"The festive season sees the end of one year and anticipates the commencement of a new, making it a great time to reflect on the past and plan."
I am very proud to be CEO Advocacy for Inclusion, an organisation that strives to improve the quality of life of all who seek its services.
I believe we can hold onto the spirit of community care and the generosity that the festive period brings and apply it for the whole year in building stronger and more inclusive communities. My Christmas wish is to see our region continue to develop and be a diverse, tolerant and inclusive society in 2019.
The festive season sees the end of one year and anticipates the commencement of a new, making it a great time to reflect on the past and plan. For many people, it can feel the opposite. Being separated from family and loved ones – either due to work, loss, or conflict – can make Christmas a time of unhappiness and loneliness.
Feeling lonely during the festive season is never easy and reaching out to others can often seem scary. But it’s important to talk to people in your life at this time of year and let them know how you’re feeling.
It might be as simple as a text message, a phone call, or a message on social media. Or you might want to catch up with a friend or family member one-on-one.
You can also jump online and connect with an online community for support. There are also several online and telephone services such as Beyond BlueandLifelinethat are available if you need someone to talk to.
Again, I want to say I’m proud to be CEO of an organisation working with amazing staff and board of management.
At this time, it is fitting to pay tribute to AFI’s hard-working advocates, policy, training, administration and finance staff and a board of management for their contribution of excellence they have all made to what has been a very successful year. Our community is strong, and together we will continue our efforts to eliminate discrimination, uphold human rights and ensure dignity for all.
May 2019 bring prosperity, happiness and health to all.
Nicolas Lawler Chief Executive Officer, Advocacy for Inclusion
Our office will be closed from Friday 21 December and re-open Tuesday 2 January.
In September AFI held its Annual General Meeting. We are pleased to introduce our new Board of Management for 2019:
Chair: Paulette Neilsen
Deputy Chair: Laura Piscopo
Treasurer: Paul Salinas
Secretary: Jane Flanagan
Peter Dwyer
Tina Tran
Jess White
Join us for our next Supported Decision Making Workshop
