Campbell Page is pleased to announce it will be joining The VERTO Group, to create a vibrant new comprehensive employment services organisation, early in the new 2024 financial year.
The two highly regarded organisations are united through their common purpose, mission and values. They stem from similar origins in regional New South Wales, creating meaningful employment options and social impact.
Beginning in 1985, Campbell Page, began as a youth organisation in Narooma developing a range of employment, community and commercial services focused on our vision that people can thrive by getting a job (and keeping it)
VERTO similarly began in the 1980’s in Bathurst, NSW and is also a not-for-profit organisation, whose vision is to reduce the disadvantage often associated with unemployment through the employment, training and community services programs they deliver.
“It is exciting to see two award-winning not-for-profits coming together to create a larger and stronger employment, training and community services group, creating employment pathways for even more of Australia’s most complex and disadvantaged communities” says Nell Anderson, Chair of Campbell Page. “Campbell Page and VERTO together will create new opportunities and provide access to expertise and resources to help us make an even bigger difference to the people and communities we serve”.
Campbell Page will continue to operate under its own leadership and brand, so it will be business as usual for customers, partners and our staff.
“The Board is very confident that the change of ownership will provide Campbell Page with greater financial strength, expertise and the scale of being part of a larger organisation. We have exciting plans for our future and these are strengthened working with The VERTO Group.” Added Anderson.
Our Indigenous, Youth and Family teams have been making the most of the summer weather to bring a range of fun, free activities, events and workshops to locals on the NSW South Coast. Read on to find out about some of the awesome things we’ve been up to over the school holidays.
Our team put on a heap of activities including water cannons to keep cool, a tie-dye workshop and other fun games and we loved checking out the other awesome things on offer like the local musicians and skate workshop.
In this week- long holiday program, 3 young boys got the opportunity to build and paint two canoes with their own designs, led by Indigenous mentors who are expert craftsmen.
Not only did they learn the hands-on skills to build a canoe and get a feel for woodworking, it allowed them to connect with their peers and mentors in a meaningful way. It also allowed them to explore the local environment and waterways with their creations. Creating opportunities for young people to have meaningful connection to culture and country through safe and healthy relationships supports them to thrive. We couldn’t be prouder of the work these young people have put in.
Our Way Ahead program hosted a pizza party at Moruya High where year 7 students and their families were able to have a crack at making their own wood fired pizzas! It was a great way tomeet and make new friends before the start of the school term and to share some delicious food.
Way Ahead is an in-school coaching program designed to help students imagine, create, build and live their best lives. You can find more info on our Way Ahead program here.
Open Arms for Young Parents
Our ongoing young parents group had its first meetup for 2023, enjoying an afternoon at the new Bay Pavilions in Batemans Bay. It was an absolute hit with the little ones, no one wanted to leave!
Open Arms for Young Parents meet weekly to support parents with young children to socially connect and support their parenting journey. They meet in various locations in the Eurobodalla Shire. If you’d like more information on Open Arms for Young Parents, contact Anita.Macartney@campbellpage.org.au
Hangtime Skate Comp
Creativity and concrete collided at the Hangtime skate comp in Pambula. A chance for young people to show off their skills and take part in a range of other activities including an interactive art workshop, crafts, games, basketball plus heaps more. There was delicious pizza for all to enjoy provided by South Coast Eats and drinks provided by youth volunteers alongsideBega Valley Shire Council.
It was all hands on deck to dry the park after two rainfalls, from young people to workers and event volunteers! We had participants young and old engage in the skate comp riding skateboards, scooters and roller skates! A big shout out to all of our partners and donors on the NSW South Coast for making this event possible.
We can’t wait to run even more events and programs in 2023! Supporting local communities to thrive is at the heart of what we do. That’s why we’re working in collaboration with community and the locals who live in them to create a range of initiatives to bring people together and provide opportunities for community and connection. If you’d like to find out more, visit our youth and family programs page or visit our about us page.
The last couple of years have been full of uncertainty, stress, isolation and feelings of loneliness which can all negatively impact our mental health.
Community and connection matters when it comes to mental health. Having strong ties with our family, friends and the wider community can help us feel happier and more supported through tough times. Here are our top tips to stay connected and tune into community (even if it’s from a distance).
1. Ring ring
Pick up the phone or tech it up a little with FaceTime. Talking to your nearest and dearest will instantly boost your mood and take your mind off that white loungeroom wall in front of you.
2. Carve it out & keep it regular
How many times have you said to a friend “we should catch up” and it just never happens? It’s easy for to do lists, life, work or study to just get on top of you. Make sure you’re carving out time for fun and connection regularly, even if it’s just a quick cuppa. The list of jobs can wait! Your wellbeing can’t.
3. Send it
Snail mail isn’t dead! There is nothing more personal (and surprising) than receiving a handwritten letter in the mail these days. Want to step it up a notch? Put together a care parcel. The gesture could really make their day knowing that someone cares.
4. Join an interest group
Love knitting? Started hiking your local areas lately? There are a huge range of local interest groups for every hobby where you can meet like-minded people while doing something that makes your soul sing! Google some options in your local area and look out for virtual catch ups.
5. Get Zooming
The options are endless. Join a dinner party, host a murder mystery party, schedule in a weekly trivia session, test your skills in cards, put your gut feels to the test with two truths and a lie, challenge the others with charades, home scavenger hunts… shall we continue? The connection that comes from seeing people (even through a screen) can be hugely beneficial.
6. Better out than in
No matter what method you choose to connect with your friends or family, sharing your struggles, concerns or just having a vent can help you process your feelings and help you move forward.
October is Mental Health Month. A month that encourages all of us to think about our mental health and wellbeing, regardless of whether we may have lived experience of mental illness or not. It also gives us the opportunity to understand the importance of good mental health in our everyday lives.
A collaborative project between Rosedale Landcare, Eurobodalla Council and EcoCrews™ has seen bushland at Rosedale beach brought back to life following the devastating Black Summer Bushfires.
Rosedale was one of the most severely impacted areas from the Black Summer Bushfires. It wasn’t just humans who lost their homes though, significant quantities of native vegetation which served as shelter for a variety of animals was also destroyed.
“The animals disappeared for a long time after the fires, they really suffered. Through this project we’re putting what we lost back into the ground. We lost so much in the fires”. Jane Enright- Rosedale Landcare Coordinator.
Over the past year, Rosedale Landcare Coordinator, Jane Enright and Eurobodalla Local Landcare Coordinator, Emma Patyus have guided members from Campbell Pages’ social enterprise, EcoCrews to transform the Rosedale Beach carpark and surrounds by planting hundreds of native plants that are local to the area.
“It’s been a fantastic partnership with even better results thanks to the support of Emma from Council and EcoCrews. The EcoCrews team have been such an enthusiastic group of young people who have worked hard to achieve this outcome. It makes my heart sing to see the next generation involved in land care. The more young people we can get involved in our environment, the better”. Jane Enright- Rosedale Landcare Coordinator.
Through this consistent regeneration work, the biodiversity is improving with animals now returning to the area. There has been an increase in native lizards and birds within the area as plants continue to grow and serve as a wildlife habitat.
“This is one of many important projects EcoCrews has been lucky enough to support thanks to our partner, Eurobodalla Shire Council. Crew members have been able to learn new skills while directly contributing to community recovery following the bushfires. We’re proud to see the progress made here in Rosedale and look forward to watching the area go from strength to strength”. Mark Green- Regional Manager EcoCrews.
To find out more about this project, contact Jane Enright- Rosedale Landcare Coordinator on 0409 318 668.
In 2021 EcoCrews™ received $2.1 million from the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery (BLER) Fund to complete vital bushfire regeneration activities over 12 months. This initiative is strengthening the local community by providing employment and training opportunities for local disadvantaged people and engaging with local community groups.
Well equipped EcoCrews of 6-person work Crews (plus an experienced Team Supervisor) able to do a wide range of environmental activities
Project Planning, including environmental consultation and project design
Project Management including recruitment, on boarding, Crew supervision, operational management and WHS assessments and compliance (ISO WHS 45001 Accredited)
Accredited training provided by a Registered Training Provider – Fusion Walan Miya
Indigenous Knowledge Transfer events provided by local Indigenous Knowledge Holders
Additional support services including Indigenous Mentoring by the local Barranggirra Mentor
CREW DEMOGRAPHICS
We are experts at assembling local, diverse workforces. The demographics of our current EcoCrews includes:
24% identifying as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
50% identifying as female
Average age of less than 25 years
TYPES OF ACTIVITIES COMPLETED
To date, this program is meeting targets (including exceeding environmental targets by 227%), set by the funding body, currently running 3 months ahead of schedule and under budget. Types of activities completed include:
Environmental weeds manually and chemically removed across 14ha along coastal trails in Surf Beach, NSW
20 ha of dune rehabilitation completed along Merimbula Main Beach, NSW including manual and chemical weed removal and replanting of native trees, shrubs and grasses
A lack of confidence can affect all aspects of your life including building relationships, work, study, applying for a new job or trying something for the first time. When you’re not feeling confident in your ability, you can feel lost, discouraged and even a bit scared. Low confidence can stop us from taking positive risks (like applying for that job you feel is a bit out of your reach) and really affects the way you present yourself. If you don’t feel good about yourself, chances are, you’ll project that.
We’re here to tell you that while these feelings are incredibly common, they don’t have to be permanent. You can build up your confidence with a bit of practice, just like any other skill!
We spoke with Elle Tiganis, a Mindset Coach at EMT Coaching about her top tips for building confidence and overcoming your fears to pursue your passions and live the life you want.
1: Step outside your comfort zone.
Allowing yourself to get comfortable with the unfamiliar and start moving through the feelings of uncertainty and discomfort is the first step. Think of all the things you were once nervous and scared about that you do currently. It was a matter of stepping out of your comfort zone and trying something new that we you were able to find confidence in those things. A great way to start implementing this is to learn something new, it could be a language, an instrument, learning about a new hobby or trying out a new activity or sport.
In giving new things a go, it’s reminding you that anything is achievable and teaches you to develop faith within yourself and your abilities while also helping you to find new potential passions along the way.
In this day and age, especially with social media it’s become so easy to take a look at someone else’s life and start comparing it to your own. We tend to put people that we perceive as “perfect” or “confident” on a pedestal. The most important thing to know is that even the most successful person you know, has failed at some point, and have still felt fear and doubt.
“Being imperfect is part of being human, everyone experiences it.”
Elle Tiganis, mindset coach
Each and every person is on their own unique path in life and has their own unique qualities. There’s no need to compare your life to those around you because they are not you. One of the most powerful things when it comes to building self-confidence is looking within and doing things that YOU want, rather than focusing on the expectations and comparisons of others around you.
3: Show yourself compassion
A lot of people talk about self-confidence and self-love, but they forget that we need self-compassion even more, especially when things don’t go to plan or we make a mistake. Compassion is something we find very easy to show others, but a lot of people struggle to show themselves. When something goes wrong, or we make a mistake it becomes way too easy to go into judgment and shame mode toward ourselves.
In this time, what we need to do is show ourselves compassion by speaking kindly to ourselves, holding ourselves and showing ourselves forgiveness. If this is something you find hard to do, try and look at it from the perspective of talking to a close friend. How would you treat them if they were going through the same thing? What would you say to them?
4: Turn your fear into excitement!
The feeling of fear and excitement have the same physiological response inside of the body, so most of the time that feeling within us just before we do something new or do something important to us is just the feeling of excitement. However, we are so used to associating that feeling in our body as fear, that we label it as being just that.
Once we label something as a fear, our minds go into overdrive and start telling us all the possible negative outcomes or bad things that could happen. As a result, we might not follow through and decide to give up, chalking the situation up as “too risky” or labelling ourselves as “not good enough”.
In these moments, when you first start to notice that feeling within your body, tell yourself: “I am excited.” Label that feeling as excitement because likely that’s all it is. It’s completely normal to be nervous and excited at the same time, especially when it’s about something that has meaning to you. Feel that feeling and do it anyway!
5: Celebrate yourself and build evidence!
In times when you need confidence, it’s typical to tell yourself about all the times you’ve failed, or that something went wrong. As humans, we tend to keep evidence of all the negative events – but forget to remind ourselves of all the positive ones. This is why it’s important to build up that positive evidence.
Try writing down a list of things you have achieved or 3 things that you are grateful for each day and celebrate those things, give yourself some credit! Make sure you take the time to have fun and bring joy to those moments. By doing this, you’re building up proof that you CAN do things and you WILL achieve which in turn, builds up your confidence and self-esteem.
6: Ask for help
Even the most confident people feel scared and nervous at times. Everyone feels some fear before they speak in front of a crowd or before they do something for the first time. The only difference between you and that person is that they took action – even though they were scared.
“Confidence is something we build after we try a task or experience, not before we do it.
You don’t have to take the leap alone though; you can always ask for help. The team at Campbell Page are here to help you build your confidence and beyond to find a job (and keep it). If you’re ready to make a change, we’ve got your back.
READY TO FIND WORK?
We’ve got your back through every step of the job search process. Send us a message and we’ll will be in touch shortly, or better yet, call us now on 1300 139 920
Endometriosis (en-dO-me-tree-O-sis) is a common disease in which the tissue that is similar to the lining of the womb grows outside it in other parts of the body. More than 830,000 (over 11%) of Australian women suffer from endometriosis at some point in their life with the disease often starting in teenagers. It is a painful condition that can damage fertility. In my case it has deeply grown into my bowel.
Campbell Page Customer Linda lives with the debilitating pain of Endometriosis and it’s side effects every day.
Living with endometriosis is living like the mythical bird, the Phoenix. You live a bit, you burn to ashes when the endometriosis is active and then you slowly come into existence again
The painful contractions can flare up to levels similar to giving birth but without the beautiful reward at the end made worse with the knowledge that next month it will happen again. On a good day, I manage the pain with heat from a hot water bottle and lots of rest. On a bad day I need to call an ambulance or have someone take me to the emergency department where they can give me stronger pain relief medication.
Endometriosis has affected my life in every possible way. For almost 30 years I lived with this condition before getting my diagnosis 10 years ago. Until I found an experienced OB-GYN, I had visited GPs, Gynaecologists, Gastroenterologists and all kinds of holistic health workers trying to find out why I had so much pain, why I was fatigued and why I had so much trouble concentrating on mental and physical tasks during and around menstruation. They didn’t have the answers.
Worse still, when I explained these symptoms to friends, family and even some medical professionals I was often met with judgement, disbelief, seen as being weak, hypochondriac, attention seeking, exaggerating my pain and even blame for creating this disease myself. The list goes on. Because of this dismissiveness, because I looked “fine” the real cause of all these symptoms remained hidden for a very long time. These negative judgements influenced me in a way that I started to believe them myself. This belief created anxiety, self-doubt, loneliness from feeling misunderstood, isolation and depression. I kept all those feelings hidden deep inside me because I did not know how to process them and to soothe myself.
Be mindful about your judgements because someone might have a disease you cannot directly see
Before I was diagnosed, I was often embarrassed and felt ashamed talking about menstruation. I grew up, like many of us, with menstrual taboo. Menstruation and what women need at that time of the month is often totally ignored, seen as unclean and suppressed in many societies. That is why I tried, as a young woman, to act as normal as possible and was hiding when I was not well.
When I finally got diagnosed with Endometriosis, I cried out of relief. It meant I could start working on my health in a more focussed and structured way. Now I could define the pain and all of my mysterious symptoms. It had a name. It wasn’t in my head. I wasn’t wrong.
Since my diagnosis I have been supported by many kind people who have helped me with looking after the children, doing shopping and bringing me to hospital. While there is no known cure, there are many supporting therapies and methods that can help relieve the pain and look after your mental health but for many women it comes down to many hours of lonely suffering in severe pain.
Any pain or discomfort that is not normal to us should be taken seriously. You are the expert about what you feel in your body. Listen to your body and believe what it tells you. Be kind to yourself .
It took me quite some time to realise and accept that I would not be able to live a so-called ‘normal life’. I had to adjust my life and look after my special needs with Endometriosis. Although I don’t want to identify myself only as someone with Endometriosis it is so extremely impactful that I cannot deny it either.
Endometriosis is an invisible, disabling and very unpredictable disease. The condition is still largely misunderstood, but public and medical understanding is improving all the time. I hope that with more awareness about Endometriosis – and removing the stigma around all invisible illnesses – others can get diagnosed sooner and one day we will find a cure.
Written by Linda K. Linda is a Campbell Page Customer.
Endometriosis Australia identifies that Endometriosis is a common disease in which the tissue that is similar to the lining of the womb grows outside it in other parts of the body. More than 830,000 (more than 11%) of Australian *women suffer from endometriosis at some point in their life with the disease often starting in teenagers. Symptoms are variable and this may contribute to the 7 to 12-year delay in diagnosis. Common symptoms include pelvic pain that puts life on hold around or during a woman’s period. It can damage fertility. Whilst endometriosis most often affects the reproductive organs it is frequently found in the bowel and bladder and has been found in muscle, joints, the lungs and the brain. In an Australian government report, endometriosis is reported to cost Australian society $9.7 billion annually with two-thirds of these costs attributed to a loss in productivity with the remainder, approx. $2.5 billion being direct healthcare costs.
We’d like to congratulate the Eurobodalla Local Drug Action Team (ELDAT) for successfully gaining funding under the Bushfire Community Recovery & Resilience Fund (BCRRF)– Stream 2 to roll out the Growing Stronger initiative and better support local youth in our region.
This critical funding will make sure the right support reaches bushfire affected youth in the Eurobodalla to achieve their potential; in their families, communities and future careers.
The Eurobodalla community has consistently demonstrated concern for their young people’s wellbeing with a range of organisations banding together over the last 2 years to host community forums about young people’s risk-taking behaviours including drug and alcohol use and mental health concerns.
This funding could not have come at a better time for our young people. It’s been an extremely difficult year for many and we’re extremely pleased to have been given this opportunity to invest in our community and make a positive impact.
Robert Richmond- Eurobodalla Cares Local Drug Action Team
The collaboration and partnerships already in place to deliver Growing Stronger is extensive. This initiative will be delivered by ELDAT with 29 members across 17 organisations.
Campbell Page is pleased to be a member of and to be facilitating this partnership of committed organisations on a project that will make a real difference for young people. We’re excited to continue to work together in an effort to strengthen our community and create opportunities for our young people.
At Campbell Page, every customer has a great story to share! We caught up with ParentsNext customer Samantha to chat about her journey with Campbell Page from a stay at home mum to finding her confidence (and work).
We can all agree that being a Mum is one of the most important jobs, but when it came to doing something for herself, that’s where Samantha struggled. “I wasn’t very outgoing…I lacked self-confidence” she explained. Due to distance and health issues it was hard to find the right support from her network “I was more the support person to others”.
That’s where Campbell Page stepped in and from the first appointment things started to change. “After the first appointment… I had more confidence than I thought!”. Samantha and her ParentsNext Coach, Kiri, got to work creating a plan to help Samantha uncover her goals for her future. Samantha went on to successfully complete hospitality studies including RSA, RCG, Barista training and food handling and as a result, landed a job!
“Kiri assured me she would support me getting into courses and this made me excited about possible work in the future.”
“[Life has] improved now. [I] have a good job in hospitality which has improved stability for my family. My confidence has increased, and it has helped in [my] work.”
This stability, newfound confidence and opportunity to uncover her goals and passion have helped Samantha explore a whole new path for herself. She’s now completing an IT course in the hopes of pursuing a career in the field “[I] feel more confident in my ability to study and work.” When asked what her advice was to other parents who are looking to get back into work, Samantha said:
“Don’t be afraid to ask for support. I would definitely recommend Campbell Page”
If you’d like support to find work, (and keep it) visit our website or call our friendly team on 1300 139 920.
In early 2021, Campbell Page Youth Services Eurobodalla held a COVID-Safe School holidays program in Moruya, Narooma and Bateman’s Bay. After a tough year, it was a great way to bring together locals and have some fun!
In collaboration with PCYC Far South Coast, Headspace, Save the Children Fund, NSW Police, Eurobodalla Shire Council, Mission Australia and Rotary Narooma the program welcomed local youths and their family for 5 days across these 3 locations.
There were plenty of free activities at the program, including bubble soccer, cricket, archery and ball games. The program also had tie dye, mindfulness colouring in, giant Jenga, giant connect four and bubbles! We are very grateful for the many organisations that donated their equipment and time to help make these activities happen, fun was had by all!
After building up an appetite at the fun activities and games, the daily BBQ was also a great chance for youths & parents to connect with our staff and volunteers.
There were many smiles and laughs throughout the program, with our participants sharing with our staff that this was exactly what they needed, and they can’t wait to do it again – bring on next year!
It could not have been possible without our kind and generous donors:
