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Who we are
Our dream
Our dream is to help facilitate inclusive, connected communities.
Our dream is that people who live with mental health challenges will be able to find places of welcome and respect and inclusion.
Our dream is that we can resource and inspire people in the community who wish to offer the vital friendship and thread of contact for which others yearn.
Our dream is to search for and locate community minded people who are willing to offer friendship to others who are excluded and are struggling to find their place to belong.
Our values
It is from our values that our actions spring. Our primary values are:
- Processes should be empowering for the person who experiences mental health and emotional challenges.
- Mutuality, reciprocity and respect should be encouraged in relationships.
- We are all vulnerable and have disabilities to some degree.
- The giftedness of each person should be recognised.
- Each person is to be treated as a unique individual.
- Decisions and opportunities affecting people’s lives will be made with them.
- Communities grow healthier when new and different people are included.
Mission statement
Our mission is to encourage the building of communities where each person's unique strengths and struggles are valued and we each feel we have a place to belong.
Our network
A Place to Belong is a network of committed people. Many people volunteer their time and energy to make things happen. Seven people make up the Operating Committee which oversees and advises the manager and workers. Open participation is also invited for anyone who wants to attend quarterly Guiding Group meetings to have their say.
Our work team
Our team is made up of a small group of dedicated workers, some working from our office in West End, others out in the community.
- Our office staff – Sannie, Carlos and Jeff
- Team leaders – Nerida, Neil , Damian, Suellen and Jeff
- Reading, Writing and Computer Group – Carmel and Damian
- Our manager – Neil
- Support workers - about 10 people are employed as support workers or recovery facilitators.
Our history
A Place to Belong began as an action research project back in 1994. The Anglicare Mental Health Project, as it was called then, carried out workshops, interviews and seminars around South-East Queensland. It sought to understand how the process of inclusion (or exclusion) works for people who have encountered mental health difficulties. From this project, the idea for the organisation now called A Place to Belong was born.
Funding and administration
Funding comes from the Department of Communities (Disability Services) and from donations and bequests. A Place to Belong is administered by Anglicare Southern Queensland (formerly Spiritus).
“It’s been an invaluable experience. Hearing the person's story and then having some pretty open discussion about how our lives can be different has given me hope”.
~ Comment from participant at a Sunday afternoon workshop