‘Share’ – a life changing gift this Christmas
Almost 1 in 2 Australians will experience mental ill health some time in their lifetimes ; and an estimated 3% of adults will be severely affected.
For these people, and for many others, loneliness, grief, money worries, fractured relationships and reflections over another year gone will come to a head this Christmas.
Relationships and social connections have a real impact on psychological well-being. Yet, either as a result of their symptoms or the stigma associated with their diagnosis, people living with severe mental ill-health often experience social isolation. Christmas, with its emphasis on spending time with friends and family, is a particularly vulnerable time.
Sadly, the ‘system’ simply isn’t resourced to provide the crucial social support that’s needed, but churches can.
Baptist Care SA’s ‘Share’ program partners with local churches to address and reduce social isolation, moving people from feeling hopeless to hopeful.
‘Share’ connects people struggling with mental ill health (‘friends’) into supportive and intentional friendships with church-based volunteer ‘buddies’. Pairs meet weekly, with activities focused around the needs and interests within the friendship. ‘
It’s a simple, easy to run, easy to resource program which has had life changing results.
In the two years leading up to the formation of the first Share group, future participants spent a combined 545 bed days in hospital with mental health issues at a cost of almost half a million dollars. Several years later none of the group have returned to hospital for a single night.
“This is the power of sharing your life with people that accept you,’ explains Senior Project Manager, Health, Wellbeing & Ageing, Anne Van Loon.
Jo Schatz works in a Community Engagement role at Grange Baptist Church, one of four churches who have adopted the ‘Share’ Program.
‘People are so desperate for social interaction – it’s so valuable. Going for coffee, long chats about politics – this is something our buddies can do, rather than paid social workers.’
Baptist Care SA provides training, set up and ongoing support, but, as Jo observes, it’s an easy program for churches with a heart for social justice to adopt and make their own, as Grange has done.
‘’Share’ is life giving. We didn’t expect just how much we’d come to care for our new friends,’ she adds. ‘The beauty of the program is it’s so tangible, churches can really make a difference in someone’s life in their community.’
Give a life changing gift this Christmas. Contact Anne Van Loon at avanloon@baptistcaresa.org,au or (08) 8273 7100 to learn how you or your church can become involved in ‘Share’.
