Loddon Shire Mayoral Column
Published on 17 August 2020
Masks for vulnerable community members
The Victorian Government has provided Council with a limited supply of disposable masks to support the needs of vulnerable community members who have been unable to get masks.
Masks are available for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Victorians or for people aged over 12 years old and are being managed for a chronic condition. A chronic condition includes poor immunity, heart disease, diabetes and stroke, obesity, chronic lung disease, alcohol and drug dependency or frailty.
Masks are also available for people who are living with a disability, experiencing mental health illness or family violence, are living in public housing, crisis accommodation, rooming houses or supported residential services, or are homeless.
Young people with health and/or social issues, are living in mandatory facilities, residential facilities or receiving other health and human services, as well as refugees and asylum seekers (including temporary visa holders) are also eligible to receive masks.
Please contact Council’s Pandemic Community Recovery team on 5494 1200 to access the masks.
Supporting young people
The coronavirus pandemic continues to be a stressful time for many in our community, including young people.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), younger people (aged 17 to 25) have higher social needs. They will experience fear of missing out, feeling disconnected, worrying about friendships, and school and academic performance.
For those in the workforce, there is added worry about losing casual work and possible financial pressures.
DHHS advises that it’s important to tell a young person that it’s normal to feel stressed about what’s happening and to encourage regular exercise, good practices for communicating online and have conversations about how they’re being impacted.
Additionally, it’s important to encourage younger people to rely on trusted information sources rather than social media.
Beyond Blue also have a number of resources for young people aged 14 to 25. These resources include dealing with change, managing study stress, self-care tips, urgent help, facing uncertainty and many more.
Visit https://coronavirus.beyondblue.org.au/managing-my-daily-life/young-people-aged-14-25.html
You can also call Beyond Blue on 1800 512 348.
Eheadspace offers free online and telephone support and counselling for young people aged 12 to 25, their family and friends. The site also has group chats (led by a headspace professional) to connect with other young people.
Visit www.headspace.org.au/eheadspace/ or call 1800 650 893.
As well as young people, it’s important that we’re all looking after our mental health during this pandemic.
DHHS has a number of resources around looking after mental health, including videos with advice from Clinical Psychologist Dr Michelle Lim. Topics include dealing with loss of control, support and kindness, social isolation and routine.
The DHHS site also has tips for staying calm and healthy, staying positive, staying connected, conversations with children (and as mentioned, young people) and more.
To find out more visit www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/mental-health-resources-coronavirus-covid-19
Online training for Loddon Valley businesses
During this time of Stage 3 restrictions, Loddon Valley businesses are encouraged to consider online training around business development through Rural Business Connections.
As per its Economic Development and Tourism Strategy, Council actively encourages our local businesses to undertake development opportunities to help them operate at their best, and attract business from locals and visitors to our region.
Upcoming online training sessions, which will be run through Facebook, revolve around taking better photos and social media captions, five top apps for social media and setting up or optimising your business listing.
To help ensure businesses in our Shire are able to participate in this development opportunity, Council will pay the $20 participation fee for local businesses who wish to take part in the training.
To book your spot, contact Rural Business Connections Program Manager Dianne Johnstone through Rural Financial Counselling Service on 1300 769 489. Please make sure to tell the Program Manager that you are a Loddon Shire business.
Rural Business Connections is an enterprise of Sunraysia Rural Counselling Service (SunRCS), which also operates Rural Financial Counselling Service Victoria North West and SunRISE Mapping.
Inglewood and Bridgewater branding launch
On Tuesday, 25 August at 7pm, Loddon Shire’s tourism team will hold a virtual presentation regarding the Loddon Valley branding toolkit for Inglewood and Bridgewater on Loddon.
The toolkit, which has been developed in consultation with Inglewood and Bridgewater representatives, provides business operators with information regarding the Loddon Valley brand, specifically for Inglewood and Bridgewater on Loddon. The aim is to help make it easier for business operators when it comes to making marketing decisions, as well as promote their own business and the region.
The toolkit has been funded by Bendigo Regional Tourism and Loddon Shire Council.
To register your attendance for the presentation, please email loddonvisitorinformation@loddon.vic.gov.au by Wednesday 19 August. Once you’ve registered an email will be sent with a link to join the presentation.
For more information call the Loddon Visitor Information Centre on 5494 1257.