With metropolitan Sydney subject to stay at home orders and NSW schools facilitating remote learning, the Souths Cares team has increased their daily health and wellbeing Zoom workshops to help support the community during difficult times.
The team is currently facilitating a fitness session between 9 am and 9:30 am each day, followed by a health and wellbeing session between 10:30 am and 11:30 am. Workshops are addressing key issues which are having an impact on school students and our community during the current lockdown including physical fitness, eSafety and mental health.
The Souths Cares team have also teamed up with renowned guest presenters Joe Williams (The Enemy Within) and Ashlee Donohue (Domestic Violence Awareness) with new guest presenters added to the schedule each week.
Last week’s Zoom workshops engaged over 1,100 participants, with people joining from regional towns including Dubbo, Coffs Harbour and Lake Illawarra as well as strong support from Souths Cares’ program catchment areas including South Eastern and South Western Sydney.
Former NRL players Yileen Gordon and Rhys Wesser are leading the daily fitness sessions, sharing their knowledge to help participants get active whilst schools, gyms and sporting competitions are closed. Yileen Gordon explained physical activity plays an important part in health and wellbeing.
“I love training in the morning because it helps my mental wellbeing and kick-starts my day. It’s been great to be able to share workouts with our program participants and our local community”, Gordon said.
Kalinda Bolt is the Wellbeing Programs Coordinator and facilitates a range of workshops including the eSafety program. Kalinda explained there was an increased need to promote safe internet use during the lockdown.
‘We are currently seeing children and young people spending 12+ hours a day connected to the internet through online learning and then social media or gaming. More than ever, it's important our young people are staying safe whilst online and understand how to respond to key issues such as cyberbullying”, Bolt said.
Anthony Brereton has been facilitating mental health workshops, which aim to reduce stigma and encourage people to seek support.
“It’s really important in the current lockdown we maximise ways to stay connected with our support networks and are comfortable to talk about our mental health. Our workshops address mental health stigma and encourage participants to seek help if they are struggling”, Brereton said.
With daily health and wellbeing workshops being offered for free by Souths Cares, the best way to stay connected is through the Souths Cares Facebook Page.
Personalized eSafety workshops are also available for primary and high schools, for more information please contact Kalinda Bolt [email protected]
