Safe space for health support
Community service organisation Uniting has opened a Wimmera Wellbeing Centre in Horsham to meet an increase in community need for family and mental-health support.
Uniting Community Wellbeing worker Kara Johnson said the new centre at 28 Urquhart Street provided an informal space where people could access services.
“The idea of the Wimmera Wellbeing Centre is to offer a welcome space where children, young people and families can take part in group programs, in an informal atmosphere, with a focus on improving their mental wellbeing,” she said.
“Our team is dedicated to exploring different ways to engage with and improve wellbeing outcomes for people in our community who might be feeling vulnerable.”
Ms Johnson said Uniting hoped Wimmera Wellbeing Centre would become a community space where service providers and consumers could work together to meet the wellbeing needs of people across the Wimmera.
“We want children and parents to feel comfortable when they come into the building and see the range of support options available,” she said.
“Some local service providers already use the facility. We’d love to see more locally-run programs based in the centre and encourage anyone with a relevant program to get in touch.
“There are various multi-purpose areas, including group rooms with casual seating options, formal training areas, commercial kitchen and laundry facilities, cozy counselling and therapeutic spaces, outdoor green spaces, creative studios for mess and fun, and a computer lab for life skills and entertainment.”
Uniting invited Wimmera service providers to tour the centre and join a smoking ceremony led by Barengi Gadjin Land Council last week.
Programs and groups already operating at the centre include: Nurture, a perinatal anxiety and depression support group; Play Therapy, children learning to express themselves through play; Drumbeat, social and emotional awareness through rhythm and music; Hearing Voices group; headspace Horsham gamers groups; Oasis Wimmera social group; The Body and Mind program.
“Our groups might change from time to time depending on the need of local individuals, families and their children. It is an evolving space,” Ms Johnson said.
Uniting Wimmera services executive officer Josh Koenig said the space was a credit to a community capacity team, which had used its initiative to fill a void in the community.
“We are excited to be able to work together with other services to get the best possible results for local people,” he said.
Service providers or groups interested in using the facility can call Ms Johnson on 5362 4000.