Minister for Communities, Coralee O'Rourke: Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
Who's signing
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."
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Wendy Blackmon signed Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
2020-02-09 18:09:12 +1000

Lauren Zamalis signed Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
2020-02-09 13:58:18 +1000

Winnifred Louis signed Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
2020-02-09 07:49:33 +1000

Elissa Risstrom signed Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
2020-02-09 06:08:02 +1000

Tess Dingle signed Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
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 Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
2020-02-08 22:18:18 +1000

Nicole Lee signed Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
2020-02-08 21:13:12 +1000

Sonja Pohlman signed Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
2020-02-08 21:02:57 +1000

Genevieve Dingle signed Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
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 Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
2020-02-08 18:43:41 +1000

Edith Thomas signed Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
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 Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
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 Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
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 Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
2020-02-08 13:21:23 +1000

Jacqueline Kavanagh signed Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
2020-02-08 13:12:09 +1000

Jasmin Jones signed Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
2020-02-08 07:37:06 +1000

Geoff Woolcock signed Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
2020-02-08 07:00:11 +1000

Kathy Baker signed Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
2020-02-08 06:24:55 +1000
This is so needed.

Matarena Jan Raumati-Damon signed Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
2020-02-07 21:09:11 +1000

Moira Edward signed Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
2020-02-07 20:44:07 +1000

Stephen Secomb signed Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
2020-02-07 20:08:39 +1000

deb Crompton signed Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
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 Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
via Tony Robertson
2020-02-07 19:35:05 +1000

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link to Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'.
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
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Tony Robertson signed Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
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 Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
2020-02-07 18:52:01 +1000

Tabatha Pashen signed Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
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 Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
2020-02-07 17:51:19 +1000

Connie Allen signed Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
2020-02-07 17:45:04 +1000

Jeffery Butler signed Keep Funding our 'Ways to Wellness Social Isolation Project'
2020-02-07 14:58:49 +1000