Today is R U Ok? Day, and it’s a great time to remember that it’s ok to ask for help, and it’s ok to ask if others need help.
Areas like Sunshine are particularly at risk for suicide, depression and a host of other issues due to its higher than average unemployment and other local challenges.
R U Ok? is about simply asking your friends, family and colleagues if they are ok, if they need any help.
If you need help, or if you know someone who does here is a list of some of the best health resources that Brimbank has to offer.
Family & Relationship Counselling
IPC Health – 122 Harvester Road Sunshine, Victoria 3020 Australia P: (03) 9313 5000
IPC Health is a not for profit community health organisation, predominantly funded by Department of Health and Human Services. The wealth of services these guys provide make them your first call if you want to connect to mental health support, counselling or mental health advice in the local community.
IPC Health is the result of an amalgamation of Brimbank, Westgate and Wyndham community health services and is one of the largest providers of community health service in the Western Metropolitan Region.
Relationships Victoria – 1st Floor, Harvester Centre/4 Devonshire Road, Sunshine, VIC 3020 P: (03) 8311 9222
Relationships Australia Victoria (RAV) is a community-based, not-for-profit organisation, with no religious affiliations. RAV's services are for all members of the community, regardless of their religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, lifestyle choice, cultural background or economic circumstances. RAV respects the rights of all people in all their diversity to live life fully within their families and communities with dignity and safety, and to enjoy healthy relationships.
Help with Gambling Issues
Both IPC Health and Relationships Victoria provide counselling services that do address gambling, but aside from those 2 services, here are some other options that focus more specifically on gambling.
Gambling Help Online
Gambling Help Online provides online and phone support.
For phone support call: 1800 858 858
ResponsibleGambling.vic.gov.au
Here is the website from the Federal Government for gambling issues which includes a lot of tips and resources to help yourself or others get a handle on problem gambling.
The Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation
The Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation has a huge number of additional resources including financial counselling, online support, face to face and phone based support.
Make Changes Hypnotherapy & NLP
There are a number of businesses in the local area that also focus on helping in other ways, for example Wendy at Make Changes provides hypnotherapy and NLP and one of the common issues that she helps people overcome is gambling addiction. You can contact Wendy via phone at: 1800 760 249 and she practices out of Sunshine Primary Health, 111 Durham Rd, Sunshine VIC 3020.
Where to find people to talk to from Sunshine and surrounding areas
Men's Shed Locations in Sunshine & Braybrook
Established in 2007 by the Australian independent community-based Men's Sheds to represent, support and promote the Men's Shed Movement and to act as a central hub for information exchange. The Australian Men's Shed Association is funded by the Federal Government to provide initial and ongoing practical support for the development of all Men's Sheds.
Sunshine
Brimbank Men's Shed – 32 Withers Street, Sunshine, VIC 3020
Phone 03 9311 5900
Email brimbankmensshed@sunshine.unitingcare.org.au
Braybrook
Braybrook Men's Shed Inc – 107-139 Churchill Ave, Braybrook, VIC 3109
Phone 0413 656 487
Email braybrookmensshed@gmail.com
The InnerWest.Community Facebook Group
The InnerWest.Community Facebook Group was started as a way to be in touch with the local community, it’s a place where people share local news, local events, and members even organise occasional dinners! It’s a great way to connect with other locals and see what's going on in the local area.
Finding other local events
Meetup.com is probably the best way to find something happening in the local area. There is a huge range of things running from singles nights to dinners to repair groups to networking events. It’s hard to be lonely when you are busy and this can be a great way to meet people and expand your social network. Social interaction is essential for good mental health! Finding the people you like being around may only be a meetup away.
There is also a Social Prescribing service provided by IPC Health that is innovative and relevant to everyone. Recognising that social connection is healing and preventative for loneliness, anxiety and depression, IPC Health can link you into curated local opportunities for connection through this service.
Youth Services
The Youth Junction at the Visy Cares Hub
The Youth Junction at the Visy Cares Hub can help by putting you in touch with a wide range of local youth services including Ardoch Youth Foundation, Brimbank Youth Services, Centre for Multicultural Youth, Headspace Western Melbourne and many others.
Visy Cares Hub – 80B Harvester Road, Sunshine VIC 3020
Phone (03) 9091 8200
Email info@youthjunctioninc.net.au
Brimbank Youth
Another great list of resources is the Brimbank Youth Directory put together a couple of years ago, which includes many services specifically focused on youth.
Brimbank Youth Services (BYS) offers a range of programs and support for young people in Brimbank, these include school holiday programs, learner driver programs, graffiti art, dance, and youth leadership programs. Their programs are aimed to provide activities and support for young people in Brimbank.
Suicide Help Services
Suicide Call back Service
www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au
Phone 1300 659 467
Lifeline Australia
Phone 13 11 14
Support After Suicide
If you need some support after a loved one has committed suicide, Support After Suicide is pretty much the biggest place online though many face to face counselling services would also be suited to helping.
GriefLine
Phone 1300 845 745 / (03) 9935 7400 (Melbourne metro)
Anonymous telephone counselling is available for anyone experiencing grief. Language services available for Iranian, Afghan and Somali communities.
Suicide Line Victoria
Phone 1300 651 251
This telephone counselling service provides anonymous 24-hour support across Victoria for anyone thinking about suicide, concerned about a friend or family member, or bereaved by suicide.
The Compassionate Friends
Phone 1800 641 091 (24 hour helpline) / (03) 9888 4944
The Compassionate Friends provides support for parents and siblings, including a 24-hour helpline, online resources, and counselling.
Need to get more active?
If you are looking for a cheap gym, then Sunshine Fitness 24/7 in Sunshine is only $5 per visit for their casual rates so it’s great that there is somewhere local that is affordable and there when you need it. They also have 24 hour access for members (pass required).
Not sure if eating better would help?
Food is a huge part of well-being, and if you need to take a moment, look at what you are eating and find out if that is possibly a cause for how you are feeling then have a chat with me and we can have a chat over the phone to find out if food could be a major part of your current challenges.
Domestic Violence Support
This is a comprehensive resource listing Brimbank Family and Children’s Directory which lists agencies for help in cases of Domestic Violence on page 61. The full document is available here: Brimbank Family and Children’s Directory
This has everything from emergency support, to long-term counselling and more. They have specific resources for children, interpreters, legal support, housing support and more. This is a fantastic resource.
Financial Assistance
Apart from assistance directly related to the categories above (such as there being great support options in the gamblers support section) there is a range of other services that operate locally providing financial support in various ways from helping pay the bills in an emergency, to no interest loans and financial counselling.
Some of the main ones are:
Anglicare
Holy Apostles Church, 100 Anderson Road, Sunshine Vic 3020, Monday 10:00am to 12:30pm
Anglicare Victoria's emergency relief programs assist families and individuals who struggle on very low incomes and also face crises such as illness, violence, homelessness and family breakdown.
Emergency relief is provided in the form of food parcels, financial assistance in paying household bills, no-interest loan schemes and crisis accommodation.
The Salvos
The Salvation Army offers a range of support options to help with financial difficulties, depending on the nature of your problems.
If you find yourself in crisis and are in need material or financial assistance, please call the Salvos on 1300 371 288 (9am-5pm Monday to Friday). This phone number will connect you with the Emergency Relief assessment team.
Your situation will be assessed by qualified staff via the centralised phone centre.
Once you have completed the phone assessment the SalvosConnect team will be able to refer you to one of the SalvosConnect community centres. There you will be able to collect your pre-approved material assistance, attend appointments, and connect with local Salvation Army events in your local area.
The Good Shepherd
The Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand offers financial counselling in partnership with IPC Health and Djerriwarrh Health Services in the Brimbank and Melton areas, and in partnership with Port Phillip Community Group and Connections UnitingCare in the Bayside Peninsula areas.
For people looking for financial counselling in the Brimbank-Melton areas, please call: 1300 786 696
Summary
There are a lot of services around here to help, and this only scratches the surface. But it’s important to know that if you or a loved one needs help there are options.
