Qore: Kath Spencer
New drug and alcohol intervention to help hundreds
A new drug and alcohol intervention service is set to help hundreds of vulnerable people in the north.
Q Health will provide individual, couple and family counselling to anyone that identifies same-sex attracted and gender diverse, and is experiencing alcohol and drug issues.
The service will help people like 22-year-old Sasha who attends drummond street services.
“When I was stressed or fought with my family so they would accept me, I would take lots of drugs and it wasn’t good for me. All we needed was a safe space to get help. We’ve now been able to sort through our issues a lot better,” Sasha said.
Drummond street services chief executive Karen Field said partnering with Merri Health will help support a large group of at-risk people across the north.
“We know that there are minimal alcohol and drug specialist services for the queer community and yet, they are among the most disadvantaged groups. Discrimination, homophobia and transphobia all play a part and we’re here to address that. One size does not fit all when it comes to support; they face unique challenges – Q Health will look at the root causes of substance misuse,” Ms Field said.
Merri Health chief executive Nigel Fidgeon said the initiative would build on the many alcohol and drug services offered by Merri Health, including group education, early intervention for young people, counselling and drop-in support.
“Q Health will help us extend support to those most at-risk that have limited service access,” Mr Fidgeon said.
Q Health is a free and confidential service and will be available to anyone living in Brimbank, Darebin, Hume, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, Moreland, Wyndham and Yarra. Anyone can self-refer to the service by calling 1800LGBTIQ or emailing [email protected].
Q Health is a partnership approach to meeting emerging needs of marginalised groups, from Rainbow Tick accredited provider, Merri Health and founder of Queerspace, drummond street services.
Dagaalyahannada qaanso-roobaadku midoobaan!
Moreland waxay martigelisay mid ka mid ah dhacdooyinkeeda qaanso-roobaadka ee ugu weyn taasoo qayb ka ah Maalinta Caalamiga ah ee Ka-hortagga Homophobia, Biphobia, iyo Transfobia (IDAHOBIT).
The live art exhibition saw more than 500 Moreland students and locals take part in the large-scale filming which we’ve released today, in support of IDAHOBIT. Messages of support are projected via a choreographed exhibition using rainbow umbrellas and captured via a drone.
Merri Health Russ Pirie oo ah sarkaalka mashruuca YGLAM ayaa sheegay in socodka qaanso-roobaadka uu muujinayo sida ay Moreland uga go'an tahay abuurista bulsho ammaan badan oo loo dhan yahay.
"Waa fursad ay bulshadu isugu timaado oo ay tuso in ay daneeyaan samaqabka dadka qawlka ah ee ku nool Moreland, abuurista meelo ammaan ah dhammaanteed," ayuu yiri Mr Pirie.
Duqa magaalada Moreland Cr Helen Davidson ayaa sheegtay in siideynta muuqaalka dhacdada ay xaqiijin doonto in Moreland ay sii wado qirashada iyo aqbasha bulshadeena caqiidada ah ee dhaafsiisan IDAHOBIT.
"Aad ayay muhiim u tahay in aan isu imaano kaliya marka IDAHOBIT yimaado, laakiin maalin walba.
"Ka duwanaanshiyaha Moreland waa mid ka mid ah awoodaha ugu weyn ee degmada waana wax loo dabaaldego," ayuu yiri Cr Davidson.
IDAHOBIT waa dabbaaldegga sannadlaha ah ee kala duwanaanshaha jinsiga iyo jinsiga, kor u qaadista wacyiga rabshadaha iyo takoorka ay la kulmaan kooxdan.
Munaasabada waxaa hogaaminaya Merri Health Kooxda dhalinyarada queer YGLAM oo ay taageeraan Golaha Magaalada Moreland. Waxay xusaysaa sannad-guurada ololaha warbaahinta bulshada ee YGLAM Ololahani waa Queer kaas oo ka taageera dadka dhalinyarada ah ee isku xidha baraha bulshada.
Dhammaanteen waxaan ka tirsanahay: dadka u dabbaaldegaya
La kulan kooxda kala duwan ee ka dambeeya Merri Health .
Talaadada, 20ka Maarso waxay xustaa Maalinta Harmony, maalin u dabaaldaga kala duwanaanta dhaqameed - maalin ixtiraam dhaqameed qof kasta oo Australia ugu yeera guriga.
Waad ku mahadsan tahay xubnaha cajiibka ah ee kooxdayada ee ka muuqda muuqaalkan oo wadaaga fariintayada; waanu is baranaa, is ixtiraamnaa, khilaafkeenana waanu xusnaa. Dhammaanteen ayaa iska leh.
La wadaag fariintaada taageerada Maalinta Harmony boggayaga Facebook oo na soo ogeysii sida aad u dabaaldegayso.
YGLAM officer recognised for his work with young queer people
Congratulations to Russ Pirie, who was awarded as one of the 20 finalists in the world for The Commonwealth Youth Worker Award 2016!
As the YGLAM Project Officer, he has led its theatre programme for young queer people, as a way of supporting them, and developing their drama skills and self-confidence.
Alongside of this year’s theatre production, YGLAM have been working on #ThisCampaignIsQueer, a social media campaign aimed to show young queer people that they are not alone.
Keep up the fabulous work, Russ!
Residents’ labour of love
Residents have had their artwork, a mosaic table, chosen by Minster Martin Foley to feature on his 2016 Christmas card!
The artwork creation was part of a garden transformation by The Queens Lodge art group, who set out to create a communal and relaxing space for residents of the lodge with the support of Merri Health and Arts Access.
The Queens Lodge is a supported residential service that offer accommodation and low level of care for people who need support in everyday life, such as people who are frail or have a disability.
After 18 months of hard work, the residents now have a space that they can enjoy! The project, named “Bringing Country Home,” had residents involved in the design, creation and helping in the manual labour of the garden.
The garden is an important space for the residents as it is where most of them meet and walk through on a daily basis. As such, different spaces were created so that there were quiet and social areas.
Not only has this been a busy time for the residents, it has been a journey that has empowered them to have ownership of the space in which they live. The residents said that it has been a rewarding and productive process.
The Queens Lodge art group has existed for a number of years and in this time has developed many projects. The first of these was “Connecting to Country,” which had the residents creating art to explore their relationship to Australia’s native landscape.
To find out more about how we support Supported Residential Services and its residents, go to mental health services.
Merri Health oo daahfuray Aalad cusub oo lagu falanqeeyo Jinsiga
Merri Health waxay abuurtay Qalab cusub oo Falanqaynta Jinsiga si ay uga caawiso shaqaalaha inay adeegsadaan muraayada jinsiga si ay u naqshadeeyaan iyo hirgelinta barnaamijka.
Kooxuhu waxay isticmaali karaan qalabka inta lagu jiro qorsheynta, naqshadeynta, dib u eegista iyo/ama qiimeynta mashaariicda si loo hubiyo inay yihiin kuwo loo dhan yahay, jawaab-celinta jinsiga iyo la heli karo.
Qalabku waxa uu ku sawiraa qalab kala duwan oo ka kala socda ururo badan, iyada oo laga guurayo luqadda laba-geesoodka ah si loo bixiyo qeexitaan ka dhex muuqda jinsiga. Waxay ku dhiirigelisaa shaqaaluhu inay tixgeliyaan baahida iyo khibradaha kala duwan ee dadka bulshada dhexdeeda, marka la eego aqoonsigooda jinsiga.
Cassie Zurek, Sarkaalka Horumarinta Caafimaadka ee Merri Health , ayaa sheegay iyada oo la adeegsanayo qalabkan, shaqaaluhu waxay awood u yeelan doonaan inay soo saaraan mashaariic ammaan u ah dhammaan dadka, oo ay ku jiraan mashaariicda ka jawaabaya sinnaan la'aanta jinsiga ee bulshadeena.
"Mashruucan wuxuu ka yimid baahi la aqoonsaday ee qalab ka caawin doonta shaqaalaha inay si firfircoon oo ula kac ah u hubiyaan in shaqada Merri ay had iyo jeer tahay mid loo dhan yahay oo ka jawaabeysa baahiyaha dadka dhammaan jinsiga," ayuu yiri Cassie.
"Dhammaan qalabyada aan heli karno waxay isticmaaleen qeexitaan aad u sarreeya oo jinsiga ah, sidaas darteed waxaan go'aansannay inaan la qabsanno annaga. Xubnaha kooxda ee ka qaybqaadanaya geeddi-socodka waxay filan karaan inay si qoto dheer uga doodaan jinsiga iyo sinnaanta.
Mashruucani waxa uu naga caawin doonaa in aanu ka shaqayno xoojinta iyo qaabaynta sida ay nooga go'an tahay ka mid noqoshada jinsiga iyo badbaadada. Waxaan rajeyneynaa inaan hirgelinno”.