Open Mind

Welcome to the 4th edition of Open Mind.

The theme for this edition is ‘Rebuild’ to reflect Mind’s aim of supporting clients to rebuild their lives, reconnect with family, friends and the community and rediscovera purpose in life.

I am pleased to welcome new CEO, Dr Gerry Naughtin to Mind and hope you enjoy reading about his life and aspirations in the featured interview.

Mind recently won some significant government tenders in Victoria and South Australia, which are detailed on page two in the CEO’s update and ‘Mind expands its reach in South Australia’.

In a number of articles throughout this edition, clients give insightful and very personal accounts of how they have found the courage to rebuild their lives after facing significant personal challenges; and staff and volunteers speak about the support they provide throughout this journey.

Sprout Community Garden launched a monthly market, where there is fresh local produce, arts and crafts, food stalls, music and other local goodies.

Jessica and Mark talk about the mental challenges they overcame to complete gruelling events in support of the work of Mind.

Finally, we are pleased to share some results from the pilot of the Recovery Enhancing Environment Measure, which was designed to measure the recovery journey of clients.

I hope you enjoy this edition of Open Mind and thank you to all the clients, staff, volunteers and fundraisers who have shared their stories.

Cassie Duncan

Update from the CEO Welcome to my first edition of Open Mind. I look forward to communicating with you about the significant work Mind is doing. This edition covers some of the many exciting initiatives that are happening in the organisation and in mental health services. I wish to acknowledge the leadership and contribution that Robyn Duff, the former CEO made to the organisation over the past six years. I have some big shoes to fill.

In my fi rst few months, I have been highly impressed by the enthusiasm and passion I have seen amongst the staff at Mind. I feel privileged to be given the opportunity to work in such a stimulating environment with such a committed network of staff, board members, volunteers and supporters.

In the weeks since I joined, Mind has been advised of over $4 million of additional government funding, which can be directly attributed to the great work of the service development team, state, regional and area managers.

Specifically, Mind has received over $3 million from the Federal Government to deliver three more Personal Helpers and Mentors programs (PHaMs), which will complement the seven PHaMs programs that Mind currently operates throughout Victoria.

One of the key features of the PHaMs program is that you do not have to have a formal diagnosis of mental illness to be eligible for the program, which means we can now offer support to people who have previously fallen through the gaps in the system.

The three new PHaMs programs will be commencing shortly in Whittlesea, the Grampians and Adelaide’s eastern suburbs.

More funding has also been awarded by the South Australian Government for the delivery of Individual Psychosocial Rehabilitation Support Services (IPRSS).

This funding will enable Mind to deliver new services in Northern Adelaide and the Wakefi eld region including Clare, Burra and Gawler.

I also recently attended the launch of the Victorian Government’s final report on the Mental Health Reform Strategy in Victoria, ‘Because Mental Health Matters’, which is proposing a new reform framework for the mental health sector.

This report offers a positive vision for tackling the many problems of the sector, which have been well documented. It sets out a progressive framework for improving services, providing a more integrated response. The strategy’s emphasis on prevention, early intervention, recovery and social inclusion is welcome and needed.

Implementing the proposed reforms will, however, require three key elements, including better collaborations and partnerships across the mental health, primary health care and the PDRSS* sectors; investment of additional funds to implement the proposed reforms and improved access to affordable housing and employment services for people with mental health issues.

I hope you enjoy this edition of Open Mind. Thank you for taking the time to read through the articles and stories that give you insight into the important work of Mind.

*Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Services

New CEO comes to Mind

Dr Gerry Naughtin whistled his way into Mind Central Office back in February this year. He brought with him a certain charisma and friendly approach, which has lent itself well to fitting in quickly. Staff speak of his open nature, fresh ideas, willingness to hear their thoughts and ideas and his amazing ability to remember names after first introduction.
Here he is interviewed for the first time, where he covers topics from his career to his taste in music. Enjoy getting to know Mind’s CEO, Dr Gerry Naughtin.

Cassie Duncan: Give me a bit of background on your career to date?

Gerry Naughtin: I have worked in human services for almost 30 years. I trained in theology, social research and social work at Monash University in the 1970’s in an economic and social period when there was great optimism about social work and building a more just and equal society. This optimism around the possibility for change has stayed with me.

My career has involved work in clinical practice, management, policy development, research and advocacy in non-government, government and commercial organisations. There has been a strong focus in my career on disability, ageing and human service administration. I am passionate about issues of service responsiveness, consumer rights and making a difference in people’s lives.

In 2004 I took a career change and undertook a PhD. The subject of my thesis, elder abuse in Australia, reflected a career long concern about the impact of physical, sexual and emotional violence on people and the need for effective responses. I was appointed as an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at La Trobe University in 2006. This was a joint appointment with the Brotherhood of St Laurence where I focused on research, policy development, advocacy and teaching. While I really enjoyed this work, I found that I missed the dynamism and pace of human service management, which led me to apply for the Mind CEO position. I have been lucky to have had a diverse range of opportunities and developed a wide range of skills that will help me with the challenges and demands of this position.

CD: What appealed to you about this position?

GN: Mind is a great organisation, leading good practice in mental health recovery. It has a progressive Board with a vision for the future and an understanding that there is a need for mental health reform, because the reality is that many people with mental health issues and their families and carers experience social exclusion. I was attracted because I thought I would be able to make a difference through this position.

CD: Had you made a conscious decision to shift into the mental health space?

GN: Not particularly. My interests are in a broad range of social, environmental and political issues including consumer responsiveness, improving equity and access to services, reducing poverty, strength based approaches and community renewal in a rapidly changing society. Mental health spans all these issues, so I was delighted when I was appointed to the position because it gives me the chance to contribute across a number of areas.

CD: I know you are still very new, but do you have any broad ideas on where you would like to take the organisation in the next five years?

GN: It’s very early days for me and I am spending lots of time talking and listening and meeting as many people as I can. There is a rich culture of collaboration and partnership both within the organisation and with partners within the mental health sector and I am keen to continue to grow this and work collaboratively with our stakeholders to contribute to better lives for people with mental health issues.

The organisation is developing its strategic plan for 2010 to 2012 and it is important that we use this opportunity to develop directions that will assist us to continually improve our responses to people with mental health issues and their families/carers. The recession, lack of affordable housing, declining employment opportunities, lack of services and social isolation are making life more difficult for many people. We are challenged to read and interpret the signs of our times in regard to mental health and as the great modern wordsmith Barack Obama so ably put, reinterpret the vision of our founding fathers in our times.

The key ideas that are emerging in my thinking are; strengthening our research and influencing capacities; the importance of reliable and accessible knowledge and education for consumers, workers and carers; advancing our responsiveness to consumers, and further developing family-centred approaches.

CD: Is there anything that you have seen which has inspired you since joining Mind?

GN: I’m inspired by the professionalism and willingness of staff to be open to new ideas, as well as the responsiveness of services. I think it’s quite inspiring to see what Mind is doing to assist people with complex needs.

CD: How do you see the global financial crisis (GFC) impacting the work we do?

GN: I think there is going to be less new government money for the next couple of years. We’re going to need to think about alternative funding streams, because people with mental health issues will be significantly impacted by the economic climate.

What we have to do is try to minimise social exclusion amongst people with mental health issues and we have to make sure that when we get back to a period of growth, we have the plans ready to give to the government to say ‘this is where we need to be developing services.’

We need to understand how the GFC impacts Mind and also how it impacts our clients and the mental health of the broader community.

CD: Who’s your favourite musician?

GN: My favourite musician is Leonard Cohen. I’m a child of the 70’s and my musical taste is set around that era.

CD: What record / CD do you have in your collection that you are ashamed of?

GN: (long pause)... What am I particularly ashamed of?... Probably Bill Laurie’s cricket series, that’s pretty shameful.

CD: Tell me a bit about your life outside of work.

GN: I live in the south eastern suburbs of Melbourne and I’m married with three adult children. I have a particular interest in getting fit and staying fit. I enjoy the theatre, I enjoy walking and football when I can get to it… I barrack for Essendon.

CD: If you could have 6 people over for dinner who would they be (dead or alive)?

GN:
Barack Obama, President of the United States of America

Mahatma Gandhi, major political and spiritual leader of India

Eric Cunningham Dax AO, psychiatrist and pioneer of modern mental health

Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia

Brett Whiteley, Australian artist

My niece Anne, she is a really stimulating conversationalist

CD: Everyone has been asking, how are you so good at remembering people’s names?

GN: I’m conscious that it is really important to try and remember people’s names, so I do work at it, that’s true, but I don’t have any plan or any photo boards.

IPRSS team SA

Mind expands its reach in South Australia

Mind is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a significant South Australian Government tender for the delivery of Individual Psychosocial Rehabilitation Support Services (IPRSS). The total funding allocation is $2m per year until June 2011.

This funding includes an allocation to continue Mind’s current services in Eastern Adelaide, Southern Adelaide and South East Country (Mt Gambier) as well as funding to deliver new services in Northern Adelaide and the Wakefield region including Clare, Burra and Gawler.

IPRSS is a program designed to support people with a mental illness to enhance their independence and community participation and to assist them in their journey of recovery. IPRSS is delivered in the client’s own environment.

Support may include assistance to; identify, develop and maintain a sustainable life that holds meaning and value; actively participate in the community; manage day-to-day activities and reduce social isolation.

"This issue of social isolation is a pertinent one when working with people experiencing mental illness, especially in geographically isolated areas of regional South Australia," said Dorothy Belperio, General Manger SA Operations, Mind.

"Mind applauds the South Australian Government for recognising the level of mental health need in our community and responding to this by enabling organisations like Mind to expand into areas that have previously had limited access to mental health services."

Mind has also been chosen by the State Government to deliver a pilot program to deliver respite support to carers and clients who are engaged in the public mental health service. The pilot program will be delivered in Western Adelaide until June 2010.

For more information please contact Mind on 08 8368 7800.

Runners triumph for charity: conquering Australia’s toughest mountain ultra marathon

Team of runners

Sheer guts and determination saw new course records set in the second running of the Mind Alpine Skyrun Ultra Marathon, which finished on Monday 30 March.

Eighteen runners set out to overcome 160 kilometres within 48 hours through Victoria's Alpine National Park. The winner of the men’s solo category, Paul Monks, took the honours in a record breaking 32 hours 45 minutes. Jessica Robson became the first woman to finish the course, completing it in an impressive 36 hours and the Trail Running Victoria relay team also set a new course record.

"All participants undertook immense personal challenges and grew as a result of participating in this event," said race founder, Paul Ashton, who participated in the race for the second time.

"The runners' success was largely due to the support provided by their crews. This relationship closely mirrors the crucial support Mind provides for clients during their journey of recovery from mental illness."

Jessica Robson, the first woman to finish the course, decided to take on the Alpine Skyrun as a new and more difficult personal challenge after completing the Oxfam Trailwalker last year.

She did up to three hours training a day to prepare, which included running and a lot of cycling and hiking.

When asked how it felt to be the first female to complete the course, she excitedly replied, "Fantastic! Women can do it too! Well not just women, but anyone who puts their mind to something and puts in the hard work can achieve their dreams!
"Everyone was just awesome and very friendly. It was great to meet Norma (a fellow runner) out there doing it for the girls too, she was lovely. Everyone was so nice and encouraging."

Runners

From left: Luke Knight, Sam Hall, Andrew Moore on top of Mt Feathertop

Jessica spoke openly about the highs and lows of covering such a gruelling course.

"The course was tough, a lot harder than the GNW 100, as checkpoints were further apart and we navigated the highest mountains in Victoria…. I had my doubts at moments… But I was there to complete it and there was no way I was going to quit!

"Also, the scenery was just beautiful and a real highlight for me was everyone singing happy birthday as I ran into the first checkpoint on Sunday after such a long morning.

"As I approached the finish line I was thinking 'wow, this is almost over, I've done it and what can I achieve next?' When I was at the top of Mt Hotham, the final peak, I looked back at Mt Bogong and thought, 11 hours ago I was on top of that, wow!"

Jessica would not hesitate to tackle the Alpine Skyrun again next year, "It's an awesome challenge, and I'd like to see how well I can do next year."

All funds raised by the Mind Alpine Skyrun Ultra Marathon will help thousands of people across Victoria and South Australia who are recovering from mental illness, homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Mind would like to congratulate Jessica and all the participants of the Alpine Skyrun this year. The event will be held again next year and can be entered by anyone wishing to complete the course as a solo runner like Jessica did or as part of a relay team and tackle the course in stages.

For more information please contact race founder, Paul Ashton on pashton@mindaustralia.org.au.

John (a support worker at Chiron) and Michelle

Just 18 months ago, Michelle was lying in an intensive care unit being told by doctors that they were unsure she would ever walk again after a horrific accident left her with injuries too severe to name.

Today she speaks of hope, new beginnings and employment as she slowly rebuilds her life and learns to manage her mental illness.

"They were preparing me for the worst, but I did not accept that. All I had at that point was hope… I realised I was in a spot of bother and I fought my way back to where I am now."

"I remember my first steps… I’d been waiting months and months just to have the chance to take my first step and I did it! From then on I was unstoppable. It just improves every day…I think gee, wow, I'm walking pretty well today... I am so proud and no one can ever take that away from me. I did that for myself... I can stand on my own two feet."

After learning to walk again and finally leaving hospital, Michelle recognised that instead of moving back home, she needed intensive outreach support to assist her in her recovery from mental illness.

Since moving to Chiron, a youth residential rehabilitation program of Mind, ten months ago, Michelle has worked hard to reach the goals she has set for herself. She is currently completing a course in business administration and will soon be looking for employment.

She meets with her support worker, Julia, regularly where they discuss and work through Michelle’s issues together.

"My support worker is always a reliable source of support. She challenges me and I challenge myself so we work very well together.

"I can’t say to my support worker 'What's wrong with me? Fix me.' It has to come from me. I am always thinking about how to challenge myself.

Michelle’s beautiful jewellery

"Part of my mental illness has meant that I’ve missed out on a lot of adult development and I recognise that as a problem and I recognise that what I need to do is have a slow and steady recovery.”
When asked about the issue of mental illness among young people today, she offers the following insights.

"With the youth of today, including myself, mental illness is a huge issue. I think it is swept under the carpet, that’s why I think Mind is the most amazing, incredible organisation because they are actually helping people with mental illness and not making them feel ashamed of it. I don’t feel ashamed.

"To be given the opportunity to get your life back on track after what has happened is priceless, absolutely priceless. I’m talking about housing, I’m talking about the program, I’m talking about the support and the sense of community. Everything the workers do for you is amazing, they’re just amazing.

"There are a lot of young people out there who were like me but had no help, now I have the best of the best of help and I’m not going to throw it away..."

Victoria grieves after bushfires ravage the state

Fires The recent bushfires in Victoria need no introduction; they were fierce, unrelenting and have left much death and destruction in their wake.

The executive at Mind would like to acknowledge the bravery and spirit of those who fought the fires and those who were affected by them. Many people lost their loved ones, their homes and their livelihood. There were employees at Mind who were deeply affected by the fires and our thoughts are with them as they begin to rebuild their lives.

It is hard to know how to help in times of crisis, but as an organisation we felt that the deep knowledge and experience of our staff could be utilised.
At Mind we have a well established Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team who offer assistance to employees who need debrief support after a work incident. At the time of the bushfires, CISM staff were made available to employees of Mind who were directly impacted by the fires.

Mind staff also volunteered at the Yarra Glen and Healesville relief centres in an organised effort delivered by the Department of Human Services. The relief centres were also well-represented by organisations such as the Salvation Army, Centrelink and UnitingCare Connections.

Here people could find out about financial assistance available to them and access practical items such as food and blankets. The relief centres became a community hub where people could speak to each other or seek the support of Mind staff to discuss some of the trauma they had experienced.

"There was a community spirit at the relief centres that I had not experienced before," explained Julia from Mind.

"People appreciated our presence there, even if it was just to support them to get hold of the practical things they needed.

"For one couple, speaking to me was the first contact they had had with the outside world for over a week, so just having someone who was willing to listen to them really meant something."

Heather, a Regional Manager at Mind, spent some time at the relief centre. Here she describes an encounter that has stayed with her.

"I sat with a woman for over an hour and listened as she retold her story with the terror of it still in her eyes.

"This woman was mostly deaf, so couldn't hear the fi re coming. The first she knew of it was someone banging on her door saying, 'you have to get out of here', and at that point she had no idea why.

"She didn’t leave her property until it was almost too late." Heather went on to describe one positive outcome from this.

"As a result of the fire, this woman has been able to connect with neighbours she had not previously had a relationship with.

"It is this strong sense of community that will help people as they start to rebuild their lives."

Mind CEO Gerry Naughtin would like to thank those staff who gave up their time to contribute to the bushfire response.

I would walk 100 miles to get to Sprout Community Market!

Sprout Community Garden is a program of Mind that promotes mental and physical wellbeing through a range of horticulture and enterprise activities that are developed with a sustainable and creative focus.

As part of this approach, Sprout Community Market was launched on 5th March by Fiona Richardson MP, member for Northcote and Cr Diana Asmar, Mayor of Darebin, with Esmarelda and Glen from the Aboriginals Advancement League doing the acknowledgment and welcome to country.

The market aims to engage program participants and the local community in an enterprise that celebrates the benefits of locally grown and made produce, plants and products that have been sourced within 100 miles (160kms) of the market site. Much of the fresh produce has been grown at Sprout and in backyards around Melbourne.

"One of the key benefits of the market structure is that people who participate in Mind's programs have the opportunity to sell their products, develop new skills and generate some income for themselves," explained Zanni Waldstein, market coordinator.

Fiona Richardson MP and Cr Diana Asmar, plant a tree to launch Sprout Community Market

Items for sale not only include fresh fruit and vegetables, but also seedlings, plants, herbs and crafts. The market is also enriched with live music and food stalls for all to enjoy.

"The Sprout Community Market provides a meaningful way for people from all walks of life to participate in the community," commented Fiona Richardson, MP.

"Partnerships between local groups such as the Aboriginals Advancement League and Thornbury Primary School are key ingredients to the success of the market. These partnerships help the community to develop an appreciation and understanding of people’s backgrounds and circumstances."

"The Sprout Community Market not only aims to bring the local community together, but it also aims to encourage sustainable living," Zanni Waldstein explained.

"It encourages people to take notice of where their food is being produced and transported from. It doesn't make sense to ship fresh vegetables halfway across the country when you can buy them locally.

"Through initiatives such as Sprout Community Market, people are becoming aware of the benefits to their health and to the environment of buying locally grown, organic produce."

All profits from the market are reinvested into Sprout's programs, which support the recovery of people experiencing mental illness.

Greg
Greg, volunteer

Sprout market is held from 3 – 7pm on the first Thursday of every month (except for the winter months – closed June-Aug) and is located on the corner of Clapham and Watt Sts in Thornbury – (next to Thornbury train station) – Melway ref 30F4.

A big thank you must go to Sprout's financial supporters - the Ian Potter Foundation, Department for Planning and Community Development and Northern Support Services.

For more information, contact Sprout on 9484 5565 or email sprout@mindaustralia.org.au.

Former Victorian Premier,
Joan Kirner

A number of initiatives throughout Mind have been designed specifically for women, enabling them to explore issues and ideas in a safe, non-threatening environment. A celebration of International Women's Day and the facilitation of women’s groups are just two ways.

Women's Day by the Bay
Each year thousands of events are held throughout the world to celebrate International Women's Day (IWD) and inspire women to celebrate their achievements. This year Mind's Amaroo Day Program and Outreach Service hosted 'Women's Day by the Bay' to promote empowerment and equal opportunity for women who live in the western suburbs of Melbourne.

The festival was attended by over 100 women and was officially opened by Victoria's first and only female Premier, Joan Kirner who spoke about the need for women to exercise their right to equality.

"I loved that it was opened by Joan Kirner, I knew the hard times she had in politics and her speech was really good," commented Tracey, a participant in the day.

"The suffragettes had it really hard and it's important to remember where it all comes from."

Stephen Spencer, Amaroo Program Manager, spoke about the benefits of the celebration.

"This event is important because it affords a highly disadvantaged community with an opportunity to re-establish a sense of pride and identity through positive engagements with other members of the community, all in a celebration of International Women's Day."

The day was full of activities including; music, dance and theatre performances; boxercise, circus and belly dance workshops; information stalls; a women's drumming circle and complementary therapies including aromatherapy, massage and kinesiology.

Mary, who also attended the celebration believes that, "Celebrating IWD is a way for women to say 'we are important, we are half the population'. Doing things like this gives us a chance to socialise and exchange stories. It was a great day!"

Hestia Women's Group

Dancer at Amaroo

Mind's Amaroo Day Program and Outreach Service runs a weekly women's group called Hestia, which began 15 years ago on International Women’s Day. The group celebrated this milestone anniversary as part of Women’s Day by the Bay.

"The thing I like most about the women's group is the fact that it's a space just for women. I find it hard making friends, but I find at women’s group people listen to me and everyone sits around and talks," says Tracey, a regular participant in the group.

Each month there are a variety of activities on offer, developed with the women who attend the group. Activities include social outings, art and craft, personal development, cooking and recreational opportunities.

For more information contact Amaroo, a program of Mind on 03 9397 0611.

Sugar and Spice

Sugar and Spice is a women's group developed by Mind and Neami, a psychosocial health and rehabilitation support provider. The opportunity to participate in the group was made available to women under the age of 30 who lived in the northern suburbs of Melbourne.

Sugar and Spice ran for 20 weeks at the Northland Youth Centre and was regularly attended by between eight and ten young women. During Sugar and Spice a number of topics were covered including, self identity, relationships, group dynamics, spirituality and mental illness.

"There were a couple of things that were significantly different to groups we had run in the past. The thinking was that as two facilitators we needed to be contributing members, which meant that we sat equally in the circle and we began every session by sharing our journal, just like the members did. That put us on the same level," explains Julia, a facilitator and support worker at Mind.

Julia noticed the dynamics of the group change over time as individuals made significant progress.

"For this one girl, to be in a group was amazing. The workers couldn't believe that she had agreed to participate. When she initially came in she would sit herself outside of the group and for ten weeks basically said nothing. We would always go around the room and include her, but she would always look down.

"By week ten she had asked for people's numbers and started to visit members outside of the group hours. She then began to share her journal, it became her voice."

Julia emphasised the need to normalise situations within the group so that mental illness did not become the overriding focus.

"Yes, they may have a mental illness and yes they might find it difficult finding employment or relating to others, but to different degrees we all go through these issues. It was important for us, as young women, to normalise this and give some hope that things may change for them."

Michelle, who is featured in the article 'I can stand on my own two feet' in this edition of Open Mind, attended the women's group and loved her experience.

"It was my favourite part of the week."

"It was just nice walking in there and saying hi to the girls in the morning, we were all so happy to see each other... There was a real warmth and a real spirit there. Everyone was learning from each other and supporting each other through whatever they were going through at the time.

"We went over subjects such as intimate relationships and disability job search. These were all intricately explored within the group. I gained a lot of knowledge. I actually now have a disability job network that I will go through when I finish my course."

To this day Michelle still keeps a journal and uses this as a coping mechanism.

"It's great, because I have a record of everything I have done through Chiron (a program of Mind)."

Michelle also discovered a love of beading through a strengths jewellery making activity, and now makes and sells jewellery.

"I make bracelets for my family and friends and I also go to markets and sell them. I made something like 47 bracelets for the last Sprout market."

The next Sugar and Spice group will shortly be held in Mill Park, running for ten weeks. If you are interested in joining, please contact Julia Lo Nigro on 9462 3700.

Vol_nteering - All that's missing is U!

Mind Colleen, Janet and Matilda (Colleen’s pet bird)

Janet has been volunteering at Mind for almost a year, after responding to a small advertisement in a community newsletter.

"I was in Hungry Jacks having a burger on Chapel Street and there was a two page paper that I was just skimming through when I saw a very small advert asking for volunteers. I had worked in aged care in a community sense and I was just in the right frame of mind and in the right place," explains Janet.

Shortly after reading the advert, Janet contacted Mind and attended volunteer training sessions before being matched with Colleen (a client of Mind), who lives just five minutes away from her. Understandably, Janet was quite nervous at first and did not know much about mental illness.

"I didn’t know how it was going to go and was really nervous about it going into the training. The training was really good and quite encouraging and I was really looking forward to the experience, but at the same time I knew nothing about schizophrenia. I didn’t want to know the mechanics of it, but I wanted to know about the person I was going to meet, I wanted to know about Colleen."

Janet and Colleen were introduced through Rebecca, a volunteer coordinator at Mind. From the very beginning Janet and Colleen got along really well, and they have been meeting up fortnightly ever since.

Colleen explains that "It's the only time I get out except the weekends and other than blood tests, psych appointments, dentists, podiatrists and psychiatrists."

Much of Colleen's life is focused around the appointments she must maintain to enable her to manage her illness, so it is great that once a fortnight she has a positive focus in her life.

"We just yak away and talk… We have lots of fun that's for sure. We've become good friends I must say... I would rather see Janet any day," says Colleen.

Janet and Colleen have shared so much and learnt a lot about each other in the year that has passed. They have discovered that they have a joint love of food, so each fortnight they choose a different restaurant to eat at.

Janet talks about their outings and what she enjoys most about their time together.

"The year has just flown by. We were quite comfortable with each other from the beginning… and we both like eating all kinds of things like Chinese and Thai."

"Colleen has a really good sense of humour as well, so it's just like catching up with a friend on a regular basis really... it happens quite easily for us."

Janet not only enjoys Colleen’s friendship but also sees it as a way of giving back to the community.

"In the smallest way you are adding to somebody's life, even if it's just for two hours a fortnight."

" think the most important thing is the regularity of it and the consistency, it is really important that Colleen is confident that I will be there every fortnight."

Colleen and Janet often have discussions about current issues as well as just relaxing with idle chatter, but they both agree that "the reward is the friendship for sure!"

Mind currently operates Volunteering programs across regional and metropolitan Victoria. For more information contact the Volunteer Recruitment Officer on 03 9455 7900 or complete an online volunteer application form here.

Measuring the recovery journey of clients

In mid-2008 Mind conducted a pilot study to trial a survey designed to measure the recovery journey of its clients. It is not an easy thing to measure such a personal and unique experience, however it is important that Mind builds up its evidence-base for the work that it does, ensuring the work reflects what is important to clients.

The Recovery Enhancing Environment Measure (REE) was developed by clients in the U.S., and stood out because it measured not only what clients deemed to be important factors in their recovery, but also how well they feel the organisation supports those factors.

The REE was piloted across eight different program types, administered by Mind clients or consumer consultants, to encourage clients to answer freely and honestly, and to involve clients in the work of the organisation.

The pilot provided rich data that confirmed how useful it would be for Mind to use the REE on an ongoing basis. Not only was the client feedback positive about the survey itself, but the answers clients gave to the survey questions pointed directly to the areas of importance for clients. It identified the areas into which Mind needs to place more focus, as well as highlighting where Mind is meeting client expectations.

For example, only 61.1% of respondents in the pilot thought there was a clear grievance policy at Mind. All clients are given information about how to make a complaint when they join a program, yet almost 40% still don’t think there is a clear process. Therefore Mind may need to give clients the information again when they are more settled, or to provide it repeatedly through their time in the program.

Some examples of what the REE data has told us are:

Mind staff show and provide support to people in their recovery but don’t necessarily name what they’re doing as "Recovery".
Respondents felt supported on an emotional level more than a practical one.
Clients felt staff treat them well.
Clients felt well supported as an individual in the program, but still need assistance being linked into the community.

The REE data has shown Mind where its strengths lie, and provides food for thought about areas where clients would like more support. In those areas, it is important to ask why this area might be a gap and whether it should in fact remain a gap or be filled in some way. The final question, in which 75% of clients say that staff encourage, motivate and support them to move toward recovery shows that whilst there is always room for improvement, Mind is doing well in the ultimate goal of supporting recovery.

In 2009 the REE is being administered to all clients of Mind, and this will be continued every year as a way of tracking their recovery journey and identifying areas they would like more support.

Ultimately the REE will become an important way for the client voice to be heard and responded to at all levels of the organisation.

For more information on the REE contact Emma Levy on 03 9455 7900.

Pedal power raises $30k for Mind

Mark Williams recently organised a bike ride from Adelaide to Melbourne along the Great Ocean Road, covering over 1,000kms in six days.

Mark is an employee of the WHK Group, a major Australasian financial services company, who kindly agreed to match all employee fundraising for this event.

"One day I was driving from Adelaide to Melbourne and thought that it would be a good challenge to ride it! I selected Mind as the charity because a friend of mine told me about the great work that they were doing," explains Mark.

"It was important to me that any funds raised were going to help people who really needed it. I did this ride for the personal challenge but also to give something back to the community."

After coming up with the idea, Mark then went about recruiting cyclists to make up the team of twenty.

Riders Participants of the ride

"The group consisted mainly of work colleagues and friends. We ended up with riders from Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia, which was great… There's nothing like interstate rivalry to get people moving!"

Mark then undertook months of training, which saw him ride between two and three hundred kilometres a week. He and his teammates also went about fundraising for Mind.

"Fundraising for the event was surprisingly easy. It was great that the WHK group matched employee fundraising efforts dollar for dollar which totalled almost $6,000. I also think people were willing to give, not only because they knew it was a tough challenge but also because of the cause."

The group embarked on the ride on the 28th November. On day one they encountered rain and sleet, but this was nothing compared to the 50km headwinds that were waiting for them.

"We had a headwind for five of the six days. Given the prevailing wind should have been behind us, this was frustrating to say the least! But everyone really pulled together when the going got tough and everyone finished the ride.

"Overall, it was a great deal of fun. It was rewarding both personally and with the knowledge of how much we had raised for Mind."

It is amazing to see what can be achieved through the passion and initiative of one individual and the support of his company. Mark has been able to use his passion of cycling to raise money for people recovering from mental illness, and in doing this he was able to inspire nineteen others to do the same.

Mind would like to personally thank Mark, WHK and the cyclists for their support and fundraising efforts. This will go a long way towards helping people experiencing mental illness to rebuild their lives.

Open Mind Newsletter

4th Edition, 2009

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