Abandonment

• Writing from our talented client, Elizabeth

Abandonment.

Time doesn't exist anymore.
Everything just passes like a blur.

I woke up to a nightmare.

Home-fullness is a dream to come true.
Déjà vu is no reality,
Except the experience of abandonment...

This is better than your back being violently pushed up against a wall.

Do I live in a tent?
Or a Teepee at an anti-logging old-growth forest protest campsite.

Do I sit on the steps and sleep there, owned by the church.
Or do I just walk the familiar streets until my feet blister, and the pain intercepts the one in my heart that knows there must be a love-full home somewhere.

To rest my weary head.
To recollect.
To rest.
To no longer detest.

To reinvent.

October Newsletter

It’s warming up with Halloween & Melbourne Cup around the corner. 

NEWS

Update your credentials ASAP - as we have an Audit soon! 
Check if you have anything outstanding here: HR self-service portal.

New Support Coordinators:
Ellie Campbell & Joanne Gregory are now full-time support coordinators
- Ellie: EllieCampbell@compass-health.com.au Monday to Thursday, 8:30AM - 5:00PM
- Joanne: joannegregory@compass-health.com.au Monday to Friday, 8:30AM - 5:00PM

Please do not contact Ellie or Joanne outside of business hours or on weekends, as their phones will be turned off. 

Paul Franklin is now the Team Leader for NW & SE areas: paulfranklin@compass-health.com.au
He is your direct contact for ideas, queries, feedback, and key observations, representing your input in meetings with management and directors.

Resources for DSWs 

Additional resources are available in your HR self-portal:
-Operational resources
- NDIS reportable incidents
- Position descriptions.
- Policies: The employee handbook.

Available in the Brevity app under "Documents"
- NDIS Code of Conduct
- note-writing guidelines
- The Compass Health Support Worker Guide
All employees are expected to be familiar with the Code of Conduct, refer to the handbook for guidance, and follow the note-writing template.

Resources for participants

A new webpage is now live for our participants: https://www.compass-health.com.au/participant-resources

• Disability Advocacy and Rights

• Food Resources

• Housing

• Mental Health Supports

• First Nations

• Drug and Alcohol Support

• Participant Handbook

Please share any extra resources that can help out our participants with jacksonsinclair@compass-health.com.au

October

(Activities for you and your clients)

21st Wed (9:30-12pm) StKilda East, Gardening 101 (free) enrolling required: (03) 9525 8746
21st Wed (2-3pm) StKilda East, Crafternoon (knitting) (free) 
24th Sat (all day) Warrandyte, Group Walking ($10) booking required: (03) 9525 8746
28th Wed (9:30-12pm) StKilda East, Gardening 101 (free) enrolling required: (03) 9525 8746
28th Wed (2-3pm) StKilda East, Crafternoon (knitting) (free)
30th Fri (11-3pm) Brimbank Park, CH BBQ Burgers* activities@compass-health.com.au

November

3rd Melbourne Cup Day
4th Wed (9:30-12pm) StKilda East, Gardening 101 (free) enrolment required: (03) 9525 8746
4th Wed (10:30-12pm) Albert Park, Pier Fishing (free) booking required: (03) 9525 8746
4th Wed (11-2pm) South Melbourne WAH Music Course enrolment required: 0402 812 428
11th Wed (10-1pm) StKilda, CH Walking Club activities@compass-health.com.au
12th Thu (4-6:15pm) Narrm Ngarrgu, Library Cinema: Loving Vincent (Vincent van Gogh) (free)
21st Sat (all day) Olinda, Group Walking ($10) booking required: (03) 9525 8746
26th Thu (11-3pm) Karkarook Park, CH BBQ activities@compass-health.com.au

Compass Health BBQ at Brimbank on Friday (30th Oct)!

Our first BBQ for the season was a fun success. Good weather, snags and trivia!
Next BBQ, we will be doing burgers at Brimbank Park (which is up north near Melb Airport). It is a great green oasis based in a gorge forged by the Maribyrnong. Due to staffing, we are trialling FRIDAY as the BBQ day, so please let clients know and RSVP if they wish to attend (for catering purposes).

Talk to your clients and RSVP activities@compass-health.com.au , and don’t miss out!

Upcoming Compass Health Events
30th October - BBQ Brimbank Park
11th November - WALK StKilda loop
26th November - BBQ Karkarook Park
28th January - TBA
Event flyer will be up in Brevity soon. 

Spring is here!

News

• New Support Coodinators
  From September 7th Ellie Campbell & Joanne Gregory are now full-time support coordinators We will transition current clients to Joanne and Ellie from myself, Steven Ryan, Lisa Lao, and Stacey Mortimer. Everyone will be updated on these changes as soon as they are finalised.
  Elli - EllieCampbell@compass-health.com.au
  Jo - joannegregory@compass-health.com.au

• Steve Ryan is back in 1 week (Monday, 14 September) - For any time-sensitive matters, please direct your enquiry to Adam Wright at adamwright@compass-health.com.au

• General enquiries and feedback can be submitted via Enquiries and Feedback Reimbursements & payroll queries still need to be sent to accounts@compass-health.com.auNon-urgent roster issues are to be sent to rosters@compass-health.com.au

Essential refreshers resources

- Dignity of Risk vs Choice and Control
- NDIS Code of Conduct
- NDIS Reportable Incidents
- Professional Boundaries
- Understanding the New NDIS Laws (Media coverage has been confusing for participants, so this video will help you address any questions they may raise.)
- Reasonable and Necessary Supports (Many clients struggle to understand their funding and may ask for advice or request coverage for daily living costs. This resource will help you explain what is and is not funded while maintaining professional boundaries.)

Some of these topics are covered in your orientation and employee handbook, and additional resources are available within the HR self-service portal.

Event Calendar
September

2nd Wed (2-3pm) StKilda East, Crafternoon (knitting) (free) 
2nd Wed (10:30-12pm) Albert Park, Pier Fishing < (free) booking required: (03) 9525 8746
2nd Wed (9:30-12pm) StKilda East, Gardening 101 (free) enrolling required: (03) 9525 8746

5th Sat (10-3pm) Fed Square, RESET eco-festival/workshops (free)
9th Wed (9:30-12pm) StKilda East, Gardening 101 (free) enrolling required: (03) 9525 8746
9th Wed (2-3pm) StKilda East, Crafternoon (knitting) (free) 

10th Thu (4-6:15pm) Narrm Ngarrgu, Library Cinema: Any Day Now (free)
12th Sat (12-7:30pm) The Edge, Fed Square ZERO WASTE festival (free) use link to book
12-13th Sat-Sun (10-3pm) Fed Square, RESET eco-festival/workshops (free)
13th Sun (10-2pm) The Atrium Fed Square, Book Doof (free)

16th Wed (9:30-12pm) StKilda East, Gardening 101 (free) enrolling required: (03) 9525 8746

18-20th Fri-Sun (10-12.30pm) Fed Square, RESET eco-festival/workshops (free)
19th Sat (all day) Wesertfolds Water, Group Walking ($10) booking required: (03) 9525 8746
23rd Wed (10:30-2pm) Fed Square, RESET eco-festival/workshops (free)
28-30th Mon-Wed (10-12pm, 1:30-3:30pm) Fed Square, RESET eco-festival/workshops (free)
29th Tue (11-3pm) Albert Park, Compass Health BBQ *30th Wed (3pm-) Fed Square, Outdoor Cinema: Flipper (free)

October

7th Wed (10:30-12pm) Albert Park, Pier Fishing < (free) booking required: (03) 9525 8746

BBQ’s are BACK!

Now that Winter is over it is time to get outside again! Back by popular demand - we will be running BBQs on the last Tuesday of every month. Start talking to your clients and inviting them along…
29th September -Albert Park
27th October - Brimbank Park
24th November - Karkarook Park

Details can be found on our events page
Talk to your clients and RSVP activities@compass-health.com.au , and don’t miss out!

The Bag Handle

• Writing from our talented client, Elizabeth

I clutch my bag's handle like it's life's worth.
And, becomes a pillow that gives me dreams of escape
from reality's nightmare of being homeless.

Having no personal windows to look out from.
To see and think in a world's safe perspective.

No doors to lock to receive privacy granted.

Normal is imperial, and far away, and a marriage,
like the stolen pride when no longer an opportunity in having the experience of housekeeping.

Home is where the heart is,
And, the heart needs shielding like being in a home.

I knock on every door,
desperately wishing I had my own.

No shelter midst the heart's, mind's and soul's storms,
the biting air and sedating heat of the sun.
It's best just to continue to sleep and stay unharmed.

Good friends are the friendly folks suffering the same, that are informing me how to remain sane.

Nothing to familiarise with when looking into the mirrors, but a suffering soul.

Dissociation is an understatement.

Choices don't exist, like making my own bed.

The nicest people suffer the most.

And, continuing to clutch my bag's handle while I sleep.

It’s time to keep warm

Winter is here!
And its the winter solstice this weekend.

News

• Public transport is now half price in Victoria until Friday 1 January 2027

• Wednesday Walking Club is taking a break till the weather is more predictable.

• Lots of training in the HR Portal to do on a rainy day.

• No BBQ plans for winter

• Introducing our newest & youngest member: Oliver. Lil Oliver was born on the 30th of April to doting parents Ryan and Elli. He is a healthy young lad, and Alice is loving having a little brother. 

Event Calendar
June

21st Saturday: Winter Solstice (shortest day/ longest night of the year) 
24th Wed (11-5pm) Science Gallery Melbourne: Emergence(y)
25th Thu (11-5pm) Science Gallery Melbourne: Emergence(y)
26th Fri (11-5pm) Science Gallery Melbourne: Emergence(y)

July

1st Wed (11-5pm) Science Gallery Melbourne: Emergence(y)
3rd Fri (5pm-10:30) Docklands: Fightlight Festival
4th Sat (5pm-10:30) Docklands: Fightlight Festival
5th Sun (11:30-3pm) Collins St. Melbourne Tartan Festival
5th Sun (5pm-10:00) Docklands: Fightlight Festival
9th Thu (4:15-6:15) Narrm Ngarrgu, Library Cinema: Our Warrior: The Story of Robbie Thorpe (free)
18th (12:45-2pm) Kathleen Syme Library: Local Lunch Club

Tis the season to stay indoors,
so here is a list of free tours and museums to make it more adventurous.

Book a free tour of the Vic State Library 
Book a free tour of the Melbourne Town Hall (Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri)

ACMI: film, TV, videogames and art (free)
NGV: European, Asian, Oceanic and American art (free)
Victoria Police Museum: notorious crimes, police equipment, forensic evidence (free)
Old Treasury Building: Making Modern Melbourne (free)
Morrabin Air Museum ($10/Adult, $7/Concession)

Many many more - let me know if you know of a must see, let me know jacksonsinclair@compass-health.com.au

Hot Tip

Check your HR Portal and catch up on your homework.

We get notified when new training pops into our HR portal (check your emails). If a client cancels, make a tea and settle in to smash through some training. No shortcuts. It's mostly online courses that take a bit of time to get through. But get onto it, because there seems to be more every time I check

Employee Resources:
All employees can now access the NDIS Code of Conduct for workers, the Compass Health DSW Guide, and the Writing Case Notes document in their Brevity app personal document folder. All staff are to familiarise themselves with the DSW Guide and follow the writing case note format; this is a universal requirement. 

Shift Protocols:
All staff must call the On-Call Manager if they finish a shift significantly early or have a cancellation/non-engagement. Training will be allocated in the HR portal for those paid hours. Staff must remain reachable by phone until their scheduled shift ends.