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.