addressing food insecurity; providing a relational context in which that is done; undertaking that work in partnership with local churches; raising up more people to undertake ministry to those in need; learning new service approaches; and getting a successful result at multiple levels.

At a time when government funding reforms are dominating much of the sector’s thinking and donor funds are hard to come by this initiative has engaged hearts in many ways.

It has reminded the Anglicare Sydney team that people’s physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs can be be addressed in thoughtful ways and in ways which invite many into that act of Christian love.

Anglicare Sydney’s Mobile Community Pantry provides grocery items at very low cost to help stretch budgets further


CYPRESS AnglicareWA

Losing someone to suicide is a deeply shocking experience, even for an adult. For a young person or child the effects can be particularly severe. Daily reminders are heartbreaking - the empty chair at the breakfast table, the absent supporter on the sports sideline, the weekend bike ride or fishing trip now spent alone.

The nature of suicide exerts an extra weight on those bereaved. Survivors often feel guilty, abandoned, or rejected.

For a child or young person, these emotions can be overwhelming. Often those closest to them cannot provide support as they are dealing with their own grief. Studies show that children and young people who have lost a parent to suicide are more likely to complete suicide themselves. It is of the utmost importance that professional support and care is provided to children in these situations.

Children and Young People Responsive Suicide Support (CYPRESS) works with children and young people aged between six and 18 years of age who have lost loved ones to suicide. The service offers a range of supports and is the first of its kind to be delivered in Australia. CYPRESS aligns with the National Suicide Prevention 2020 Strategy, in the key action area of’ coordinated and targeted responses for high risk groups’. The purpose of the program is to ensure these vulnerable at-risk kids are not alone to face their grief, and to reduce their likelihood of suicide now and into their future.


Children and Young People Responsive Suicide Support (CYPRESS) works with children and young people aged between six and 18 years of age who have lost loved ones to suicide


Dolphin Program Anglicare Victoria

Numerous submissions to the Royal Commission into Family Violence (Victoria) discussed the link between the impact of family violence and the resulting insecure attachment developing between children and their mothers.

This link is supported by a great deal of research evidence, and it is clear that mothers and children who are affected by perpetrators of family violence are at much greater risk of developing insecure attachment. The violence may include targeting and undermining of their partner’s or ex-partner’s mothering and mother-child relationships, as well as witnessing direct violence.

The Dolphin program is a creative and innovative program which repairs and improves attachment and the overall relationship between mothers and their children (infants through to adolescents), following their experiences of family violence. It is so named because female dolphins care for their young from birth to when the young dolphin is between 3 and 8 years old.

This sense of nurturing, safety and a close bond represents the aim of the Dolphin program – to foster the secure attachment between mothers and their children.

NOMINATIONS FOR INNOVATION

Anglicare Victoria’s Dolphin program is a creative and innovative program which repairs and improves attachment and the overall relationship between mothers and their children


Beyond the Violence Anglicare Victoria

In response to specific requests from women who had experienced family violence, Anglicare Victoria has developed and delivered the Beyond the Violence (BTV) program for the last twenty years.

BTV is a participant driven and strengths−based program for women and children (0-18) who have been affected by family violence. It is based on an empowerment model, in line with the trauma-informed care model.

In co-designing the BTV program, women, children and families experiencing family violence were clear they wanted a program framework in which they could unpack their experiences as well explore the impact of these experiences on them and their children. They also wanted their children to build their social skills, particularly in the areas of cooperation, conflict resolution, dealing with feelings, getting along and making friends.

The program has been developed through the passion and hard work of a dedicated team who persisted, despite a lack of funding, because of the amazing outcomes being achieved for women and children.


In response to the specific requests from women who had experienced family violence, Anglicare Victoria has developed and delivered the Beyond the Violence program


Tenancy Education (TED) Program Anglican Community Care

Anglican Community Care Inc (ac.care) has developed and implemented a Tenancy Education Program (TED) as a homelessness prevention strategy. The TED program is delivered by ac.care’s Homelessness Services in collaboration with other ac.care services, including Adult Community Education (ACE), Financial Counselling and Housing Services.

The initial goal of TED was to provide clients with the necessary skills to gain or maintain a tenancy, and it has now developed to include the skills, knowledge and contacts to improve their whole life situation.

TED provides the chance for participants to take some control over their future and engage with the wider community to improve outcomes in the areas of housing, employment and social inclusion. The TED program has grown and developed to encompass opportunities for ex-prisoners to be reconnected to community, assist our youth to transition to independence, and provide opportunities to clients from other services.

The TED program demonstrates ac.care’s collaborative partnerships with community and public housing agencies, private rental agents, employment agencies, mental health support, and even prospective employers. This collaboration is to maximise the positive economic and social outcomes for clients.

The TED program is delivered by Anglican Community Care’s Homelessness Services in collaboration with their other services


Recovery Point Samaritans Foundation

The Samaritans Foundation’ Recovery Point program provides practical assistance and support to people who are leaving prison or rehabilitation centres to re-engage with the community. The program approaches this transition one step at a time, from assistance with finding accommodation, clothing, ID, Centrelink and opening a bank account.

The program gives people the opportunity of being engaged in work, training, education and recreational activities, to avoid social isolation and to ensure they have the best opportunity toward recovery.

Recovery Point acts as a rehabilitation outside of “rehab”. Its clients have exited a corrections facility but can come to one place to receive all of the services and supports of a rehabilitation facility whilst still living in the community. Recovery Point is a unique community-based program that removes the barriers to navigating a complex web of support services.

In addition to the “one stop shop” of services for clients including support to secure housing and employment, the program has an onsite GP and mental health nurse, offers innovative day programs, and provides group supports aimed at breaking the cycle of addiction.


The Samaritans Foundation’s Recovery Point provides support to people who are leaving prison or rehabilitation centres. Here, a Recovery Point client shares his story on local radio


Keeping My Place St John’s Youth Services

Keeping My Place provides early intervention and personal support to young people aged 18 to 25 who are living in private rental, but at risk of losing their home as a result of financial or personal crisis.

Keeping My Place recognises that many young people in emergency accommodation were living successfully in the community, before something triggered the crisis that resulted in their homelessness. The challenge for early intervention programs is to locate and connect with those who need assistance, before the crisis they are facing tips them over the edge.

The program levers St John’s Youth Services’ experience engaging with property managers by housing young people in the private rental market. Keeping My Place provides individually tailored assistance, which can include negotiating a stay on evictions backed by payment of arrears, the provision of rental guarantees and ongoing support.

Rather than respond to young people through the filter of perceived needs, assumptions made by referral agencies or exclusionary program guidelines with rigid criteria, Keeping My Place responds to the immediate needs expressed by young people at risk of homelessness. This encourages young people’s participation to cut through the core issues preventing them from succeeding, and enables a service response that is individualised and tailored to each young person’s needs.

Keeping My Place provides early intervention and personal support to young people at risk of losing their home as a result of financial or personal crisis


Pens Against Poverty Anglicare NSW South, NSW West and ACT

Anglicare NSW South, NSW West and ACT’s Pens Against Poverty competition is an annual event which commenced in 2015 as a way of engaging school teachers and students in the ACT with issues of poverty.

The event is an opportunity for children to write for a genuine purpose. It has found to be extremely effective in promoting empathy and kindness from particpants in the ways they think about and respond to the most vulnerable members of society - especially children, young people and the elderly - who are struggling with unaffordable living costs and trauma associated with poverty.

The event is launched at the end of the second term of school and is centred around a theme. Previous themes have included “Playing Fair” and “The Other Side.”

The competition culminates with an awards ceremony on the Friday of Anti-Poverty Week held in October, and has become a key event in the ACT Anti-Poverty Week calendar generating media interest and support from other key charities and organisations across Canberra and the region.


Anglicare NSW South West and ACT’s Pens Against Poverty competition engages school teachers and students in the ACT with issues of poverty


Service Integration Project Anglicare Tasmania

In early 2015 Anglicare Tasmania commenced the ‘Service Integration Project’. This project arose from extensive discussions about people seeking support experiencing difficulty navigating a service system that operates in silos, which often led to interacting with multiple case managers.

It was recognised that Anglicare Tasmania had developed a structure that was primarily organised according to our funding structures and sources. It was also recognised that the mix of certain and likely funding sources was becoming more diverse and more focused around outcomes for clients.

The Support Integration Projects aim was to organise Anglicare’s community services so that we can respond consistently, effectively and seamlessly to people seeking support, at all touch points. The move to a service integration approach has shifted Anglicare Tasmania’s view from a program approach to a capacity approach for providing support.

The Service Integration model commenced in April 2016 and has been designed to provide people seeking support through Anglicare Tasmania with the ‘right support, at the right time, in the right place, with the right person’, seeing clients as whole people seeking support to deal with life challenges.

The Anglicare Tasmania Service Integration Project helps people navigating a service system that operates in silos


Arts and Minds Anglicare Southern Queensland

Anglicare Southerm Queensland’s Arts and Minds Program supports people living with mental health challenges. It invites them, and others who make art to support their mental wellbeing, to create and share a work of art – live, via a state of the art digital billboard network.

Over six weeks, six uniquely personal artworks are created. People and organisations then have a week to bid on the artwork live, as it ‘hangs’ across Brisbane. Each week, the highest bid wins the artwork and the money is donated to Anglicare’s mental health and wellbeing initiatives.

The campaign is a joint effort undertaken by the team at Anglicare, together with Brisbane-based creative agency Khemistry. It grew out of a shared awareness of the therapeutic value of art for those who face mental health challenges, and in recognition that close to 1 million Queenslanders will be affected by mental illness in 2017

Annually, a call is made for community-based organisations to submit ideas for consideration, and Anglicare Southerm Queensland’s joint submission was one of the four not-for-profit initiatives chosen to receive the invaluable exposure through the billboards.

This world first initiative culminates with a black-tie charity gallery event, featuring the six works of art and their artists.


Anglicare Southern Queensland’s Arts and Minds gives artists living with mental health challenges, the opportunity to create, share and sell a work of art – live, via state of the art digital billboard network


Kimberley Family Violence Service AnglicareWA

The Kimberley Family Violence Service (KFVS) is an AnglicareWA service delivered exclusively in the remote Kimberley region of northern Western Australia.

The KFVS workers assume a collaborative role with local services to provide a continuum of responses to perpetrators and victims of family violence; from timely attendance following a police incident, to long-term therapeutic and behaviour change support.

The program has four KFVS Men’s Family Violence Workers, whose innovations in service delivery to predominantly Aboriginal male perpetrators of family violence in remote settings have made the program a success.

In addition to the broader mandate of the KFVS, the Men’s Worker responds to invite male perpetrators into a process of behavioural and attitudinal change through admission into the KFVS Men’s Behaviour Change Group Program ‘Our Way, Respectful Way’. In accordance with national outcome standards and state practice standards for perpetrator interventions, women and children’s safety are the forefront motivation of the Men’s Worker’s efforts to assist perpetrators to interrupt their choices to think and act abusively.

With such a large footprint across the Kimberley the KFVS can provide consistent opportunities for men to change across the region.

The Kimberley Family Violence Service’s workers are credited with innovations in service delivery to their clients


Indigenous Youth Leadership Academy Anglicare Victoria

The Indigenous Youth Leadership Academy is an initiative of Anglicare Victoria which has developed into a partnership between Anglicare Victoria and the Bendigo District Co-Operative, Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Cooperative, The Long Walk and Bonoloola Community Education Centre.

The program originated in 2014 when Elders from the Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Co-Operative approached Anglicare Victoria asking to help address their great concerns about the low engagement with education amongst young people in the community, and the lack of emerging next-generation leaders.

Anglicare Victoria’s Youth Aspiration program was running successfully in rural secondary schools in the region, and the Elders asked if a similar program could be created and run in a culturally relevant manner for Indigenous youth. This brought on the creation of the Indigenous Youth Leadership Academy.

The Academy, centred around the four guiding pillars of Culture, Aspiration, Education and Leadership normalises aspiration. It acknowledges the great range of untapped potential that exists in children and young people, particularly young people living within Indigenous or remote country communities.

The young people who take part in the Academy are encouraged to find their passion in life, then build their academic journey from this passion, whilst building a lifelong love of learning.

NOMINATIONS FOR PARTNERSHIP

The young people who take part in the Anglicare Victoria Indigenous Youth Leadership Academy are encouraged to find their passion in life


Tenancy Resource Service Samaritans Foundation

Samaritans Tenancy Resource Service is a small team that partners with other agencies to provide support, advice, advocacy, and participation opportunities to tenants of social and community housing.

Tenants in social housing often talk about experiencing a sense of isolation. They feel isolated from each other, the wider community and from government agencies and support services. The aim of the service is to support tenants of social housing to maintain their tenancy, empower them to have a voice and to bridge the gap between them and the greater community.

The service supports an average of 50 tenants each month throughout Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Hunter and Central Coast regions of NSW. The types of people supported by this program are therefore very broad, including expecting mothers, families, people with drug and alcohol problems, and single elderly tenants.

In order to provide positive outcomes for this broad range of people, effective partnerships are vital to both the success and life of the program. The Tenancy Resource Service partners with other service providers, community groups and government agencies to run the different activities of the service. These activities include community events, garden competitions, working bees, tenant meeting groups, bingo, drumbeat, advocacy, individual support and referrals.

Samaritans Tenancy Resource Service provides support, advice, advocacy, and participation opportunities to tenants of social and community housing


Wanggaay Koori Out of Home Care Service Anglicare NSW South, NSW West and ACT

Over the past four years Anglicare NSW South, NSW West and ACT has successfully partnered with the Riverina Koori Medical and Dental Corporation (Rivmed), an Aboriginal led health services to develop the Wanggaay Koori Out of Home Care Service (Wanggaay).

This partnership reflects Anglicare NSW South, West and ACT’s strong commitment to providing mentoring support to Aboriginal-led organisations, and to empower Aboriginal communities to have self-determination over child protection and safety matters.

Anglicare saw great value in investing in strengthening local Aboriginal organisations to take on the case management of these children in the future. As an accredited out of home care provider, Anglicare has acted as the lead agency and provided mentoring, capacity building, service development and quality assurance to Rivmed. In return Rivmed has provided Anglicare with cultural support and advice, supervision and mentoring for Aboriginal staff, as well as assistance to recruit and train Aboriginal foster carers. The value of the relationship developed was evidenced by the significant mutuality of learning by both partners.

The partnership was so effective that by mid-2017 Rivmed were able to commence moving towards becoming an accredited OOHC provider in their own right.


The Rivmed partnership reflects a commitment to providing mentoring support to Aboriginal-led organisations and to empower them to have self-determination over child protection and safety matters


Housing Connect Anglicare Tasmania

Housing Connect connects Tasmanians on low incomes and in crisis, with long-term stable housing and support where it is needed.

Housing Connect provides a one-stop shop for clients to access their housing and support needs. It provides an immediate assistance, assessment and intake service for people who need help with housing or who are homeless. Clients have one housing and support assessment instead of going to numerous different services to get help.

It also offers ongoing support to people with high needs to prevent them experiencing a further housing crisis, and emergency accommodation with more capacity for those that need more help, such as families, men with children, pregnant women and people with high and complex needs.

As well as information, advice and referral to many other services, Housing Connect provides ongoing support to people to establish or maintain long term housing. Housing Connect also provides support to people who are already in housing but having difficulty because of things like too many bills.

Five organisations – Anglicare Tasmania, Centacare, Colony 47, Hobart City Mission and Salvation Army (Tasmania) – deliver this collaborative new system with the Tasmania Government.

Housing Connect provides a one-stop shop for clients to access their housing and support needs, in conjunction with the Tasmanian Government


Waves of Wellness Anglicare Sydney

Anglicare Sydney has partnered with Waves of Wellness over the last two years to administer eight-week surf therapy programs that focus on mental health recovery.

Waves of Wellness encourages participants to get to the beach, get active, try surfing and start thinking about their mental health and overall wellness. Each week participants take part in a wellness discussion facilitated by a mental health professional, covering topics like self-esteem, conflict resolution, accessing support and decision making. The group focuses on community building, sharing what works to develop a personal ‘recipe for wellness’ and having fun in the surf or on the beach.

The group is facilitated by two mental health professionals who are also surf instructors. One facilitator is from Anglicare Sydney’s mental health PHAMS team and one from surf charity Waves of Wellness. In partnership with Waves of Wellness, Anglicare Sydney has been able to expose those suffering with complex mental health challenges to the healing powers of the ocean and social inclusion. Waves of Wellness also encourages volunteers to get involved with the eight-week groups, reinforcing the theme of community and its importance for mental health.

Through this pathway, Anglicare Sydney has been able to engage local church communities and volunteers from churches to get down to the beach, engage with vulnerable community members, and learn what mental health and wellness means to them.


Waves of Wellness encourages participants to get to the beach, get active, try surfing and start thinking about their mental health and overall wellness


Headspace Darwin AnglicareNT

The Headspace Darwin trial commenced in December 2016 and is based at the Casuarina headspace centre. This program aims to ensure that young people experiencing mental health issues are supported to gain meaningful and steady employment. The service has employed two Vocational Specialists to connect employment and vocational support with clinical mental health support. The program focuses on the individual needs of young people with mental illness that are seeking to enter or remain in education or employment.

Mental illness often first occurs in adolescence and early adulthood. It is estimated that about 75 percent of mental health disorders have developed by the age of 25. Mental illness for this group can therefore impact negatively on educational attainment and transition to the workforce, leading to poor employment outcomes. Many teenagers and young adults with a mental health condition do not complete Year 12 and are at high risk of long term labour market disadvantage as well as welfare dependency.

Headspace Darwin sees over 1,200 young people per year. Mental health issues can be a barrier to gaining and keeping employment, yet a good job is often something that keeps people mentally healthy. This innovative new service model provides a vital link between Headspace, young people, employers and other support and employment services within the Darwin community.

Headpace Darwin aims to ensure that young people experiencing mental health issues are supported to gain meaningful, steady and competitive employment


Financial Counselling Network AnglicareWA

The Financial Counselling Network is a partnership of nine community service organisations and local govemment providing integrated expert financial counselling services in fourteen locations across the Perth metropolitan area.

The Network formed out of a collaborative response to the loss of govemment funding in 2015, with the partial re-instatement of funding being awarded to the Network in late 2015.

The member organisations include AnglicareWA, Blue Sky Community Group, City of Cockburn, Gosnells Community Legal Centre, Midlas, Mission Australia, Southcare, The Spiers Centre and UnitingCare West. All have committed to working together to deliver a local and integrated network of high quality financial counselling services that deliver excellent outcomes for people.

The success of the Network is redefining how the not-for-profit sector operates, with subsequent tenders incorporating a preference for a consortium-based approach to service delivery.


The Financial Counselling Network is a partnership of nine community service organisations, providing integrated expert financial counselling services across Perth


Meryl Adams Anglicare Victoria

For the past twelve years, Meryl Adams has opened up her heart and home to care for over 91 infants and young children in need. Caring for vulnerable children is something Meryl has always wanted to do, as she was inspired to follow in the steps of her parents, who had also been foster parents.

Meryl grasped the opportunity to share her biological family and to be able to care for other children who might not have been in such a fortunate position as she is. Meryl’s care has provided new hope to each child that lives in her home. whether it is short-term or long-term.

Meryl has cared for children for just one night, generally before a court hearing the next day to decide where they’ll be placed, through to a five-week-old little boy who she cared for 18 months, before going home to his mother. She also cares for children with high emotional and physical needs.

Meryl has four of her own children and also helps her sister care for their intellectually disabled brother and his wife - a testament to Meryl’s loving nature.

For Meryl, being a foster mum means caring for, loving and nurturing traumatised children and being able to make a difference in the life of a child. It is also about giving them the safety, security and love that every child deserves. The hardest part for Meryl is letting the kids go, however she hopes that she gives the children experiences which will help them in their future life.

NOMINATIONS FOR VOLUNTEER A C H I E V E M E N T

Meryl Adams has opened her home to care for over 91 infants and young people in need


Knit Natter Crochet Chatter Group Benetas

The region of Gippsland in Victoria has recently gone through hardship. With a number of local businesses closing, the financial pressures on the local community continues to tighten. Many people find it difficult to afford items such as blankets and clothes to keep them warm during winter.

In September 2015, the residents of Dalkeith Heights Retirement Village, managed by Benetas, approached a member of Anglicare Gippsland to be a guest speaker at the Village. The residents heard first hand of the issues some people in their region were suffering due to the economic pressures. The speaker touched a chord with residents who wanted to support their community.

From here, a small number of residents formed a group to knit and crochet for those in their local area that were doing in tough. The group’s first donation was blankets. But they were so inspired to help, this inspirational group broadened their vision and started to knit and crochet blankets, jumpers, scarves hats, toys, baby clothes – you name it! They are now producing items that not only look beautiful but make a genuine difference to their local community.

The Knit Natter Crochet Chatter Group has donated over 750 handmade pieces to the local community. That is around 35 pieces a month, or the completion of one beautiful piece of work every single day. According to Anglicare Gippsland this amounts to an incredible $7,500 worth of donations in just two years.


The Knit Natter Crochet Chatter Group has donated over 750 handmade pieces to the local community


Anna Lattas Anglicare SA

Anna has been a volunteer at the Daphne Street children’s service for over 37 years; since January of 1980 when it was still St Mary’s children’s home. Throughout this time, Anna has relied on public transport, catching two buses, to and from Daphne Street to maintain her commitment of volunteering three days a week.

Anna’s tasks include the nurture, care and guidance of the children at Daphne Street. She has remained a constant face for greeting families in the mornings and assisting with settling the young children each day.

Anna has seen many changes over the 37 years at Daphne Street: moving from a children’s centre for displaced children, to becoming an AnglicareSA service; the inclusion of Autism Services in addition to a number of the changes to her tasks over the years.

Throughout all these changes, coming to help the children and staff every day has continued to be Anna’s focus. In Anna’s words “being with the children makes me feel joy”. The volunteering role has encouraged Anna to continue to meet people and actively participate in assisting her community.

The Daphne Street team feel that it has been an extremely rewarding experience to see the transformation of Anna over the years to see her confidence and self-worth build and witness her beautiful big heart.

Anna Lattas has been a volunteer at the Daphne Street children’s service, AnglicareSA for over 37 years


Emma Belanus Samaritans Foundation

Emma has volunteered with Samaritans for almost five years and now uses her knowledge and skills gained from this work in her present volunteer role; leading a community garden group called “Artscape”. This project is supported by Samaritans Tenancy Resource Service, Community Greening from the Botanical Gardens and Family and Community Services.

Emma began her journey by working with The Samaritans Foundation’s Recovery Point, a program that provides practical assistance and support to people who are leaving prison or rehabilitation centres to re-engage with the community. Recovery Point had a large organic garden that Emma helped establish and maintain. This garden was used as a Therapeutic Community Model for post-release and post rehab males and their integration back in to the community.

When the Recovery Point Garden closed down Emma then volunteered for Samaritans Emergency Relief Service, who are responsible for the allocation of food vouchers and food donations to people in need. Here Emma learned her administration skills and was responsible for all front of house duties, referrals and data entry.

In March 2015 she formed a garden group who she has named “Artscape”. She has been able to establish many gardens throughout her complex, using the skills she learned in the Recovery Point Garden.


Emma leads Artscape, a community garden group supported by Samaritans Tenancy Resource Service, Community Greening from the Botanical Gardens and Family and Community Services


John Bellert Anglicare Southern Queensland

When John signed up to become an Anglicare volunteer an impressive 27 years ago, he had no concept of the friendships he would form in this role or the value it would bring to his life.

John now volunteers across two residential aged care facilities, Symes Grove and St Martins in Brisbane. Before his volunteering days, John served Queensland as a high level public servant as Director General during the 1980s. Following his retirement, it was his wife that suggested to John he volunteer, and he’s so pleased she did, because he’s now volunteered for a number of not-for-profits over the last 27 years.

Upon retiring, John said he felt a bit lost, but through volunteering with Anglicare he’s found his purpose. John visits the two aged care facilities weekly to volunteer, as well as regularly visits his wife who is a resident at Symes Grove in the dementia-specific unit.

After almost three decades serving the residents at Anglicare Southern Queensland’s aged care facilities, John is considered a key member of the service delivery team. Whether it’s sitting to read the newspaper with a resident, helping at meal time for the residents or running the weekly bingo morning - John’s willingness to always lend a hand to both staff, residents and other volunteers makes him a priceless asset to the service team.

John Bellert has spent almost three decades serving the residents at Anglicare Southern Queensland’s aged care facilities. Through volunteering with Anglicare he’s found his purpose.


Noelene Hutson Anglicare Southern Queensland

Noelene Hutson has been a volunteer for over ten years. She retired and wanted to volunteer to keep herself busy and have a part in her community. Noelene originally volunteered for the in-home community care program every Thursday and is still visiting this client to this day. She volunteers two full days per week at Nalingu a Respite Centre and provides an injection of fun and positivity everywhere she goes.

Noelene is a key member of Anglicare Southern Queensland’s service delivery workforce. Noelene works within the guidelines set in her role description and is on hand to set up or run programs if any emergency should crop up. Noelene never wants to take over and works along side staff in the delivery and is an invaluable support during her shifts.

Noelene allows the service delivery staff to maintain a high standard with her assistance and ensure that they are providing first class service to all clients. Her ability to engage with all internal stakeholders is consistent and always professional. Noelene has always been able to facilitate activities and allows staff to strategically plan future activities in-line with clients lifestyle plans.


After retiring, Noelene Hutson wanted to volunteer to keep herself busy and have a part in her community. She has now been a volunteer for over ten years.

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