Serenity NSW Inc is now undertaking three of our biggest ever Projects : -
the 4th annual 'March Madness March' series of protests about the lack of services for the mentally ill and the lack of funding, particulartly here in NSW, for non-government organisations like Serenity NSW. Now being planned for March 2006 - we are seeking volunteers to help out with this Project including being on the Planning Committee but we also need money to do this with so donations are tax deductible. We would like to have as many demonstrations as possible so please contact us from anywhere in the state for advice. Even writing a letter to your local newspaper, Member of Parliament or being able to fax, photocopy or e-mail our flyers would be of great assistance. We must make it an embarrassment for the State and Federal governments so they will finally act.
the first 'Serenity Tea-house and Bookstore' to open in September 2006 - a business run by, for and of the mentally ill. A Co-operative, with shares at $100 each so that the mentally ill finally have something that they can call 'a positive icon'. This will help people back to work after their illness and be able to gain skills and that all important job reference.
and the 'National Chidrens Anxiety Disorders Network' - a one-stop shop Website for children teenagers, young adults and the parents of children who suffer from the Anxiety Disorders and early Depression at kidsanxiety.com.au planned to launch in February 2006.
If you are involved in services for young people with these problems please contact us to arrange advertising on the website and feel free to pass on the word. It will cover all States and territories and eventually become the largest of its kind in Australia.
Call Mr Ray Brookes seven days on 9740 539 for all of these items in this section.
We wish to thank our Sponsors especially with the kidsanxiety website including the Campsie RSL Club, the Canterbury 'Bulldogs' and the Balmain 'Tigers' Club .
Serenity NSW Inc is now looking for parents of children with the Anxiety Disorders and/or Depression so that we can either meet with them or at least send them a questionnaire so that we can then produce a book and try to answer the questions they had, particularly when their child was first diagnosed with the problem. The Holroyd City Council is assisting us financially with this part of the Project but it is a huge job and we need assistance.
'Variety - the Childrens' Charity' is the major Sponsor of the 'Schools Project 2004' and we thank them for assisting us financially with our last two Projects involving children. They paid for the production of the 2-CD Sets which had to be updated and improved from the original 4 Audiocassettes and this makes future production much cheaper for Serenity NSW Inc. We thank DiskMax at Waterloo for the actual production of the 2-CD Sets.
The 2-CD Sets are now available for sale at $50 each and all profits from this go towards our biggest Project so far - the first 'Serenity Tea-house and Bookstore' which we estimate will cost $100,000 to establish properly for the first year. We thank Drummoyne Rotary Club, Holroyd Rotary Club, the Parramatta Lions especially and the Blacktown Lions Clubs for their assistance with this Project along with those who have become Shareholders.
We are seeking people interested in being a Shareholder in the Project - there are 490 shares available at $100 each - you can purchase as many as you like.
The 'Tea-house' will be established as a 'Co-operative' with a Shareholders meeting each year to decide what to do with the profits. We will be seeking a partner in the running of the 'Tea-house', an employment agency so that we will not be short of volunteers and people wanting or needing to do training/re-training to work there. We will apply to the Commonwealth Government for two workers - one to manage the shop, the other to work with the employment agencies and ensure continuous supply of interested people who are recovering from the mental illnesses.
Currently, there is a great lack of facilities for people who have suffered a mental illness and want to get back to work, especially in actual employment opportunities - i.e. somewhere that actually provides a 'real work environment' and the manager will be able to write them a real work reference having actually seen what they can do!! This is a real opportunity for the mentally ill to come out of hiding and be a part of the community. Please get behind us in buying a share.
'The first positive icon for the mentally ill in the world' Currently, there is nothing positive about having had a mental illness but if we can use the 'Tea-house' as a place for the mentally ill to socialise, provide material to read and use to uplift their spirits and 'come out of hiding' this will be an incredible opportunity for growth for so many people who currently 'hide away.'
Only $100 could make a huge difference to the future of the mentall ill in New South Wales, so please make it a family purchase if you have been touched in any way by mental illness, it will be profitable so you should recieve an actual return on your investment - this is not a donation.
We feel that it will be so profitable and busy that we will eventually open more - possibly at Chatswood, the Eastern Suburbs, Sutherland, Hornsby , Penrith, etc. We simply chose Strathfield as it is on the railway line that runs from the Central Coast to the Mountains, we figured that was a good place to start - about a million people affected in some way by mental illness live in these areas. All we need to do is advertise the fact that we are there - for, by and of the mentally ill.
Anxiety Disorders Awareness Project 05 -06" Launched on July 1st as usual.
Volunteers needed to help 'get the message out.' If you can fold and stuff envelops, do a letterbox drop, 'person' a stall in shopping centres, or if you could do some photocopying or faxing for us, please call Mr Ray Brookes on 9740 9539 - help needed across the state.
As a part of our "Awareness" Project we will be focussing on children and young people.
Serenity becomes an adult - November 19th is the 18th anniversary of the very first Self-help support Group meeting in the Bankstown Library:
Serenity NSW Inc. would like to thank all of the Sponsors who have assisted us over the years with a range of projects, especially in raising community awareness:
'Variety - the Childrens' Charity' Canterbury City Council
Balmain 'Tigers' Club Bankstown City Council
Campsie RSL Club Holroyd Council
Padstow RSL Club Ashfield Council
Ku-ring-gai Council
St Marys District Band Club
There are 750 Public School Counselors across the state and a further 100 Catholic/Private schools. so each year this has been a lot of work for this totally voluntary organisation and in particular we thank 'Variety - the childrens' Charity' for their contribution.
We still have many Projects that we need to start but lack funding - donations are tax deductible as we are recognised by the ATO as a Deductible Gift Recipient.
The 'Schools Project 2005' involves producing a book for Parents of Children with the Anxiety Disorders and we would like to hear from parents as we are going to organise a meeting in the Balmain 'Tigers' June 2004 so that we can listen to your problems and try to answer your questions through the book. Please call Mr Ray Brookes for information. We thank the 'Tigers' for funding this Project . We have also applied for funding for a Website for children and their parents.
Awareness Project in five languages: Thanks to funding from Ashfield, Blacktown City, City of Botany Bay, City of Canada Bay, Canterbury City and Burwood Councils, we are currently running an Anxiety Disorders Awareness Campaign in Arabic, Chinese, English, Korean and Vietnamese. If you know someone who could use these materials please call us 9740 9539.
We thank the Transcultural Mental Health Service for their assistance with materials, and we hope to aim this particularly at men, reaching out through the various Community Organisations such as the Chinese Australian Social Services here in Campsie. We invite other Councils to join in this Project and so produce a much healthier and happier society with less fear and suffering. Anxiety is easily beaten by getting the right information out there. Please contact us if you would like information about Anxiety and /or Depression in any of the languages mentioned above or contact the TMHS if you require information in other languages - don't let language be a barrier to getting help.
New Groups : Central Coast ( Woy Woy), Sutherland, Glebe:
Please contact Mr Ray Brookes for information on any of the above Groups and we are always looking for volunteers interested in doing the training to become a Group Leader. Three hours a month is all we need to get a local Group started. Please consider and remember that Serenity NSW Inc has operated for seventeen years come November 2005 as a totally voluntary, unfunded charitable organisation. We also want volunteers to be on our Management Committee. Call Ray (02) 9740 9539
