Site: Mid North Country Region
Organisation: Australian Red Cross Society
The Australian Red Cross Society (Red Cross) is part of the world's largest humanitarian organisation and has branches in every state with over 50,000 members and volunteers.
Red Cross has delivered a range of programs that support people with mental illness, including:
- a national partnership with beyondblue: the national depression initiative which develops and delivers training programs and resources to enable young people to educate and support their peers about mental health issues and particularly depression and anxiety.
- the MATES (Mentally ill people and Their Equal Supporters) program which provides social support to people with mental illnesses. MATES matches people who have a mental illness with volunteers in the community and then supports them to engage in social activities together.
- the Save-A-Mate (SAM) program which provides drug, alcohol, and mental health education to young people. At the request of Indigenous communities Australian Red Cross has adapted the program to respond to their needs and is training young Indigenous people to support and educate their peers on mental health issues.
Red Cross delivers the Personal Helpers and Mentors Program in the Katherine and Top End demonstration sites in the Northern Territory.
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Sites: Noarlunga, Western Metropolitan Area - Port Adelaide sub area
Organisation: Mental Illness Fellowship of South Australia Inc.
The Mental Illness Fellowship of South Australia Inc (MIFSA) is a community based, not-for-profit organisation delivering a range of programs and services for people affected by mental illness, their carers and the community.
MIFSA reaches approximately 35,000 people a year through a range of education, information, support and rehabilitation and recovery based programs. MIFSA is part of a national body with branches across Australia.
MIFSA has been working in South Australia for 23 years. Its aims include promoting greater community knowledge, awareness and understanding about the effects of mental illness on individuals and carers through education, research, rehabilitation, illness management, support, reducing stigma and advancing the rights of people with a mental illness and their carers.
MIFSA's services include the Peer Worker Program, Carer Education, Psychosocial Groups Program, Day to Day Living Program, Activity Centres, an education program for metropolitan and country SA (80,000 people educated), support groups, accommodation support service and face-to-face and telephone support to the community.
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Site: Southern Metropolitan Marion sub area
Organisation: UnitingCare Wesley Port Adelaide Inc.
UnitingCare Wesley Port Adelaide Inc. (UCWPA) has been providing community support services to the western and northern metropolitan areas of Adelaide for nearly 90 years, and to the mid-north and south-east rural regions of South Australia for the past decade.
UCWPA is committed to providing services for the most vulnerable people in the community and has established a wide range of aged care and community services to meet the special and individual needs of all clients, including the socially and financially disadvantaged, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disabilities, Indigenous people and people who live in rural and remote areas.
UCWPA has been providing housing and community based recovery and psychosocial support services for people with a mental illness in South Australia since 1996. Currently UCWPA's 14 community mental health programs provide support for over 450 people with varying levels of need in metropolitan Adelaide and country South Australia. Many other people with a mental illness receive services through UCWPA's broad range of general accommodation, employment, youth and aged care programs.
All UCWPA's services work from a strengths perspective and embrace the principles of the recovery model. Consumers are encouraged and supported to make decisions, be responsible for managing their mental health, consider holistic health issues, develop meaningful daily routines and connect with their community.