Monday, December 31, 2012

The Simple Things

Another year has come and gone and the politicians are again giving us positive messages for the new year.

The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard has called for a renewed national spirit and unity and she has pledged to create a better world for future generations. The opposition leader, Tony Abbott is going to deliver jobs and a strong prosperous economy.

We've heard it all before.The promises of hope and prosperity and the calls to get behind our leaders as we march forward into a brighter and better future.

I guess that is better than having them tell us that it is all gloom and doom; that 2013 is going to be a tough year when we're likely to lose our jobs, the economy will go into recession, and politicians will continue to say nasty things about each other.

So let's just hang on to those positive messages for a minute as we reflect on how we do our own planning for the new year. If your plan is to create a better world for future generations you are likely to wind up on December 31, 2013 feeling a little disappointed. But if you plan for more achievable goals you may be better off.

At the risk of being considered simplistic my little piece of new year's advice is: Enjoy the moment.

  • Take the opportunity to appreciate the brief conversations you have in passing;
  • Look at the flowers, the birds, the trees and the clouds and give thanks;
  • Have a theological discussion with a three-year-old;
  • Drive slower than the speed limit;
  • Say thankyou to someone for no reason at all;
There you go. Simple as they may be, these small goals will help life to be less stressful, and maybe .... just maybe ... you'll be on the way to creating a better world for future generations.

Happy new year.

Monday, December 24, 2012

A Time of Mystery

I remember waking up early on Christmas Day as a child, and in the early morning light silently looking to make sure there was a bulging pillowcase hanging at the end of the bed. Pillowcases, you would realise are bigger than stockings, but in tough times they were probably also cheaper, because there was a supply of them in the cupboard. Whatever mum and dad's financial capacity, they always made sure that Christmas was a special time and the pillowcase was always full of interesting things.

There was a certain mystery about Christmas that I was happy to maintain.  I don't recall Santa ever getting a serious mention, but I did know that mum and dad always acted very strangely on Christmas Eve and were anxious for me to get to bed early.

There is something special about Christmas that I fear we have taken away in our rush towards commercialism, but it is worthwhile, just for a moment, to take a childlike look at this important season.

In a world of economic rationalism and globalisation, a world of climate change and carbon taxes, a world where violence is evident in schools and homes as well as on the battlefield, the story of a baby born in a stable somewhere in the Middle East may seem insignificant.

But it is in this story that we are introduced to someone who had been anticipated for hundreds of years before and whose life and death has influenced society for thousands of years since. This story is not just a blip in history, but the defining story in the lives of those who have chosen to say yes to Jesus. Christmas is a time when I am able to give thanks that Jesus came as a baby, and that through his life and death I have found a purpose and hope.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish a Happy Christmas to all those who have read my blog this year and to thank you for your support.  While this blog is written specifically for people associated with Baptistcare, it is read much wider than this and it is a privilege to be able to say something from time to time that helps people, wherever they are, to think more deeply about various issues we face in life.

I gave the benedication at our church's Carols night last night. Here it is:

May the Christ of Christmas bring peace in a world where violence is so evident;
May the Christ of Christmas bring joy when sadness surrounds you like a black cloud;
May the Christ of Christmas being hope when you feel that things are hopeless;
May the Christ of Christmas enfold you, and envelope you, and enrich you with his love at Christmas and every other day.
Amen.

Monday, December 17, 2012

A Prayer With Those Who Suffer Violence

Gracious God,

Christmas is a time when we reflect on how God identified with humanity through the birth of a baby. Here in the vulnerability of childhood we experience love and acceptance in an unprecedented way and understand something of how we can find hope in the most difficult of circumstances.

On the weekend children in Connecticut had their young lives taken from them even as they prepared for the excitement of Christmas; and as we think of this event we seek your comfort.

This Advent week, families, communities and a nation are grieving, and we grieve with them.

Lord, may we open our hearts in love for those in Connecticut, as well as those in Syria and Afghanistan and so many other places where people suffer at the hands of violence. Help us to learn from these experiences that we may hear the heartbeat of suffering and reach out in grace and comfort.

Lord, may we also hear the murmurings of violence that occur in our own hearts, and hands and words, and while the results may not be as dramatic as those we read about in our online news streams, we know that the suffering can be just as deep.

Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Watch this one

Here's a great message for the International Day of People with Disability.


International Day of People with Disability

Today is the International Day of People with Disability. This is a United Nations sanctioned day that aims to promote an understanding of people with disability and encourage support for their dignity, rights and well-being.

The Disability Services Commission has reported the following information:

An estimated total of 405,500 Western Australians have disabilities (20.6 per cent of the population) and an estimated 246,800 Western Australians are carers for people with disabilities (12.6 per cent of the population).
More than one in every three carers has a disability (91,600).

Of the 405,500 Western Australians with disabilities, 115,800 people have profound or severe core activity limitation. 71,600 of these are under 65 years of age and may be eligible for Disability Services Commission services.

Profound limitation refers to when a person is unable to do, or always needs help with, a core activity task.
Severe limitation refers to when a person sometimes needs help with a core activity task, has difficulty understanding or being understood by family or friends, or can communicate more easily using non-spoken forms of communication.
Most people with disabilities experience some form of limitation or restriction due to their disability. This is defined in terms of the impact of the disability on selected activities of daily living.
It is worth taking the effort today to find out more about disability.  Have a look at these links:

International Day of People with Disabilities

People with Disabilities WA

Developmental Disability Council of WA

Disability Infolink

Disability Services Commission

Monday, November 26, 2012

Social Inclusion Week

Have you ever been somewhere and you got the impression that people were talking about you in the corner ... that perhaps there was something going on that you weren't being told about?

Exclusion of any sort can be difficult, but it is particularly difficult if you have been excluded because of your race, your social status, your culture or religion, your health or something else that you feel that you have little or no control over.

This week is Social Inclusion Week and the theme is Collaborate, Connect and Celebrate.

Social Inclusion Week is about encouraging communities to reconnect and to be inclusive. This year there is a special focus on mental health and engaging older Australians.

This week take the opportunity to establish new relationships, build on your existing relationships and do your bit to address isolation and exclusion by supporting people who may be unable to help themselves.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Celebrating 40 years


It was a privilege last week to work with talented artist Meryl Custers at Baptistcare's 40th anniversary celebration and commissioning service. Meryl drew as I spoke, providing a multi-sensory approach to communicating one of the stories of Jesus.

The Baptistcare press release about the event stated:
The evening honoured the commitment and the transformation that has occurred over the years in the lives of thousands of people and their families who have benefitted from Baptistcare’s services.


Baptistcare CEO Dr Lucy Morris said “the people who were in the Baptist Church 40 years ago displayed great wisdom and foresight as they planned and created an organisation that was designed initially to provide residential aged care for the people of WA. We have also seen the growth of services for elderly Australians in the community and more recently, Baptistcare has been providing services for people struggling with mental health illnesses and people living with disabilities and their families.

“The last 40 years are a reflection of the warm relationship that we hold with the Baptist Churches of WA which gave birth to this organisation, and a reflection of the commitment that we have to the partnership that is held with honour by Baptistcare and we wanted to give thanks for that relationship. We look forward to working with the Baptist Churches of WA into the future.”

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Communities consist of Relationships


A series of thoughts about community prompted by a recent trip through the north eastern Goldfields and Murchison. 
 
First experiences have a huge impression when you drive into a town you haven't previously visited. In a recent post I talked about the extremely positive experience we had driving into Sandstone and being welcomed with a sausage sizzle and a cup of billy tea. Nothing was further from this experience in the next town we visited, Mt Magnet.

Situated on the Great Northern Highway, Mt Magnet is like many older mining towns in the region with its wide streets and turn-of-the century stone buildings. It was a Saturday afternoon when we arrived so it is not surprising that you could roll a Sunshine Milk tin down the main street and you wouldn't hit a camel train. But if we had waited a while longer we would have discovered that the wide streets were as ideal for the massive road trains that were heading both north and south, as they may have been for the camel trains for which they were originally established.

While we found ourselves in a town, we struggled to discover community. A cold transaction at the roadhouse gave the sense that the job of these people was to maintain a service to passing traffic with as little effort as possible being given to niceties or conversation that would permit visitors to feel welcome. Strangers should remain strangers. The signs on the roadhouse window indicated that even the locals would not be welcomed if they didn't abide by certain behavioural expectations.

While our observations may not fit the reality, I couldn't help but confirm the fact that communities consist of relationships. A town, an organisation, a club or society may have all the logistics in place, as well as policies and procedures, strategies and structures, but without relationships true community will struggle to survive.





Thursday, October 25, 2012

Communities give birth to Opportunity


A series of thoughts about community prompted by a recent trip through the north eastern Goldfields and Murchison. 

Wiluna is a small dusty town situated about 1000km north west of Perth at the start of the Canning Stock Route and the Gunbarrel Highway. Until I began reading the tourist signage around this isolated community, I had no idea that a household name in Western Australia had its roots here.

On November 29th 1927 Luigi D’Orsogna stepped onto the wharf in Fremantle, determined to find a better life for his wife and eight children, whom he’d left behind in Italy. By 1931 the Great Depression had hit Western Australia hard and, hearing of Wiluna’s prosperity, Luigi caught the train here in 1931 and found a job in the gold mines.

Two years later he’d saved enough to buy passage for two of his sons, Caesare (aged 16) and Tommaso (Tom, 14), who joined him in Wiluna. Luigi persuaded Jim Clarke, who managed the Wiluna Meat Supply, to give Tom a job. The youngster was to spend the next four years working in the smallgoods manufacturing operation adjacent to the butcher’s shop – and this was effectively the beginning of D’Orsogna Limited, as it is known today.
It was not until 1949 that Tom opened his own shop in West Perth. By 1951 two other brothers, John and Caesare, had joined the firm and it became D’Orsogna Brothers Pty Ltd. Today, D’Orsogna is a leading manufacturer and supplier of meat products right across Australia – and it all began, right here on this dusty street corner in Wiluna!
No matter how small our contribution may be to a community, or how small that community's contribution may seem to us as individuals, each interaction is a part of a process that leads to new opportunities. Cherish these opportunities and embrace the people you meet along the way since each interaction may be more profound than you imagine at the time. 

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Communities need Participation

A series of thoughts about community prompted by a recent trip through the north eastern Goldfields and Murchison. 

Due to gold mining, the population of Wiluna in the mid-1930's grew to over nine thousand people and at its peak, the town had a regular railway service to Perth, four hotels and many other amenities and facilities. Mining is still a focus of the Wiluna region, but the fly-in fly-out workforce has resulted in some different outcomes.

Wiluna now has a population of only about 300 people but thousands of workers fly into the region every day to work on a range of mines including gold, nickel, and lead, along with at least three major uranium projects.  Nickel West, the world's third largest producer of nickel in concentrate contributes significantly to the Australian economy from its Mt Keith and Leinster mines, just south of Wiluna, but there is little evidence of such activity on the dusty streets of Wiluna.

Our society has changed in such a way that regional towns that were once thriving communities no longer experience the hustle and bustle of the mining boom. Mine workers can maintain a home and family in the city and fly in and out of their workplace, without contributing to community life. To be fair to the mining companies, the Wiluna school (pictured) has received some benefits from the support of BHP Billiton, but football clubs, churches, self-help groups, and community societies, struggle to survive or even to exist in a fly-in fly-out environment.

The communities of which we are a part require participation to survive. It is not enough to see our communities, whether they are towns, clubs, workplaces, or organisations, as resources that can operate independently of people. Communities thrive as we participate, contribute and give.







Monday, October 22, 2012

Communities Begin with a Dream


A series of posts reflecting on community, based on a recent trip through the north eastern Goldfields and Murchison.

In 1976 I stood on a sand dune in bushland near Leinster Downs Stations, 368km north of Kalgoorlie. I was writing a series of exclusive articles about the development of the Agnew Nickel Mine, and on this day, as the mine manager and I surveyed the sand dune and the surrounding bushland, we dreamed about the company's intention to build the township of Leinster as a domicile for the nearby nickel mine.

Last week, 36 years later I visited Leinster for the first time since then and enjoyed a cappucino in what has turned into an oasis in a fairly harsh environment. The original dream for a town that would service a mine site, has resulted in the establishment of a vibrant community.

Most of the towns in Western Australia have started because of industry; primarily farming, mining, timber and railways, and what developed was not simply a town where people would do business, but a community where relationships would develop. Apart from the birth of towns, many other communities have commenced as a the result of a dream.  Educational communities, health care communities, religious communities, and more, have come into being as people have imagined a future and have organised themselves.

Reminding ourselves of the dream that led to the birth of the communities with which we are associated is a valuable exercise. Sometimes it is about reminding us of the reason for their existence and to celebrate their achievements; sometimes it is about prompting us to re-assess the purpose of the community; and sometimes it is about calling us to return to the mission that came out of that original dream.



Strong communities welcome outsiders


A series of thoughts about community prompted by a recent trip through the north eastern Goldfields and Murchison. 
 
Wedge Tailed Eagles feeding off the carcasses of kangaroos were the main feature of the drive between Leinster and Mt Magnet, so when we came across the tiny township of Sandstone it was a welcome change. The mass of white roses along the wide main street contrasted with the red dirt and immediately announced that there was something different about this place.

For a period of six years from 1907 Sandstone had a population of 6,000 to 8,000 people. It had four hotels, four butchers, many cafes, stores and business houses, as well as a staffed police station and two banks. During this boom period, in July 1910 the railway came to the town, however by 1919 only 200 people remained. The population has continued to dwindle.

As we drove slowly through the deserted streets we spotted someone waving to us and heard a voice call out, "come and have a cup of tea". Lady Di, as she is affectionately known, has lived in Sandstone for 12 years and three days a week runs a sausage sizzle in the park, cooking up her own recipe of herbs and spices to provide a hearty welcome for the visitors who pass by on a regular basis.

A cup of coffee and a chat with Lady Di was a welcome relief from the long, hot drive and gave us a picture of a community that was struggling to survive, but was welcoming of strangers, and keen to make its contribution to the wider community of travellers.

Communities that build a strong spirit of welcome and acceptance of its own are wonderful, but communities that welcome strangers and contribute to the lives of those outside have an element that is unforgettable. Every community needs a Lady Di who is prepared to put up with the heat and flies to offer a welcome to outsiders, but I think all of us need to have that sort of commitment to reach out beyond ourselves to welcome strangers.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Communities for Life

I have just returned from a week in the north eastern Goldfields. Having spent time in, and passed through, a number of towns, I have reflected on the concept of community.

Baptistcare's tagline is "Communities for Life", but what are those things that make up a community? Over the next few posts, I want to talk about some of the towns I have been to in the last week and share my thoughts on community.

In the meantime, here's a thought from Cesar Chavez, American activist and Labor organiser (1927-1993). He had this to say about community:

“We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community... Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.”  


Saturday, October 6, 2012

In our Lifetime. Aboriginal Christians Talking

This short film, "In Our Lifetime: Aboriginal Christians Talking", was created out of a postcolonial theology conference held at Whitley College in Melbourne in January. It has indigenous people including some Aboriginal Australians talking about their experiences of Christian faith, and to some extent the integration of traditional custom and Christianity.

Worth watching.

In Our Lifetime: Aboriginal Christians Talking from SW Productions on Vimeo.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Mental Health Week

Next week is Mental Health Week with a theme of "Working Towards Wellbeing". I'm going to be on leave to improve my wellbeing, but I'll be helping to run a children's holiday club, so I'm not sure what that says about my mental health.


Understanding mental health is really important because 1 in 5 Australians are affected in some way by a mental health conditions. This means that there is an impact in our workplace, so having a greater understanding is a benefit to us and to our colleagues. 

I would like to recommend that everyone works their way through an excellent tool about mental health in the workplace produced by Beyond Blue.  This interactive site goes through some common myths about mental illness and explores the reality. For instance, myth 3 is "You worry too much, just relax". Here's what it says:

People with an anxiety disorder are sometimes assumed to be ‘worriers’ or ‘stressed out’, but living with anxiety is more than just feeling worried or stressed. Even so, many signs of stress can also be signs of anxiety disorders. So what's the difference between stress and an anxiety disorder?

Take the time next week to improve your knowledge of Mental Health, and stop to smell the roses.



Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Thankyou to our elders

Have you ever sat down with an older person and asked them to recount some of their experiences in life and to reflect on what they may have learnt through those experiences? Philosopher George Santayana is famously purported to have said: “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it”. Listening to an older person recount their experiences can open up our world in ways we never imagined and give us the opportunity to learn from the past.

I'm a day late, but with a public holiday yesterday I missed the International Day of Older Persons. The seniors.gov.au website describes the day in the following way:

The Day is an opportunity to recognise the contributions older Australians make to their families and communities, and to encourage participation by older people in community activities. Older Australians are, and have always been, an incredible asset. They have helped shape modern Australia and continue to make significant contributions to society with a lifetime of skills, knowledge and experience.


I wonder why we even need such a day, but I am reminded that I may be slowly edging my way into that age bracket (that's my perspective on things) and my view of older persons is probably different now to what it was 40 years ago. Sometimes in the prime of youth it is easy to discount those people who now seemed to be "passed it" and perhaps don't understand the way life is "these days".

There are those who would say that the Baby Boomers and those who went before them have messed up our planet and what is needed now is a new perspective on how we can address the future. Older people need to hear this and appreciate the new opportunities that a new generation will bring to the world, but the young also need to hear the stories of the past so that together, both old and young, we can move into the future with a clear understanding of what has gone before.

Let's take the opportunity this week to hear the stories of our older citizens and to say thankyou for their contribution.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Why do you think the way you do?

I grew up in Kalgoorlie which, in those days, had a population of less than 20,000 people. My family and friends were in that town, I went to school there and eventually worked there. Everything I knew and needed was in that town.

One day, as a young man in my early 20's I was in a conversation with someone who had moved to Kalgoorlie a few years before, and another person who was a visitor. The visitor asked the person who had only been there a few years how he coped with the isolation.

I don't think I heard the answer because I was struggling with the concept of describing my home town as being isolated. Isolation was not something that was part of my thinking. Everything that was familiar to me was there. If anything, Perth was isolated because there was nothing familiar or comfortable about the city.

It is valuable for us to think about those things become familiar to us as we grow up, and reflect on the way that sense of familiarity affects the way we think, and affects the way we look at other people.

This process is called cultural awareness.

It can be very easy to see someone who is different to us because of the colour of their skin, the way they speak, the clothes they wear, their hairstyle, or the car they drive, and to automatically judge them as if their difference was a fault.

Cultural awareness involves first of all looking at ourselves and understanding how our upbringing and culture impacts on the way we think and on our behaviours.

I suspect there is nothing wrong with growing up with a sense of not being isolated, but I may well have been dismissive of my friend's feelings of isolation because I was not self- aware.

Being culturally aware of ourselves is the first step in helping us to be more welcoming of those people who are different from us.



Friday, September 14, 2012

Don't "dis" me with that language

Language changes over the years, but we are not always aware of the way those changes are occurring. As a person who heard the Bible read from the King James Version as a child I am aware of language that was used in 1611 (I wasn't around then, but the King James Bible hit the streets at that time) that is still being quoted by some people in the 21st century.

For instance words like paralytic, demoniac, leper and cripple were words that were used in a bygone era. I am pleased to say that more recent versions of the Bible have addressed the changes in language to reflect a different approach to disability than was evident in earlier generations.

Our traditions, whatever they may be, often influence the language and the attitudes that we have to a whole range of things and it is important that we can learn to honour our traditions at the same time as moving towards new ways of expressing ourselves.

In my last post I talked about the need to watch the language we use when we talk about people with disabilities. I have had some good responses from people who have appreciated the importance of taking care of the language we use. Thankyou for these comments.

Here is another resource that you may find beneficial in think about the language we use in relation to disability: "Don't dis me with that language".

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Watch your Language

Over a period of time I have become more and more aware of the importance of taking care with the language that we use, particularly in relation to disability, as a way of showing proper respect to people.

Some people will argue that this is simply being "politically correct" and that it is not something we need to worry about, but I think there are some simple principles that we shouldn't ignore.

Disability Services Commission in WA has an excellent document on its website entitled "Words that work - a guide for media". It's worth reading this to get a picture of how you can make some changes to your language that will show your level of respect for people with disabilities, and help to change stereotypes in our society. 

For instance by speaking about a person as disabled puts the focus on their disability, but to say they are a person with a disability puts the person first.

"Words that Work - a guide for media" provides some useful hints about words and phrases that shouldn't be used and suggestions about how to refer to disability in a way that is respectful:

Terms to avoid
• normal and/or abnormal
• victim of…, suffering from the tragedy of…, afflicted with…
• handicapped, retarded, spastic, mental, imbecile birth defect/deformity brave or special
• deaf mute, deaf and dumb or dumb
• physically challenged, differently abled and handi-capable
• deficient, people with deficits, slow or slow learner, mongoloid
• confined to, restricted to or bound by a wheelchair. Wheelchairs are liberating, providing mobility to a person who cannot walk. Never use crippled or physically challenged medical terms such as patient or invalid
• … has the mental age of a three-year-old (or any age); there is no such thing as a mental age

Say what?
Language is a powerful tool that can change stereotypes and attitudes. You can use it to make a positive difference for people with disability in our community.
• vision - use ‘person with a vision impairment’ for people who have partial sight, or ‘blind’ for people with no, or very limited sight hearing
• hearing - use ‘person who is hard of hearing’ for people with partial hearing and ‘person who is deaf’ for those people with profound to complete hearing loss
• physical - use ‘person who uses a wheelchair’ not ‘wheelchair user’. Refer to a ‘person with a physical disability’ or ‘mobility impairment’
• developmental - developmental disability refers to cognitive or physical disabilities that occur during the early years before the age of 18. Refer to a ‘person or child with a developmental disability’, or where appropriate refer to the condition eg ‘person with autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, Down syndrome, or spina bifida’
• congenital - say ‘person with a disability since birth’; ‘person with a congenital disability’


Let's be advocates for people with disabilities by showing respect in the way we speak.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Congratulations Baptistcare!

On Friday night Baptistcare celebrated its 40th anniversary in style at our Gala Dinner. It was a terrific night and our thanks go to all who made it possible, and to Verity James who was an excellent MC for the night.

We especially recognise the winners of our Baptistcare Recognition Awards, a group of people who have given us a glimpse of what our values represent.

Dignity and Compassion Award. Kim Collet, a mentor with Peel Partners in Purpose was recognised for his work with a participant, supporting him to find his own accommodation, helping him turn a hobby into a  source of employment, and then to support this gentleman for about six months leading up to his death from an aggressive tumour.


Integrity and Respect Award. Sandra Coulson is the cleaner for the 81 units that make up Riverside Salter Point Retirement village. Sandra was nominated for this award by the residents who expressed their deep appreciation for her reliability and consistency, but at the same time engages in a respectful way with all the people whose units she cleans.

Courage and Justice Award. Vicki Leishmann was the manager of Mirrambeena in Margaret River at the time of the devastating Margaret River bushfires in 2011. At a time of extreme pressure Vicki comforted the residents and led her team through a process of evacuating the facility to a number of locations. Vicki was recognised for her courage in providing leadership through an exceptional crisis.

Stewardship Award. Wendy Cream was a senior community mentor at Baptistcare's Mental Health Service in Geraldton, when she was required to step up to a management role. In this position Wendy was able to pull together a difficult situation, providing leadership and direction at a time it was needed most.

Accountability Award. Margaret West has worked as a nurse with Baptistcare for 28 years and in that time has embraced significant levels of change with patience and the ability to inspire her colleagues. These changes included the demolitionof Gracewood Village and the opening of the modern Gracewood Residential Aged Care Facility,the introduction of new technology, significant rostering changes and the transition to a new funding instrument.

CEO's Award for Leadership. Kwame Selormey joined Baptistcare as the Manager Disability Services in 2009 and took on the new position of General Manager Individualised Services this year. The CEO, Dr Lucy Morris told the audience on Friday night that Kwame was leading with his team, a revolution in the way servicesare being provided in the community. Dr Morris said changes in government policy and funding mechanisms had sharpened Kwame's commitment to Baptistcare's clients, particularly in disability and mental health services, as he hasconsistently been a passionate leader in Baptistcare's drive to become truly person-centred in its services, expemplifying the integrity and respect that Baptistcare holds so dear in its behaviour.

CEO's Award for Advocacy. In presenting this award to the manager of Baptistcare's mental health services in Geraldton, Wendy Cream, Dr Morris said advocacy was often done out of the limelight with those whose voices are often not heard, whose lives can be extremely marginalised in our society. Dr Morris said Wendy had become an expert in actively seeking justice, holding people and systems to account and holding people safely. She works continuously, consistently and without always counting the cost to herself.

Congratulations to these outstanding individuals.

Monday, September 3, 2012

Shape the Path

In recent posts, I have been looking at change management from the point of view of a metaphor about the elephant, the rider and the path. When considering change, we are often faced with the elephant of emotive thinking. In some way, our emotions, or those of the people who will be part of the change, seem to influence all of our thinking, and at times it can seem like a runaway elephant. For this reason it is really important that we learn how to motivate the elephant.


The rider is the logical part of your thinking, or of the people with whom you want to see change, so directing the rider is an important part of the change process. By finding the bright spots, and making our goals actionable, we are able to more effectively direct the rider.

Finally, one of the ways we can both direct the rider and motivate the elephant is to make it clear where they are both going. Shaping the path in front of the elephant and its rider is an important part of change management. The path represents the environment which may affect the activities of the elephant and the rider.

Often we want to blame people's behaviour for our ability to achieve change, when in fact their behaviours have been influenced by their situation. The Heath Brothers in their book Switch suggest that successful change efforts try to change the situation in order to change behaviour, rather than blaming the person being changed.

We can also shape the path by identifying the triggers that impact the environment. The Heath Brothers suggest: “I’m going to hit the gym everyday after my 2:00 meeting,” can be three times as effective as planning to “start working out tomorrow.”







Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Motivate the Elephant

OK, we learnt in my last post about directing the rider, now we consider how to motivate the elephant.

The elephant represents the emotional and instinctual side of the situation or the people who you hope to be involved with a change process.

The elephant is huge and the rider is very small by comparison. Sometimes it seems that the elephant, the emotions, are the biggest hindrance to change, and the logical rider doesn't seem to have any chance.

But motivating the elephant can be a huge opportunity for achieving change. Here's a couple of suggestions:

Find the feeling. Find something that grabs the elephant. If you can win people's hearts you will also win their minds.

Shrink the Change. Find simple and quick opportunities to achieve success and make use of the momentum you achieve from these wins.

Next post we'll find out how to shape the path.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Direct the Rider

In my last post I talked about the metaphor of the Rider, the Elephant and the Path as a way of looking at implementing change.

The first step in the process is directing the rider who represents our logical, conscious side. Unless we can learn how to direct the rider, he will have little capacity to control the elephant (the emotional side) which blunders its way along, often completely out of control.

The rider wants to analyse all that is happening and will often become paralysed by all the negatives that are preventing change from occurring.  One of the ways of directing the rider is to find the bright spots and work at developing them. Instead of focussing on the problems, look for the things that are working well, or the people that are achieving most effectively and spend your time building on these bright spots.

Another way of directing the rider is to identify the small steps that need to be taken, scripting them as individual actions that can be identified and are achievable.

I'll talk about the elephant in my next post.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

How do you move an elephant?

Creating change is about motivating elephants.

Every so often you come across a metaphor that shines the light on the things you are doing and offers a new way of looking at things. This week I have been introduced to a metaphor that is really useful in my thinking about the process of change. One of the certainties of life (other than death and taxes) is change and we've probably all had experiences of change that has been poorly managed or executed.

Chip and Dan Heath, in their book, "Switch: How to Change Things when Change is Hard" expand on a metaphor from social psychologist Jonathon Haidt about the elephant, the rider and the path.

The idea is that change is influenced by three things: the mind, the heart and the environment. The heart is the elephant, a large beast that is difficult to control and is easily spooked by circumstances. The elephant represents our emotions, our values, the feelings that influence our decisions.

The rider on the back of the elephant is the mind; the logical, conscious part of the person, and compared to the elephant, the rider is very small and finds it hard to keep the elephant under control. The rider also tires very easily.

In front of the elephant and its rider is the path. This is the way forward and shows the direction of change. It represents the environment that affects that change and influences both the rider and the elephant.

As we address change we need to learn how to direct the rider, motivate the elephant and shape the path.

I'll expand more on this in my next post.

Monday, August 13, 2012

The Countdown Begins

The Olympics are over for another four years, but the countdown has now started - no not for Rio - but for the announcement of Baptistcare's Inaugural Recognition Awards.

A total of 50 nominations have been received for the awards that are based on Baptistcare's values of dignity and compassion, integrity and respect, courage and justice, stewardship and accountability. The judges have done their unenviable work with these nominations and the finalists have been advised.

The big announcement will be made at a Gala Dinner that will be held at the Perth Town Hall on Friday, September 7.

The overwhelming message that comes from the judges is that Baptistcare has some amazing stories to tell of people who are incredibly committed to their work and to putting the values of the organisation into practice. It will be a joy to share some of these stories at the Gala Dinner and in the time following that event.

Thank you to all those who nominated colleagues, and to those who have accepted nomination. This has been a valuable exercise in helping us to recognise what our values look like in the day to day life of Baptistcare's many services and programmes.

Now, hold your breath. The countdown has begun. Who will be the first winners in Baptistcare's Recognition Awards?

Monday, July 30, 2012

Three days to go

Thankyou to all those people who have sent in nominations for Baptistcare's Inaugural Recognition Awards. It is good to see people taking up the opportunity to nominate Baptistcare staff and give them recognition for putting our values into practice in their daily work.

Nominations close on Wednesday, August 1, so if you have been thinking about making a nomination I encourage you to get on to it straight away. Nomination forms can be downloaded here .

We have some amazing people working at Baptistcare and I am looking forward to giving the judges a hard time in determining who should receive our awards. I would also encourage you to follow the links to find out about the generous companies that are sponsoring these awards:

Baptistcare wishes to acknowledge HealthSuper as one of the key sponsors of the awards, and also thank Anson, Bendigo Bank, Aurum Catering and Management, Inspire Consulting Group, and Equitas Lawyers

Diginity and Compassion Award, sponsored by Anson, recognises a person whose compassionate relationships, either with their colleagues, clients or family members of the community, have honoured the dignity of another.

Integrity and Respect Award, sponsore by Bendigo Bank, recognises a person's behaviour within Baptistcare, their commitment to their work or a specific congtribution they have made to the organisation.

Courage and Justice Award, sponsored by Aurum, recognises the specific activities or behaviours of a person who has shown courage and justice above and beyond the normal call of duty.

Stewardship Award, sponsored by Inspire Consulting Group, recognises a person who has shown a willingness to make a contribution to the present and fugure sustainability of the organisation.

Accountability Award, sponsored by Equitas Lawyers, recongises a person who has shown the ability to overcome obstacles in thier commitment to be accountable for their performance.

In addition to these awards Baptistcare is sponsoring a special CEO's Award for Leadership and Advocacy to recognise a person or persons who, in the opinion of the Chief Executive Officer, have contributed outstanding service to Baptistcare and to the wider community. The winner of this award is not necessarily an employee of Baptistcare.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Let Indiana Jones inspire your nomination

It's less than a week now till the closing date for the inaugural Baptistcare Recognition Awards. While you're writing your nomination take a break and watch this amazing a capella cover of the Indiana Jones theme.


Customers, cattle ... and complacency

When it comes to being person-centred, we in the not for profit sector like to compare ourselves favourably against the bureaucracy and lack of customer focus that we so often see in the government sector and big business.

But the winds of change are coming.

In an article in the Wall Street Journal last weekend Doc Searls described a new field called Vendor Relationship Management. It may be just a 21st century version of customer service, but it represents a new way of empowering customers to have greater freedom in the marketplace.

Searls says: "In the marketplace, fashions come and go, and giants fall, but freedom remains the guiding light. The largest and most durable opportunities are those that use the freedom we have or give us the freedom we want and need. Progress in empowering customers won't be smooth or even, but it will happen. Today, the supply side still reigns, but by .... 2022, everyone will understand that free customers are more valuable than captive ones."

It is fascinating that technology has changed the world so dramatically that some of the focus of the industrial revolution is now being reversed, and according to Searls, customers will be able to "start showing up as human beings and not just as cattle to be herded."

While big business struggles with its attempt to manage its "vendor relationships" I am pleased to be working in a sector where we are still able to say, "how can we help?".

Having said that, there is no time to be complacent. Being person-centred is more than just being customer-focussed. It is about developing real relationships with real people.


Monday, July 23, 2012

For the greater good

My gardening on the weekend included sweeping up the nuts and sticks on the verge following a feeding frenzy by a flock of black cockatoos that regularly visit a large tree at the front of our house.

A few hours later these pesky birds were back, cracking open gumnuts and sending them to the ground in dozens, to spread across the verge and all over the road.

Someone visiting a neighbour one day had commented on the menace and suggested that the tree should be chopped down. That resolution I couldn't accept, but a part of me still sighed at the mess that was caused so soon after I had swept up the last lot of gumnuts.

However, my frustration didn't last long, as I watched these magnificant birds (yes, magnificent, not pesky), and as I recognised their lunch in suburbia rather than further south, was a desperate act of survival.

Earlier this year, the Conservation Council of WA director Piers Verstegen said WA’s three endangered species of black cockatoo – Carnaby, Baudin and Forest Red-tailed – were starving to death because their habitat in the Swan Coastal Plain and South-West has largely been lost to logging, land clearing and bushfires.

The black cockatoos are a timely reminder that my short term desire for a comfortable life needs to be put in its proper place as I consider the greater good.

... and maybe there are other aspects of life where the same principle applies.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Australian Baptist World Aid is a "cousin" of Baptistcare. Take a look at their new video to get a glimpse of some of the great work being done by this international aid agency:


Be Love.End Poverty.....All about Baptist World Aid from Baptist World Aid Australia on Vimeo.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Have you got your nomination in yet?

It's just under three weeks before the closing date for Baptistcare's inaugural recognition awards.
This is a great opportunity for people within Baptistcare to nominate staff members who are putting Baptistcare's values into action in their everday work.
The awards are based on our values. In case you need a reminder, here they are:

Dignity and Compassion AwardRecognises a person whose compassionate relationships, either with their colleagues, clients or family members of the community, have honoured the dignity of another.

Integrity and Respect Award
Recognises a person’s behaviour within Baptistcare, their commitment to their work or a specific contribution they have made to the organisation.

Courage and Justice Award
Recognises the specific activities or behaviours of a person who has shown courage and justice above and beyond the normal call of duty.

Stewardship Award
Recognises a person who has shown a willingness to make a contribution to the present and future sustainability of the organisation.

Accountability Award
Recognises a person who has shown the ability to overcome obstacles in their commitment to be accountable for their performance.

CEO’s Award for Leadership and Advocacy
Recognises a person or persons who, in the opinion of the Chief Executive Officer, have contributed outstanding service to Baptistcare and to the wider community. The winner of this award is not necessarily an employee of Baptistcare.

Nomination forms can be downloaded here.

Thursday, July 5, 2012

... these stories don't mean anything ....

I love it when members of our staff respond to the values of Baptistcare. Today one of our staff gave me the lyrics of a song by Brandi Carlile that she had heard on the radio. We had just been talking about the importance of listening to each other if we are to truly offer dignity. 

Entitled, "The Story", this song says in part:
 
All of these lines across my face 
Tell you the story of who I am So many stories of where I've been 
And how I got to where I am
But these stories don't mean anything 

When you've got no one to tell them to ...


I reckon that says a lot about the importance of listening.
 
Have a listen to the song for yourself here.

Monday, July 2, 2012

Who let the chickens out?

Our family was once in a situation where we were waiting for housing and were invited to look after the house of friends who were going to be away.  It was an arrangement that worked out great for us because it meant a roof over our heads, and also gave them a sense of confidence while they were away, that their house was safe.

We checked out the house and got the run down on where everything was and anything we needed to know about the property. We were OK about looking after their chickens until we were told they were Sentinel Chickens.

The Sentinel Chicken Surveillance Programme is a government programme whereby flocks of chickens are established in towns across Australia as an early warning system for viruses such as Murray Valley Encephalitis. The evidence of such viruses will usually appear in chickens before other animals or humans, so the sentinel flock is checked regularly to alert authorities to any potential for epidemics.

All of a sudden our sense of responsibility in looking after a friend's house took on a new emphasis as we realised the humble chickens in the backyard were so important to the health of our local community.

The term stewardship carries with it that idea that we are caretakers of things that we do not own. One of Baptistcare's values is "stewardship of the responsibilities in our care". We are not just doing the jobs we do, because that's our job. We have responsibilities that have been entrusted to us, and there is some weight on our shoulders to handle those responsibilities with care and respect.

As we think about our responsibilities, including the relationships we are involved with, we become aware that we are stewards of those responsibilities and relationships. We can no longer handle them in ways that simply suit ourselves, but need to recognise how our actions will impact other people.

Have you seen stewardship at work in your colleagues at Baptistcare. When you have identified what stewardship looks like, why not nominate someone for Baptistcare's Stewardship Award. 

There is no only one month till the closing date for the awards, so get those nominations in soon.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Is that how it is done?

From time to time you will hear people begrudgingly accept the status quo with a statement like: "Oh well, that's the way it's done around here."

How often are we prepared to say, "It doesn't have to happen like that around here any more"?

People will often go along with the status quo because they don't want to rock the boat, or don't want to be the ones who get into trouble for changing things that seem to be well accepted and, perhaps, expected.

But it is important to take note of those things that aren't right and rather than whinge about them, to creatively and proactively work with others to find a way to bring about positive change.

Such action requires courage, because there will always be some people who are very comfortable with the status quo, and may have even been responsible for the way things have developed into their current state.

In these situations courage needs to be accompanied by justice which is effectively, doing the right thing. That means doing the right thing in bringing about change, but also doing the right thing in relation to the people who may be affected by the change.

Baptistcare's recognition awards are looking for people in Baptistcare who are putting our value, courage and justice in our actions, to work. We want to encourage you to notice Baptistcare's values in the people you work with and nominate them for an award.

Nomination forms can be downloaded here.

Friday, June 22, 2012

The 40th Anniversary Roadshow

Baptistcare's 40th anniversary roadshow rolls on. Today we were at Mandurah. Like the "do"?
Interest in our 40th anniversary Baptistcare Recognition Awards is growing. You can download a nomination form here.

Life's Funny Ways

Angela Davis is the partner of a former carer at Baptistcare. Angela has just produced a book called Life's Funny Ways. The book is described as a collection of introspective and illuminating poetry for the reader seeking grace, perspective and inspiration. Here's an example:

Funny Ways
God
You have some
Funny ways
Of
Trying to
Get through to me
Remembering
Trusting
Teasing
Laughing
You support me
In
Health
And
In
Sickness
Until
I return
To
You
-Funny Ways, Angela Davis

Have a look for yourself at http://www.angeladavisbook.com/

Sunday, June 17, 2012

What's the Critical Succcess Factor?

How can we be happier, more successful, more effective, achieve more goals and enjoy your work more ... without more things?
Delegates at the Baptist Care Australia Conference in Cairns last week heard Ben Teefy tell us that 96% of success starts with me.

This is how Ben is described in the promos: 

With a mixture of study in sociology, language, theology and counselling, Ben’s brain is severely warped making him the humorous, quirky and dynamic communicator he is today.
Having suffered depression and anxiety from the age of 11 until he was 24 years old, Ben has a powerful testimony of transformation which brings hope and encouragement to people weighed down in brokenness. 

He used the word "arrow" to get across his point that it is not more money, a better boss, more supportive teams, or a better education:
A -  Awareness of self and others: the effect of our personality on others, as well as the strengths, weaknesses and emotions of myself and others;
R - Restraint. Recognise my own emotions and manage them in a healthy way;
R - Resiliency. The ability to bounce back from tragedy, injustice and adversity.
O - Others. Discern the feelings and motives of others.
W - Working with others. Learn to communicate, resolve conflicts, relate to and lead others, understand and work with different personality types. 




Here's the WA Baptistcare team at the Baptist Care Australia Conference in Cairns last week.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Rewarded for Consistency?

Today various people have received awards as part of the Queens Birthday Honours List. Politicians, soldiers, police and community workers have been recognised for many years of committed service to their country and to a particular area of service. Congratulations to those Australians, in particular, who have received an award today.

When we think about awards we usually expect to look for something dramatic or out of the ordinary. But that's not the goal of the Inaugural Baptistcare Recognition Awards.

In my last post I talked about the Dignity and Compassion Award (sponsored by Anson) which will recognise staff within Baptistcare whose compassionate relationships, either with their colleagues, clients or family members of the community, have honoured the dignity of another.

There's certainly nothing dramatic about that, because one would anticipate that the type of people who would want to work for a caring organisation would already portray dignity and compassion in all they do.

In this post, I wanted to touch on the second award: The Integrity and Respect Award (sponsored by Bendigo Bank). Integrity is primarily about consistency - being prepared to live according to your values despite all that may be happening around you. How do you give an award for consistency?

The purpose of the Recognition Awards is to encourage Baptistcare staff to notice our values in their colleagues and to recognise them in their day to day work. It is not about anything dramatic but about how we consistently go about our work.

There are a lot of people I know whose integrity enables them to keep going every day and allows them to be respectful in their words, their actions and their relationships.

We are looking forward to receiving many nominations from Baptistcare staff who notice how their colleagues have contributed to the organisation through integrity and respect.

Nomination forms can be downloaded from the Baptistcare website.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

What do dignity and compassion look like?

It is very easy to look at Baptistcare's values and to affirm with confidence that we put the first value into practice: Dignity and Compassion in our relationships.

But what does dignity and compassion actually look like?

We are currently seeking nominations for Baptistcare's inaugural Recognition Awards. The Dignity and Compassion Award will go to a member of Baptistcare's staff whose compassionate relationships, either with their colleagues, clients or family members, have honoured the dignity of others.  But how will we recognise dignity and compassion in order to nominate someone for this award?

We will recognise dignity and compassion when we see people's self-esteem improve as a result of a particular relationship. We will recognise dignity and compassion when a relationship has led to improved levels of health and well-being. We will recognise dignity and compassion when someone is more motivated to bring about change in their lives because of the effect of a relationship.

Dignity and compassion seem to be such basic values that we may think that these words don't even need to be stated, yet, how easy it is to forget to say hello or thankyou in the busy-ness of life; how easy it is to snap back when someone is a little grumpy with you; how easy to speak over someone in a conversation; how easy to focus on our own interests when someone else is crying out to be noticed.

The Baptistcare awards are not about finding the "Supermen and women" of dignity and compassion, but about noticing it in simple ways day after day in our workplace. Set about looking for dignity and compassion in your colleagues today.

You can download a nomination form here at the Baptistcare website. Nominations close at 5pm on Wednesday, August 1.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

National Reconciliation Week

This week is National Reconciliation Week. This year we have the opportunity to recognise two significant events in Australia's history.

May 27 marks the anniversary of Australia’s most successful referendum and a defining event in our nation’s history. The 1967 referendum saw over 90 per cent of Australians vote to give the Commonwealth the power to make laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and recognise them in the national census. 2012 marks the 45th anniversary of the ’67 referendum.

 On 3 June, 1992, the High Court of Australia delivered its landmark Mabo decision which legally recognised that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a special relationship to the land—that existed prior to colonalisation and still exists today. This recognition paved the way for land rights called Native Title. This year is the 20th anniversary of the Mabo decision.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the original inhabitants of Australia, and to acknowledge the contribution that Aboriginal and Torres Strait people are making to our community now. Thankyou.

For more information about National Recognition Week download the Let's Talk Recognition Kit.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Saying Thankyou and Sorry

I've already blogged about this Saturday, May 26 as the National Day of Thanksgiving. It is a day when we can thank God for this great country we live and to thank each other. But Saturday also holds significance for another reason.

This Saturday is National Sorry Day. The following information is from the National Sorry Day website:

On 26th May 1997 the Report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families was tabled in Federal Parliament. The Bringing Them Home Report, revealed the extent of forced removal policies, which went on for 150 years into the early 1980s.

The Report revealed the devastating effects of these policies in terms of spiritual, emotional and physical trauma, as a direct result from the broken connection to traditional land, culture and language, the separation of families and the effect of these on parenting skills. It also revealed the trans-generational impact and damaging effects that these forced child removals continue to have on the Indigenous families and communities today.


The release of the findings of the BTH Report had a profound effect on the Australian public. The Report detailed unquestionable evidence about the forced removal of thousands of Indigenous children from their families and communities. The most shocking finding of the report was that to date, not one Aboriginal family had escaped the effects of the forced removal policies. When the knowledge of these policies became public the National Sorry Day Committee united the Australian public in a grass roots movement that shifted the Nation.

The first Sorry Day was held in Sydney in 1998, it is now commemorated nationally with thousands of Australians from all walks of life participating in memorial services, commemorative meetings, survival celebrations and community gatherings to honour the Stolen Generations.

Sorry Day has helped to keep a focus and the issue of the Stolen Generations on both the political and social agenda with the ensuing results including:

The Bringing Them Home Report selling more copies than any comparable report

Hundreds and Thousands of non-Indigenous Australians have signed Sorry Books

Many thousands of Australians have attended Sorry Day commemorative events

Over one and half million Australians walked bridges in support of the Stolen Generations and Reconciliation

On Wednesday 13th February the Prime Minister Rudd and the Australian Parliament Said "SORRY" to the Stolen Generations, their families and communities

Saturday represents a challenge to us: To say thankyou and sorry at the same time. Yet it is being able to say both these words that we learn both gratitude and responsibility.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Time to say thankyou

This Saturday, May 26 is the National Day of Thanksgiving. It's a great time to be reminded about the benefits of saying thankyou to the people around us. It is very easy to take people for granted - they do what they do because that's their job, and we expect them to do it well. We easily forget that the person who serves your coffee or registers your purchases at the checkout may enjoy their job, but would really like to know that they are appreciated for what they do.

This week take the time to say thankyou to the people around you. The difference that it makes will occur within you, as well as in them.

One of my favourite Psalms fits this theme:

Psalm 100

A psalm. For giving thanks.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.  Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Have a great week - and thanks for reading this blog.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Thanks to those who volunteer

This week is National Volunteer Week and at Baptistcare we would like to take the opportunity to say thankyou to all those who give of their time and energy to help us transform and enrich lives.

This morning I attended a thankyou morning tea for some of our volunteers who are part of the Community Visitors Scheme (CVS). A similar morning tea was also held in Mandurah. CVS is a national programme that provides companionship to culturally or socially isolated people in residential aged care facilities. They do an amazing job and we thank them. Here's a picture of this morning's morning tea at the Zamia Cafe in King's Park

In addition to CVS, volunteers work across Baptistcare's services providing companionship to residents and clients, reading to them, taking them on outings, doing crafts, playing the piano, and a whole range of activities that help to make their lives more fulfilling.

We also have a special group of volunteers who run the Baptistcare Bargain Centre in Dewar Street, Morley. This team of people work tirelessly to ensure that people can access a wide range of second hand clothing and other goods, and in so doing, continue to support the work of Baptistcare.

To all our volunteers we want to say thankyou. You are appreciated.

If you would like to know more about volunteering with Baptistcare, drop into our website.

Monday, May 7, 2012

40th Anniversary

This is a big month starting out with the launch of Baptistcare's 40th anniversary  and our Inaugural Recognition Awards. Next week is National Volunteer Week when we take time out to say thankyou to our volunteers and the month ends with National Sorry Day which launches Reconciliation Week. This will be an opportunity for us to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements and to explore how each of us can join the national reconciliation effort. More about these in future blogs this month.

Throughout this year Baptistcare programmes and services around the state will be finding opportunities to celebrate our 40th anniversary with a 70's themed event. The highlight of the year will be our Gala Anniversary Dinner on Friday, September 7 when Baptistcare's inaugural recognition awards will be announced. The awards are based around our values and will be an opportunity for staff, clients or family members to identify ways in which Baptistcare staff are putting the values into practice in their everyday work life.

The Dignity and Compasion Award recognises a person whose compassionate relationships, either with their colleges, clients or family members of the community, have honoured the dignity of another.

The Integrity and Respect Award recognises a person's behaviour within Baptistcare, thier commitment to their work or a specific contribution they have made to the organisation.

The Courage and Justice Award recognises the specific activities or behaviours of a person who has shown courage and justice above and beyond the normal call of duty.

The Stewardship Award recognises a person who has shown a willingness to make a contribution to the present and future sustainability of the organisation.

The Accountability Award recognises a person who has shown the ability to overcome obstacles in their commitment to be accountable for their performance.

The CEO's Award for Leadership and Advocacy recognises a person, who, in the opinion of the Chief Executive Officer, have contributed outstanding service to Baptistcare and to the wider community. The winner of this award is not necessarily an employee of Baptistcare.

This is a great opportunity for us to look out for our values as we see them passing us by in the corridor. An opportunity for us to identify and name these values as we see them in our colleagues.

Find out more about the awards at www.baptistcare.com.au/40thanniversary.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Secret Squirrel Business

Although there is a lot written about mental illness, every now and then something turns up that makes you sit up and take notice.
― Ruah Community Services in Western Australia has released that special project in "Secret Squirrel Business: A guide to mental health recovery". This is consumer perspective on recovery written by Jenny Middlemiss, and published as a book and website. The book is freely available in WA and also able to be downloaded in full from the website: http://www.secretsquirrelbusiness.com.au/
― Here's a thought from the author, Jenny Middlemiss:
Recovery is a special part of the human process of becoming a unique, authentic and realised self. There is more than meets the eye to human existence and part of living a full and authentic life involves living from our inner being in a way that ensures our inner world and conscious thoughts are congruent with our actions.
― How any one of us describes and defines our inner being is a personal matter. But however you understand that essence of yourself, it is in the interests of positive mental health to align that understanding with your values and beliefs. When your actions are in accord with these you have a strong base from which to live.
― Living in tune with our own nature, in accord with our essence, grants us strength and a strong identity from which to tackle life’s problems. It also helps keep us acting from our own originality and within the flow of life. Our life is interconnected with the laws of the community and the natural world, and so we need to act in accord with these too.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

End of the Spear

I am currently reading the book End of the Spear by Steve Saint, a powerful story of death and forgiveness. Steve was only five years old when his father, a missionary pilot, and four colleagues were murdered in the jungles of Ecuador. Subsequently his mother and aunt made peaceful contact with the Waodani people, who were considered one of the most savage cultures on earth, many of them converted to Christianity, and Steve grew up living with the people who had murdered his father.

Many years later Steve and his wife and family were invited back to Ecuador by his father's killers to work with them supporting their economic development in the face of external pressures to conform to 20th century change.

End of the Spear is an amazing story of the close friendship and love that developed in the Ecuador jungle between a group of people who used to kill as a way of life, and the son of one of their victims. In time, Steve accepted that the death of the five missionaries in 1956 was the seed for the survival of a culture that was otherwise destined to destroy itself.

Anzac Day is an opportunity for us to remember those who have given their lives and to learn the lessons of history as we seek to develop a community where love and forgiveness are central.

Here's how Steve Saint reflected on his experiences:

“I have long dreaded the thought of getting to the end of life and regretting that I allowed my own timidity or other people's expectations to determine the course of my life. I had decided at a much younger age that several of my beliefs should determine the course of my life...I...believe that Waengongi, the Creator, has an epic script into which my minute presence has been written. ”
― Steve Saint, End of the Spear

Thursday, April 19, 2012

More on the Power of Music

Following on from yesterday's blog, here's another link about Henry (who's gone viral apparently), and the power of music in nursing homes.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

The power of music

I had the privilege this afternoon of listening to one of the residents of a Baptistcare facility playing the piano and it made me realise again the power of music. Take a look at this video to see some of this power.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

The Look of Love


The trial of Jesus was an intense time of physical violence, but also a time when power was wielded like a whip. It was a time when the authorities played loose with the truth and got their own way despite all the evidence to the contrary.

One of Jesus’ disciples, Peter was warming his hands by the fire with a small group that were gathered just outside the main courtroom. On one hand he wanted to see what was happening to Jesus, but another part of his instinct led him to avoid recognition.

Unfortunately, his attempt at nonchalant ignorance didn’t work and a number of people commented that they thought he was one of Jesus’ friends. He mumbled a denial at first, but his guilt finally got the better of him and he cursed and swore as he denied he had ever had anything to do with Jesus.

Jesus remained silent through the violence, the lies and the accusations, but he caught Peter’s eye at the moment that his good friend was cursing his name, and with that look of love Peter went outside and wept. I suspect that in many ways Peter’s denial hurt more than the violence and the name-calling.

I’ve no doubt the heart of Jesus hurts as a result of the violence, injustice and rebellion that fills the world. But we all have cause to weep when his eye meets ours across a crowded room and we think about how we have added to his pain.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

A Shared Meal



A significant event in the week before Jesus’ death was a special meal he had with his disciples, that has become known as the Last Supper. As Jesus ate with his disciples he shared some of his thoughts about what may become of him in the days ahead.

One of Jesus’ special friends was a man by the name of Judas, who unknown to his other friends, had been putting his hand into the money bag, and had dobbed Jesus into the authorities in exchange for a small amount of money. It appeared that personal gain was more important than friendship.

In an amazing act of grace, Jesus shared that meal with all of his disciples, including Judas, and did not reveal to the others what he knew about Judas. In time the truth would come out, but on this occasion Jesus did not betray a friendship even when he knew that Judas did not have the same commitment to friendship and honour that he did.

Judas opted for personal gain over friendship. Jesus opted for honour and friendship over personal gain or power play. It makes me wonder which side of the fence I would fall if I was placed in a similar situation.

Monday, April 2, 2012

The Humble King



Each day this week I plan to give a brief reflection on the events leading up to Easter. Perhaps you can put these up on your staff noticeboards or forward them to your networks as a reminder of the importance of this special time.

Yesterday was Palm Sunday, the day when we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem at the beginning of what has become known as Holy Week. The people who gathered on the outskirts of Jerusalem were looking forward to someone coming who would get rid of the Romans and provide freedom, democracy and … well, they wanted a better life.

But instead of Jesus coming with a marching band and a red carpet, Jesus borrowed a donkey and its colt that were tied up outside a little pub and he rode this donkey, probably rather awkwardly, into Jerusalem.

While the crowds waved palm leaves and threw them down on the road in front of the donkey (that’s where the term, Palm Sunday comes from), I’m sure they were still a bit mystified how awkward and un-king-like their Messiah looked riding a donkey.

Yet it was this sense of humility that had marked Jesus’ life, was evident now at the time of his entry into Jerusalem, and would continue to be a feature of his death.

Given a similar situation with crowds of people standing by ready to offer acclamation I wonder whether I would choose the donkey or try to find a more fitting means of transport? It’s worth pondering.