a quick word from the harp team 2012 october // inside * Quote of the Month * USeful Fact or Statistic * Interesting Websites * Campaigns * Key Events * Who are they and What do they do? * Out and About * Resource of the Month * Dates for your diary Quote of the month USEFUL FACT OR STATISTIC Patience is not passive; on the contrary, it is active, it is concentrated strength drug info@your library provides up to date information about alcohol and drugs on this website and through local public libraries in New South Wales. drug info@your library is a joint initiative of NSW Health and the State Library of NSW. How does drug info@your library work? Edward G. Bulwer- Lytton INTERESTING WEBSITE www.lotl.com Lesbian Style & Culture magazine LOTL or Lesbians on the Loose Started in 1989, LOTL is Australia's only magazine for lesbians, bisexuals and queer women. Over its 20-plus year history, LOTL has united the lesbian community and documented the change in attitudes and acceptance for gay women in Australia. Web resources and public library collections are selected and regularly updated by specialist staff at the State Library of New South Wales in consultation with experts in the field. “There are 102 central libraries in NSW and 272 branch libraries, 230 of these in regional areas” Through this network of public libraries drug info@your library extends across NSW to make resources available to those in remote areas. By working with public libraries and assisting with community promotion drug info@your library increases local awareness of drug and alcohol issues. The collections and website are provided for the community of NSW with a specific focus on parents and carers of young people and secondary and TAFE students. For more info visit: www.druginfo.sl.nsw.gov.au CAMPAIGN HEARTS in HEALTHCARE is a new community, established to champion compassionate care. We believe bringing like-minded people together is the first step to re-humanising healthcare around the world. Our aims are simple. • • • To allow compassionate caring to rise above institutional rules and practices. Encourage health workers to reconnect to the heart of their practice. Increase the happiness, well-being and resilience of healthcare workers. We welcome all health professionals, students, consumer and patient activists, academics, administrators, researchers, leaders - anyone passionate about building a compassionate healthcare system. Hearts in healthcare invite you to view an inspirational short film in which nurses, doctors, therapists and patients talk about the importance of compassionate, whole-person care, and about an international movement to re-humanize healthcare: HEARTS in HEALTHCARE. You can view the film on YouTube: http://youtu.be/PQjb-wXnw6A or Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/44145788 For more news about developments with HEARTS in HEALTHCARE please visit: www.heartsinhealthcare.com KEY EVENT ‘GOIN VIRAL’ AT ACG In recent months youth workers from different services in the Shoalhaven and Illawarra area participated in the ‘Goin Viral’ project. This project is a three part initiative for youth workers aimed at preventing new Hep C infections among young people. During Hepatitis C awareness week in July 2012 Access Community Group (ACG) in Corrimal put on a great event for young people between 12 and 24 years of age. The youth were invited to participate in different educational workshops during the day for which they received a stamp in their ‘goin viral’ passport designed by ACG. The educational workshops included information and games on Hepatitis C, education on Sexually Transmissible Infections as well as information about the danger of alcohol and other drugs. Beer goggles made the young people aware of coordination difficulties experienced by people under the influence of alcohol. The youth were also made aware of the danger of Hepatitis C in relation to backyard tattooing and piercing. Most young people who access the service either have tattoos and/or piercings or know someone that has had a backyard tattoo. Now more than ever, tattooing is becoming more prevalent. During the event young people were able to get spray on tattoos and at the end of the day they were also able to exchange their passport for a spray-tattoo baseball cap. All up it was a fantastic, fun and fabulous day! Special thanks to Michelle Enchilidis from ACG and Connie Graf from First Step Needle Syringe Program. Who are they and What do they do? GREEN CONNECT Green Connect Illawarra (GCI) Is a social enterprise initiative of SCARF Inc, in partnership with the refugee community in the Illawarra of NSW. GCI commenced as a pilot initiative in 2009 to provide recycling services for the Illawarra Folk Festival. The enterprise has since developed a comprehensive scope of works to provide effective management of waste generated at events and festivals across the region. GCI provides a cost effective solution to waste issues in the Illawarra. In addition, our clients are able to establish good environmental credentials and showcase best practice in the region. In return, as a social enterprise, those contracting GCI assist vital training, work experience and employment for new and emerging refugee communities and the long term unemployed. Our results speak for themselves! www.green-connect.com.au OUT AND ABOUT COMMUNITY STREET SOCCER PROGRAM The Community Street Soccer Program, also known as Street Soccer, is an initiative of The Big Issue. The program uses soccer to help homeless, marginalised and disadvantaged people positively change their lives and reconnect with the community. The weekly training sessions give participants an opportunity to get active and make new friends in a fun and non-threatening environment. They provide play equipment and dedicated coaches and support staff at 24 sites across Australia. During the two-hour sessions, players take part in skill work and a friendly match. Support staff also work closely with participants, linking them with services that address their individual issues and needs. Street Soccer is aimed at men and women aged 16 years and above. It engages people who in many cases have given up on counselling and traditional support systems and services. They come from many walks of life, but all have been marginalised in some way including through long-term unemployment, mental illness, homelessness, refugee status, drug and alcohol dependency or physical disability. In March this year HARP in partnership with Healthy Cities Illawarra delivered health education sessions for Street Soccer participants in Wollongong. HARP s health promotions officer Naomi Cox supported the project goal of promoting social inclusion and personal change by providing information on sexual health issues including healthy relationships, sexual consent, STIs and access to services. Via consultation with players, soccer tee shirts were designed and produced by Hi Tech Graphics in Auburn Street Wollongong with a the ‘Share Affection Not Infection’ retro logo on the front of the shirts and players nominated names on the back and the Healthy Cities logo. To find out more about the program please visit www.streetsoccer.org.au (L-R) Nathan, Chloe and Allan Or contact Eszter Vasenszky, The Big Issue Media and Communications Coordinator 0415 319 421 [email protected] RESOURCE OF THE MONTH THE FEMALE CONDOM Female condoms are worn during sexual intercourse as a method of contraception and also to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The female condom is made from polyurethane and is inserted into the vagina before sex. It is about 15cm long and has two flexible rings, one at each end, to keep it in place in the vagina. One of the rings is closed and this end rests inside the woman’s vagina. The other ring, which is open, rests outside. The advantages of the female condom • It is a safe, effective and reversible method Of contraception • It can be obtained without a prescription • It provides protection against STIs for men and women • Unlike the diaphragm, women do not need a fitting or a medical Examination before use • It can be used with any type of lubricant e.g. oil based lubricants • The polyurethane condom allows for heat transmission, which may make sex more enjoyable • The external ring may stimulate the clitoris, making sex more pleasurable If you would like to order the female condom the HARP Unit now have these in stock. Maximum of ten per order. DATES FOR YOUR DIARY OCTOBER 1 October International Day of Older Persons 1-7 October RSPCA Awareness Week 1-31 October Foot Health Month 1-31 October Mental Health Month 1- 31 October Girls Night In 2 October International Day of Non-Violence 6-13 October R U OK? Day 7-13 October Haemophilia Awareness Week Ride2 Work Day 10 October World Sight Day 11 October International Arthritis Day 12 October 14-20 October Anti Poverty Week 14-20 October Carers Week 15 October Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remeberance Day 15-19 October Sock it to Suicide Week 16 October World Food Day 16 October World Spine Day International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 17 October Loud Shirt Day 19 October 20 October World Osteoporosis Day 20-26 October National Week of Deaf People 21-27 October Occupational Therapy Week 21-27 October Children’s Week Pink Ribbon Day 22 October Disarmament Week 24 October National Bandanna Day 26 October If you would like to receive Quickword direct to your Inbox, please email [email protected] to be added to the distribution list a quick word from the harp team is created by Jennifer Farinella and designed by Scott West. The HARP Unit acknowledges permission received from all contributors to be featured