Shikye Smith
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QUARTERLY ISSUE #63 MARCH 2017 People share their stories of mental health recovery in work and life Miss Galaxy International Shikye Smith *Affordable Housing Peer Support Principles in a *Getting a Drivers’ Licence Forensic *SANE forums Hospital Flourish Australia Panorama #63, March 2017 Contributors Contents Is YOUR name here? About us Flourish Australia is committed to accesses Flourish walking alongside people with a lived Cover: Shikye Smith, Miss Galaxy Rodney* experience of a mental health issue International 2017 (Image credit: Australia’s Goulburn service as they progress along their recovery Georgina Vaughan Photography) Master M’s Mum* has personal, journey. We passionately believe 4 No Stopping Rod lived experience of mental health in mental health recovery. We are committed to providing the best 5 Master M’s Story! issues. possible support and encouragement for 6-7 “It’s Okay Not To Be Okay!” Shikye Alyce Smith is the reigning people to achieve their recovery goals 8 Patricia – My Peer Worker Miss Galaxy International across all of our 64 services in NSW and Southern Queensland. 9 Country Recovery Meredith* is a part time piano 10 You need a holiday! From Poppet teacher who accessed Flourish Flourish Australia Head to Hot Glass Gallery at West Australia’s PreEmploy service in Chair: Prof Elizabeth More AM Wyalong 2016 CEO: Pamela Rutledge 11 Bathurst & Back by Bus Martina* accesses Flourish 12 Guildford affordable housing Australia’s Tamworth HASI service Contact Flourish Australia project Claire Gillan is Manager at 1300 779 270 13-20 See supplements below flourishaustralia.org.au Flourish Australia, Moree 21 Trans Aged Care Glen Birmingham is a mental Panorama 22 Forensic Peer Workers are Coming health worker at Flourish Founded in 1996 in one of Flourish Together for Recovery Australia, Griffith Australia’s predecessor organisations 23 Panorama readers’ surveys: 7 (PRA), Panorama has grown to become Edwina Keelan is into creative a lifestyle magazine dedicated to Quick Questions about Panorama arts and accessed Flourish informing and encouraging the recovery 24 Supporting the Supporters: Carers Australia’s PreEmploy Service in journey of readers. Panorama is written, week at Broken Hill 2016 designed and produced almost entirely 25 Mental Health gets Royal support by people with a lived experience of Bo* works at Tamworth City mental health issues. 25 Open Employment for Perry Toyota and recently accessed 26-27 SANE Forums: a guide for new Flourish Australia’s Tamworth General Manager, Inclusion users HASI service Fay Jackson 28 Why are people with disabilities Publications Officer Keegan Hayden is a mental health being left out in the (political) cold? Warren Heggarty worker at Flourish Australia, Assistant Publications Officer 29 BOTH Dental Health Promotion at Tamworth Grant J Everett Five Dock Jim Booth is a senior cluster 30 Annual General Meeting 2016 Subscriptions manager with Flourish Australia Warren: (02) 9393 9021 Narelle Passlow is manager at Grant: (02) 9393 9022 ACTION Supplement Address: How to deal with CANSAS theme #9, Embark Cottage, Blacktown Publications Officer, 5 Figtree Drive, “Psychological Distress” Mark Orr is Chief Information Sydney Olympic Park, NSW 2127 13-14, 19,20 Slaying the dragons Officer, Flourish Australia E-mail of Negative Self-Talk and Negative [email protected]. Patricia* and Peter* are Peer Thinking au OR Grant.Everett@flourishaustralia. Workers with Flourish Australia org.au 14 A “Catastrophe” In The Making Georgina Vaughan Photography cover photo Disclaimer EMPLOYMENT Supplement Neil Fenelon event photos Panorama’s content is not intended 15 Feeling Valued (with Bo) Grant J Everett staff writer as a substitute for the advice of any 16 Automotive Trades: what specialised or qualified professional. Warren Heggarty editor Views expressed herein are those of employers are looking for *To protect the privacy of the the authors, not necessarily of Flourish 17 Upskilling with Wayne Petersen people who access our services, Australia, or any associated enterprises, 18 How to protect yourself from their families and carers, we their staff, management, employees, or crooked dealers in higher education sometimes used pseudonyms or service recipients. first names only. Page 2 / Panorama March 2017 Flourish Australia Professional Maintenance Services in your local community Flourish Australia's community businesses provide quality maintenance services with a smile, including: «Lawn mowing and grounds maintenance «Industrial cleaning services «Property maintenance services «NEW hoarding and squalor cleanup service By choosing Flourish Australia’s community businesses you are choosing to support people on their mental health recovery journey! Flourish Australia supports people recovering from mental health issues to access employment. We provide comprehensive workplace training to all employees, along with the option of completing work-related TAFE qualifications onsite. This means that you with a professional service at a competitive price! Contact Us for a FREE quote today! Phone: 9393 9270, 0429 317 992 Email: [email protected] Flourish Australia Address: Unit 2, 22 AnnePage St,3 / StPanorama Marys 2760 March 2017 I am confident that my little goals will be easy to do compared to this. I am proud to say that my illness didn’t stop me from getting my licence and buying a car to gain independence. I now encourage other peers who are also working towards achieving the same goal, that it can be done and to think that “if he can do it then so can I!” Flourish Australia GOULBURN 42-44 Clinton Street Goulburn NSW 2580 1300 779 270 Now I don’t need to get picked up anymore and I am How to get YOUR licence able to drive myself. In NSW, you need to go through Roads and Maritime at www.rms.nsw.gov. I then practiced more on the computer au. Here you will find the Road Users No stopping and was able to build my confidence Handbook which you can view online or again and the next time I passed. This download. made me feel confident again. In Queensland go to the TMR (Transport I was supported to book driving lessons and Main Roads dept.) www.tmr.qld.gov. as it had been 13 years since I had au/Licensing Rod held a licence and I felt I needed to be reminded about the road rules and keep This flow chart shows the various stages my knowledge up-to-date. I completed of getting a licence in NSW only. on the road to five driving lessons before both I and the instructor were confident enough to freedom and book my test for my licence. This scared me and made me very independence nervous. Before having the official test I had one last lesson with the instructor who kindly lent me his car to drive * Applies to under 25 year Hi my name is Rodney; I would like to in. When I finished my test I was very olds only tell people about achieving my long excited and proud to hear that I had term goal of getting my licence back. passed with 100%. It all started when I was in Ron My next goal was to buy a car, which I Hemmings centre at Kenmore Hospital, was supported by family to do. It may three years ago. I began by practicing not be the car of my dreams but it on the computer to be able to pass the has helped me achieve independence test confidently. The first time I passed and freedom. This made me feel good the online practice test I felt good, I kept about myself to know that I was able to practicing as many times as I could to achieve my goal and even though it took make sure I passed more than I failed. I many steps and hard work as well as had support from my family, friends and some failures I did it in the end. Flourish Australia staff that encouraged Now I don’t need to get picked up me not to give up. anymore and I am able to drive myself. I attempted the learners’ test three When I look back on the three year times and failed each time. When I process I feel that I shouldn’t have failed, I felt bad that I wasn’t able to worried as much and should have had complete it. I felt my illness was stopping more confidence in myself. Now when I me from achieving my goal; Flourish look at my current long term goals I can Australia staff kept encouraging me and see that they can be achieved if I work reminding me about my goal. on them. Page 4 / Panorama March 2017 Flourish Australia Master M’s Flourish Australia 80 Wynter Street TAREE 2430 Story! 1300 779 270 Master M’s mum found out that asking for help IS the right thing to do… and that recovery, like all important things can take time. WARNING: this story refers to things she had given up completely on having a Master M’s mum started playing hockey that may distress readers. Remember, child. Due to unforeseen circumstances, again and slowly developed a new if you are struggling and need help you she lost her house in Melbourne and support network and close friends. Her can ring LIFELINE 24 hours a day seven had to return ‘back home’ to family in support facilitator went with her to new days a week on 13 11 14 www.lifeline. Sydney because she couldn’t work. This environments, supported her during a org.au meant she had to leave all her friends FairWork dispute, kept her grounded and supports behind her. Upon arriving and was pivotal in supporting her during In July 2016, Master M entered the in Sydney, her car broke down… this time.