New project supports former refugees to continue fishing
Bendigo Community Health Services has partnered with the Victorian Fisheries Authority to foster safe and sustainable fishing practices for newly-arrived Karen people.
The 12-month pilot program will help Karen people understand Victoria’s fishing regulations and raise awareness amongst Fisheries staff about the pre-and-post arrival experiences of former refugees from the Thai-Burma border.
BCHS Refugee Project Worker Nido said fishing was an important cultural practice for Karen people, who traditionally fished for survival rather than recreation.
“In Australia, we have rules around fishing, so Karen people need to know about these rules, such as the need for a fishing licence, the type of fish that can be caught and in which season, plus the sizes and bag limits that can be kept,” Nido said.
BCHS ensures multicultural communities can plan for and respond to extreme weather emergencies
Bendigo Community Health Services is equipping former refugee communities with the knowledge to survive Australia’s extreme weather events.
With a dangerous summer predicted, BCHS is distributing in-language resources to multicultural groups across the region.
Cultural Diversity leader Kaye Graves said BCHS’ Emergency Preparedness Program was essential for preparing new arrivals for potential disasters. 
“People who are new to our region are really worried about fire, heat and flood events,” Kaye said.
Building for the health and wellbeing needs of Eaglehawk
Bendigo Community Health Services has started the refurbishment of its Eaglehawk site, with local builders Franklin & Walsh appointed to deliver the works from December, 2023.
This follows extensive design consultations with EBD Architects and a community engagement program, in which residents of the 3556 postcode shared their views on the health service, and ideas on what would make it easier for them to care for their health and wellbeing.
BCHS started in Eaglehawk in 1974, after residents recognised their health was poor and health services were inadequate.
Encouraged by the social reforms of the Whitlam era, the community lobbied for free and accessible health services at a time when there were no GPs or dentists in the suburb and when people were sicker than elsewhere in Bendigo.
Interim CEO Nicole Ferrie said BCHS was still a community-owned asset, which acknowledges and celebrates its hard-won beginnings in Eaglehawk.
Career move rewards outstanding Bendigo Family Day Care educator
Casey Seidel, of Eaglehawk, has been named the Family Day Care Australia Regional Educator of the Year for the Bendigo, Goldfields & Macedon Ranges region.
The Family Day Care Australia Excellence in Family Day Care Awards recognise the educators, coordinators, and services who deliver high quality early childhood education and care across Australia.
Casey chose to establish her own home-based business with the assistance of Bendigo Family Day Care 18 months ago, after 20 years as an early childhood educator.
“It’s absolutely the best thing I have ever done within my career, which spans many different roles within the sector,” Casey said. “I feel so fulfilled now and I just couldn’t ever imagine doing anything else. It has 100 per cent given me back my passion for early childhood education.”
Connect at Heathcote Community Smiles Day on November 25
A day of free, family-friendly activities, live entertainment and prizes galore will once again foster the fun at the annual Heathcote Community Smiles Day this month.
The November 25 event brings community organisations and health and wellbeing services together, and Bendigo Community Health Services is pleased to once again take part.
The event will feature fun activities for children, including:
- Free photo booth
- Free animal farm and face painting
- A Royal Flying Doctor Service aeromedical simulator
- A reading corner
- Live entertainment
- Competitions with some great prizes, including toys and 18 brand-new bikes.
New locations for Eaglehawk services
Bendigo Community Health Services is embarking on a multi-million-dollar refurbishment of the Eaglehawk site.
To make way for the works, our Eaglehawk services have moved to the following locations:
Medical Practice – 75 Mitchell St, Bendigo (pictured above).
Active Living Program and Physiotherapy – 501A Napier St, White Hills and 19 Helm St, Kangaroo Flat.
Podiatry – 19 Helm St, Kangaroo Flat and 165-171 Hargreaves St, Bendigo.
Forensic Mental Health, Chronic Disease Management and Sexual Health Nurse – 165-171 Hargreaves St, Bendigo.
Competition challenges young people to create anti-vaping content
Young people in Bendigo are being called upon to help tip the scales on online vaping content and expose the risks and harms of e-cigarettes.
Bendigo Community Health Services has joined with the City of Greater Bendigo and Sports Focus to challenge locals aged 9-18, schools and sports clubs to help design a Vape and Smoke Free campaign.
BCHS Senior Health Promotion Officer Siobhan Sullivan said young people were increasingly exposed to pro-vaping content on social media. Recent VicHealth research had found vape retailers primarily used TikTok and Instagram to target young people, even sharing tips on how to hide vapes at school or home.
“The aim of our competition is to educate our community about the health harms of vaping and smoking, the benefits of quitting and the importance of ensuring smoke and vape free areas,” Siobhan said.
Support is available for people who have loved ones with a drug or alcohol addiction
Over the past 12 months, Laura* has barely missed attending the weekly Family Drug Support Group at Bendigo Community Health Services.
She came for the initial guided eight-week program, and stayed for the ongoing peer and professional support, which she says has left her a stronger person.
Laura’s former partner has a long-term drug addiction. Laura says this group has helped her understand the nature of addiction, foster a sense of hope for the future, create a plan to handle situations as they arise, and above all, made her feel heard.
“I’ve learnt to set boundaries,” she says. “And I’ve come to understand that his addiction is not my fault … that his choices, attitudes and behaviours are his choices, and I can’t control that. Recently he relapsed, and what I’ve learnt gave me the strength to protect myself and my children. This program has given me my strength back.”
Flood recovery support continues for those in need
As central Victoria prepares to mark 12 months since the 2022 floods, Bendigo Community Health Services is reminding effected communities, we’re still here to support you.
In the days and weeks following the October floods, which primarily affected the northern suburbs of Bendigo, and river-side towns such as Bridgewater and, most acutely, Rochester, BCHS stationed staff at the Bendigo Emergency Relief Centre at the showgrounds.
A nurse, GP and mental health clinician were present at the centre to address people’s most immediate health needs, however it was soon evident the support would need to expand, both in scope and time.
In February 2023, BCHS set up a team as part of the Flood Recovery Program, with officers Danielle Hanks and Oscar Malyon employed to assist people through the challenges ahead.
This Girl Can Week is loaded with fun, free activities across Bendigo
Get your skates on, it’s almost time for This Girl Can Week!
Bendigo Community Health Services, Sports Focus and City of Greater Bendigo is inviting women and girls to lace up the roller skates, jump in a kayak, pick up a tennis racquet, exercise their green thumbs, plus so much more.
Together they are hosting a week of fun, free, female-friendly activities as part of the This Girl Can movement.
Sports Focus Project Coordinator Tamarra Feguson said the week was about creating more opportunities for women be active in the local community, no matter their age, background, or abilities.
