20 Financial assistance from the Gold Coast Primary Health Network (GCPHN) for residents affected by the destructive summer storms is not only helping to rebuild communities, but also making them stronger. The Reconnection for Resilience Community Grants Program provided 15 community grants of up to $5000 for local not-for-profit organisations, healthcare organisations, sporting clubs and primary care providers in the storm and flood hit areas. “While the property rebuilds continue, so are the psychological health recoveries of those residents directly affected by the storms,” GCPHN CEO Matt Carrodus said. “Through programs that foster ongoing resilience, we are helping to empower people with the resources and support necessary to complete their recovery journeys,” he said. Mr Carrodus said funded activities included programs aimed at improving mental health and wellbeing through support embedded in addressing social isolation, sport and exercise classes, art therapy, skills development initiatives, community BBQs and more. We highlight a couple amazing organisations that are cleverly using their grants funding to build better local communities: Bags on the Go - Studio Village Community Centre, Oxenford When the Christmas night storm hit Oxenford, the Community Development Manager of the Studio Village Community Centre Jennifer Schofield knew her holiday was over and there was hard work to be done. “We were badly hit, and I knew straight away an emergency community recovery was about to start because we’ve been here before with floods and fire and all manner of natural disasters,” she said. Neighbourhood Centre Flood and natural disaster support lead Suzanne Favaloro they’re simply life changing. “Off the back of the Christmas night storm, we discovered that people who had been through other crisis’s had a real fear of going back out into the community and getting on with their normal lives,” Suzanne said. “So, we thought about how we could address the problem and make the Neighbourhood Centre a safe place for people to come and share their stories. The activities we present on Wellbeing Wednesdays are the perfect way to do that,” she said. Suzanne said Centre staff undertook a bit of R&D to plot the way forward. “We had a self-care and recovery event recently and from that we learned what might be useful to present as activities for people who have been under great stress and trauma. We found that people simply wanted to relax and gather their thoughts, so the activities we designed are all around providing that calming environment and mindset,” she said. Wellbeing Wednesdays now provide holistic support through meditation, yoga, tai chi, gardening, Pilates, creative workshops, social BBQ catch ups and more. And there are the coldwater dips. “They inspire people to get in the water when it’s cold, even if they only dip their toes, to get them thinking about challenging themselves to do things they might not have otherwise had the confidence to do. There’s a distinct sense of normality coming back in the neighbourhood and more and more people are coming in connect on a deep level with each other. They are exchanging phone numbers and arranging to do things together away from the Centre, which is exactly what we hoped might happen. And we are dedicated to following their journeys right through,” she said. Palm Beach Neighbourhood Centre - Social, Education & Wellbeing Hub (palmbeachnc.org.au) Reconnection for Resilience: Grants Deliver Late Christmas Cheer That recovery meant the distribution of emergency food and water supplies and toiletries and other essentials for people driven from their homes or those staying put to comprehend what had just happened amid prolonged power outages. But Jennifer said next time it will be different. “One of the things we realised is that we were sending people away with their emergency supplies in boxes and we thought that was undignified. So, we created Bags on the Go, with everything packed in a sturdy reusable suitcase that people can wheel out of our centre with pride. The bags are the packed with donated toiletries and essential disaster recovery items like battery powered radios, weatherproof document holders, towels and face washers, washing powder, coins for laundromats, deodorants and other hygiene products,” she said. The Studio Village Community Centre was established 30 years ago by the local community. It’s one of 140 Neighbourhood and Community Centres (NCC's) around Queensland responding to loneliness and social isolation. On a day-to-day basis it provides a community garden, day activities, bowls, craft classes, new parent support and playgroups, and plenty more. “Our clients are diverse and in the aftermath of the disaster we also welcomed everyone to explore our community wellbeing and mental health services,” Jennifer said. “At times of need we’re always there to provide physical and emotional support and Bags on the Go is just another innovative and locally tailored example of how we put grants monies like these to the very best use,” she said. Studio Village Community Centre has a range of activities and programs, with a friendly smile and helping hand. More details are available at https:// studiovillage.com.au/ Wellbeing Wednesdays – Palm Beach Neighbourhood Centre The formal definition of Wellbeing Wednesdays reads that they are an innovative weekly initiative designed to nurture social cohesion and enhance wellbeing within the Southern Gold Coast community. But according to Palm Beach Jennifer Schofield ,Community Development Manager, Studio Village Community Centre PBNC Suzanne & Ellie 2024
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