Reconciliation Week this year also marked the 20th Anniversary of the Sydney Harbour Bridge Walk for the first National Sorry Day. Due to COVID-19, reconciliation celebrations and events looked different in our community this year. However, it reminds us that whether in the midst of a pandemic or in our pursuit of reconciliation, we are all ‘in this together’. 

This year the theme of National Reconciliation Week is ‘In This Together’. 

The Family Centre participated in an online acknowledgement of country with hundreds of other individuals and organisation via the Reconciliation Councils Facebook page. We also invited staff to participate in an online discussion with Bruce Pascoe the author of Black Emu and other online events organised by the Reconciliation Council.

The Australian people have done an amazing job to bring coronavirus into check. We’ve done this through a shared responsibility for the wellbeing of each other. It’s a very powerful indication that we can achieve anything, including National Reconciliation, with shared purpose and decisive action. We can achieve great things together!

The Family Centre Playgroups are on hold at the moment but are still operating online sharing great arts and craft, recipes and stories to playgroup families.  This week as part of Reconciliation celebrations our playgroup workers made rain sticks. Rain sticks are a traditional Indigenous musical Instrument which are filled with small rocks, stones and other natural materials to help make the lovely soothing sound. Vanessa and Simone from our Tweed Playgroups have shared instructions on how to make your own make a rain stick with your children at home.
Instructions to make a rain stick

The Family Centre have recently upgraded our staff laptops. As part of our commitment to recycling and reusing older but still useful equipment, we have refurbished them to distribute to families in our community. One family who received a laptop has a child with Autism and is currently having speech and occupational therapy via zoom. Before receiving the lap top, the family were using a smartphone which wasn’t optimal for the therapy sessions. The laptop has allowed the child to see and interact better with both therapist and also have access to software to further meet his needs.

Would you like to feel more confident in your ability to help someone if you are concerned about them?

Free QUESTION, PERSUADE and REFER training will equip you with the knowledge and confidence you need to make a difference.

As part of the Tweed Byron Suicide Prevention project and with funding from the North Coast PHN, the Family Centre is providing free online suicide prevention training to the community.  Question Persuade Refer (QPR) teaches 3 steps to help someone in a crisis. The training takes about 60 minutes to complete and the information is accessible for up to 3 years if people want to refresh their learning. 
 
Over 160 people in our community have completed the training in the last 3 months. People from a range of backgrounds have participated. This helps to strengthen the capacity of our community to support people in a crisis. You can make a difference!
 
This online training is for people 18 years and over who live or work in the Tweed and Byron Shires. It is not recommended if you or someone close to you (a friend, family or community member) has recently been affected by suicide.

Remember Lifeline is available for support 24/7 on telephone 13 11 14.

Uncle Jim McDermott was born in Murwillumbah Hospital and grew up on his Dad’s farm in Chillingham before moving to South tweed. He attended South Tweed Primary School and was one of its inaugural students in 1958. He then went on to finish his schooling at Tweed River High School. 

After High School Uncle Jim started working as a brickies labourer then did some concerting before starting a career with Telecom (now Telstra) which he did for 11 years. Returning trip of a lifetime with his family to the USA, he decided to change career directions and secured a job with Juvenile Justice where he was working with young people supporting them to fulfil their community service orders. Uncle Jim was often asked why he participated in the tasks the young people were doing like washing cars, cleaning up gardens etc. He says he believed it was important for him to connect with the young people and talk to them about what was going whilst working side by side –  by talking to them he could support them in making different choices.

Uncle Jim’s next job took him to St Joseph’s Youth Service where supported young people in our community. His next move was one at first that looked temporary but would last over 2 decades with The Family Centre. Jim’s first role was support in young people at a leadership camp in Emu Gully. He has facilitated boys and girls groups in our local schools and is back where he started in 1958 as the Aboriginal Education Officer at South Tweed Primary School.

Uncle Jim’s passions growing up were rugby league and cricket and he was talented in both sports. Playing A grade rugby league he was scouted by South Sydney and travelled to Sydney to trial with them. Unfortunately he was injured and moving from country was hard, and he felt alone so he returned to the Tweed.

Uncle Jim has given back to his local sporting community coaching and mentoring young people. He was also on the first committee for NAIDOC Sports Day which is held annually at Arkinstall Park. 
 
Uncle Jim is a proud Bundajlung man and has been married to Cheryl for 43 years they have 2 sons and 4 grandchildren.
 
Uncle Jim says The Family Centre is the best place that he has worked and he is very grateful for the work that the work he does contributes to the local community.