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INFOBUS JULY 26th 2018: Getting to know the ReachOut Online Community Team and Peer Support

We are excited to announce that Infobus is back next week!

 

Join us on Thursday the 26th of July from 7pm-9pm to talk about all things peer support, ReachOut forums, and getting to know the ReachOut team with Jess (me!). 

 

This month we are going behind the scenes at ReachOut to meet the newest member of the online community team.

 

I have a professional background in Peer Support, and will be online to talk about all things peer support, the ReachOut forums, and any questions you have to get to know me and the rest of the online community team.

 

This month, we have received requests from the community to get to know the ReachOut team better and those that are responding to posts on the forums. All of the ReachOut team are passionate about improving the mental health of young Australians, and we all bring a wealth of different knowledge and experiences to ReachOut's work. This infobus is your chance to ask questions and get to know a member of our team! 

  

Submit any questions you have in advance here - it's anonymous! 

 
Make sure you join us on 26th of July from 7pm-9pm !! High five this post to get updates and a reminder notification before the info bus starts
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Jess1-RO
Jess1-ROPosted 20-07-2018 03:33 PM

Comments

 
Jess1-RO
Jess1-ROPosted 24-07-2018 04:02 PM

Two days to go until the infobus! Make sure you get your questions in!

 

I just wanted to share a small bio so you know a bit about me before Thursday:

 

My name is Jess and I am the new Online Community Co-ordinator at ReachOut. I have been working in mental health for the last 8 years, and I am dedicated to improving the lives of young Australians. My professional background is as Child and Youth Peer Support Worker in mental health services, a lived experience educator, public speaker and youth advocate. I have worked across many roles in hospital and community mental health settings, sharing my story to support others going through similar experiences and in improving mental health services.

People often ask me what a peer support worker is? To me, it is about being able to share my lived experiences of mental health in a purposeful way that provides hope to other young people that recovery and wellbeing is possible, and support them to take action in their own recovery journey.

 

Coming onto the forums, I am excited to see the incredible levels of peer support that are offered here. Every day in the forums I see conversations that invite connection, hope, compassion and empathy between young people going through similar experiences, and watch peers encourage each other to take positive steps to improve their health and wellbeing. This is what I am passionate about.

 

I look forward to talking to you more and answering questions you have.

 

Remember to submit your questions here!

 

Can't wait to get started Smiley Happy

 

@Bee @lokifish @N1ghtW1ng @ErinsAntics @JanaG 

 
 
May_
May_Posted 25-07-2018 02:45 PM
Awesome idea this will be great! 🙂 @Jess1-RO
 
 
 
Jess1-RO
Jess1-ROPosted 25-07-2018 02:52 PM

Thanks @May_Look forward to speaking to you tomorrow evening! If you have any questions you want to submit, make sure to send them through Smiley Happy

 
 
 
 
Jess1-RO
Jess1-ROPosted 26-07-2018 06:38 PM

Hello everyone Heart

 

Just a reminder that the infobus will be starting in 30 mins! 

 

We are also very excited to announce that @Amirah-RO will be joining us to facilitate the discussion tonight!

 

Before we start, please make sure you are familiar with our community guidelines.

 

Speak to you very soon!

 

@scared01@May_@mrmusic@roseisnotaplant@lokifish@N1ghtW1ng@letitgo

 
 
 
 
 
scared01
scared01Posted 26-07-2018 06:42 PM
cant wait 🙂
 
 
 
 
 
Amirah-RO
Amirah-ROPosted 26-07-2018 07:00 PM

Hello Everyone!!! Smiley Very Happy

 

I'm excited to be joining you in facilitating the Infobus tonight with our special guest @Jess1-RO to tell us a little about her, what she does as Online Community Coordinator at ReachOut and hear about some of her fantastic work in peer support! 

 

Double doses of RO tonight! Welcome @Jess1-RO! I'll kick off with a couple of introductory Q's: 

*How did you first hear about RO?

*How did you first get into working in the mental health sector, what drew you to the sector? AND

*What's something we might not guess about you? Any Weird quirks? Smiley Happy

 
 
 
 
 
Jess1-RO
Jess1-ROPosted 26-07-2018 07:05 PM

Thanks @Amirah-RO

 

How did I first hear about RO:

I went looking for some information on mental health a few years back when I first came across the RO site. I started reading through their resources. I liked it so much I ordered a whole lot of stickers to hand out to other young people was working with.

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
Amirah-RO
Amirah-ROPosted 26-07-2018 07:08 PM

That's so cool! Our stickers seem to be very popular Smiley Wink 

 

@lokifish I'm going to try my best to get through your questions!! 

 
 
 
 
 
lokifish
lokifishPosted 26-07-2018 07:08 PM
@Jess1-RO that's awesome! I feel like a lot of people end up here by accident as they go looking for information online (I know I did :P)

That also reminds me that I have a bunch of RO stickers sitting around that I'm yet to cover everything with 😛
 
 
 
 
 
Bee
BeePosted 26-07-2018 07:10 PM
so awesome @Jess1-RO 🙂
Same as @lokifish I find people end up here after looking for resources. That's how I ended up here, and I loved it so much I stayed 🙂
 
 
 
 
 
lokifish
lokifishPosted 26-07-2018 07:12 PM
Lived experience is so valuable and important!

I think having lived experience gives you that extra layer of empathy that you don't have otherwise. Obviously you can still empathise even if you haven't experienced something, but it can really help you connect to others if you have Heart
 
 
 
 
 
scared01
scared01Posted 26-07-2018 07:14 PM
well said @lokifish i agree with you there re expereince and empathy
 
 
 
 
 
Jess1-RO
Jess1-ROPosted 26-07-2018 07:16 PM

@Bee@lokifish and @scared01 So great to hear so many other people seeing the value of peer support! Some of the most valuable conversations I have had in my recovery have been from people who get what I was going through and could offer support and knowledge from living that experience

 
 
 
 
 
Bee
BeePosted 26-07-2018 07:19 PM
@Jess1-RO YES! I have found that! It is so empowering to discover that the person supporting you has been there before, it also gives me a role model to aspire to and look up to which I find really helps me too 🙂

@lokifish off the top of my head I have no idea, I have coins hidden in places everywhere... I should probably buy an album to put them in! LOL
 
 
 
 
 
Jess1-RO
Jess1-ROPosted 26-07-2018 07:19 PM

totally @lokifish, everyone has their own path with education and there are so many different entry points and ways to education out there! It's important people know they have options Smiley Happy

 

With the coins - My favourite coin would be the round 50c coins. My grandfather collected them and passed them down to me and they are so amazing.

 
 
 
 
 
Amirah-RO
Amirah-ROPosted 26-07-2018 07:21 PM

Couldn't agree more with the comments regarding education @Jess1-RO ðŸ™‚

 
 
 
 
 
Amirah-RO
Amirah-ROPosted 26-07-2018 07:24 PM

That's so impressive @Jess1-RO and BRAVE! Speaking at public events about your lived experience is not easy! Kudos to you. How long have you been working in this field for now?

 
 
 
 
 
Jess1-RO
Jess1-ROPosted 26-07-2018 07:24 PM

What is great about starting work in mental health is that there are so many ways you can go! A lot of peer workers I know start off doing peer support in communities like this, are advocates and representatives or wanted to share their story more broadly. Of course there are also clinical routes too. There are so many options for people interested in working in mental health Smiley Happy

 
 
 
 
 
Jess1-RO
Jess1-ROPosted 26-07-2018 07:26 PM

definitely @lokifish! It takes time to feel prepared to tell our stories, even with families and friends. Having people around to support you when you choose to share your story is really important. I've found that with every person I've spoken to over time my confidence grew. 

 
 
 
 
 
Jess1-RO
Jess1-ROPosted 26-07-2018 07:29 PM

I have been working in mental health for 8 years now. I started when I was 15 years old. I have learnt so much in these years and have grown as a person from working in mental health Smiley Happy

 
 
 
 
 
scared01
scared01Posted 26-07-2018 07:34 PM
8 yrs is amazing @Jess1-RO and the fact that you were 15 when you started shows alot of bravery and courage. well done!
 
 
 
 
 
Amirah-RO
Amirah-ROPosted 26-07-2018 07:33 PM

Wow.. Good on you @Jess1-RO ðŸ™‚ 

 

Sooooo I'll throw in a couple of *someone's* 😉 thousand questions Smiley Very Happy

 

What're you watching on Netflix at the moment? andddd Are you more like Bert or Ernie? 🙂

 
 
 
 
 
lokifish
lokifishPosted 26-07-2018 07:35 PM

Hahahaha "someone"

 

...

 

*shifty eyes*

 

 
 
 
 
 
Amirah-RO
Amirah-ROPosted 26-07-2018 07:34 PM

Good question! @lokifish

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