an innovative new project to address these issues—The Recovery from Psychosis Mentor Program.

We are delighted that the John T Reid Charitable Trusts have agreed to support this project for the next two years.

This is a fantastic outcome not just for our client group, who are one of the most disadvantaged groups in Australia but also for our volunteer peer mentors who are often experiencing long-term unemployment themselves and will not be able to receive work experience, training, development and support to qualify them to move into paid employment as support workers in mental health.

In addition we will be working with students, giving them important field experience to enable them to better relate to people with severe psychosis and develop new skills and knowledge from a peer-led approach.

Prahran Mission’s Voices Vic program is a network of professionals, carers and voice hearers that work together to reduce the distress which can be associated with hearing voices.

Our ambition is to establish Hearing Voices groups across Victoria. We believe that recovery is not necessarily the absence of voices, but the ability to have a meaningful life.

While we have seen significant improvement in people’s lives as a result of our work, we have also identified sizeable gaps around the lack of individual support, space and guidance for people to explore their voices and improve their coping. People often need more time and space to work on their recovery, and those experiencing psychosis often have difficulty accessing professional counselling or therapy. We know that one of the most beneficial aspects of our groups is the impact of peer support—someone with a lived experience of voices and recovery. With this in mind we have developed

Prahran Mission Newsletter, Christmas Edition 2011, issn: 1035 1736

2011 AT THE MISSION IN PICTURES

The John T Reid Charitable Trusts, created by the late Sir John Reid (1903-1984), is a family foundation. Sir John’s philanthropy had as its basis that support from his Charitable Trusts allowed good people to get on with their own good work for the benefit of the community. He gave his time willingly to several organisations committed to the welfare of the community, including the Rotary Club of Melbourne.

JOHN T REID CHARITABLE TRUSTS SUPPORTS RECOVERY MENTORS

Top left-right -Premier Ted Baillieu visits Prahran Mission with Second Bite CEO Katy Barfield, Mission Chair Daryl Hawkey & CEO Quinn Pawson. -A Day in Open House Drop In Centre Bottom left-right -The Mission Cafe -Hartley’s Community Dining Room -Mission Café worker Rupert Plumb shows the Hon. Tony Abbott MP how to make a coffee while Kerry O’Dwyer MP looks on.

CONTENTS 1 2011 Mission in Pictures

1 John T Reid Charitable Trusts

2 Volunteers Celebrate

2 Holmesglen Students

3 Bendigo Bank Supports

3 From the CEO’s Desk

4 Prahran Mission at Christmas & Get Involved

6 Hartley’s Happy Mondays

6 JobSupply Moves

7 Chaplain’s Corner: The Spirit of Giving

7 Mullets for the Mission

8 Prahran Angels Art Auction

8 Annual Art Exhibition

Recently, as part of Group Project studies, Holmesglen Chadstone students researched and explored the issue of homelessness and poverty in local communities. They attended the Sacred Heart Mission in St Kilda, exploring its history, supports and services. They also visited Urban Seed, a small community based organisation located in the heart of the CBD which provides opportunities for disadvantaged people to build supportive relationships, strengthen community and access support services. Finally they visited Prahran Mission where the importance of social connections as well as the basic necessities of life were again highlighted. After visiting these organisations

the students wanted to do something to help, so they conducted a survey to demystify the myths and to highlight the needs of the homeless and disadvantaged. Students planned and organised a collection of canned and packaged foods as well as new and preloved toys. The drive was a great success and students enjoyed the process.

HOLMESGLEN STUDENTS ON A MISSION

our work through their social and

business networks. Our Volunteers

will be busy over the coming period

with extra Christmas activities such as

the toy service, gift wrapping and

Christmas Day Lunch.

It is a privilege for me to represent

such a committed group.

Christopher Vogt Volunteer Coordinator

On Thursday 8th September the

Mission’s Volunteers gathered at

Prahran Town Hall for the annual

Recognition Function. Catered by our

own Social Firm The Mission Caters,

the lunch was a relaxed affair, with

Volunteers from all programs happily

swapping stories and feasting from a

heaving buffet table. The Volunteer

group heard from CEO Quinn Pawson

and Board Chair Daryl Hawkey, but

most importantly they were able to

hear from each other in an informal

setting.

Volunteers impact almost every

program at the Mission, and add

considerable value to its service

offering. In 2010-11 volunteers gave

nearly 20,000 hours of service,

equating to a value of $368,660.

Their tireless dedication also

promotes social inclusion as well as

VOLUNTEERS CELEBRATE THEMSELVES

Thank you to everybody who donated goods. Students delivered the items to both Urban Seed and Prahran Mission, who were delighted with the response.

Turning to the present, Christmas is nearly upon us. Already our services, particularly in Emergency Relief, are overstretched. Christmas is a time when we see demand outstrip supply. It is also a time when those experiencing the effects of homelessness and/or mental health really suffer. A time when many crisis services are closed.

This Christmas thousands of people will turn to the Mission in their hour of need. Whether it’s using our Christmas Gift Service to ensure their young ones have a present to open on Christmas Day or coming along to our Christmas Day Lunch at Malvern Town Hall, where we will host 360 guests. The Mission will be there, open everyday over the holidays.

At this busy time we ask if you can be there for us by making a donation to support our work this Christmas.

Best wishes to you and your family this Christmas.

Quinn Pawson Chief Executive Officer

It’s hard to believe it’s nearly Christmas, it seems that 2011 has just flown by.

This year we’ve celebrated many achievements at Prahran Mission:

Our 65th Birthday.

The establishment of our Social Firms in catering and retail, offering work experience and practical skills for those wanting to get into employment.

The Premier of Victoria Ted Baillieu visited the Mission and launched a critical report on redistributed food.

The opening of our new accommodation units, The Haven, giving people living with a serious mental illness a chance to live independently.

FROM THE CEO’S DESK

drop-in centre where people can come to meet others and relax in a friendly atmosphere and join in social activities. In addition, with staff support, individuals can progress to Mission structured programs conducted Monday to Friday. Mission Program Staff are rostered to supervise Mingles on weekends and Public Holidays, providing a mid day meal and activities. This program is not funded by government and costs the Mission $20,000 per annum to keep the doors open. The teams at the Windsor Community Bank branch and Prahran Market branch of Bendigo Bank through the auspices of their Community Enterprise Foundation have very kindly chosen to donate

$5,000 to the Mingles Program through their Community Grants Program. Our thanks go out to Bendigo Bank for recognising this important program and supporting those in need.

The Mingles program recognises the limited social opportunities for people experiencing the effects of poverty, homelessness and psychiatric disabilities. Mingles provides relief by offering social and recreational opportunities not usually available. It operates on weekends and public holidays with participants having access between 12pm – 4pm to enable them to enjoy celebrations such as Christmas, Melbourne Cup Day and Easter. Over 450 individuals per year access the Mingles program. Feedback from participants indicates that access on public holidays provides well-appreciated respite from the limitations of poverty, transient living situations and social isolation. Many rooming houses don’t have common rooms or even allow residents to stay inside during the day. Mingles is a self serve cafe style

BENDIGO COMMUNITY BANK SUPPORTS MINGLES MISSION

Windsor Branch Manager Julian Kennedy presents a cheque to Erica Myers-Davis, Prahran Mission’s General Manager Fundraising & Community Relations

participants and their families have lots of treats to help make Christmas special.

Here are some ideas for foods which will make a wonderful difference to a family and individuals in need at Christmas.

Tinned ham

Christmas cake

Chocolate & Lollies

Shortbread

Plum pudding

Christmas Bonbons

Tablecloths

Napkins

If you live locally to Prahran Mission, please drop these items in to the Emergency Relief Office, Level1, 211 Chapel Street and we’ll ensure they are bundled up and given to those in need.

We also try to provide essentials, so our participants have a little extra at Christmas time. You may like to contribute the following items:

Shampoo/conditioner

Body lotion

Hand cream

Sunscreen

Deodorant

Toothpaste

Toothbrushes

Soap

Socks

Underwear (children and adult sizes)

If you’re a little further afield, we would be happy to receive a cash donation to be used for the hampers, and will organise to make one up for people in need. Please write “HAMPER” on your donation slip.

Every year, we endeavour to assist our participants and their families to enjoy a great time at Christmas.

One way you, your business, community group or church can help people in our community is to contribute non-perishable food for Christmas hampers. Our band of volunteers can put together a wonderful hamper to ensure our

GET PACKING THIS CHRISTMAS AND MAKE HAMPERS!

The work at Prahran Mission doesn’t stop over the busy Christmas period. We continue to help people in the community who are isolated , as well as helping families to enjoy a special time at Christmas.

Over Christmas our staff will be on duty providing care and support, as well as joining in the festivities of the season at our Scottsdale Residential Care Unit. Scottsdale is our psychiatric disability residential facility for 17 long term residents providing care 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

There will be staff available for people at The Haven and Scottsdale Independent Units.

Families experiencing financial hardship this Christmas can access our toy service.

CHRISTMAS DAY LUNCH: Prahran Mission, together with the City of Stonnington, will host a Lunch on Christmas Day at the Malvern Town Hall for 360 people in the community.

GIFT WRAPPING: Prahran Mission volunteers will be providing a Christmas gift-wrapping service at Pran Central in December. All proceeds from this service will assist our programs.

TOY SERVICE: We will once again be joining forces with Target in Malvern to make Christmas memorable for the many children in need within our community. (See article below right)

CHRISTMAS HAMPERS: See article below for more information.

OPEN HOUSE: Open House Drop In Centre is open every day of the year. Weekdays: from 10am-4pm. Everyone is welcome.

MINGLES: Open House Drop In Centre is also open on weekends and public holidays from 12-4pm (including Christmas Day).

PRAHRAN MISSION AT CHRISTMAS

one in 10 children, still live in

poverty. Thousands of people

request support services each year

from UnitingCare agencies and

this demand always spikes around

Christmas. The increasing cost of

food, fuel, and housing is placing

more pressure on those who have

previously not needed support.

“People from all walks of life can

find themselves suddenly out of

work or, due to a sudden crisis,

find they are just unable to make

ends meet at Christmas. For the

past 20 years we’ve been asking

people, in the spirit of Christmas,

to give an extra present to those

in our community who are less

fortunate, “ said Erica Myers-

The joy of Christmas, through the

UnitingCare Christmas Appeal

known as Operation Santa, is once

again set to reach children across

the country, children who may

have otherwise gone without. In

partnership with Target,

UnitingCare is asking the

community to join forces to help

vulnerable individuals and

families. Through Operation

Santa, people can spread

Christmas joy from today until

Friday 23rd December by

generously donating gifts at Target

and Target Country across

Australia.

An estimated two million

Australians, including more than

OPERATION SANTA SET FOR 20TH YEAR OF GIVING

Davis, General Manager,

Fundraising & Community

Relations.

How can you help? Look for the

large red tree at the entrance of

Target in Malvern Central, take a

gift tag from the tree and buy a

gift or purchase a gift voucher.

Each week we collect the gifts

which are given out to parents and

grandparents during the Christmas

Toy Service in December.

Volunteer for the Christmas Day Lunch We need help with: Setting up the hall on Friday 23rd December. Food preparation week commencing 20th December. During December we will be making baked goods for show bags—if you’re a Master Chef or just love cooking—please contact Sarah Condon on 9692 9500.

Christmas Gift Wrapping Service Last year we raised just over $2,000 by offering a gold coin gift wrapping service at Pran Central. We need volunteers this year to help us again between 14th—24th December. Call Christopher Vogt on 9692 9500 if you can help.

Christmas Toy Service Buy a gift for a child or a gift voucher for a teenager at Target Malvern Central.

HOW YOU CAN HELP THIS CHRISTMAS

Get your workplace, community group or church to make Christmas Hampers (see below left).

Christmas Baked Treats We need volunteers who like baking to help us make shortbread biscuits which will be distributed to our Christmas Day Lunch guests. We also need volunteers to help package the biscuits. Baking will be done at our kitchens 211 Chapel Street.

Call Sarah or Christopher if you can help on 9692 9500.

Christmas Day Lunch volunteers with Mission Chefs at Malvern Town Hall

Job Supply Personnel (JSP) celebrated Mental Health Week (9th—15th October) by concluding its newest initiative for jobseekers, Move into Employment. Starting in August 2011, Move into Employment saw around 10 of our jobseekers partake in an eight week exercise program with the Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) in St Kilda. With our highly skilled and experienced trainer, Nick, our participants undertook weekly or bi- weekly personal training sessions in the gym. These personal training sessions were in preparation for the final part of the initiative, a lap around the Botanical Gardens on World Mental Health Day on 10th October (group pictured). Move into Employment is designed to assist job seekers in their

preparation for employment by building up their fitness levels and stamina, all of which are vital for being back in the workplace. Additionally, it promotes skills such as goal setting and motivation. JSP are thrilled with the response from jobseekers and were particularly excited to see participation from jobseeker’s family members and partners.

HARTLEY’S HAPPY MONDAYS FOR OUR SENIORS

JOBSUPPLY, MOVES INTO EMPLOYMENT

For the past few months a group of

Aged Care clients have been

enjoying a social lunch at Hartley’s

Prahran Mission’s Community

Dining Room at Chapel St. One of

the Mission’s case managers, Lucy

Vucic, organises the group every

Monday.

A regular table is booked each week

and Hartley’s provides an

opportunity to have a hearty 3-

course meal in friendly

surroundings. Tea, coffee, salad,

fruit and bread are also provided.

Everyone looks forward to the day

and there is plenty of time for

conversation and to enjoy a

sustaining meal in the company of

others, for many this a highlight of

their week.

“Food is always good and company

is always good, I find it's a warm

and happy place to be" Pat

" I love Mondays, always a

wonderful time" Margaret

"Good food and very good

company" Bill

Above: Our happy Monday lunch

group "regulars" preparing to enjoy

their meal

Clockwise from left - Joan Wickland,

Patricia Kellam, Veneranda &

Michelangelo Gualano, Nicola and

Carmela DeGuisa, Case Manager Lucy

Vucic, Bill Abud, Bill Smith, Margaret

Farrands.

From left to right Raymond Westwood, Cecila Hoffman, JSP Manager Andrew Pappas, Rael Reicher, Mr Muller (father of) Joel Muller with his friend Serena, JSP Employment Consultant Peter Leech, Trainer Nick Porter

Homelessness is a problem for many people that the Mission serves. They do not have a space that they can call their own. Many of those who attend Open House and Mingles sleep rough. While some choose not to have a permanent residence; others long to have their own place. The faith community has been confronted by another kind of homelessness. For some time the Mission had no dedicated prayer room or sacred space. Anyone who has visited 211 Chapel Street Prahran knows that space is at a premium. All public areas are multi-purpose – and are used for meetings, music rehearsals, groups, interviews or for storing stuff that did not have a home. There is something very democratic about that – however it did raise the question about how the Mission valued what is spiritual. Airports and hospitals have chapels but the Mission had no dedicated prayer room or sacred space.

This issue was raised at my commissioning as Mission chaplain on 1 September and within ten minutes Quinn had suggested somewhere that might be used as a dedicated prayer room. Room 105 is now the Mission’s dedicated sacred space. This room (behind the emergency relief office on the first floor) will be open to everyone whatever their faith or spirituality or lack of it! It will be a space where we can pray, meditate, reflect or just take time out from the world and ‘be’. We now have a space where Muslims or other religious groups may say their daily prayers. Room 105 will be a dedicated space, free from use as a storage area, or for meetings, interviews, rehearsals or other things that rooms are used for. 211 regulars will know that room 105 is not a large room but space at 211 Chapel Street is at a premium. Transformation takes time but Room 105 now looks more like a worship

space than a storage area. The provision of this room is a testimony to the value that the Mission places on the spiritual/transcendent. Blessings Ian If you have any artefacts or items that you would like to donate that will enhance our new sacred space please contact the Fundraising Team on 9692 9500. The weekly Community of Faith Service is held on Thursdays 12pm-1pm at Prahran Mission 211 Chapel Street, by Rev Ian Savage.

AFL’s Ian Prendergast, Former Tiger player Des Ryan, comedian Lawrence Mooney and AFL umpire Stefan Grun (pictured above) along with Match Committee’s Sam Pang for being such good sports! We will be back again for more laughs, short shorts and even bigger mullets in 2012 when we host Mullets for the Mission at Lindsay Fox’s private car collection on Collins Street - Friday 31 August, 2012 from 12noon – 2PM. To reserve your place contact Kylie Wallace on (03) 9692 9500 or kylie@prahranmission.org.au

Its was a party at the back and business at the front when over 100 guests came down to barrack for those in need at Mullets for the Mission! The event paid tribute to the real superstar of the game - the Mullet! Hosted by Peter Hitchener at Parliament House, the event raised over $10,000 to support the Prahran Mission’s Christmas Services! Thanks to the kind and generous support from the Mullets for the Mission guests who raised enough money to buy: 110 Lunches for the Christmas Day Lunch at Malvern Town Hall 35 Christmas Gifts for children aged between 0-5 10 Christmas hampers with Xmas goodies and treats Special thanks to our fantastic MC Peter Hitchener, panel host Clem Newton-Brown MP, and panel guests

CHAPLAIN’S CORNER: HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

MULLETS FOR THE MISSION

CONTACT PRAHRAN MISSION

CENTRAL OFFICE 211 Chapel Street Prahran 3181 T. (03) 9692 9500 F. (03) 9510 9627 www.prahranmission.org.au admin@prahranmission.org.au

Opportunity Shops 211 Chapel Street Prahran 3181 284 Victoria Street Richmond 3121 119—123 Lonsdale Street Dandenong 3175

Editor: Erica Myers-Davis

PRAHRAN ANGELS ART & WINE AUCTION

The Prahran Angels Fundraising Committee hosted a fabulous Art & Wine Auction and successfully raised $12,500 which will go to our Stables Art studios. The Auction held on the 4th Floor of Mission House featured works from famous artists such as Salvador Dali and Mike Nicholls, a poetry reading by author Barry Dickens, a talk from top Art Dealer Chris Deutscher and music from Open House and Neville Smith. Our thanks go to the Prahran Angels—Markela, Ilona, Sally, Margaret, Heather, Dessie and Angela and all the kind donors who donated artworks including Nellie Castan Galleries.

This year saw the Annual Art Exhibition return to Chapel off Chapel and was once again a wonderful event. It showcased the many talents of participants who regularly attend the art based programs run by Prahran Mission at the Stables, Second Story and Open House. The exhibition featured paintings, sculpture, ceramics, photographs, drawings and digital prints. The MC for the night was participant artist Katrina Crosby who introduced the speakers

with poise and grace which enabled the evening to proceed smoothly from speaker to speaker. Our fantastic speakers included Second Story worker Bobbie Pritchard who spoke about the need for and recognition of creativity in all of us; participant artist Andree van Schark who spoke about her experiences since joining The Stables Art Studio; CEO Quinn Pawson who detailed many of Prahran Mission’s creative accomplishments throughout the year and special guest speaker Max Delany, Director of Monash University Museum of Art. Max spoke very passionately and with great empathy about the need for creativity in today’s world. He mentioned a special artwork made by a close friend of his (suffering from a mental health issue) whose work he is proud to hang alongside other renowned artists. The opening night was a roaring success with over 40% of the works on display being sold. Our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who helped out on the night including the sales team; not to mention those who helped to install and take down the exhibition.

THE VIEW FROM HERE – ANNUAL ART EXHIBITION