POP-UP SERVICE TO HELP TACKLE COVID TOLL
A NEW mental health and wellbeing hub based in North Geelong is helping locals amid the ongoing stress of the pandemic.
Ermha365 is offering new services in the Barwon region as part of a state government mental health support package.
The services include one-on-one wellbeing coaching, wellbeing checks, emotional support and practical assistance for people struggling with mental health.
Group support sessions will also be offered to support personal recovery, management of mental health symptoms and social and community connection.
The pop-up service links people in need of assistance to other, existing services to help them, their family, friends and carers to address life stressors, such as the threat of homelessness, financial difficulties and social isolation.
Ermha365 was already embedded in the Barwon community as a provider of existing mental health services.
The mental health and wellbeing hub is operating out of Ermha365’s new site on Thompson Rd, North Geelong.
The organisation moved into the site to accommodate the expansion in services.
Jackie Ashmore, chief operations officer, mental health, forensic and community services, and acting chief executive at Ermha365, said there were no criteria for who could attend the hub.
“People can self-refer and attend on site,” she said.
“We don’t have to turn anyone away.”
Ms Ashmore said social anxiety was prevalent amid the pandemic.
“What we’re really finding is connection is key, so people haven’t connected, they’ve been quite isolated,” she said.
She said with the service covering the Barwon region, it could conduct outreach, with pop-up sessions in regional areas such as Colac.
“If the community had identified they had a need for maybe some mindfulness group sessions, we could come out there and do that,” she said.