Phew…… that's probably the best way I can describe how me and many other Victorians are feeling right now.
We have just achieved 31 days of no new cases of COVID-19 and 1 death from COVID-19. We have had some lockdown restrictions removed and we are working our way slowly and carefully out of what has been one of the most testing
times in my life.
Here in Victoria we were in Stage 4 Lockdown for over 100 days! We had restrictions on travel, exercise and work. We had checkpoints manned by police and defense personnel. We could only leave home for food,
work, exercise and essential work.
I’ve had family and friends interstate say to me ‘We know how you must be feeling.’ Actually you have no idea how we were feeling, stage 4 lockdown was horrible for me and for the majority of Victorians and unless you were part of it you really have no idea how tough it has been.
But guess what, our state government listened to the experts, they put a plan
in place, they did some ‘Modelling’ and look where we are today 31 days of double zero figures!
Some people are quick to blame, oh but if they did this, or they should have done that! But they didn’t, they did what they did and it worked. In years to come there will be studies, enquiries and arguments on how it could, should and would be done…….
But I don’t care, they did what they did and we are where we are.
From me to you……. Thank you. Woody
The new symbol of hope in Victoria...the doughnut!
What have we been up to? So I wish I had been sitting back watching Netflix for the last few months. We
actually worked harder than I would have worked if it weren’t for Coronavirus. We sat back and had a look at what we do, how we do it and we decided to ask for some input from others.
We found a great little company that specialises in marketing and engaged them to help us out. Part of their job was to run a short survey to some of the people we have worked with in the past.
A huge thanks to those of you who took part in our survey.
On the 16th November 2020, our Prime Minister Scott Morrison publicly released the Interim Advice documents prepared to shape Australia’s suicide prevention approach. This will enable further consultation to occur over the coming weeks to inform the Final Advice.
I’m just loving that people like myself with lived experiences are being acknowledged in the Compassion First Report as having an important role in educating others through sharing ones story with the aim of suicide prevention.
The Interim Adviceconsists of three interrelated reports:
(1) Compassion First, detailing
the experiences of people with lived experience of suicide;
(3) Shifting the Focus,
outlining a whole-of-government approach to suicide.
This interim report shows the importance and support for lived experience Speakers to share their stories with business amongst some really informative information within.
I’m feeling very positive about the future of Suicide Prevention and Mental Health education in Australia.
If you have ever thought twice about bringing a Lived Experience Mental Health Speaker to your business, wondering if there is any data that supports Lived Experience Speakers being an integral part of Suicide Prevention, then this is the National Interim report that will support your decision.
We invited James to our organisation to share his story and to highlight the importance of the choices we make on a day to day basis. James was an incredibly powerful speaker and his message certainly resonated with our team.
Shane Stankowski- Regional Director Risk & WHS AusPac Arcadis
There is no better way to communicate the safety message, the need for safety and the choice of being safe than by someone who experienced the life transforming event of a significant injury.
Peter Iancov - Managing Director Zinfra Pty Limited
