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Financial assistance from the Gold Coast Primary Health Network (GCPHN) for residents affected by the destructive summer storms is not only helping to rebuild communities, it’s making them stronger.
The Reconnection for Resilience Community Grants Program provided 15 community grants of up to $5000 for local not-for-profit organisations, healthcare organisations, sporting clubs and primary care providers in the storm and flood hit areas.
“While the property rebuilds continue, so are the psychological health recoveries of those residents directly affected by the storms,” GCPHN CEO Matt Carrodus said.
“Through programs that foster on-going resilience, we are helping to empower people with the resources and support necessary to complete their recovery journeys,” he said.
Mr Carrodus said funded activities included programs aimed at improving mental health and wellbeing through support embedded in addressing social isolation, sport and exercise classes, art therapy, skills development initiatives, community BBQs and more.
Here we highlight one of the amazing organisations that is cleverly using their grants funding to build better local communities:
Tamborine Mountain was arguably hardest hit by the Christmas night storm that came out of nowhere.
We all saw the confronting images of houses unroofed, powerlines and trees down and of locals toiling alongside emergency services to restore some sort of order to their suddenly shattered lives.
It’s a proud mountain community and, as the bricks and mortar rebuild continues, it’s also one still coming to grips with its collective mental health recovery.
Cue the Men’s Social at The Knoll Studio at North Tamborine which was established with recovery grant funds to bring the men of the mountain together to heal.
Founder, local muso Ryan Gittoes, said there was plenty of incentive to make it happen.
“After the disaster, the mental health of a lot of local men was affected, which highlighted the undeniable importance of blokes who have shared an experience like this getting together socially,” Ryan said.
“I knew of a couple of guys that had sadly ended their own lives and that was the catalyst for me to say: ‘OK we need to do something’.
“The idea was if we can create connections through social gatherings and support men who might be struggling, there would be immense power in that.
“And that’s exactly what we found by providing a supportive space for men to openly share their experiences and challenges without judgement,” he said.
Ryan said meeting in a healthy environment is the key.
“We serve non-alcoholic beers knowing that the very act of drinking is such a part of our culture, but alcohol can create so many other problems.
“That’s why we’ve teamed with Sobar, the indigenous zero alcohol craft microbrewery at Burleigh Heads, to achieve our vision of a social gathering where men can celebrate being men away from pubs and clubs,” he said.
Ryan said the social nights, held inside a funkily renovated disused electricity substation at North Tamborine, can on any night can be about music, open mic standup comedy, food, ping pong, darts, chess and more.
“Our socials can be whatever they want to be and we’re getting about 50 men along each time, young, old and of all professions, persuasions, abilities and interests.
“There’s a real simplicity in the support structure that we’ve created, but there is so much power in it; it’s for a reason and that reason is recovery,” he said.
The Men’s Socials are held every second Tuesday, and the details can be found here:
The Knoll Studio – Home of the Arts and Creative Projects
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