Welcoming you to ConnectGroups in 2010!
We Hope you had an enjoyable and safe festive season.
We are always here at ConnectGroups to assist you in any way we can. Please contact us through this website or if you prefer to talk, call our office on 9228 4488.
We are excited to announce that in collaboration with peak bodies in Australia, we will be launching National Support Group Awareness week commencing the 6 September.
Watch this space for more information over the coming months.
_____________________________________________________________________________
ConnectGroups is re-opening its doors to the general public
Every Thursday commencing November 26th 2009 between 10.00am and 11.30am Community Development Officers will be available to confidentially discuss your needs with regards to identifying a suitable support group, discuss the opportunity of starting a Support Group or to answer any concerns with regards to the running of your current group. It will be a weekly opportunity for Support Groups to come together and to share good practise models and emerging tendencies. For further information email us at info@connectgroups.org.au or call us
on 9228 4488.
Free street parking (2hr) is available at 337 Pier Street Perth WA 6000 in front of Members Equity Stadium.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Welcome to ConnectGroups
“One of the most valuable things we can do to heal one another is listen to each other's stories.” Rebecca Falls
Support groups are groups of people who get together and share their experiences of a common concern or life issue. The power of a support group comes from the understanding that people within a group have for each other, because as individuals they have dealt with or are still dealing with a mutual problem. The strength of the group lies in their shared stories and their ability to provide empathetic support rather than sympathetic assistance.
In the words of one Community Health Nurse, “Problems seem so much less overwhelming when shared with others who have had the same experience.”
ConnectGroups – Support Groups Association WA Inc is the peak body for support groups across the state. We are needed to link groups to information and community networks, assist with support group development and management, help with community resources and services, and provide individual and group skills training. We also act as a referral service (both online and over the phone) for people looking for support groups to address a specific issue. We tailor all our training and assistance to the individual needs of groups and individuals, and everything we offer is free of charge to our members (including membership itself!).
In 2009 we are focusing on Aboriginal, CaLD, Youth, Women and Mental Health support groups to both strengthen those already up and running and increase the number of support groups available to these communities. We are also trying to ‘expand’ the idea of what a support group looks like – that it does not have to be the traditional model where people sit around in a circle talking. People with common needs can come together for any number of reasons such as singing or painting or life skills, and still share their stories and gain strength and healing from others. We are also investigating ways of using technology, through on-line forums and on-line training, to offer our clients restricted by disability or location, a way of accessing our services and the support they need from others to mend.
