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Health directory noticeboard unveiled at Community House
March 3rd, 2011
[by David Armstrong]
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The unveiling: (from left) Hilary Genet,
Renee Alleyne and Jane Kinsey.
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After about a year gestating, the health directory noticeboard was finally unveiled yesterday in a short ceremony and blessing outside the Community House in Decks Reserve, where it has been installed.
The Motueka Mental Health Network noticeboard is an initiative of the Public Health Service of the Nelson Marlborough Health Board, in collaboration with several key community health leaders in the town, particularly Renee Alleyne.
It first came to the attention of the wider community at the October meeting of the Community Whanau group (see our report here).
The directory - nicknamed by the designers as the "Motueka Wheel" - shows contact information under the heading: "Be well in Motueka. It’s OK to ask for help." Information is listed under six sectors: Newcomers, Relationships, Health advice, Money and work, Social and housing, and Emergencies.
It is aimed particularly at itinerant and Kiwi seasonal workers and newcomers to the town who may need to contact and access key health and related services. These key contacts can then signpost enquirers to specific people and agencies. It will also be helpful to many Motueka residents.
(Click here to view and print the directory contents)
About 25 people attended the unveiling. Renee introduced the story behind the noticeboard, which began when she, representing some mental health workers at the Community House, asked the Motueka Community Board for $500 from its discretionary funds to build the board. It was approved.
Later in the year, after the project appeared stalled, Kevin Freer (husband of Judy who works at Community House) took it upon himself to construct the board - "a good example of community spirit in Motueka", Renee said.
Meanwhile Hilary Genet, mental health promoter for the Public Health Service, and several of her colleagues collaborated with Motueka groups and agencies to find both the best way of presenting the directory and what to include in it.
The noticeboard was blessed by Sean Delany, representing Te Awhina Marae. He said the timing of the launch of the directory was most appropriate given the recent events in Christchurch. "It shows the importance of people banding together, reaching out to people from near and far."
Renee said she was blown away by the collaboration of all the groups helping to make the "wheel", and particularly the contributions and interest shown by the people who often attend the Community Whanau meetings, where ideas had been tossed around and consolidated.
Jane Kinsey, another Public Health Service worker who helped bring the project to fruition said her group had found it a valuable exercised, finding out exactly what agencies are available. "Previously all that information was rather fragmented.
The information on the noticeboard is also available on a large supply of A4 flyers and wallet-sized cards.
Renee Alleyne after the unveiling.
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