Youth Space Gunnedah in Gunnedah, New South Wales | Community organisation

Youth Space Gunnedah

Locality: Gunnedah, New South Wales

Phone: +61 2 6740 2100

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22.01.2022 It's been a week since R U OK? Day, so we're checking in with some information about how to keep conversations going. So you noticed the signs and decided to ask a friend R U OK? But it didn’t go so well and you’re not sure what to do next My friend doesn’t think they need any help and told me to mind my own business.... It can be really tough when we are only trying to help and a friend gets upset or angry with you. Try not to take it personally you have done a great thing by reaching out to them to ask R U OK. They might not be ready to talk just yet and that’s ok. What you can do is to keep being there for them, ask them R U OK again another time, offer to find someone else for them to talk to and let them know that you will be ready to talk if they change their mind. Just remember that if you are really worried for them, you might need to reach out to someone who can help anyway. My friend says they are too embarrassed to go and see the school/uni/TAFE counsellor or local headspace counsellor. There are lots of online options that you could suggest to your friend if they don’t want to talk to someone face-to-face. You could suggest: Kids Helpline online chat https://kidshelpline.com.au/get-help/webchat-counselling eheadspace https://headspace.org.au/our-services/eheadspace/ Lifeline text message service https://www.lifeline.org.au/crisis-text/ My friend asked me not to tell anyone what they said to me but I’m worried about them. It’s really important when we are asking R U OK to make our friends feel comfortable to share what is really going on for them. But it’s important that we let our friends know that if they share something with us that makes us feel worried about their safety, we might need to talk with someone else. If you are concerned about your friend’s safety, please speak with a trusted adult to get help (eg. parent, teacher, school counsellor, call Kids Helpline for them). Check out https://www.ruok.org.au/for more information and tips for asking a friend R U OK? And don’t forget there are supports out there to help young people through tough times: Kids Helpline Phone: 1800 55 1800 (24 hours/day) headspace Check out https://headspace.org.au/ for your nearest headspace centre Lifeline - Phone: 13 11 14 (24 hours/day)

20.01.2022 Welcome to our second RUOK post! Now you’ve gotten ready and you’re feeling prepared it’s time for that first step. How do I ask RUOK?... It doesn’t have to be heavy asking can be as simple as starting with a friendly ‘how are you going?’ Open the conversation up more by gently sharing your concerns ‘You seem quieter than usual’ or ‘you seem a bit down’. Then that person will be feeling more comfortable talking and may not be surprised when you ask, ‘Are you OK?. If they don’t want to talk all you need to say is ‘I’m here if you change your mind please just give me a call’. Maybe they don’t feel comfortable talking with you so check ‘Is there someone else you’d rather talk to? Check out these links from R U OK? and ReachOut for some extra tips. https://au.reachout.com/ar/how-to-ask-a-friend-if-theyre-ok https://www.ruok.org.au/how-to-ask? What do I say, after RUOK? Asking RUOK is important, but it’s just the beginning. The next step is to listen. Listen with an open mind Sometimes it’s hard to just sit and listen without trying to solve someone else’s problem. Listening is important to give that person a chance to open up and share their struggles. Being heard is one of the most powerful parts of feeling supported. You can show you’ve heard by nodding and encouraging them, saying, ‘that’s tough’, ‘I’m sorry that happened’. Take what they say seriously and try not to judge. Give them plenty of time to think and talk and don’t interrupt even if there’s silence. You can show that you’ve listened by repeating back what you’ve heard and ask if you’ve understood them properly. Congratulations! You’ve taken the first key steps - to ask RUOK? and to listen. Tomorrow we will look at the next steps - what actions you can take and how to check in afterwards.

19.01.2022 This Thursday is RUOK Day! To help you get ready to ask this important question, here are some steps to think about, over the next few days. What is RUOK Day?... RUOK Day reminds us all that every day is the day to ask that simple question RUOK? - if we see someone in our lives struggling. Asking is just the start to connecting with another person and lending them a helping hand. RUOK? could be the most important question you ever ask. It could change a life. Where do I start? Notice the signs. You might feel that something’s not quite right or you can see a change in someone you know they’re not their usual selves. Are they moody? Do they just want to be on their own? Are they under a lot of stress? Do they look tired, like they’re having trouble sleeping? Other signs to watch out for can be found at: https://www.ruok.org.au/signs If the signs are there, it’s time to trust your instincts and plan a conversation. Get yourself ready, think about what you’ll say and how they might reply. Pick your moment and find a place that’s private at a time when you can talk freely and you won’t be interrupted. You may need to know about support services in your town, so do some research and put together a list. It might include names and numbers of a School/TAFE/Uni counsellor, local doctors or GPs and counselling centres like headspace https://headspace.org.au/ Just to be on the safe side, write down the details of 24/7 crisis services like Lifeline (13 11 14) and Kids Helpline (1800 551 800). For more information about support services visit: https://www.ruok.org.au/findhelp

18.01.2022 Thankful Thursday When you were younger (and even now!) how often were you reminded to say ‘thank you’? Saying these words isn’t just about having good manners. Being grateful and appreciating the good things in life can boost our happiness as well. It can help improve your relationships, keep emotions like anxiety and sadness at bay, and help you bounce back from tough times. To find out more visit https://www.biteback.org.au/Learn/Gratitude . We’ve posted some tips below... to help you start practising the attitude of gratitude on #thankfulthursday! Write down one thing you’re grateful for, each day. Even just having the warm sun on your face on a cold day or having a laugh with a mate. You could use a journal, or go digital. Bite Back has its own THANK TANK to drop thankful thoughts into https://www.biteback.org.au/ThankTank or you could use a free app, like the Gratitude Happiness Journal. At the App Store https://apple.co/3c12BDL Or Google Play https://bit.ly/2zVeq06 Maybe photos are more your thing. Get your eye in and take a photo of something you appreciate every day. Hailey Bartholomew did this for a year! Check out her 365 Project at http://365grateful.com/ Or just tell someone. Whether it’s a person you look up to, or someone who just makes you happy, take the time to say thank you and let them know why you are grateful to have them in your life.

18.01.2022 Looking to keep busy while at home? Why not take a digital lunch break and enjoy a virtual school excursion from the comfort of home. You can visit the Sydney Opera House, check on your favourite animals at Tooronga Zoo or learn about science and nature through a virtual visit to the Australian Museum. ... Check out the link below to start exploring!

12.01.2022 Tasty Tuesday Enjoying nutritious foods helps us to stay well not only physically, but mentally too! Food affects the chemicals in your brain, which then affects your mood. Eating well can lead to clearer thinking, more energy, positive feelings and calmer moods. Check out this short clip to find out more, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSHO9VdVRfg We’d love your comments on nutritious foods or recipes that you enjoy. Pictures welcome! #tastytuesday... We all know how important it is to eat 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of vegetables each day. You can make it fun by being your very own masterchef and make a fruit kebab! Crunch on some raw carrot sticks or add salad vegies, like lettuce, to a sandwich. Every bit counts! Our brain needs fatty oils (such as omega-3 and -6) to work well. Fish is one food that has good fats for our brains. Here’s a yummy sandwich filling using a small tin of tuna or salmon in springwater. Drain the springwater from the tin and spoon the fish into a bowl. Add a teaspoon or more of mayo, a little white vinegar and pepper. If you want you can also add a small amount of the herb chives. Mix together. Simple as that!

07.01.2022 School holidays are just around the corner, so check out the spring school holiday program for events and activities happening over the break.

07.01.2022 Community Information Day has now started at Town Hall. Come on down to learn about mental health and health support services in the Gunnedah Shire.

04.01.2022 Friendly Friday Chat with a mate or family member today! Spend time with positive people who bring out the best in you. Even if you can’t catch up in person at the moment due to COVID-19 social distancing, you can still connect in other ways. Text, social media, over the screen (eg. Facetime, HouseParty), phone call or even posting a letter! (I’m sure some grandparents would love that)... Research by psychologists suggests that having at least three friends or family members that are REAL connections, helps to boost your wellbeing https://bit.ly/34CINDD Every relationship has different benefits, so try to keep a variety of people in your life; family, friends (from school, work or sport), teachers, youth workers, or people who have similar interests. Learn more about being a good friend here https://au.reachout.com/articles/what-makes-a-good-friend

04.01.2022 Walking Wednesday Fresh air, sunshine and exercise are great mood boosters, so today’s activity is to take a walk! If it happens to be raining, don’t let this stop you, just take an umbrella. Of course, remember the COVID-19 social distancing requirements; you can go out to exercise on your own, with a pet/s, with people from your household, or with one other person that doesn’t live at your house keeping at least 1.5 metres distance between each other. Let us know... your tips for keeping active at the moment #walkingwednesday When you get your body moving every day it helps to: - Load up your brain with ‘feel good’ chemicals like endorphins - Soaks up stress chemicals like cortisol and adrenaline - Sparks up the brain and your mood during the day and promotes good sleep at night - Great for both your physical and mental health, especially in helping with mild to moderate depression and anxiety. Check out some YouTube and fitness apps. The ‘Seven 7 Minute Workout’ app has short workouts to get the most benefits in the shortest amount of time. Link up with friends to encourage each other (or compete!). Get it for free from the App Store https://apple.co/2K6mDjL or Google Play https://bit.ly/2K5nUYj. Perhaps yoga is your thing? Try Yoga with Adriene https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene for five minutes through to an hour.

03.01.2022 2020 National Simultaneous Storytime The Gunnedah Shire Library is inviting the community to tune in tomorrow via Facebook for the 2020 National Simultaneou...s Storytime. This year the selected book is ‘Whitney and Britney the Chicken Diva’s' by Lucinda Gifford. Children, and the young at heart, can join in virtually at 11am tomorrow, May 27 on the Gunnedah Shire Council Facebook page. This won’t be any ordinary story time, with a brood of feathered friends joining our resident creative Jade Punch to help tell the story. We have heard rumours real chicken divas will even be filmed on location from their chicken coop. To celebrate the 2020 event, the Library team are also running a competition encouraging submissions of chicken themed creations tune in tomorrow to find out more! About the National Simultaneous Storytime: Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country to promote the value of reading and literacy. #NSS2020 #1millionkidsreading

02.01.2022 Welcome back! The final steps in having an RUOK conversation are just as important as the first. Read on to learn more. What can I do to help? Encourage action.... By just listening you may have already made a difference. Knowing that there’s someone to talk to could just be the help they need. You can also support them to do things for themselves. Ask ‘what have you done before that helped you?’ ‘Is there something you can do right now that you enjoy, that’s relaxing?’ Sometimes they know best what will support them so ask ‘How would you like me to help?’ Or if they don’t know what to do, share your experience, ‘When I was going through a difficult time I tried this.maybe that will work for you’. But if they’ve been feeling really down for more than 2 weeks, this is a sign it’s serious enough to see a health professional. Ask ‘how long have you felt this way’. Then, ‘it might be time to see someone who knows more about this than me’. Reassure them, ‘don’t worry, I can help you find the right person and if you need someone to go with you I’m there!’. You will have your handy list of support services ready eg. School/TAFE/Uni Counsellor, doctor or GP or a counselling service like headspace https://headspace.org.au/ Be prepared that if the person you’re talking to is in a crisis, they may need help right now. Although it may be a difficult conversation it’s important to act. Take a deep breath and say ‘look this is really serious I think we should talk to someone right now but I’ll be here to help’. There are free helplines available 24/7, like Lifeline 13 11 14 and Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800. You can even call them as a support person if it’s hard for the person you’re concerned about to do it themselves. https://www.ruok.org.au/findhelp What do I say next time I see them? Check in. Don’t wait until you run into them again. Make a time to check how things are going. If you sometimes forget, put a reminder in your calendar. You could say ‘I’ve been thinking of you. How are you going since we talked? ‘Did you find something that worked?’. If the person hasn’t done anything, try not to be disappointed or judge them. They just need to know someone is looking out for them, and is there to talk to, to give them the confidence to seek help. You’re still playing an important role. Hopefully this information will also give YOU the confidence to step up for someone you know and support them in tough times. Thankyou!