Minister for Communities, Coralee O'Rourke: Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'

As people who live and work in Mt Gravatt, Wishart, Mansfield and surrounding areas, we stand with the Member for Mansfield, Corrine McMillan MP to ask Minister O’Rourke to keep funding our innovative work to combat social isolation. 

 All of us know someone who is lonely and isolated!

  • Jill hasn’t left the house in years except to see the Doctor or to pick up groceries. She feels like her front fence is a prison.
  • Maria worries about young people in her community that struggle in school and find it hard to fit in.
  • Peter worries about his neighbour that he hasn’t seen for weeks.

The Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project is a social prescribing network that reaches the most lonely and vulnerable and connects them to a group and social support within the community. It was developed by our leaders across our community in 2018. 

A “link worker” is based in our local Mt Gravatt Community Centre. Her name is Wendy. She walks side by side with people to build their confidence and make sure they have a place to belong.

The Ways to Wellness project is the first in Australia and has been based on a successful model in the United Kingdom. The Mt Gravatt project results speak for themselves. After only on year, 88% of participants have participated in a group in the community.

There have been referrals to over 80 local activities and groups including exercise classes, craft classes, music groups, the Mt Gravatt Men’s Shed, singing groups, seniors’ activities and social groups!

This project matters to all of us. It is just finding its legs and starting to make a real difference.

The University of QLD has just received a grant from the Australian Research Council to properly evaluate the work over the next three years.

But Minister O'Rourke has not committed to continue funding our link worker.

We don't want to drop people in our community, just when they are starting to find their feet. 

Time has run out. We have people now waiting for support and now it is time for the Minister to step in.

We stand with the Member for Mansfield, Corrine McMillan MP to ask the Minister for Communities, Coralee O’Rourke to keep funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project."

Who's signing

Wendy Blackmon
Lauren Zamalis
Winnifred Louis
Elissa Risstrom
Tess Dingle
Angelo Contarino
Nicole Lee
Sonja Pohlman
Genevieve Dingle
Delia Loch
Edith Thomas
Linda King
anthony speare
Robert Cunningham
Jacqueline Kavanagh
Jasmin Jones
Geoff Woolcock
Kathy Baker
Matarena Jan Raumati-Damon
Moira Edward
Stephen Secomb
Deb Crompton
Vincent Conway
Tony Robertson
Karen Stringfellow
Tabatha Pashen
Kim Wright
Connie Allen
Jeffery Butler
482 signatures

Will you sign?

Showing 332 reactions

  • Wendy Blackmon
    signed 2020-02-09 18:09:12 +1000
  • Lauren Zamalis
    signed 2020-02-09 13:58:18 +1000
  • Winnifred Louis
    signed 2020-02-09 07:49:33 +1000
  • Elissa Risstrom
    signed 2020-02-09 06:08:02 +1000
  • Tess Dingle
    signed 2020-02-08 22:47:34 +1000
    This is such a valuable program. Please allow it to continue to be funded until evaluation has been reported.
  • Angelo Contarino
    signed 2020-02-08 22:18:18 +1000
  • Nicole Lee
    signed 2020-02-08 21:13:12 +1000
  • Sonja Pohlman
    signed 2020-02-08 21:02:57 +1000
  • Genevieve Dingle
    signed 2020-02-08 20:09:58 +1000
    Ways to Wellness program is the envy of other communities across Australia and it has so much promise. It makes no sense for the Department of Communities to invest $100K to the development phase and then pull funding just when the program is working so well. Minister O’Rourke please come and visit the Community Centre, speak to service users and renew funding to the Link Worker
  • Delia Loch
    signed 2020-02-08 18:43:41 +1000
  • Edith Thomas
    signed 2020-02-08 17:49:59 +1000
    Reducing isolation from any cause is a necessity for social and mental health for every one
  • Linda King
    signed 2020-02-08 17:01:55 +1000
    Yes social connection groups are a great way in which people can receive help in times of need ( especially after operations and grief).
  • anthony speare
    signed 2020-02-08 14:00:58 +1000
    As a nurse i get to see some of the detrimental health effects of social isolation; Projects such as this in reducing isolation will improve our community health and reduce the burden of disease on our society. This innovative project needs to continue.
  • Robert Cunningham
    signed 2020-02-08 13:21:23 +1000
  • Jacqueline Kavanagh
    signed 2020-02-08 13:12:09 +1000
  • Jasmin Jones
    signed 2020-02-08 07:37:06 +1000
  • Geoff Woolcock
    signed 2020-02-08 07:00:11 +1000
  • Kathy Baker
    signed 2020-02-08 06:24:55 +1000
    This is so needed.
  • Matarena Jan Raumati-Damon
    signed 2020-02-07 21:09:11 +1000
  • Moira Edward
    signed 2020-02-07 20:44:07 +1000
  • Stephen Secomb
    signed 2020-02-07 20:08:39 +1000
  • Deb Crompton
    signed 2020-02-07 20:00:19 +1000
    A valuable project that has made a real difference to people’s lives. The project already shown it has reduced costs to the health and welfare systems in Queensland.
  • Vincent Conway
    signed via 2020-02-07 19:35:05 +1000
  • Tony Robertson
    @Cultureboy tweeted link to this page. 2020-02-07 18:57:45 +1000
    Sign the petition: Minister for Communities, Coralee O'Rourke: Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project' https://www.qldcommunityalliance.org/keep_funding_our_ways_to_wellness_social_isolation_project?recruiter_id=2336
  • Tony Robertson
    signed 2020-02-07 18:56:21 +1000
    This funding is critical for community wellness and safety. This initiative offers a model that is practical,outcome based and economical as a health and safety project.
  • Karen Stringfellow
    signed 2020-02-07 18:52:01 +1000
  • Tabatha Pashen
    signed 2020-02-07 18:23:36 +1000
    This program is vital in supporting isolated, lonely and marginalised community members to build connections, relationships and subsequent wellness. The value and outcomes of this is measurable and represents great value for money for government and community (who pay for our political leaders to make the right decisions for communities). The long term impact and financial costs of social isolation, loneliness, lack of support networks / relationships, mental illness, low physical activity and poor physical health on individuals, families and our community are significant. This program presents an opportunity to catch people earlier and connect them before they become incredibly unwell and require a greater level of financial resourcing by government. Seriously. Save lives. Strengthen communities. Support local capacity building, connections and capabilities.
  • Kim Wright
    signed 2020-02-07 17:51:19 +1000
  • Connie Allen
    signed 2020-02-07 17:45:04 +1000
  • Jeffery Butler
    signed 2020-02-07 14:58:49 +1000