Mercy Health is collaborating with McAuley Community Services for Women to tackle the dual problems of loneliness in the ageing population and homelessness.
McAuley Community Services for Women recently opened McAuley House Ballarat, a residence providing safe medium-term accommodation for women who are in a transition stage of their journey to remain free of homelessness and family violence.
Mercy Place Ballarat
The collaboration between Mercy Health’s residential aged care home Mercy Place Ballarat and McAuley House Ballarat will bring the communities together, with the women volunteering at the home or pursuing potential employment opportunities down the track.
The initiative was born out of conversations between Mercy Health Group Chief Executive Officer Adjunct Professor Stephen Cornelissen and McAuley Community Services for Women Chief Executive Officer Jocelyn Bignold. The CEOs have been looking at how the two organisations can best serve the community together.
In particular, it taps into one of Mercy Health’s founding principles that preferential care and attention should be given to those who are marginalised, at risk or disadvantaged.
Mercy Health Clinical Support Manager Residential Aged Care Annette Ross
“It’s a collaborative effort,” explains Mercy Health Clinical Support Manager Residential Aged Care Annette Ross. “Each party will work together in a complementary way that will enable the women from McAuley House to heal and re-establish themselves in the community, while at the same time giving Mercy Place Ballarat residents an avenue to keep using their skills, create connections and engage in activities that give them joy.”
Residents from both communities will be matched according to their skills, needs and interests — be it gardening, cooking or craft. The possibilities are endless.
McAuley House Ballarat
McAuley Community Services for Women Chief Executive Officer Jocelyn Bignold
The collaboration is expected to deliver many positive and long-lasting benefits for women and residents who choose to get involved. As well as providing the women at McAuley House Ballarat with social connections and a sense of community, the residents of Mercy Place Ballarat will also be able to make new friends. Furthermore, the partnership will enable residents to give back to the community by helping these women on a path to hope and restoration.
“There’s a whole lot of things that we could potentially do. There are really, really fabulous opportunities,” Annette says.
It’s going to make a real difference to people’s lives.
Excitement about the initiative is what is driving the teams at Mercy Health and McAuley Community Services for Women as they work through the finer but very important details such as risk, process and reporting before an anticipated mid-year launch.
“There are many levels of detail,” says Annette, “but we can’t wait to get started. It’s going to make a real difference to people’s lives.”
Last reviewed July 5, 2019.