News and views from our community

Cafe pays it forward

Home Ground Café located in Mornington is a café with a difference.Opened in 2017 with the support of Baptcare’s Community Grants program providing funding of $45,000, Home Ground is a social enterprise that supports young people. From inception to realisation the Café has been a space which focuses on vocational training, and employment placing to many local enterprises, and health equity access for better diet and food practises.The daily operations of the café in the middle of a disadvantaged neighbourhood combined with the Café’s strong Pay it Forward model has seen this social enterprise become a second home and space for connection and belonging for a diverse range of local community members.Sam Keck, Owner of Commonfolk Coffee Co which supplies the coffee at Home Ground says hospitality and tourism has the highest skills shortage of any sector on the Mornington Peninsula, and at the same time has the highest youth unemployment in Victoria.“Right now, in Australia, there is a real disparity between entry level unskilled workers and skilled hospitality jobs that need to be filled but no mechanism in the middle able to train these people. Businesses are left struggling to find actual vocational experience. Home Ground bridges that gap between unskilled workers and providing the skills necessary to fill the roles within hospitality,” said Sam Keck.“Social enterprises like Home Ground are a really important ingredient in the community and the business landscape because of what they bring as a consistent, sustainable change maker and influence for change.“It is vital for us to train and support people to engage in hospitality, providing them with opportunities and showing them there are viable careers to be had within the industry,” said Sam Keck.Home Ground partners with Commonfolk Coffee Co to connect with local industry leaders to provide onsite experience to its trainees and offers a glimpse into some of the best restaurants and cafés on the Peninsula. Upon completion of their training, trainees will be supported to find lasting employment.“Not only does Home Ground offer pretty special coffee, it’s also coffee that helps change lives and offers young people the training to become the best baristas in the world” said Sam Keck.Another aim of Home Ground is to be a place to hang out, meet new people, and share a sense of belonging, connectedness and friendship. Home Ground has been designed in consultation with the local community creating an aesthetic that fits the community and provides them with a sense of ownership.Sam Hearn, Youth Worker, Board Member and Councillor says this is evident on a daily basis.“What I love when you come to Home Ground is seeing a whole bunch of people from all walks of life eating, drinking coffee, having a good chat and enjoying themselves. The icing on the cake is knowing, that for our staff, this is their first opportunity in hospitality and that they are the reason our customers are smiling,” said Sam Hearn.Home Ground is also working with local community gardens and growers to focus menu items on locally sourced and grown produce, developing a supply chain that aims to have a positive environmental and social impact. The menu is accessible but healthy and they are keen to offer community cooking and meals that give people from the local community an opportunity to share skills and create awareness around healthy eating.Key Youth Trainee and Employee, Joel Furneaux couldn’t be happier at being given the opportunity to develop his skills at Home Ground.“Cafes in general have a wonderful equalising force in society where everyone from all walks of life can come and be equal. At Home Ground, your financial situation doesn’t determine whether you can or can’t come through the door. I think that’s a really beautiful place to create equality and a space of harmony,” said Joel.Home Ground is just one of many that Baptcare has aided over the years through the Community Grants project, helping many realise long held dreams.“The support that Baptcare provided Home Ground was amazing. We wouldn’t have begun the project without the funding we received from Baptcare. It provided 25 per cent of our initial start up need,” said Sam Hearn.“This has enabled us to develop a model that has now reached a place of sustainability from our own revenue that ensures we can continue to transform our community and the lives of young people week in, week out, and for many years to come!” said Sam Hearn. Watch more of Home Ground athttps://vimeo.com/305639632

• 29 Aug 2019

The Orchards wins national award

Congratulations to The Orchards Community who were recently awarded the title of “National Winner of the 2019 Australian Achiever Award for Australia’s Retirement & Care Services”, as well as being the VIC State Winner. This is an excellent result which highlights quality customer relations and service within the aged care sector.Now in its 22nd year, the Australian Achiever Awards are an independent, unbiased award system based on assessment ratings from a companies’ own clients. The Award focuses on seven criteria: time related service, addressing client neeeds, care and attention, value, attitude, communication and perception.Residential Care and Services Manager, Belinda Wandabwa said this award reflects The Orchard’s promise of delivering on customer satisfaction.“Winning this award highlights our dedication to provide our residents the care and attention they deserve, addressing their needs in a way that satisfies and brings happiness. The Orchards are very proud of all of our staff and the real sense of community and home we have built here,” said Belinda Wandabwa.When asked about The Orchards Community, residents were quoted to say,“I am very happy. I have had an enjoyable stay so far, and am very settled here. I appreciate the excellent customer service I receive from the staff, and I really enjoy the company of the other residents.”“The staff are always friendly and nice at all times. I appreciate that they make things easy to understand. All services, such as lunch, are always ready on time. The hours are excellent as friends and family can visit when they please. And the facility is well presented, clean and tidy.”“I have been amazed by the quality and variety of food. The general layout of the facility is excellent, including the television, internet and car parking. They have put care and attention to detail in with many things like the bed linen and bath towels, for example, which are of excellent quality. I am extremely happy.” Baptcare The Orchards Community achieved a 97.25% overall score for Customer Service and Relations, topping all other Australian Retirement & Care Services businesses. Anything above 80% overall is regarded as exceptional and reflects outstanding customer service. Well done to all involved!

• 01 Aug 2019

A little goes a long way — how one community came together to help those less fortunate

Every Saturday, Anjuman-e-Saifee Melbourne, a Chapter of the Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community in Melbourne, run a school which is attended by local children to practice their religion, culture and language skills. One important part of the teachings that this community school is focussed on is social justice, and compassion to others who may be less fortunate — an important lesson in this day and age!This teaching came into practice over a weekend in July, when members of our Sanctuary team visited the school and were presented with food and dry goods, by the school children. The children had held a fundraiser where they raised money to purchase rice, lentils and cooking oil.Tuaha a member of the Anjuman-e-Saifee Chapter, who also worked within the Transformation team at Baptcare said "fundraisers like this bring our teachings into practice. To see the children, take ownership and even loading the donated goods into the van and listening to Peter talk about Sanctuary, was a delight".Presently Baptcare's Sanctuary program presently has 134 residents, many with no income as they are not allowed to work or have not been able to find work, and who are not eligible for any government income support, so donations of food and food drives like the one the children ran are essential. Without this support, people go hungry and poor nutrition contributes to additional health challenges.Donations, food and furniture are always needed as they go towards providing aid for Sanctuary's transitional accommodation and related support services. These services aid in empowering homeless people seeking asylum and enable them to move towards living an independent life within the Australian community. For more information on how you can assist, contact Cliff Barclay, Head of Housing and Homelessness via cbarclay@baptcare.org.au.

• 18 Jul 2019

How Baptcare and the NDIS has worked to support Roxy

Roxy is a happy and resilient nearly 4-year-old little girl. Through the support of their ECEI coordinator, Roxy and her family were able to transition to the NDIS in 2018, and she is now receiving support through her second NDIS plan.Through the support that Baptcare is able to provide, Roxy regularly receives the therapy that she requires, and now has the ability to reach and use her hands for play and some functional tasks when her posture and seating are supported. Roxy has also become more vocal and has increased the sounds that she can make, and due to the improvements in her oral control, has increased safety when eating.“To see the improvement in Roxy has been wonderful to watch and be a part of. She is a wonderfully happy little girl, and to see her increased play skills and communicative skills, just shows the impact the NDIS can have” said Jessica.Roxy has also shown development in her receptive language skills. Through her therapy, Roxy has been able to learn to scan between two items unassisted and fix her gaze on the item that she wishes to choose. Roxy has been able to have the assessment required to work towards vital assistive technology that will allow her comfort and increase participation in her social environment.Roxy has now been set up with an eye-gaze system, which she has demonstrated great success with. This is a huge achievement for Roxy, allowing her to have some choice and control in her world and work towards increasing her initiation of social interactions and of her needs and wants.Roxy has also received assistive technology to support her during her self-care needs, to assist with her comfort and safety, encourage the use of her hands to engage in some of these tasks and to reduce the physical demands on her informal supports.

• 04 Jul 2019

Empowering pedallers

Local older citizens can now feel the breeze in their hair and the sun on their faces with assistance of newfound cycling friends.Kerang’s new Cycling Without Age chapter was officially launched last week, with Baptcare Northaven Community holding a ceremony to celebrate.The star attraction, a Danish made Triobike taxi was the centre of attention as it hit the road after the official opening with excited residents on board.The bike’s rider sits behind its two passengers, with those passengers travelling in couch-like comfort, with a canopy available for protection from the weather and also a blanket on offer.Kerang resident Rob Mason, now Chairman of the town’s Cycling Without Age chapter, saw the program operating elsewhere and realised its potential for Kerang’s older residents.He was inspired to bring a chapter of the organisation to Kerang and offer the residents of local aged care homes the chance to get out and about and relive the joy of travelling by bike.Baptcare Northaven Community have embraced the initiative and provides sponsorship to help meet the ongoing costs of providing the service.Lifestyle Coordinator, Lyn Steele said the residents couldn’t be happier.“Baptcare Northaven Community believe this initiative will provide our residents with a unique opportunity to remain active despite their limited mobility,” said Ms Steele.“It is a great way for them to connect with being outdoors and viewing their local community”.“When they come back from a ride, they come back with a smile on their face. They’ve had the wind in their hair. They’ve been out in the sun.“It not only brings mental benefits, but physical health benefits as well, like ensuring residents receive enough Vitamin D exposure,” said Ms Steele.Dementia residents are also benefitting.“This form of bike riding is a suitable way for our dementia patients to feel connected to their community,” said Ms Steele.Since its commencement, the program has been such a success that Baptcare is keen to get Cycling Without Age chapters up and running in other towns where it has aged care facilities.Watch this space!

• 20 Jun 2019

The power of a healing touch

It is difficult to fully understand the power of a healing touch, despite the fact, that the medical field are continuing to find ‘healthful’ benefits for patients in the form of non-verbal communication. Luise Westwood, Chaplain at Baptcare The Orchards Community says that it is a way of connecting with another, without saying a word to communicate, especially when a resident has commenced a comfort care or palliative care pathway.The role of a chaplain has significantly changed over the years, Luise sums it up by saying “Chaplaincy today, lies at the heart of a holistic approach to healing which encompasses the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual – enabling a chaplain to listen with their heart to another person’s struggle, joys and pain”. Our chaplains are trained to listen to the resident’s story, to be present to the resident’s values and to reframe the crisis/life changing situation.One example of the power of a healing touch is Luise’s interaction with Beth, who was on a palliative care pathway. Beth, who generally was resistant to many forms of assistance and was known to be verbally abusive at times, was referred to Luise at the start of March this year.Upon her first visit, Luise found Beth lying in her bed in a foetal position and experienced Beth to be somewhat initially resistive to her presence. After a period of silence, Beth asked Luise to rub her back. She wasn’t in any physical pain but was expressing a need for human contact, a gentle touch, to reassure her that someone was there for her. Beth eventually closed her eyes and whispered to Luise, “Thank you, no one has done something like that for me in a long time”.Luise was able to visit Beth once more before she passed away in late March. During this visit, Luise recalls that although Beth was semi-conscious, “she appeared to respond to my presence”. Whilst Luise will never know to the full extent her presence, words or gestures may have had on Beth, she believes that Beth experienced some sense of peace or acceptance of her current situation.The nursing staff at The Orchards Community noted that following Luise’s initial visit, Beth was more accepting and less resistive to their care.The work of our Pastoral care team and chaplains like Luise, is very important to Baptcare’s holistic approach to aged care. Providing spiritual and emotional support to our residents, is less about filling up every moment with words, and more about discovering the gifts of sacred silence and the potential power of a ‘healing touch’.“It is an incredible privilege to work with elderly people at their most vulnerable time”, said Luise. “Chaplaincy is a vocation, not just a job”.

• 11 Jun 2019

Foster care support to aid most vulnerable across Tasmania

Baptcare is excited to partner with The Department of Communities Tasmania to extend its recruitment of foster carers across Tasmania, offering training and ongoing support to help create more positive environments for children most at risk.With the rate of children receiving child protection services in Australia continuing to rise, with around 158,600, or 1 in 35, children having received child protection services in 2017-18, Baptcare Family and Community Services Operations Manager, Chris Demeyer says foster carers offer a crucial lifeline for those most vulnerable.“Foster carers are the unsung heroes of our community who provide positive and nurturing environments for some of our community’s most at risk children”, said Mr Demeyer.“We know fostering a child can be a richly rewarding experience but sometimes people are apprehensive in their approach to begin and are unsure of how the process works. Baptcare will now be able to provide training and ongoing support to help potential foster carers know what to expect and how to achieve positive outcomes. Baptcare is excited to help even more children and young people find a caring place to call home,” said Mr Demeyer.Baptcare welcomes foster carers from all types of households, family units and backgrounds who can offer respite, emergency, short term (3-6 months), and long term (6 months or more) care. All applicants are required to be over 21 years of age, have adequate space in their home, have no criminal record, and pass a police and relevant working with vulnerable persons/children check.This new partnership complements our longstanding delivery of foster care opportunities within Victoria which last year saw 102 children provided with a safe and nurturing environment.For more information call 13 22 78 or visit https://www.baptcare.org.au/services/family-youth-and-foster-care/foster-care .

• 27 May 2019

Food to the rescue

This National Volunteer Week Baptcare celebrates the generous contribution of our 790 passionate Baptcare volunteers, like Jeff Davies whose profile is shared below, who have contributed over 42,000 hours to volunteering this year alone. Our youngest volunteer is just eight years old and plays chess with one of our residents at Hedley Sutton Community while our oldest is 95 who assists in the kiosk at Strathalan Community. Baptcare will hold 19 events this week recognising the contribution of our volunteers within our communities and programs. Volunteers will also be recognised for their length of service and receive acknowledgement in the form of badges and certificates.Looking for a chance to improve the lives of people seeking asylum, Jeff Davies decided to join Sanctuary, becoming an important member of the volunteer team.“I was looking for a way to do something positive to help”, says Jeff.Joining Sanctuary three years ago, Jeff originally assisted residents with writing resumes and developing interview skills. This is an important area of Sanctuary’s work, with education and employment crucial to a resident’s transition into Australian society.Currently, Jeff assists Sanctuary by picking up and distributing food donations to our Brunswick and Preston sites. Both of these roles have given Jeff the chance to chat and listen to the experiences of residents.“I find the incredible endurance, intelligence and positivity of many of the residents, in the face of very challenging circumstances, truly admirable,” says Jeff.Through his volunteering efforts, Jeff has seen first-hand the dedication of Sanctuary’s volunteers and the generous donations that make Sanctuary possible. He continues to volunteer as he feels a great sense of pleasure in meeting and assisting residents.“It is a very satisfying thing to do, particularly given the attitude and education of the Baptcare staff. I would definitely recommend the experience to anyone looking to make a difference,” says Jeff.Jeff’s wife, Geunolee has heeded his enthusiastic recommendation to join Sanctuary as a volunteer, currently assisting residents with their English skills.“Hopefully I will link in some more helpers in the future,” says Jeff.Outside of Sanctuary, Jeff has 30 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry and is a Founding Director of CBE, a consulting company in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry.Volunteering has always been a prominent part of Jeff’s life. His work with CBE has involved working with developing countries in increasing the production of vaccines.Jeff also dedicates his spare time to fundraising through fun runs and cycling events such as The Great Cycle Challenges.Baptcare and Sanctuary are forever grateful to people like Jeff, as their generosity makes a positive difference in the lives of Sanctuary residents.Around 73 per cent of our Baptcare volunteers say they want to make a difference and that Baptcare supports them to achieve this. Baptcare volunteers not only make a wonderful contribution to the Sanctuary program, but also to our residential aged care residents, our famillies and their children, our staff and our foster children and we cannot express our gratitude enough for their hard work. From all of us here at Baptcare, we say THANK YOU for everything our volunteers do!

• 21 May 2019

Celebrating our volunteers

This National Volunteer Week Baptcare celebrates the generous contribution of our 790 passionate Baptcare volunteers, like Stanley Thomas whose profile is shared below, who have contributed over 42,000 hours to volunteering this year alone. Our youngest volunteer is just eight years old and plays chess with one of our residents at Hedley Sutton Community while our oldest is 95 who assists in the kiosk at Strathalan Community. Baptcare will hold 19 events this week recognising the contribution of our volunteers within our communities and programs. Volunteers will also be recognised for their length of service and receive acknowledgement in the form of badges and certificates. Retiree, Stanley Thomas, recently begun volunteering as an Administration and IT volunteer for Baptcare’s Sanctuary program. Stanley was eager to help support a not-for-profit organisation and welcomed the opportunity after learning of the program via the Baptcare website.Not new to volunteering, Stanley currently volunteers for the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) tutoring migrants in English. His previous volunteering has seen him tutor two Melbourne Polytechnic students of refugee backgrounds undertaking bookkeeping courses, develop finance procedures for the Compass Club which is part of Melbourne City Mission, and conduct computer training for new migrants at Whittlesea Community Connections.Baptcare’s Sanctuary program prides itself on providing people with safety, opportunity and a fair go. This is done through Sanctuary’s work in providing education, developing skills and knowledge, work opportunities and building a respectful community.During his one day a week at Sanctuary, Stanley works on spreadsheets, formatting documents and consulting on developing new databases. His work enables Sanctuary staff to spend more time focusing on the residents.When asked about how he feels about volunteering, Stanley says he gains a real sense of satisfaction through his volunteer work at Sanctuary.“I truly feel like I am making a difference and a real part of the community,” says Stanley. “There is a sense of belonging at Sanctuary, through the friendly atmosphere of staff and volunteers”. “During my short time so far at Sanctuary I have thoroughly enjoyed and admired the work undertaken to protect such vulnerable members of the community,” says Stanley.Stanley went on to recommend the opportunity of volunteering to others describing Baptcare as an “organisation which can utilise the skills, talents and experience of volunteers in order to meet its objectives”.Baptcare is forever grateful for people like Stanley, as their generosity makes such a positive difference in the lives of all who reside at Sanctuary.Around 73 per cent of our Baptcare volunteers say they want to make a difference and that Baptcare supports them to achieve this. Baptcare volunteers not only make a wonderful contribution to the Sanctuary program, but also to our residential aged care residents, our famillies and their children, our staff and our foster children and we cannot express our gratitude enough for their hard work. From all of us here at Baptcare, we say THANK YOU for everything our volunteers do!

• 20 May 2019