About Us
History
The Foundation was established in early 1987.
Previously members had belonged to a group known as the Supporters for Living Skills, but decided that it was time to aim for a self sufficient, secure charitable organisation as an independent, incorporated, non-profit organisation with taxation benefit status for charitable donations and philanthropic bequests.
Board
The Board of Directors consists of an honorary president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer as well as additional directors including client members.
Meetings
There is a combined board and general meeting for all members every month, on a Monday, at Westview. All members and other interested parties are welcome. Contact us for the date of the next meeting and come along.
Westview Cottage
Westview Cottage is a drop in centre run by Community Health for mental health consumers ("clients") situate at 51 Hercules Street, Chatswood, Sydney. Hercules Street runs off Victoria Avenue (near the RTA) just past Chatswood Chase. It is about a ten minute walk from the train station.
Westview Cottage is a self contained house which consists of a number of rooms used for meetings and activities as well as a large back veranda which is used by consumers as a meeting and recreational place.
Some of the programs presently arranged by the Foundation, at Westview Cottage, include:
An Art group on Monday from 10.30am to 12.30, run by a qualified art therapist;
A Lunch on Tuesday at 12 followed by an outing;
A Music group, on Thursdays from 10am to 12, run by a qualified music therapist;
(Both the Music and Art programs are open groups whose goals are to support creative expression and social interaction among participants. With open groups anyone can join or leave at any stage or just pop in at any time);
A Wellbeing/Self Esteem course;
Basic Computer classes;
A local Lower North Shore (Sydney) information directory and this related web site (see directory pages);
Several street stalls each year in Chatswood, to raise funds;
Participation at public events to diseminate information and raise awareness of Mental Health issues;
Exploring various other projects such as:
Social Group activities;
Linking People and Mentoring programs;
Quit Smoking programs;
Weight Loss programs.
In addition to the above, Mental Health and the Create teams and the Consumer Group arrange the following at Westview:
Spiritual matters discussion group on Mondays from 12.30pm to 1.30, led by the hospital chaplain;
Sport programs on Thursdays/Fridays;
Video/DVD afternoons on Thursdays at 12.30;
A bi-weekly consumer meeting at 10am on Wednesdays;
Vocational assistance and referral (by appointment) with the Create team;
Mars Inc. (the Foundation is represented on the Board) is also run by the Create team and paid work is available on the gardening/nursery teams (Gladesville, Chatswood & Wahroonga) and at Cornucopia Cafe in Gladesville.
Some of the programs are run by registered volunteers or contractors under the direction of the NSW Health Service.
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