Issue: Winter 2020 - able | Southern Family Support
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Issue: Winter 2020
Hello Colleagues,
I hope this newsletter finds most people back working to some
semblance of normality! I personally have a found myself now working
from both a shared office and home, and am having to make some big
adjustments to my work life.
Here are some tips for setting up your home office
https://www.thebalancesmb.com/setting-up-home-office-845850
and making it an ergonomic workspace https://
www.elevateergonomics.com/post/how-to-setup-an-ergonomic-workspace
During lockdown I had an idea to create an interactive map that shows where all the family/whanau support
services for mental health and addictions, are throughout New Zealand. When you click on the region it takes
you to the services and can be saved to your desktop. It will be good to use for clients that shift to other regions,
or for family/whanau that live in different areas to their loved ones and need some support. If you would like a
BETA copy of this map (a work in progress) contact Lisa sphc@able.org.nz
Click on the region you
want to refer a
client/family to and it will
give you the relevant
information for that area.
The wellbeing of Children is everyone’s responsibility
We have recently run two Children Understanding Mental Health and Addiction
Programmes (CUMIA) over the school holidays. This involved identifying children that
had a loved one with either mental health or addiction concerns and doing some work
with them.
We involved a Musical Therapist in our work with the children at our Invercargill office.
The 3 day programme involved learning basic information about mental health and ad-
dictions, feelings and emotions, and self-care and where to go to
for help and support. Day 1. Involved drumming and emotions,
Day two feelings and writing their own song
lyrics, Day three they put together the song
and performed it as a group. They were
transported, fed and dropped back to their
homes afterwards. They will be provided
with on-going support and resources after completion of the
programme.
At the Oamaru Able CUMIA programme, the children enjoyed learning about mental illness and addiction in a safe
space. Activities included painting rocks, (Thank you Oamaru Rocks, Community
rock box) dancing, blowing bubbles, making up a kitset box, sharing lunch and
making their own special cheesecake to celebrate.
The last day they visited Whitestone City which shows how life was in Oamaru in
the late 19th century. They went back in time to school with a strict teacher,
worked on the slate like in days past ,and rode a penny farthing carousel.
This is a great book to use
when working with children
around trauma.
Readers will follow four children as they learn ways to cope
with their own trauma. Sensitive, empowering, and
beautifully illustrated, the book models therapeutic coping
responses and provides children with tools they may use to
deal with their own trauma. Available at Book Depository
Supporting Parents Healthy Children across the Southern Region is progressing well. The initial Service directory and database
has grown over the nearly three years I have been managing it. There is always a lot of change in details, contracts and email ad-
dresses etc. I update it every 6 months in order to maintain up-to-date contact. For Service directory click here
Most staff in services are now conscious of their responsibility to think about the children’s needs when supporting their parents.
• SPHC presentations continue over the region with a focus on Primary Health in 2020. This includes sharing resources, some
of which we have created in response to an identified need. www.able.org.nz/sphc
• Involving Families workshops in Mental Health include a one hour SPHC presentation for all new staff
• Attend Interagency meetings regularly across the region sharing appropriate resources
• Hold Children Understanding Mental illness and Addiction (CUMIA) programmes regularly and help the children access
ongoing or extra support where needed.
• Attend and organize training and professional development opportunities for staff to keep up-to-date ie. Perinatal Anxiety
and Depression Aotearoa (PADA) workshop held in Invercargill in March 2020.
• Provide appropriate resources for Medical Centers and Clinic waiting rooms
For further information on SPHC
The inner city of Invercargill is currently being redeveloped. There
is a large building site in the inner city. Community organizations,
schools etc were asked to paint a white panel to go around the
perimeter of the construction site. Able Southern Family Support
decided to make this a project we could do with our clients, the
family members. The picture depicts the struggles of the mental
health client, the worn out family members and the support
offered by all of our wonderful staff in navigating the Mental
Health system .They do this by offering kindness, a listening
ear, education and advocacy. These will be going up soon,
keep an eye out for our one if you’re in the city.
Lisa
Supporting Parents Healthy Children Coordinator
Otago/Southland Region
Lisa Gear
03 218 1830 - 027 248 9305
sphc@able.org.nz
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