health Archives - The Burdekin Association

Challenges facing young people – school

May 19, 2023

In the Mission Australia Youth Survey of 2022 young people reported their biggest personal challenges in the past year, what they found helpful in dealing with that challenge and what more could be done to help them address their challenge.

41.5% reported school challenges including: academic pressure, high workload, teachers, learning difficulties and general issues with schools.

41.8% of students reported barriers to achieving study or work goals.

Top 3 Barriers – mental health, academic ability, financial difficulty

From a student:

Inform parents about the stress around grades, teachers always say that marks
don’t matter but they do to our parents. Female, 17, VIC

Being a teen is challenging – they’re worried about exams and school work, decisions about what comes after school and probably most importantly (to them) the social side of school – friends, peer pressures, exclusion, bullying.

External factors also have an impact on school life – home life, financial hardship, relationships, identity, sexual orientation, extra curricular activities, social media use and cyber bullying, sleep hygiene and lifestyle habits, addiction issues – drugs and alcohol or gaming and gambling, general wellbeing including mental health and global issues such as climate change and war.

What can parents and carers do about it?

Maintain open lines of communication as much as possible. Refrain from overreacting or trivialising things that are important to the young person. Listen without judgement – use the active listening technique. Show affection but be mindful of their personal boundaries – it is normal for teens to want to pull away somewhat. Respect that they have a natural inclination to want more independence and privacy. Praise them, be light and fun as much as possible and minimise pressure and shaming. We know parenting teenagers can be difficult and most of us are time-poor these days. It is important to make time for ourselves for things we love too.

Rely on your extended network for support and seek out someone to talk to if you are struggling, whether it is a friend you can trust or a professional.

What Burdekin is doing about:

The children and young people who come to Burdekin have their own unique challenges when it comes to educational engagement for example: trauma, disadvantage, relationship problems, mental health issues, frequent moving to name a few. These unique challenges are the reason we developed the Burdekin Learning Space, where children and young people who for whatever reason are unable to engage in traditional education can receive support from a dedicated Education Specialist. You can read more about our Learning Space and how you can support it here.

We also offer a number of other programs including Family Services to assist when extra help is needed, the Dee Why Project and the Canada Bay Project, Burdekin is also the lead agency in the Avalon Youth Hub.

We are excited to hear about a new collaborative research project: Fostering school attendance for students in Out-of-Home Care and look forward to what outcomes it may bring for children and young people in out-of-home care.

When to worry about your teen:

If your teen starts acting out of character with extreme mood shifts, withdraws, becomes secretive or you note significant changes in eating habits or your teen begins to obsess over things, spends excessive amounts of time online, struggles with sleep, declines dramatically in academic performance – these are all signs that there might be a problem. Don’t wait, seek advice, it is better to seek advice and not really need it than to wait too long.

Getting help:

There are many options, you can speak to somebody at your teens school, visit your primary care doctor and/or seek out professional help from community service providers. These include services such as ours. Our phone number: 02 8976 1777 or email burdekin.admin@burdekin.org.au.

Further resources can be found via the Hub, Lifeline, headspace, Kids Helpline Kids Help Line Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467 and if life is in danger, please call 000. Local services are also listed on the Inner West Council website and Northern Beaches Council website.

10 reasons why young people are awesome

May 31, 2023May 10, 2023

We are all about the awesomeness of young people and while we try to remind you now and then of this fact, we thought a whole blog dedicated to what we think about young people is a great idea.

Unfortunately young people often get a bit of a bad rap. There are way too many stereotypes and inaccuracies shared in general and even more about the vulnerable young people who don’t need bad publicity but really need our help.

Given that we work with young people all day every day, through the good and the bad, we consider ourselves experts and know many positives attributes that stand out.

Here are some – maybe you can think of others? Some of these might not seem like the teens you’re talking to buuuut that might be just the teen you experience in that particular situation.

Fun – young people are really funny – silly funny, sometimes pretty witty and even trying their hand on dark humour as they learn about the world around them and the people in it.

Creative – they have so much energy for things that interest them and they’re full of great ideas they may or may not share with you.

Optimistic – young people are mostly optimistic about life because they’re just starting out – most things they are still to experience. Even young people who have already faced multiple challenges in their lives can still see the positive.

Emotional – they have intense emotions and can shift gears pretty quickly, this means moods can lift in minutes and outbursts are forgotten just as quickly.

Social – young people are also really social – but might not seem it around adults, or in situations where they are unsure – just watch when they’re with their friends!

Spontaneous – young people are curious, naturally seeking out new adventures and can be pretty amazing with change. They take risks that we never would – the dangerous kind yes but also risks with life, relationships, school and identity.

Independent – given the right tools and encouragement, young people are actually really capable and can step out to all sorts of responsibilities.

Technologically advanced – do we even need to explain this one? They know everything about technology and think adults are pretty dumb when it comes to this stuff.

Kind – young people can be really kind and empathetic, they genuinely want to help others and care about the world around them. Young people also want to be liked, to succeed and to make us proud.

Loyal – young people will always stand by and stick up for their friends and family – no matter what!

I mean we think this list makes young people pretty amazing to be around – what about you? Would you add more to the list? We are continuously amazed by young people and how they can overcome just about anything!

If you know a young person who is having a difficult time, please shout out for help, there are many resources available including our own phone: 02 8976 1777 or email burdekin.admin@burdekin.org.au, at the Hub, Lifeline, headspace, Kids Helpline and local services listed on the Inner West Council website and Northern Beaches Council website.

Spring Garden Project

November 16, 2022November 15, 2022

Introducing you to the Spring Garden Project – a wonderful project undertaken by The Burdekin Association and Oceanic Landscapes, and funded by The Northern Sydney Primary Health Network’s (PHN) Natural Disaster and Extreme Weather Program.

Background

Burdekin’s Youth Housing Program currently support ten Tibetan and other Culturally and Linguistic Diverse (CALD) young people aged 16-24 years residing in our short term and transitional housing at a residential property in Manly.

These young people have experienced substantial trauma in their young lives, many currently experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression and currently live in a community setting with small studio rooms and shared bathrooms.

Luckily there is a small garden area, however it was severely damaged by recent floods and unsafe for use and unpleasant to look at.

About the grant

The objective of the grant was to develop a community wellbeing project that strengthens social connectedness and resilience. Due to the impact of the severe weather conditions on the Northern Beaches the Northern Sydney PHN made available grants to increase delivery of community wellbeing and mental health supports through activities that strengthen social connectedness, resilience and wellbeing for communities in response to extreme weather events.

Goal

Burdekin successfully applied for funding from The Northern Sydney PHN to lighten up the lives of these young residents, to enhance their spiritual wellbeing and build resilience, and to show that you can overcome the risks of poor health outcomes and step into a level of mindful positivity – a safe space. Access to a peaceful garden provides opportunities to gather socially together or with family and friends, to take time out to read, practice yoga, meditate, garden or undertake other wellbeing activities.

Project

Our goal was to replace overgrown vegetation, remove dead grass, replace with new soil and grass, remove/fix unsafe pathway, place drainage, and install low maintenance blooming plants with a variety of ground cover. Our landscaper Oceanic Landscapes also installed items to enhance the garden such as a garden bench, Bali style artifacts, a tree of life wall feature, a Buddha head planter and various other art works. The young residents were consulted in the design to incorporate their ideas, creating a sense of belonging and connectedness to the space.

Working Bee

A working bee was organised with the community and young residents to remove old furniture – leaving a blank space for the landscaper.

Result

The transformation is amazing – Oceanic Landscapes went above and beyond for our residents in creating a welcoming, safe space to be enjoyed by everyone. Community-led initiatives such as these are fundamentally important to wellbeing and we would like to thank our funders The Northern Sydney PHN for the opportunity and Oceanic Landscapes for completing our vision with such care and commitment.

Annual Charity Golf Day – May 2022

April 13, 2022March 31, 2022

Sponsorship opportunities available for our Annual Charity Golf Day

As many of you know – much of our fundraising is done through events. Some we run ourselves and some are organised by others for us. These events are usually face-to-face and, of course, because of the pandemic these traditional formats collapsed leaving us to find other ways of seeking donations. Not ideal but our supporters rallied and helped us through a challenging 2 years. All the while we grew as an organisation to meet the growing demand for our services.

Recently, due to bad weather, we had to once again postpone our Golf Day, so please throw your full support behind our 3rd and what will hopefully be the final date – 17th May 2022. Third time lucky!

People of all ages and skill level are welcome to can attend. Whether you belong to one of our business associates, partner organisations or are an individual friend of Burdekin – anyone who is up for an enjoyable day for a good cause is welcome! And whilst the aim of the event is to celebrate our achievements and our connections to the community it is also a day for conversations, to spark ideas and thoughts whilst having fun and doing some good. You can’t beat good in-person fun on the green! Get on board as a sponsor or player.

View our sponsorship opportunities here, you might also like to see who else is sponsoring the event here or download your invitation.

If you have any questions, please email: kellie.pethybridge@burdekin.org.au or phone: 02 8976 1777.

Below are photos from past events below so you can see what to expect:

Connecting the Dots

March 17, 2022March 14, 2022

Join us for screenings on the Northern Beaches

Community Capital Foundation presents Connecting the Dots screenings and panel discussion events.

We have partnered with Community Capital Foundation and other local organisations for something very important to us – screenings of the documentary film Connecting the Dots by award-winning Canadian film director Noemi Weis, as well as post screening panel discussions.

Discussions will include mental health experts, local organisations and youth representatives to talk about how we can collectively improve youth mental health in 2022.

You can view screenings of Connecting the Dots on:

Watch the trailer

About Connecting the Dots

Connecting the Dots is the first feature documentary of its kind to offer a raw and inteimate look at youth mental health from a global youth perspective.

“The film gives a voice to our future leaders, who, through sharing their lived experience- articulate the problems and potential solutions. Community Capital Foundation will then work directly with Northern Sydney’s youth to identify ideas needing community support. In addition, we’re asking local individuals and businesses to contribute to our Youth Impact Fund for a giving program this year,” says the Foundation’s manager, Jessie Williams

Youth Mental Health Crisis

Late last year, self-harm and suicidal ideation were up 31 per cent for children and teenagers compared with 2020, according to NSW Government’s Health report.

With mental health charities doing it tough and rising rates of youth struggling, Community Capital Foundation want to shift the dial through a campaign to increase awareness, identify organisations making a difference and help raise the capital to contribute to our next grants program.

You can help promote Connecting the Dots

Hashtags and links to use – #RaiseYourHand, #ConnectingtheDots, #CCF, #mentalhealth #youthmentalhealth

Community Capital Foundation media release

Connect with Facebook and Instagram

About Community Capital Foundation

Community Capital Foundation is an initiative by local Northern Beaches organisation, Community Care Northern Beaches. We support our communities through grant-giving and community-building initiatives that positively impact our local backyard. Since 2019, we have donated $111,000 to programs eradicating Indigenous youth disadvantage, building male youth resilience and respect for themselves and others, and programs supporting victims of domestic violence, plus several others.

“When a flower doesn’t grow, you change the environment around it. As communities, we need to learn how to create safe and empowering spaces for young people to achieve their best mental health,” says Community Capital Foundation’s Youth Ambassador, Emily Unity.

To learn more, contact Jessie Williams.
Email: jessie@communitycapitalfoundation.com.au
Phone: +61 452 627 257