September 2012PO Box 459 Campbelltown NSW 2560Phone: (02) 9820 9999 Fax: (02) 9820 1796www.odysseyhouse.com.au

www.odysseyhouse.org.au ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE

Please return this coupon and your donation to:Odyssey House McGrath Foundation,

PO Box 459, Campbelltown, NSW, 2560.

Please find enclosed my donation of: (please circle)

Enclosed is my cheque / money order made payable tothe Odyssey House McGrath Foundation or charge mycredit card.

Card number: __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __

Expiry Date: ______________________________________

Name on card: ____________________________________

Title: (Dr/ Mr/ Mrs/ Ms/ Miss): _______________________

Signature: ________________________________________

Email: ___________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________

_________________________________________________

Telephone: _______________________________________

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I would like to pledge $________ per month to be deducted from my Credit Card until

revoked in writing by me or Odyssey House.

$50 $100 $500 or

$________

Visa Mastercard Amex DinersClub

Part of Odyssey House’s income comesfrom the generosity of people just like

you, whether it’s through appeals, regulardonations, attending our events, or leavinga bequest.

We are taking an active part in Include aCharity Week from 17-23 September tohelp raise awareness of the importance ofgifts included in wills.

It’s a common myth that you have to bewealthy to leave a gift in your will, but

nothing could be further from the truth.After taking care of family and friends, you’llbe amazed at what one final charitablegesture, no matter how big or small, cando to help change people’s lives.

Whatever the amount, we’re extremelygrateful for any gift that’s been included forus in a will, as it helps us to continue ourlife-saving and life-changing work.

It’s very simple and straightforward toinclude bequests in your will. Just ask any

professional will provider or solicitor, orcontact Odyssey House FundraisingManager Sandy Schofield for furtherinformation.

So during Include a Charity Week, pleasegive it some thought, discuss your wisheswith your family and friends and thenmaybe, when the time comes to updateyour will, you’ll consider including OdysseyHouse and help our work live on.

YES! I would like to help Odyssey House assist

residents to live a drug free life.

While turning 21 marks the start ofadult life for many young Australians,

for Jamie it marks the start of ‘a life worthliving’ after spending his youth battlingemotional issues and dependence onalcohol and other drugs.

“As a young toddler I was removed frommy birth parents, as they suffered fromtheir own dependence issues at the time.My three-year-old sister Sarah was alsoremoved, while my brother and three othersisters were much older and had alreadybeen fostered out to homes. I had verylimited contact with my older siblings andeventually we just drifted apart.

“Sarah and I were adopted by a localcouple who cared for us immensely, butunfortunately it would take me a long timeto appreciate just how much I was loved.

“From a very young age I would isolatemyself and become withdrawn. Schoolwasn’t a great experience for me as I wasthe target of constant teasing. I was thekid with glasses, a serious speechdisability, anxiety, low self-esteem, a lackof confidence and identity andabandonment issues over notunderstanding why my birth parents gaveme up.

“Things started looking up when I foundan interest in BMX racing, and competedin the Australian and World Titles.Unfortunately after two serious racingaccidents that potential career was cutshort and I quickly retreated back into myshell.

“After years of built-up anxiety andabandonment issues, I began to resent my

adopted parents and rejected all the love,care and values they had tried to instil inme. I was angry and didn’t know how toexpress my feelings. I only rebelled againstthe people who cared about me; myparents bore the brunt of my anger andresentment, while to everyone else Iappeared relaxed, happy and normal.

“When I was 15 and a crew of friendsoffered me alcohol, I couldn’t say “No”. Iwas a people pleaser, a yes-man; Iyearned to belong.

“The alcohol gave me a fake sense ofconfidence and invincibility. I thought itwas a cure to block out the pain, the

DONATIONS OVER $2.00 ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE.

For more information on Odyssey House,

visit www.odysseyhouse.com.auPhone: (02) 9820 9999

Fax: (02) 9820 1796

odyssey NEWS

‘A life worth living’

Your character iswho you really are,

while yourreputation is

merely what othersthink of you.

“”

Please donate online www.odysseyhouse.com.au

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nASX ThomsonReutersD AustinA GreenL GreenJ HawkerS HindmarshJohn LambleFoundation

K KerridgeKing & WoodMallesonsW LoewenthalLiangroveFoundationLBM RotaryClubJ & S Malcolm

D MaloneyR Maple-BrownC MurrayNedigi PtyLimitedG PrattA RogersD SneddenM Tegel

The FerrisFamilyFoundationThe Aust Youth& HealthFoundationThe Rodney &JudithO'NeilFoundation

The James NKirby FoundationThe Hunt FamilyFoundationThe VictorSmorgon FundThe GandeviaFoundationP Wiggs

Support that Odyssey House has recently received from the following donors is greatly appreciated.

in the press

press clip

Include a Charity Week - 17-23 September

ohouse News Sep 0912_Layout 1 17/08/12 1:28 PM Page 1

The Board and staff recently held our

annual strategic planning meeting.

The cornerstone remains our mission

of helping people with alcohol and

other drug dependencies through the

community therapy model of care.

The Strategic plans sets out how we

need to change to adapt to changing

circumstances and where we can

extend or improve services.

“What we do” at Odyssey House is

not expected to change greatly. Our

plan is to explore ways of increasing

our capacity in the withdrawal unit

and to add programs and services

through collaboration with education,

training, housing and employment

services.

Over 80% of our funding comes from

state and federal health grants and

this needs to change. The grants

programs at both levels of

government are undergoing review

and it is prudent to diversify our

sources of revenue. We have to

increase the focus on fundraising,

generate other revenue and seek

funding for the work we do for

families.

Like many organizations we need to

do more with less through cost

saving, in kind support, efficiencies

and linkages to other providers.

The commitment, understanding of

the issues and the ideas put forward

at the strategic planning meeting

reinforced in my mind that we have a

wonderful organization that will

continue to prosper and serve the

community.

Doug Snedden

Chairman

Doug Snedden

Amessagefrom the

Chairman

Learning new skills is an important part ofthe therapeutic approach at Odyssey

House, not only to prepare clients to findemployment when they leave, but also tobuild their confidence and social skills sothey can deal with life’s ups and downswithout resorting to drugs.

Our Progressive Learning Centre isregistered by the NSW Department ofEducation and Training and is a member ofThe Association of Independent Schools.Dynamic and innovative in their approach,staff at the centre teach courses in remedialEnglish and maths, computer skills, job-seeking and visual arts. They also focus onhelping clients achieve personal growth asthey recover from years of substancemisuse and, in many cases, co-existingmental health issues.

The art-as-therapy component enablesresidents to create something they can beproud of, express their feelings and interactbetter with others in a non-threateningenvironment. Artistic activity - fromwoodworking and screen printing to

drawing, painting and clay work - hasrecognised benefits for people with poorsocial or communication skills, low selfesteem or mental health problems, whichoften co-exist with alcohol and other drugdependence.

Visual arts teacher Melissa Cranfield hasbeen teaching at Odyssey House for morethan 20 years.

“In a previous teaching role, I attended aYouth Forum that included residents fromOdyssey, and from that point on I knew thatOdyssey House was the place I wanted towork,” Melissa says.

“In those days, the Visual Arts Workshopwas an empty shed full of cobwebs andhadn’t been operational for two years.

“I developed a new program for what I term‘my crew’, teaching residents skills in screen-printing and visual arts such as drawing,painting and woodworking. My philosophywas simple: if I do my job properly theyshould end up not needing me.

“Using local connections we printed T-shirts

for local community groups and sportingclubs, and we ran workshops in localschools to raise money for Odyssey House.

“While some residents find they have anatural talent or interest in visual arts thatthey can develop into a job when they leave,our focus is more educational thanvocational. On a therapeutic level we buildself-esteem and self-confidence and getresidents to express themselves.

“My most treasured moments at OdysseyHouse include when we participatecommunity projects such as painting thehuge murals for Campbelltown Hospitalmural and the Brown Street Mental HealthCentre.

“One of the most rewarding things for mepersonally is seeing residents evolve fromtheir first workshop during their assessmentphase, to become confident individuals atthe end of the program.

“What we do at Odyssey House is veryvaluable for both our clients and for society,”Melissa says.

feeling of abandonment, the anxiety, but Inow know it only masked what was deepinside. I soon began to drink anything Icould get my hands on. I was the one inour group of friends who would always getdrunk, beyond memory.

“After a year I made friends with someguys who were doing drugs. Speed,weed, ecstasy - they allowed me toescape and feel like I was untouchable. Iwas always trying to be someone I wasn’t.

“I finished school in year 10 and workedhere and there, but I could never hold astable job because of the choices I made.Work was a way of paying for myaddiction, and I borrowed money fromfamily and friends, to fuel my ever growingaddiction.

“I was in a bad state, thought of suicideand felt I had no worth. It’s sad to say thatalcohol became my best friend.

“At 17 I began looking for moreexcitement: stealing cars, breaking andentering, and being ‘drunk and disorderly’kept me amused. Never thinking of theconsequences ahead.

“At home my parents took out anApprehended Violence Order (AVO)against me and I spent eight months atUnitingCare Burnside, which works withyoung people. Unfortunately the addictiondidn’t stop - I just got clever at hiding it.

“While at Burnside I spent a few nights injuvenile detention and ended up in court.Through it all, my adoptive parents stillsupported me. It was very difficult to be inthe same room as them and not be ableto talk to them to express how sorry I wasfor my actions.

“The AVO was lifted and I returned home.I was 18 and past self-defeatingbehaviours slowly started to

creep back. “My probation and paroleofficer recommended Odyssey House,but it was a big step and I put it off forabout four months.

“I officially advised the court that I wouldgo to Odyssey House, but the night beforeI decided to party for one last time. Afterdowning a bottle of Jim Beam, I yearnedfor a bigger buzz and went to my mum’sdrawer and downed a bottle of pills.

“Luckily, my mum found me and called anambulance. I ran away and when thepolice finally caught up with me theyclassed my binge as a suicide attemptand I was placed at the Birunji YouthMental Health Unit. Four weeks later I wasonce more given the option to go toOdyssey House, and this time I went.

“Initially Odyssey House was just anescape to get away, a place to stay andjust go through the motions. I didn’t reallywant to be there. However, I soon noticedpositive changes in myself and how Iviewed others. I realised there was a lightat the end of the tunnel and I had anopportunity to change my life – anopportunity I had to take.

“I spent 19 months at Odyssey and it wascertainly an up and down journey, but Idiscovered some really important things.

1. I discovered who I was and what Istand for - my identity, values, beliefs,morals.

2. I was able to reintroduce into my life thefamily and true friends I had neglected forso long.

3. I finally found that I was somebodyworthwhile and could be proud of what Ihad achieved and where I was going. Ilearnt to express myself without worryingabout others judging me.

“Odyssey House saved me. I am nowdoing an apprenticeship in Carpentrywhile attending TAFE, utilising some of theskills I learned in woodwork classes atOdyssey. I am also working as a farmhand on the weekends. My final words ofadvice for others looking for help: Be moreconcerned about your character than yourreputation. Your character is who youreally are, while your reputation is merelywhat others think of you.”

There is an old adage that ‘The onlything constant is change!’, which

is very apt at Odyssey House.On a fundamental level, our missionat Odyssey House is to effect life-altering change: helping clientsovercome dependence on alcoholand other drugs, change self-defeating behaviours and attitudesand learn coping strategies tobecome productive members ofsociety. The journey to become anindividual with self confidence, asense of adequacy and coping abilityis arduous, but worthwhile.Organisational change is not quite soarduous, yet still essential to ensurewe are working as effectively andefficiently as possible to meet theevolving needs of our clients, achievebest practice and comply withregulatory requirements. Odyssey House embraces changethrough a continuous qualityimprovement program. I am pleasedto say this received substantial praisein a recent review by the AustralianCouncil on Healthcare Standards,which looks at areas from processesand governance to communityengagement and client care. On the staffing front, thirty per cent ofour people work with us for morethan ten years, including our LegalLiaison Officer, David Ridyard, whomwe bid farewell after 12 years. Werecently made changes to ourstaffing structure at the residentialrehabilitation facility and ourAdmissions and Intake Centre (AIC),which includes the Magistrates EarlyReferral Into Treatment (MERIT)program. The appointment of an AICadministrative assistant and twosupervisors at the main house givesus more flexibility and enhances thesmooth running of our services;recruitment is also underway for aChief Operations Officer. Odyssey House is celebratingchange on Sunday 28 October and Iinvite you to join us for our annualCelebrate Recovery Day to recogniseclient and staff achievements andmark our 35th anniversary. It is also arare opportunity to tour ourrehabilitation facilities, so come andfind out what it takes to make realchanges in people’s lives.

James A Pitts, MAChief Executive Officer

James A. Pitts

Amessagefrom the

ChiefExecutive

Officer

THE FACT FILE- MarijuanaMarijuana (from the

plant CannabisSativa) is the mostcommonly used illegaldrug in Australia.Marijuana is also knownas cannabis, grass,mull, pot dope, hashand yarndi. In Australiathe most common formof consumption issmoking the driedleaves and flower budsof the plant in eitherhand-rolled cigarettes(joints) or in water pipescalled bongs.

The chemical inmarijuana that makesyou feel high is delta-9tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is absorbedthrough the lungs (or stomach) into thebloodstream and taken to the brain. Once itenters the brain it creates changes in the waypeople behave and experience things. Forexample, marijuana users who concentrate hardand see things in a different way from normalmight believe they are coming up with deepthoughts and important new ways of looking atlife. Cannabis affects people in different waysand some people have very differentexperiences each time they take it.

Short-term effects: Difficulty concentrating,impaired co-ordination, bloodshot eyes and drymouth. A common side effect is a boost to theappetite, usually referred to as the ‘munchies’.

Long-term effects: Respiratory diseases,smoking-related cancers, low sperm count andsex drive. Psychological dependence on thedrug leads to increased irritability, memory loss,

emotional imbalance,lack of motivation,paranoia and anxietyattacks, and there’salso a link to psychosisand schizophrenia inheavy pot smokers.There can be socialimpacts such asrelationship problemsand unemploymentissues related tomarijuana abuse.

Even though mostmarijuana is now grownh y d r o p o n i c a l l y ,evidence shows a highconcentration of toxicchemicals still exists in

the plant when it’s smoked.

Using marijuana is illegal in Australia. If you use,sell or have items used to take marijuana suchas bongs, and you get caught, you could facesubstantial fines and penalties including a prisonsentence.

Your local GP can help and most libraries haveinformation on local services that provide adviceand guidance on quitting marijuana. TheNational Cannabis Prevention and InformationCentre (NCPIC) provides free resources that canbe downloaded from its websitewww.ncpic.org.au. The Australian DrugInformation Network (ADIN) www.adin.com.aucan direct you to a service in your local area.

It is never too late to seek help.

Source: NSW Department of Health, Straight Talking About Drugs - Cannabis,

National Drugs Campaign.

...continued from page 1

‘A life worth living’

Art for healing

Taking marijuanacan be a confusing

and frighteningexperience and thepeople you would

normally turn to, suchas close friends and

family members,might not be able tohelp, or perhaps youare embarrassed to

talk to them.

[ ]

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