Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I rise to inform the House of a great new program that we have kick-started in my electorate called A Day in Your Shoes. On Wednesday, 4 February, I had the opportunity to spend the day with staff of MIND Australia. Throughout the day I got to attend a number of the facilities in the Bendigo area. I spent time meeting with clients and I spent time learning from staff about the challenges they face in their jobs. This project allows me to learn about organisations in my electorate and how government can better support them.

MIND Australia do an incredible amount of work for our community, providing both the young and adults with mental health services. Spending a day with the staff and with the clients allowed an insight for me into the complexity of mental health care. Those working in mental health care in my electorate do an amazing job and have high compassion and high regard for those they work with. The services at MIND Australia, like others, are essential, ensuring that everybody has the support and the guidance they need when they most need it.

As part of my day I visited the PARC service, a short-term residential service for people who are either leaving the acute mental care or would benefit from 24-hour support to avoid a hospital admission—a step-up or step-down program. These services work. It is a model that works and I encourage others to engage with the services in their area to learn how they are working. (Time expired)