A WORD FROM SUSAN

Two years ago we started holding an annual movie night fundraiser as a way to promote Southern Community Welfare (SCW) to increase support and highlight our services and projects to Shire residents and beyond. We’ve been lucky enough to have some generous sponsors come on board and provide us with giveaways each year, plus great volunteers to help out on the night. The movie nights have proven to be not only a fun night out, but a good source of income for our service with last year’s movie night raising just over $4,000 for case management. This year for our 3rd annual movie night, we’ll be showing “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” at Cronulla Cinema on Thursday August 28th. The movie takes us on a journey through some spectacular scenery from Iceland to Afghanistan with beautiful cinematography that is perfect for theatre. The movie follows the under achieving day dreamer, Walter Mitty, as he leaves his mundane life to take on some real world adventure. It’s a story about finding your inner strength and courage – a story many of us may relate to.Movie goers will each receive a goodie bag, and be in the running for some excellent giveaways. Ticket cost will be $20 for early bird before 31st July or $25 after 1st August, with all profits from the night going directly to our services. I hope you can come along on Thursday night August 28th to support SCW. Find out more via www.trybooking.com/89584.

Susan Foyle General Manager

In the communitycaring

equippingempowering

...hope

WINTER 2014NEWSLETTER

ItTakesAVillage...There is a well known African proverb which says “It takes a village to raise a child”. But that proverb can equally apply to any person in need of a caring community of people who will walk alongside them through difficult times.

In Zac’s case, his mum saw an ad in the local paper and suggested he might like to get some help from Southern Community Welfare. Since suffering a back injury, Zac’s life has taken many twists and turns for the worse resulting in low self esteem, anxiety, self-destructive thoughts and addictions to various medications.

Since that first contact, Zac has benefited greatly from his time with counsellors and in particular his case manager. While the counsellor dealt with the issues he was experiencing as a result of his bi polar, his case manager worked on the challenges he faced on a day to day basis. When asked about his weekly meetings with this case manager, Zac said that they ‘clicked’ straight away. “I was comfortable and could be honest and tell (her) everything that was bugging me...It was a slow process but each month I’d have a breakthrough and that would give me more hope. I felt like I was making baby steps towards some type of future.”

Zac’s advice to anyone in his situation is to seek help and that you can’t easily do it alone, especially if depression, addiction or mental illness are additional factors. “It’s an awful place to be and you’re trapped. You can’t do it by yourself.”

His goal is to build up his self esteem and confidence so that he can return to personal training and run his own business. When asked “How would you describe the person you have become?” Zac laughed, “I’m pretty awesome!” - It seems to be working!

To keep supporting people like Zac,

We need your help!We are a non-government organisation

and we are dependent on generous donations to continue our services and programs such as

Case Management. You can ensure the ongoing impact we are having in our community through a financial donation.

Please visit www.scw.org.au to donate or phone 9545-0299

CONTACT USSOUTHERN COMMUNITY WELFARE

2-4 Tea Gardens Avenue Kirrawee NSW 2232Phone: 02 9545 0299 Fax: 02 9521 6252

Email admin@scw.org.au Web www.scw.org.au Facebook: www.facebook.com/

SouthernCommunityWelfare

How do you know when your wife, girlfriend, husband, boyfriend or partner is happy? Ask your partner this question, “In our relationship, what are the moments you treasure the most and what brings you happiness?” Now ask yourself, is this answer new information I was unaware of?Individuals who are not surprised by their loved ones answer are usually well attached. Attachment refers to the study of infants in relationship to their primary caregivers. It is speculated that if childhood attachments are healthy we are more likely to form healthy attachments in adulthood.

If adult romantic relationships are attachment relationships, then the way adult relationships “work” should be similar to the way infant-caregiver relationships work. In other words, the same kinds of factors that facilitate exploration in children (ie having a responsive caregiver) should facilitate exploration among adults (ie having a responsive partner). The kinds of things that make an attachment figure “desirable” for infants (ie responsiveness, availability) are the kinds of factors adults should find desirable in romantic partners. (Bowlby, taken from C.Fraley Uni of Illinois)Being responsive and available to our partners will look differently in each relationship. For example, noticing our partner has not been herself. Perhaps she has been short tempered, unorganised, looking sad and being distant. If her partner were to respond to her with ‘strong attachment’ he may make time for them to sit and tell her what he has been noticing and ask how he can help. A ‘poor attachment’ may see her partner taking his wife’s actions personally, believing she is angry at him rather than seeking clarification. He may then respond in frustration or avoidance.In most cases counselling can assist individuals to recognise poor attachments in childhood. A therapist can assist you with identifying patterns and themes present in relationships and how you can work to change behaviours that are not wanted.Grace Versace - Clinical Manager

Meet the Staff...Mary CarterWhat is your position at SCW?Child and Adolescent TherapistWhat do you love most about your job?I feel very fortunate to work with some great young people and to be someone they can trust and talk to. I am also working with a team of skilled, innovative and fun

professionals. And I appreciate the close proximity to home & flexible work hours as my husband & I visit our grandkids interstate frequently.Where did you do your training?I did my Bachelor of Counselling through Tabor Bible College and Graduate in Education through Newcastle University.What gets under your skin?Private phone calls in public places.Finish this sentence: When I have a day off, I love to...Read...and write books...and play with my baby grandson.If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?Chocolate is pretty hard to beat but I have to say it’s definitely mangos.

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Y SEASONS FOR GROWTH - Groups for children experiencing grief and loss. TUESDAY AFTERNOONS 22 JULY - 9 SEPTSEASONS FOR GROWTH for ADULTS - Grief and loss seminar. MONDAY 28 JULY 9:30am -12:30pmMOVIE FUNDRAISER - THURSDAY 28 AUG OUT OF THE SHADOWS - Suicide Awareness Walk - MONDAY 8 SEPTCHILDHOOD ANXIETY WORKSHOP - MONDAY 15 SEPTCOMING UP IN TERM 4...REACH SUPPORT GROUP - For people over 18 years that have been diagnosed with Depression or Bipolar. THURSDAY MORNINGS 16 OCT - 18 DECCALL THE OFFICE TO BOOK OR FOR MORE INFORMATION - 9545 0299

2014TERM 3

“SCW Core Value - HOPE”SCW believes each individual has been created with potential and purpose. We believe each person has the power to create positive change, gain freedom from barriers, and find lifelong healing. We

are committed to offering hope in difficult situations when solutions may not seem obvious.

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