Engage Aotearoa

Category Archives: Support

Events, information and news about support options or accessing support. This could be family support or support from a community group or club.

Ministry of Justice Proposes Cutting Disability Law Services

July 7, 2012 1:49 am ⋅

Help Save Disability Law

The Ministry of Justice is proposing to withdraw funding for direct specialist legal services for the disability community from June 2013.

This will mean that there will no longer be a community law centre specialising in the complex legal needs of disabled people.  There will be no Auckland Disability Law.

Auckland Disability Law is calling for the Ministry of Justice to rethink this proposal.

At Engage Aotearoa, we think there should be specialist disability law services available to disabled people throughout New Zealand, including Auckland Disability Law. We frequently refer people to this service.

Your Help is Needed!

Key Things You Can Do:

Sign the Open Letter to Judith Collins, the Minister of Justice as an individual or on behalf of your organisation (attached (right click the link to save the document) and available on Auckland Disability Law’s Facebook page or by email from info@adl.org.nz).  Email to sign the letter and send your organisation’s logo.

Come to the “Save Disability Law” Community Hui

Send a message to the government that we are serious about saving disability law through the continued funding of Auckland Disability Law and extending specialist legal services nationally for disabled people.

  • When:  Monday 30th July 2012, 1pm till 3pm
  • Where:   Western Springs Garden Community Hall, 956 Great North Road
  • Invited speakers: Mojo Mathers, Sue Bradford, Clive Lansink

Other Things That You Can Do to Help

Write your own letter to Justice Minister Judith Collins

http://www.beehive.govt.nz/minister/judith-collins

Write to the newspapers, or put out your own press release

Contact Auckland Disability Law for further information

Follow Auckland Disability Law on Facebook

Search and click the ‘like’ button on the Auckland Disability Law Facebook page

Further Information

If you require any further information or you are able to help the campaign in any way, please contact, Auckland Disability Law:

Nicola Owen, Development Manager, Auckland Disability Law

Posted in: Accessibility / Transport, Addiction/Substance Abuse, Community Participation, Disability Issues, Families/Whanau, Human Rights and Legal Issues, News, Parents and Parenting, People with Disabilities, Service-User Movement, Social Change, Support ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Mental health promotion and prevention services to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex populations in New Zealand: Needs assessment report

June 15, 2012 5:11 am ⋅

Te Pou has released a report on the results of an assessment of the mental-health promotion and prevention needs of people who identify as gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender and intersex.

You can read a summary and download the full report here.

Posted in: News, Online Resources, Professional Development, Rainbow / LGBTQI+ Community, Service-User Movement, Social Change, Suicide Prevention/Support, Support ⋅ Tagged: , , , ,

100 Coping Strategies in The Coping Kete

June 9, 2012 4:39 am ⋅

The Coping Kete on the Engage Aotearoa website reached a milestone on the 9th of June with the publication of the One Hundredth Weekly Coping Strategy in the online kete.

Use The Coping Kete to learn new strategies online and then add them to your Personal Coping Kete for use when the going gets tough.

Engage Aotearoa have been posting a new strategy every week for the past 100 weeks. That’s nearly two years worth of new coping strategies for people who are wanting to improve their mental health and wellbeing. There are still many more to come.

Also on the horizons is The Coping Kete Handbook, a paperback collection of the first 100 strategies with some extra background information and reflection exercises.

 

Posted in: Engage Updates, Online Resources, Personal Development Tools, Service-User Movement, Support ⋅ Tagged: , , ,

Online NZ Peer Support Programme Launched

June 1, 2012 10:49 pm ⋅

www.peerzone.co.nz

PeerZone is shared learning for wellbeing, designed and delivered by and for people with experience of mental distress.  It is a series of three hour peer facilitated face-to-face sessions (learning packages) where participants engage in mutual support, deepen their understanding of their experience and develop tools for wellbeing in all the major life domains. The face-to-face groups are backed up by online resources and a chat facility.

PeerZone is aimed at working age people, particularly younger people with severe mental distress. Their vision is that by the end of this decade, everyone who uses mental health services will be offered some kind of peer led learning and support opportunity.

Mary O’Hagan and Sara McCook Weir developed PeerZone. The learning packages were developed in 2010-2011 and they were piloted in 2011 in Wellington, New Zealand. In 2012 they will organise the initial orientation for facilitators, launch the website, and work to establish PeerZone in New Zealand.

 

Posted in: Online Resources, Personal Development Tools, Service-User Movement, Support ⋅ Tagged: , , , , ,

Home Insulation Programmes

May 18, 2012 3:09 am ⋅

There are currently two Home Insulation programmes on offer to help ensure people are living in healthy homes:

Snug homes:

This completely FREE initiative is open to those who own their home or are privately renting (sorry no Housing NZ homes), and have a Community services card. The application form is quick and easy and is downloadable off their website.  You can also call them and they will send you an application with a self addressed envelope.

http://www.ecoinsulation.co.nz/energywise/snug-homes

Retrofit your home programme:

Auckland Council provides a loan scheme for home owners, where you are able to borrow up to $5000 to insulate and heat your home, which is paid back through your rates over 9 years.

http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/en/buildingpropertyconsents/retrofit/pages/home.aspx

Posted in: Accommodation / Housing, Grants & Funding, Physical Health, Support ⋅ Tagged: , , , ,

Counselling at Outline in Auckland

May 16, 2012 2:54 am ⋅

Posted in: Personal Development Tools, Rainbow / LGBTQI+ Community, Support ⋅ Tagged: , , ,

Feedback Sought on Auckland Respite Services for People with Disabilities

May 10, 2012 11:56 pm ⋅

Renaissance Group is a supplier of disability support services in the greater Auckland area.

In conversations and discussions at various network meetings with parents and families, the gaps in the respite services in the greater Auckland area has stood out.

In order to identify some of these gaps more clearly, feedback is needed from disabled people and their families currently accessing respite services, or disabled people and families who feel they need respite services but are currently not receiving this.

This feedback is completely anonymous. No one needs to put their names, or identify themselves in their feedback.

They are gathering this information to look at what respite services could look like moving forward, and how they can meet your needs at a wider level.

Open and save a copy of the Renaissance Group Questionnaire for Respite Services to your computer where you can complete it at your leisure.

They would really appreciate  receiving your feedback by Monday 28th May.

Please reply with your responses to Evan Clulee either via email or alternatively you can post your questionnaire back:

  • Email: evan.c@ren2001.co.nz
  • Address: Renaissance Group, PO Box 63-001, Manukau City, Auckland 2241.
Posted in: Accommodation / Housing, Community Participation, Disability Issues, Families/Whanau, Parents and Parenting, People with Disabilities, Research, Service-User Movement, Support ⋅ Tagged: , , ,

Nationwide Ministry of Health Resources

May 3, 2012 11:27 am ⋅

for your information and reference – Nationwide resources….provided by Ministry of Health across New Zealand

Support and help for individuals

Helplines

  • Lifeline 0800 543 354
  • Lifeline’s Suicide helpline 0508 TAUTOKO
  • Youthline 0800 376 633
  • Kidsline 0800 543 754 (weekdays 4-6 pm)
  • What’s Up 0800 942 8787 (one to 11 pm 7 days, for young people aged 5 to 18)
  •  Depression Helpline 0800 111 757
  • Samaritans 0800 826 666 (lower North Island and Upper South Island) provides confidential, non-judgmental emotional support through their telephone helpline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to people in distress and at risk of dying by suicide.
  • Healthline 0800 611 116

Websites

  • The Lowdown (for young people) www.thelowdown.co.nz or freetext 5626
  • The Depression website www.depression.org.nz  which provides information about depression and an online depression self-management programme ‘The Journal’ presented by John Kirwan, which is backed up by online and phone base personalised support services.
  • Samaritans www.samaritans.org.nz

Services

  • Primary care professional or general practitioner
  • Community mental health service through the local district health boards (contact details in the white pages or at www.moh.govt.nz/districthealthboards

Support for families and friends

General Information Sources

  • Ministry of Health www.moh.govt.nz/suicideprevention – information about suicide and suicide prevention, facts, and Ministry publications
  • Suicide Prevention Information New Zealand www.spinz.org.nz – the national information service to provide high quality information to promote safe and effective suicide prevention activities.
  • The Mental Health Foundation www.mentalhealth.org.nz provides free information and training, and advocates for policies and services that support people with experience of mental illness, and also their families/whanau and friends.
Posted in: Addiction/Substance Abuse, Asian Communities, Families/Whanau, Maori Communities, Older People and Aging, Online Resources, Parents and Parenting, Pasifika Communities, People with Disabilities, Refugees / Migrants, Suicide Prevention/Support, Support, Trauma, Women, Young People and Youth Issues ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What is Recovery Discussion on Radio 1 May 2012

April 30, 2012 5:51 am ⋅

On Tuesday 1 May hear how a positive and constructive consumer hui contributed to research into the issue of What Does Recovery Mean to You. Guest Leigh Fitzjames, who’s been commissioned by Counties Manukau Mental Health and Addictions Partnership to explore the recovery issue, gives hints about what she’s discovered and reveals how the thoughts of a large group of consumers at the hui helped her project. Take It From Us on PlanetFM 104.6FM  @ 12.30pm Tuesday 1 May.

Listen live on 104.6FM at 12.30pm or online www.planetaudio.org.nz

OR if you missed the broadcast, listen for the next seven days @: www.planetaudio.org.nz/takeitfromus

Catch up on the last four shows online: www.likeminds.org.nz

And don’t forget their new Facebook page @ Facebook.com and type take it from us in the search box; or email takeitfromus@mail.com for any feedback and comment/suggestions for shows

Posted in: Addiction/Substance Abuse, Families/Whanau, Maori Communities, Older People and Aging, Online Resources, Parents and Parenting, Pasifika Communities, Refugees / Migrants, Service-User Movement, Social Change, Support, Young People and Youth Issues ⋅ Tagged: , , , , ,

Ask-Share-Give: New Community Website Launched

April 29, 2012 6:46 am ⋅

Five weeks ago a new not-for-profit website was launched where people can share their time, skills, transport or old and unwanted goods with each other.

The idea behind AskShareGive is that people are able to go on the website and create a listing in which they outline what they have to offer.  It could be anything from volunteering an hour a week of dog walking, weeding a garden, helpwith administration, building or anything at all. Just as you can offer your services you can also ask someone for what they are offering or create a listing asking for something you would like or need, be it help in the garden, befriending or budgeting advise to asking for an item that’s needed such as clothes, appliances or toys.

For people recovering from a mental-health problem volunteering time to someone else can be highly validating.  People are only too grateful to receive help with something and sometimes this can lead to friendships, paid employment or just assist someone to feel useful and a part of society. It’s also really nice to be able to get something you need from a giving person out there too.

The website boasts a friendly community coordinator who is the presence behind the site, available to answer questions and to assist in resolving any issues.

Contact Tanya, AskShareGive, Community Coordinator, Phone 0272831929 or email info@asksharegive.org.nz

www.asksharegive.org.nz

Posted in: Addiction/Substance Abuse, Asian Communities, Community Participation, Families/Whanau, Maori Communities, News, Older People and Aging, Online Resources, Parents and Parenting, Pasifika Communities, People with Disabilities, Refugees / Migrants, Social Change, Support, Young People and Youth Issues ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , ,