To mark October as National Mental Health Month, Bega Valley Shire Library is teaming up with Red Room Poetry and Red Cross to offer free workshops to improve inclusion, understanding and resilience in our community.
Library Learning and Engagement Officer, Sugita Wahl said Red Room Poetry is presenting two MAD Poetry workshops; one at Tura Marrang Library on 28 October from 11am to 3pm and one at Bega Library on 29 October from 10am to 2pm, with support from Coordinaire.
"MAD Poetry is a program that focuses on creating a safe writing space for emerging voices with a lived/living experience of mental health issues, to express how they see the world," Ms Wahl said.
"It's where these poets can define themselves through their creativity, not their diagnosis.
"These workshops will be led by Gabrielle Journey Jones, a local practising poet, percussionist, activist and social worker with their own lived mental health experience.
"MAD Poetry's producer, award winning poet and former psychologist, David Stavanger will also be supporting."
Registrations for MAD Poetry can be made online or by calling the Bega Library on (02) 6499 2127.
Also this month, Red Cross will run a 1-hour workshop on emergency preparedness at Bermagui Library on Thursday 27 October from 11am to 12pm.
"More than a Fire Plan - Emotional and Practical Preparedness will assist people to reduce the personal disruption caused by emergencies, such as heatwave, severe storm, health epidemis, bushfire or an unexpected trip to hospital" Ms Wahl said.
"The workshop looks beyond surviving an emergency and aims to increase personal resilience when recovering from an emergency."
