Last week Central Coast Community Connector, Kat Rose (pictured right with HCT CEO, Ellen MacDonald), attended the Tasmanian Suicide Prevention 20^th Annual LiFE Awards on behalf of Central Coast Voice for Health (CCVH) after being nominated in the category of Innovative Practice and Research.  This nomination came in relation to the CCVH Action Plan priority of connecting people to the services and supports they need through the implementation of the Right Place Initiative on the Central Coast.

Over the last 12 months Kat has been busy training local people to have the information they need to support other locals to know what services are available and where they may be able to get assistance.  This has included training people in local businesses, such as electricians, community groups and other service providers learning what direction to point people in and get the support that they need to do that.  Alongside the training and support that Kat provides, additional training has been available through funds from the Health and Wellbeing Network Project, including Accidental Counsellor training coming up in the next few months.

The Right Place Initiative has a role to play in suicide prevention, and more broadly in keeping people well.  Across the state HCT has heard from Tasmanians about the need to have more accessible information about the services available to them and, quite often, the most trusted and accessible sources for this information is through word of mouth or other local connections.  The Right Place means that this information is put in the hands of trusted locals.

Congratulations to Kat and the Central Coast Voice for Health, including the Community Connections Reference Group, for all your hard work and thank you for the impact you are having on the Central Coast.  Well-deserved recognition.  Thank you also to all the local people and groups who have been so willing to engage to improve access to essential services to keep people well in the region. 

We look forward to continuing to support this work over the next 12 months thanks to the funding through the Health and Wellbeing Network Project from the Tasmanian Government Department of Health.  If you’d like more information about how your local business or organisation can get involved or learn more, please get in touch.