Agencies take next step to support wellbeing
From local democracy reporter David Hill:
Community collaboration has led to an online resource to help people tackle mental health issues.
Social Services Waimakariri, Together Hurunui and the Waimakariri and Hurunui district councils have joined forces to create the nextsteps.org.nz website, which brings together information about North Canterbury’s social services.
Waimakariri District Council community development facilitator Rachel Thornton said the new online resource came out of the Covid-19
experience.
The website built on the Ministry for Social Development funded community connector service, known locally as the next steps facilitator service, she said.
‘‘After Covid there were a number of vulnerable people and the challenge we had was how do we get information out to them.’’
The website allowed people to help themselves to take the next steps to improve their mental wellbeing.
‘‘Those of us who work in the social service sector, we know who the counsellors are, but the general public doesn’t necessarily know, so how do we make it easy for them?’’
Social Services Waimakariri facilitator Nicki Carter said the website showcased all of the social service and community organisations serving the North Canterbury area.
It was designed to avoid duplication and to use resources more efficiently.
‘‘In the Waimakariri we are national leaders in this space, so it is definitely a concept which might get picked up elsewhere in the country.’’
Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon said the new website was a great resource for the community.
‘‘While the initial shock of Covid-19 is gone we know this will not be the last event our country faces and it is important we learn from previous events.
"Having all this information in one place, with support specific to North Canterbury, is a fantastic resource and I applaud all our communities’ providers for working together to make this happen.
‘‘The information is non-threatening, accessible and provided in an empowering way that will connect with a lot of our residents when they need support.’’
The website posed questions to direct people to the help they needed and was entirely online and anonymous, Thornton said.
It begins by asking if you are in immediate danger (call 111) or just need to talk (call / text 1737).
The website has sections including physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, economic and business, and family and social.
We're talking new year resolutions...
Tidying the house before going to bed each night, meditating upon waking or taking the stairs at work.
What’s something quick, or easy, that you started doing that made a major positive change in your life?
New Year, Same Brain Teasers!
A man was found dead with a cassette recorder in one hand and a gun in the other.
When the police pressed “play,” the tape said, “I can’t go on,” and then there was a gunshot.
Yet, the police knew it was a murder.
How?
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⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️