THE CONVERSATION

KAYA! (hello) and welcome to The Conversation a resource from Connection And Wellbeing Australia (CAWA).

Our aim is to connect you with our work and the work of our wider networks and to link you with information and opportunities to help create resilient and inclusive communities.

You have been added to this mailing list as you previously expressed interest in keeping updated with our work. If you wish to unsubscribe, please use the link in the footer below.

CAWA can create tailored information resources for your organisation or workplace, to up skill your employees and/or volunteers in identified areas of need.

Contact us now to talk about how together we can develop a training package to suit the learning and development needs of your staff and volunteers.

We're a winner baby!

CAWA was thrilled to be awarded several accolades in the latter part of 2021.

FINALIST- Connection And Wellbeing Australia, Belmont and Western Australian Business Awards 2021

WINNER- Bella Broadway, Community Spirit Award, Proud Awards 2021

WINNER- Connection and Wellbeing Australia, WA Mental Health Awards, Diversity Award, WA Mental Health Awards 2021

REACTION FROM BELLA BROADWAY (Founder of CAWA)
"Thank you to all of the awards sponsors, organisers and judges.
Thank you for all of the amazing work that each of the finalists do to help create the future and change we want to see in the world.
Thank you to every CAWA staff member, volunteer, supporter, client, partner organisation and those who continue to support our work.
While awards may not be why we do the work that we do, anything that can help raise awareness of services and supports that can help change lives is something we are proud of!"

Photo from the WA Mental Health Awards 2021, CAWA founder Bella,
being presented by Lorna from Lotterywest who generously sponsored this award category

LGBTIQA+ Family and Domestic Violence and Intimate Partner Violence

CAWA has been providing training and support to organisations across WA who respond to Family and Domestic Violence (FDV) and Intimate partner Violence (IPV) for over 5 years.

This work is particularly challenging in Western Australia where there are no specific services for LGBTIQA+ people seeking support and most mainstream services are currently unable to meet the diverse needs of the LGBTIQA+ community. COVID and the resulting lockdowns and pressures have also meant that LGBTIQA+ people have continued to have limited options for support- despite the increased need.

In 2022, we are proud to partner with the phenomenal Centre for Women's Safety and Wellbeing (CWSW) to deliver a suite of workshops, designed to build the capacity of the sector to better understand how to meet the unique and specific needs of LGBTIQA+ people who experience violence, power and control in their relationships.

In partnership, CAWA and CWSW will deliver online and in person workshops on:
- Foundations of LGBTIQA+ Diversity and Inclusive Practice
- LGBTIQA+ Experiences of FDV and IPV
- LGBTIQA+ Experiences of Sexual Violence

If you want to find out how to access these heavily subsidised low cost/no cost workshops check in with https://www.eventbrite.com.au/o/the-centre-for-womens-safety-and-wellbeing-32451101661

If you want to support CAWA's work to mark 2022 LGBTI Awareness Day (May 28th)- please join our ONLINE workshop on May 27th https://event.webinarjam.com/register/15/m25qnc5 or FACE TO FACE workshop on 31st May https://s.surveyplanet.com/1gTdjKfVR

And if you want to help support our work in this area by undertaking workplace training, running a community consultation or helping us to advocate for more funding and cultural change in this space- get in touch! admin@connectionandwellbeing.com.au

FACE to FACE WORKSHOP

ASIST- 2 day suicide first aid
Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th April 2022
Health Science Hub Level 1/100 Stirling Street, Perth WA 6000
(This venue is wheelchair accessible)
$360 + GST
(includes all materials and light refreshments)
*subsidised rate available for those who require

Registration: https://s.surveyplanet.com/bFdZNXEv-x

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is a course in suicide first aid. During the two-day (16 hrs) interactive session, participants learn to help prevent the immediate risk of suicide by helping someone create a plan of community connections that can help them keep themselves safe

Learning outcomes include how to:

Understand the ways personal and societal attitudes affect views on suicide and how to respond;
Provide guidance and suicide first-aid to a person at risk in ways that meet their individual safety needs;
Identify the key elements of an effective suicide safety plan and the actions required to implement it;
Appreciate the value of improving and integrating suicide prevention resources in the community at large; and
Recognise other important aspects of suicide prevention including life-promotion and self-care

FACE to FACE WORKSHOP

safeTALK- suicide awareness

Thursday 14th April 2022 10am-2pm
The Platform Perth- Adelaide Tce
$90 + GST
(includes all materials and light refreshments)
*subsidised rate available for those who require
Registration:
https://s.surveyplanet.com/qa7ugzqt

safeTALK helps increase your skills and confidence in:

noticing when someone may be thinking about suicide
Having the tools to talk directly with them about this
Know the places to support them to connect in with to help keep themselves safe

Workshop is suitable for anyone over the age of 15,
whether professional, volunteer or community member.

UPCOMING ONLINE WORKSHOPS

Boundaries, Burnout & Self Care
Monday 28th March 2022 9:30am-1pm
https://event.webinarjam.com/register/41/xq34limz

Challenge, Connection & Control
Friday 29th April 2022 10am-1:30am
https://event.webinarjam.com/register/37/r43pwbv4

Foundations of LGBTIQ+ Inclusive Practice
Friday 6th May 2022 10am-1pm
https://event.webinarjam.com/register/17/xq34liz

Mental Health 101
Monday 23 May 2022 9:30am-1:30pm
https://event.webinarjam.com/register/47/51mo8i37

Co-Design and community Consultation Project Delivery

YPPA PROJECT 2021

In 2021 CAWA was thrilled to collaborate with Youth Affair Council of Western Australia and the Mental Health Commission of Western Australia to design and deliver a project to inform the implementation of the Young People’s Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drug Use: Priorities for Action 2020-2025 (the YPPA). This project sought to:

•   Ensure young people’s lived experiences and knowledge of the mental health, alcohol and other drug services systems, including their ideas for innovation and change, were able to guide the implementation of the YPPA.

•   Build relationships and connections among the MHC and cross-government Senior Officers Working Group (SOWG) responsible for the YPPA’s implementation with young people with a diversity of lived experiences and backgrounds across the mental health and alcohol and other drugs sectors.

•   Support ongoing connections between young people, the MHC, and the Senior Officers Working Group (SOWG), that will lead to long-term participation of young people in the implementation of mental health and alcohol and other drug planning activities.

With the leadership of our phenomenal 10 Youth Steering Group Members, we put together a project to;
1.   Design and delivery of a two-day youth mental health and alcohol and other drugs summit in the Perth Metropolitan area, focused on co-designing priorities identified by the MHC.
2.   Design and delivery of a one-day online youth mental health and alcohol and other drugs summit for young people from regional and remote area.
3.   Identifying and supporting several additional youth engagement activities to speak with young people from diverse backgrounds on priorities from the YPPA that impact unique cohorts of young people. These included individual conversations, online surveys, and small focus groups/workshops.

This project was an example of partnerships in action. Outcomes are set to have long lasting effects on the creation and provision of youth MH and AOD services and have forged a foundation for open and transparent dialogue between young people and the people making decisions about their future.

Keep an eye out for the Steering group members and all the young people who participated in these consultations- they are truly the mental health leaders of the future!

If you want to run a safe, fun, interactive co-design workshop or consultation project, get in touch with the CAWA team.

Photos from https://www.skylerslatephotography.com/

Call out to join the radio revolution!

YDAN and DRN1 new podcast initiative

Our friends at Youth Disability Advocacy Network (YDAN) are on the hunt for young people with disabilities aged between 16 and 25 years old across Western Australia to share their advocacy journey via a brand new podcast.

Jason from DRN1 tells us "Inclusion will be launched March 1st 2022. All content on the Inclusion station will be created by people living with a disability, meaning all pre-production, post production and presentation of content will be done by our awesome creators who live with disability. We will also provide training for everyone who comes onboard"

To find our how you can take part, scan the QR code in this video https://fb.watch/bBsFZfFNaY/
OR

For more information about YDAN and their amazing work, connect with them via https://www.facebook.com/youthdisabilityadvocacy

OR
For more information about DRN1 Inclusion head to https://www.drn1.com.au/inclusion

New Resources

Have you heard about Thirrli?

Thirrili's vision: All our families and communities have healed from trauma and choose to live their lives in acknowledgement of our deep ancestral connections, drawing on cultural ways of knowing, being and doing and supporting our people to thrive and flourish in this and future generations.
The Indigenous Suicide Postvention Services supports individuals, families, and communities affected by suicide or other significant trauma.

Thirrili is a Bunuba word which means power and strength.

When Founding Director and Inaugural Chief Executive Adele Cox first started having conversations about the idea and concept of a not-for-profit organisation that could lead the way in addressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide prevention and postvention, she had a conversation with her Aunty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar AO, who suggested the term Thirrili. This symbolised the nature of the work that had to be done, but it also acknowledged the cultural links and lineage of Adele who is a Bunuba and Gija woman.

A Postvention Advocate can be contacted 24/7 by calling 1800 805 801

Thirrili Logo
Title of artistic work: Ngupawarlu
Artist: Stumpy Brown
Story behind the artwork: https://japingkaaboriginalart.com/articles/ngupawarlu/
Attribution: Ngupawarlu © Stumpy Brown/Licensed by Copyright Agency

New Resources

Looking for shareable resources that people can connect with for information and support? CAWA have downloadable (and printed) handy referral resources.

PDF versions of the resources are available on our website https://connectionandwellbeing.com.au/resources/

Please share far and wide! We can also provide printed copies upon request.
And let us know if you hear about a new group or service that needs to be added.

Click Here for the CAWA Resource Store

As well as our CAWA heart pins, we stock a variety of resources that can make your workplaces suicide safer and more inclusive.

Click the button below to purchase posters, information leaflets and more.

All proceeds go toward funding free community suicide prevention projects.

Most posters can be customized to include your organizational logo and we can create individualized resources to meet your specific needs.

Copyright © 2022 Connection and Wellbeing Australia. All rights reserved.

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admin@connectionandwellbeing.com.au

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