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HEADSPACE MOUNT GAMBIER MONTHLY NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2017

Imogen, Youth Worker, Cody, helper and Jess,

Senior Practitioner handing out hot chocolates!

LOUD in the Library launched a huge week of

activities for young people for National Youth

Week. headspace and the Mount Gambier

Council are official partners for this year’s

celebrations. headspace kept busy at LOUD

handing out free hot chocolates in this year’s chill

zone.

The theme for Youth Week is youTHRIVE,

highlighting the importance of young South

Australians physical, mental, emotional and social

wellbeing. All young people aged 12-25 are

invited to participate in the following events this

week….

Youth band, Skyline Haze, soothed the crowd in

this year’s chill zone at LOUD in the Library

Metro Hangs

Wednesday 5 April

3pm – 5pm

Deck at Metro

You’re invited for a free drink and cake at Metro. Come and chill together in the funky new deck area, have genuine chats, listen to live music by Bella & Cameron, and hear from Mount Gambier Young Citizen of the Year Bhavani & headspace volunteer Elizabeth.

Amazing Race

Friday 7 April

4pm – 6pm

Various locations

Are you ready for a race around Mount Gambier? Major prizes to be won! This race includes pit stops, challenges, clues and pit stop prizes. Form your own team of up to 4, or let us and make new friends. Race information and registration form at https://headspacemtg.typeform.com/to/asgymR.

Yoga at the Lakes

Sunday 9 April

2pm – 3pm

Valley Lakes

Take in the elements and beautiful surrounds of Browns Lake with a yoga session run by Kath of Simply Yoga. Beginners welcome, this will be a gentle, relaxing class. No equipment required. Places are limited, register at https://youthyoga.eventbrite.com.au.

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COPING WITH STRESS

headspace workers Mikarla and Imogen have just finished five weeks

of meeting with all the students in year 11 and 12 at Mount Gambier

High School to talk about stress. In small groups, students learnt more

about what stress is, how to recognise the signs and symptoms of

stress, and how to manage it. Check out some more tips from

headspace here on how to survive school exams and stress.

OH HAPPY DAY!

On Monday 17 March, students at Grant High School enjoyed a BBQ, fruit and

ice cream to celebrate International Day of Happiness. Talented Grant High

School musicians impressed the crowds with live music.

headspace staff and volunteers handed out free ice cream and hundreds of

smiling emoji stickers. The most common answer to the question, ‘what

makes you happy’ among students was family and friends. It was a good

reminder about the importance of stopping to reflect on the important things

in life, and being grateful.

Jade Lock, Grant High School Wellbeing Coordinator said, ‘wellbeing is critical

to student development and engagement with learning. Days like today are

so important for our students, helping to build a greater sense of 'community'

and a sense of belonging.’

International Day of Happiness was introduced by the General Assembly of

the United Nations in 2012 with the aim to educate and increase public

awareness of the benefits of happiness.

FREE HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES

Can you believe it’s almost school holidays already?! The team are busy getting ready for a number

of exciting activities. See back page for full listing. To register for an activity, call headspace on

8725 0443, or email headspacemountgambier@unitingcommunities.org. All activities are free and

you do not need to be a headspace client to attend, all welcome.

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MARCH NATURE IN MIND

*Music workshop with Courtney Holmes *Dingley Dell tour with Allan, caretaker

*Walk with Peter, Port MacDonnell Landcare *Herbariums with Bryan, Nature Glenelg Trust

headspace MOUNT GAMBIER

We held our first all staff planning day in March, celebrating and reflecting upon 12 months

of service provision to local young people and their families, and planning for the future.

The day highlighted that what makes headspace successful is the contributions from the

community. Centre Manager, Tasja Barelds, extends a big thanks to the highly motivated

and committed Youth Reference Group, an equally passionate core team of clinicians and

administrative staff, plus the valued expertise of CAMHS, MifSA, CHSA Youth Mental Health,

WISE employment, Mount Gambier City Council, Life Without Barriers and private

practitioners who work with headspace.

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OPENING HOURS

Monday: 9:30am - 5:30pm

Tuesday: 9:00am - 8:00pm

Wednesday: 11:30am - 5:30pm

Thursday: 9:00am - 8:00pm

Friday: 9:30am - 5:30pm

FACEBOOK

Keep in touch with what’s happening at the

centre, and receive health and wellbeing

updates by liking our headspace Mount

Gambier Facebook page.

Schedule boredom these school holidays!

Article by Michael Ungar Ph.D. Find the full article here.

What exactly is boredom? When it is a temporary state, it is a lack of stimulation and the unpleasant

feelings that come along with it. In most cases, individuals who become bored are motivated to find

something stimulating to do. Still, as parents we worry about a child who is slunked in the living

room, watching television on a sunny day, complaining “There’s nothing to do.” In fact, the

experience of being bored for a time may be exactly what the child needs “to do”.

Children who experience a lack of programmed activity are given an opportunity to demonstrate

creativity, problem solving, and to develop motivational skills that may help them later in life. Are we

really doing our children a service by removing quiet, unstructured time from their lives? When we

endlessly program them with activities, show them videos while driving, insist on being their

playmates when other children aren’t available, and buying them amusements like video games,

have we overlooked the amazing opportunities for psychological growth right there in the quiet of

our own homes?

The antidote to boredom is to provide children with an environment that lets them experience

autonomy (the ability to work a little on their own), control (the right to have a say over what they do),

challenge (a small push beyond their comfort zone), and intrinsic motivation (the motivation comes

from inside them). Notice that the antidote to boredom is not an environment that programs children

or removes responsibility from children to solve the problem of under-stimulation themselves.

Schedule boredom!

It is important to build into our children’s routines times when there is no planned activity, and when

the television, gaming station, computer and cell phone are turned off. Well, maybe not the

computer, if it being used as a creative activity. There are many children who will teach themselves

to type, or create an amazing video, if given the chance to play the artist rather than the passive

audience to the efforts of others.

Challenge your child to create the next viral video. Encourage them with a carton of arts supplies to

design their own birthday gifts. Gently push them outdoors and don’t let them back in for 2 hours

and see what friendly mischief they can get into.

They may not thank you at first, but they will, if you’re lucky, experience a period of

self-reflection and calm.

PLEASE NOTE WE ARE CLOSED ON PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

FRIDAY 14, MONDAY 17 AND TUESDAY 25 APRIL

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