May-akda: 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.
Magkaisa ang mga mandirigma ng bahaghari!
Naging host ang Moreland sa isa sa pinakamalaking rainbow event nito bilang bahagi ng International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (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 Sinabi ng opisyal ng proyekto ng YGLAM na si Russ Pirie na ang prusisyon ng bahaghari ay nagpakita ng pangako ni Moreland sa paglikha ng isang mas ligtas at mas inklusibong komunidad.
"Ito ay isang pagkakataon para sa komunidad na magsama-sama at ipakita na nagmamalasakit sila sa kapakanan ng mga kakaibang tao na naninirahan sa Moreland, na lumilikha ng mga ligtas na lugar para sa lahat," sabi ni Mr Pirie.
Sinabi ni Moreland Mayor Cr Helen Davidson na ang paglabas ng video ng kaganapan ay titiyakin na patuloy na kinikilala at tatanggapin ng Moreland ang aming queer na komunidad sa kabila ng IDAHOBIT.
“Napakahalaga na magsama-sama tayo hindi lang pagdating ng IDAHOBIT, kundi araw-araw.
"Ang pagkakaiba-iba ng Moreland ay isa sa pinakamalaking lakas ng munisipalidad at iyon ay isang bagay na dapat ipagdiwang," sabi ni Cr Davidson.
Ang IDAHOBIT ay isang taunang pagdiriwang ng mga pagkakaiba-iba ng sekswal at kasarian, na nagpapataas ng kamalayan sa karahasan at diskriminasyon na nararanasan ng grupong ito.
Ang kaganapan ay pinangunahan ni Merri Health 's queer youth ensemble YGLAM at suportado ng Moreland City Council. Ito ay minarkahan ang anibersaryo ng social media campaign ng YGLAM na This Campaign Is Queer na sumusuporta sa mga kabataang queer sa pamamagitan ng social media connections.
Lahat tayo ay nabibilang: nagdiriwang ng mga tao
Kilalanin ang magkakaibang koponan sa likod Merri Health .
Ang Martes, 20 ng Marso ay ginugunita ang Harmony Day, isang araw na ipinagdiriwang ang pagkakaiba-iba ng kultura – isang araw ng paggalang sa kultura para sa lahat ng tumatawag sa Australia.
Salamat sa magagandang miyembro ng aming team na lumalabas sa video na ito at nagbabahagi ng aming mensahe; natututo tayo sa isa't isa, iginagalang ang isa't isa at ipagdiwang ang ating pagkakaiba. Lahat tayo ay nabibilang.
Ibahagi ang iyong sariling mensahe ng suporta ng Harmony Day sa aming Facebook page at ipaalam sa amin kung paano ka nagdiriwang.
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 naglulunsad ng bagong Tool sa Pagsusuri ng Kasarian
Merri Health ay lumikha ng bagong Tool sa Pagsusuri ng Kasarian upang tulungan ang mga kawani sa paglalapat ng lente ng kasarian sa disenyo at pagpapatupad ng programa.
Maaaring gamitin ng mga koponan ang tool sa panahon ng pagpaplano, disenyo, pagsusuri at/o pagsusuri ng mga proyekto upang matiyak na ang mga ito ay kasama, tumutugon sa kasarian at naa-access.
Gumagamit ang tool sa iba't ibang instrumento sa maraming organisasyon, na may paglayo sa binary na wika upang magbigay ng mas inklusibong kahulugan ng kasarian. Hinihikayat nito ang mga kawani na isaalang-alang ang hanay ng mga pangangailangan at karanasan ng mga tao sa komunidad, tungkol sa kanilang pagkakakilanlang pangkasarian.
Cassie Zurek, Health Promotion Officer sa Merri Health , sinabi sa pamamagitan ng paggamit ng tool na ito, ang mga kawani ay makakagawa ng mga proyektong mas ligtas para sa lahat ng tao, kabilang ang mga proyektong tumutugon sa hindi pagkakapantay-pantay ng kasarian sa ating komunidad.
"Ang proyektong ito ay nagmula sa isang tinukoy na pangangailangan para sa isang tool na makakatulong sa mga kawani na aktibo at sadyang matiyak na ang gawain ni Merri ay palaging kasama at tumutugon sa mga pangangailangan ng mga tao sa lahat ng kasarian," sabi ni Cassie.
"Ang lahat ng mga tool na mahahanap namin ay gumamit ng isang napaka-binary na kahulugan ng kasarian, kaya nagpasya kaming ibagay ang aming sarili. Ang mga miyembro ng koponan na lumahok sa proseso ay maaaring asahan na magkaroon ng malalim na mga talakayan tungkol sa kasarian at katarungan. Ito ay isang mapanimdim na proseso na nagbibigay-daan sa iyo upang matuto habang tumatakbo."
Ang proyektong ito ay tutulong sa amin na magtrabaho tungo sa pagpapalakas at pagpormal ng aming pangako sa pagiging kasama at kaligtasan ng kasarian. Inaasahan namin ang pagpapatupad nito."