Community Support

STRONGER TOGETHER

The people of the Huon Valley are well known for their strength and resilience in the face of adversity.

We are Stronger Together.

Emergencies turn our way of life upside down, significantly disrupting the way we live, work and play.

Amongst the hardships, we witness many acts of kindness as community members, groups and neighborhoods look out for each other.

Now and into the future we can keep working together to help our communities become even stronger than before.

Council is committed to recognising the  local skills, strengths and resources across our community and will continue to support individuals, groups, clubs and organisations to be active in a variety of community-led recovery initiatives.

Below you will find resources and advice that can support your local community to build resilience.

These resources will be regularly reviewed and updated.

 

Huon Valley Council’s Recovery Coordinator

T: 03 6264 0300

E: recovery@huonvalley.tas.gov.au

Street Address: 40 Main Street, Huonville

Postal Address: PO Box 210, Huonville TAS 7109

Supporting Each Other

Individuals and groups across our community are finding new ways to connect to support each other.

Below are some projects which have supported communities to connect.

Every Day can be Neighbour Day – Neighbour Day has aimed to increase social connection and belonging in communities across the nation and has served to remind us how important it is to build strong relationships with those who live near us. Social connections and support are even more important as the country grapples with extended periods of isolation, physical distancing measures and a re-think of how we operate our day-to-day lives. Relationships Australia support Neighbour Day events and have published a range of ideas and tips to help people create connections. Connection Cards can be downloaded here

Crisis heroes are community heroes helping those in need. Visit this free community platform where you can offer or seek help. Need help with shopping, supplies, food, mail, business or emotional support? Crisis Heroes can help.

Gather My Crew provides free technology to mobilise support around Australians doing it tough. You can use their secure and trusted platform to coordinate help during COVID-19. Visit Gather My Crew to create an online ‘support crew’ for yourself or if you want to help organise support for a friend, family member or neighbour.

Nextdoor is the neighbourhood hub for trusted connections and the exchange of helpful information, goods, and services.  Nextdoor is the best way to stay informed about what’s going on in your neighbourhood—whether it’s finding a last-minute babysitter, planning a local event, or sharing safety tips. There are so many ways our neighbours can help us, we just need an easier way to connect with them.

Show your neighbours they’re not alone. At the moment some of your neighbours might need help with things like grocery shopping, sending mail or something else. If you’d like to offer some help, simply download, print and fill in one of these flyers designed by Australia Post and pop it in their letterbox. Only offer to help as much as you can – you need to keep yourself well too. Please use this
template responsibly to spread kindness throughout your community. Download your Community Calling Card here.

In these tough times, many of our local Huon Valley groups are supporting others. Visit Emergency Support to learn more about these groups.

Volunteering

Environments change rapidly in an emergency and many of you may be already looking out for your neighbours, family and friends.

There is a possibility however, that organisations supporting a response near you may require additional volunteers.

Volunteering Tasmania plays a key role in connecting volunteers and their skills to people, places and organisations who need it most.
They maintain a database of ‘willing volunteers’, people who want to contribute in some way to help others through a crisis or disaster and  match the right  people to volunteer organisations in their area involved in support and recovery.

If you would like to volunteer in your local community or if your group needs new volunteers, please visit Volunteering Tasmania for more information or call them on 1800 677 895.

Community Grants and Support

Government and non government agencies are providing a variety of support to communities

Visit the State Government’s COVID-19 website for more information about State Government response and recovery programs.

Other Community Grants and Support

 

 

Health and Wellbeing Support

Emergency Relief

As services and community groups adjust to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are some changes to the way in which support is provided to our community. Visit Emergency Support for more information about local confidential support services.

Mental Health

Concerns around the coronavirus outbreak, financial strains and practising self-isolation can be stressful and impact our mental health and wellbeing. It’s natural to feel a range of emotions, such as stress, worry, anxiety, boredom, or low mood.

It is important to seek support if you are feeling overwhelmed. Speaking with friends or family to let them know how you feel can help, and they might also appreciate talking to you about how they feel. There are also many digital mental health services that you can access online or over the phone, or you can connect with a health professional such as your GP, a psychologist, or other mental health professional.

Support contacts

If you are feeling distressed, seek support:

More mental health resources are available on coronavirus.tas.gov.au.

Supporting Others

QPR is an online education program that aims to teach people the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to respond following three steps: Question, Persuade and Refer.
Primary Health Tasmania is encouraging all Tasmanians interested in suicide prevention to complete QPR Training.
QPR training is free for individuals and for organisations (up to 10 licences per organisation are available) and will be offered until the end of June 2021. Find out more here

Staying Connected despite physical distancing and isolation

We also know that feeling socially isolated can impact our health and mental wellbeing. It can make us feel sad, anxious, lonely and depressed. We want to make sure that during this time, you have ways to stay connected to your family, friends and community, even if you can’t see them in person. Visit our Staying Connected page to learn more about how you can maintain connections with your family, friends and community. Staying Connected.

 

Financial Support

If your finances have been impacted by COVID-19 and you are experiencing financial difficulty it is important to get help as early as possible.

Each person’s circumstances are different, and the choices you make today may have long-term implications for your financial future.

Free, confidential support and advice is available:

A list of free, confidential financial support and advice services is now available at: https://coronavirus.tas.gov.au/families-community/financial-services-and-support