Engage Aotearoa

Mental Health Commissioner Seeks Service-User and Whanau Feedback: Survey Online Now

February 1, 2013 1:51 pm ⋅

The Mental Health Commission are running a service-user feedback survey, which can be found at:  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3HCNGRQ

This survey is for consumers only, and is totally anonymous.  People who are family members or supporters of people using services are also able to complete the survey.

It will provide feedback to the Commissioner prior to their community meetings which begin in Auckland on the 15th of February.

If you can’t make it to the community meetings, this survey is your chance to make sure your experiences as a person using mental-health and addictions services are heard by our national policy-makers and funding bodies.

Posted in: Addiction/Substance Abuse, Community Participation, Disability Issues, Families/Whanau, Human Rights and Legal Issues, Maori Communities, Men, Parents and Parenting, Pasifika Communities, People with Disabilities, Politics and Policy, Service-User Movement, Social Change, Women, Young People and Youth Issues ⋅ Tagged: , ,

Community Resources Directory Updates

January 28, 2013 1:17 pm ⋅

The Community Resources Directory was updated on Christmas Eve and again on the 27th of January.

What’s new in the Community Resources Directory? 

  • Sub-sections for National, Upper North Island, Lower North Island and South Island services have been added where information is available. Future updates will continue to expand these regional sub-sections until the Directory becomes a nation-wide resource.
  • A new combined Child, Youth and Family/Whanau section
  • New psychotherapy, counselling and psychologist services added for Christchurch and Auckland

Coming Soon

  • Crisis Lines section
  • Anger Management section
  • Resources from the Gisborne region added to each section (thanks to pamphlets collected on a recent trip to the area).

Make the resource work for you and your people! 

  • Tell us about the mental-health resources in your region!
  • Tell us about your service and the resources you use!

Email Engage Aotearoa and we will include the info in our next update.

The Community Resources Directory makes it easy for people to find the recovery resources they need.

It is designed to be freely downloaded and shared.

If you are a service provider, you can help empower your service-users by making a printed copy of The Directory available in your waiting room.

Posted in: Community Participation, Engage Updates, Online Resources, People with Disabilities, Service-User Movement, Young People and Youth Issues ⋅ Tagged: ,

Excerpts from Stories of Recovery from Being Suicidal are Now Live Online

January 28, 2013 12:42 pm ⋅

The Butterfly Diaries creative book project is drawing close to completion. For nearly a year, six writers have been working to tell the stories of six Kiwis who survived the experience of being suicidal and found their way to a better place. The first three stories are now complete and excerpts are available for reading and sharing online. More samplers will be loaded as stories are finished.

Click here to read The Butterfly Diaries Samplers.

Read excerpts from…

Emerging from the Past Transformed: Raewyn Alexander’s creative essay about Mary’s Journey

Enough Angels: Owen Bullock’s haibun (a prose-poetry cross) about Sean’s journey

Breathe and Breathe and Breathe: Phoebe Wright’s short story about Brad’s journey.

Posted in: Engage Updates, Families/Whanau, Online Resources, Parents and Parenting, Personal Development Tools, Professional Development, Recovery Stories, Service-User Movement, Social Change, Suicide Prevention/Support, Young People and Youth Issues ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Recovery Story on Take It From Us 29 Jan 2013

January 28, 2013 11:20 am ⋅

On Take It From Us on Tuesday 29 January, hear how the unwavering strength and endurance of Zimbabwean-born Sophie Jayawardene surpassed her sometimes unimaginable challenges, isolation and mental torment. Her journey is captured in her book, Sophie’s World, Journeys of the Lost Soul, a story she will explain in this revealing radio interview.

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 the new Facebook page @ Facebook.com and type take it from us in the search box;  email is takeitfromus@mail.com for any feedback and comment/suggestions for shows.

Posted in: Online Resources, Recovery Stories, Service-User Movement, Social Change ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Mangere Community Law Centre Says “This Is Relevant to YOU”

January 25, 2013 2:08 pm ⋅

A message from Mangere Community Law Centre:

The Family Court is under review. This IS relevant to you! The Family Court deals with a range of things that seriously affect our community, including: domestic violence, parenting, adoptions, wills and divorce. The proposed changes are significant and now is the time to speak out if you don’t agree with them – in part or full. Submissions close 13 February 2013 so don’t put it off.      

The 5 major changes that the Mangere Community Law Centre are concerned about are:

  1. Cost of $897 for mandatory dispute resolution will have to be paid for by the parties – this will be compulsory before a matter can go to Court.
  2. NO lawyers allowed unless the matter involves violence, urgency etc.
  3. Lawyer for child will rarely be appointed.
  4. Free Court counselling will be limited.
  5. No interim orders – parties won’t have a chance to trial arrangements to see if they can work.

Submissions can be in any format – even a simple letter. Click the link below to open the template from Mangere Community Law Centre that you can use to get started and get your thoughts heard!

Family Court Review Submission Template from Mangere Community Law Centre

You can also check out these websites for more information: http://childrenneedavoice.com/ and http://www.familylaw.org.nz/

You can read the Bill at: http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Legislation/Bills/5/4/2/00DBHOH_BILL11914_1-Family-Court-Proceedings-Reform-Bill.htm 

 

Posted in: Community Participation, Families/Whanau, Human Rights and Legal Issues, Older People and Aging, Online Resources, Parents and Parenting, People with Disabilities, Politics and Policy, Service-User Movement, Social Change, Young People and Youth Issues ⋅ Tagged: , ,

Problem Gambling Foundation Launch ‘No More Pokies Auckland’ Campaign

January 25, 2013 1:52 pm ⋅

Press Release: 17 January 2013

No more pokies Auckland. Choose a healthier future for our children

That is the theme for a campaign, endorsed by more than 20 organisations, which is being launched with a video of children sharing their hopes and dreams for the future.

The ‘no more pokies Auckland campaign’ aims to encourage people to ‘say no to more pokies’ and ‘choose a sinking lid’ when the Auckland Council begins consultation on its gambling policy from 18 January. Tony Milne, National Manager of Public Health at the Problem Gambling Foundation, says a sinking lid is the best option the Council has under current legislation to keep the number of pokie machines down in Auckland.

“A sinking lid means no new licenses can be granted for pokie venues and machines can’t be transferred if a venue closes,” he says. “That means that over time, the number of venues and pokie machines will reduce.” The Class 4 Gambling (Pokie) Venue Policy is being developed for Auckland Council to replace the policies of the seven legacy Territorial Local Authorities. Auckland ‘Supercity’ currently has 305 venues and 4,183 pokie machines excluding the 1,649 pokie machines at SkyCity Casino that will not be covered by Auckland Council’s policy.

Tony Milne says both Manukau and Waitakere Councils had adopted sinking lid policies and it would be great to see Auckland Council follow their lead. “We don’t want any more pokie machines in Auckland,” he says. “They aren’t just a ‘harmless flutter’. Pokies are dangerous and addictive machines often described as the ‘crack cocaine of gambling’. “Most adults (84%) never use pokies and approximately six percent use them monthly or more. Four in ten regular users will have a gambling problem or are at risk of developing one.”

“Of the people who seek help for a gambling problem, over 70 percent of them say that pokies are their main form of gambling and 80% of those who seek help have suicidal thoughts.” “We know the harm that pokies can cause and don’t want them to be part of the future for our children,” Tony Milne says.

To view the campaign video and make a submission visit www.NoMorePokies.org.nz

Facebook www.facebook.com/NoMorePokiesAKL

Twitter @NoMorePokiesAKL

Ends

The No More Pokies Auckland campaign is endorsed by the following organisations: The Anglican Diocese of Auckland, Asian Family Services at the Problem Gambling Foundation, Changing Minds, Child Poverty Action Group, Every Child Counts, the Gambling Helpline, Hapai Te Hauora Tapui Maori Public Health, Mapu Maia (Pasifika Unit at the Problem Gambling Foundation), the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand, Methodist Mission Aotearoa, Otara Health Charitable Trust, Papakura Marae, Public Health Association (PHA), the Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand, the Salvation Army, South Auckland Family Violence Prevention Network (SAFVPN), South Seas Healthcare, Transitioning Out Aotearoa (TOA), UNICEF NZ and Whare Tiaki Hauora.

For further information please contact:

Tony Milne

National Manager of Public Health

Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand

Ph 021 59 32 59

Andree Froude

Communications Director

Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand

Ph 027 489 4801

Posted in: News, Social Change ⋅ Tagged: ,

WINZ Reviewing How They Work with People with Disabilities and Health Conditions

January 25, 2013 12:14 pm ⋅

WINZ is seeking your views on how to assist disabled people and people with health conditions into work.

As part of the Government’s wider review of the welfare system, Work and Income is developing proposals for changing the way it works with disabled clients and clients with a health condition or mental-health condition.

To ensure the new approach is well-grounded we want people to share their views about what it will take to assist these jobseekers into work. Please go to www.msd.govt.nz/healthanddisability to share your views. This survey will be open to 5pm on Thursday 31 January.

The feedback will contribute to the development of proposals to be in place from 15 July 2013, and to a longer term work programme to assist disabled people and people with a health condition who can work, to have the opportunity to achieve that.

WINZ have held two public meetings and six sector workshops in November and December 2012.

There will also be an additional public workshop in Wellington on Thursday 31 January 2013 at St John’s Church hall (cnr Willis and Dixon Streets), 9.30 am to midday.  If you are interested in attending this meeting, please RSVP to msd_events@msd.govt.nz, and also advise any assistance you may need to enable you to participate.

If you have any questions, please contact Anne Hawker on 04 978 4142 or Sacha O’Dea on 04 916 3883. Alternatively you can email Anne.Hawker011@msd.govt.nz or Sacha.ODea001@msd.govt.nz

Posted in: Community Participation, Disability Issues, Human Rights and Legal Issues, Physical Health, Service-User Movement, Social Change ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Webinars on Preventing Maori Suicide: Schedule for 2013

January 23, 2013 4:10 pm ⋅

The Mental Health Foundation – in collaboration with Office of the Pro Vice Chancellor Māori, Victoria University of Wellington – will be hosting a series of free webinars about Māori suicide prevention in 2013.

The webinars will address the issue of Māori suicide from an indigenous perspective. The invited presenters are Māori practitioners, researchers and leaders who will speak from their own personal and professional experiences in Māori suicide prevention.

For many people, New Zealand’s high suicide rates – especially for Māori – can seem overwhelming. We hope these webinars increase understanding of what can be done to prevent suicide, and increase viewers’ capacity to help vulnerable people in their own whānau and communities.

The webinar schedule is:

Each webinar will run from 12:30 – 1:30pm, and we hope about half of this time will be spent answering viewers’ questions.

If you would like to attend these free webinars, please RSVP here: http://suicidepreventioninformationnewzealand.eventbrite.co.nz/

Posted in: Maori Communities, Online Resources, Suicide Prevention/Support ⋅ Tagged: , , , ,

Stigma Busting Stories in the Like Minds Newsletter Dec 2012

January 23, 2013 3:13 pm ⋅

The December 2012 issue of the Like Minds Newsletter is available online.

The feature article investigates how blogging can help to reduce stigma and discrimination – according to avid bloggers and tangata whaiora, Cate Reddell and Jarno Noordermeer.

Guy Baker tells how sharing his personal story of mental illness has brought him much support from his work colleagues at the Gisborne District Council.

Recent initiative PeerZone is receiving positive feedback about its workshops and is hoping to hold training for facilitators in Australia in 2013.

Auckland artist Andrew Serjeant talks about his art and belief that people with experience of mental illness can contribute greatly to society.

Sheree Veysey gives the lowdown on her Master’s thesis that focuses on how stigma may operate in the complaints process within mental health services.

Kaumatua Kathy Stewart leads you through her story about how she found strength and recovery in helping others after years of depression.

Posted in: Online Resources, Research, Service-User Movement, Social Change ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , ,