With One Voice Welcomes Wellbeing!

June 28, 2012

We recently published an innovative guide to member well-being. Since our launch in 2009, the With One Voice Choir community choir programs have endeavoured to encourage diversity, build capacity and create opportunity within our community. With 12 choirs throughout Melbourne, and two newly launched interstate choirs in Canberra and Sydney, this program has always had an incredible scope for impact and has helped people from all walks of life ‘find their voice’.

This success has in turn lead to the expansion of the organisations reach, with various new programs and initiatives launching in 2012, including the implementation of the Wellbeing Initiative – a initiative that will see us improve our capacity to support, empower and encourage our members within and beyond choir rehearsals.

The project aims to create an accessible, relevant and replicable process for assessing and satisfying member wellbeing needs in areas such as:

• Aged Care
• Education and Training
• Employment
• Immigration and Citizenship
• Mental Health
• General Health
• Youth Services

Simply, the Wellbeing Initiative will provide structure and consistency to the existing services and opportunities offered through the With One Voice community choir programs.

To achieve this, we have established partnerships with key, relevant organisations, both personally and online, building a strong wellness ‘ecosystem’ which members can engage with to enhance their lives beyond choir rehearsals. Partners include Beyond Blue, Melbourne City Mission, and Employment Focus. By connecting members with such services, the program draws on the experience, expertise and resources of existing organisations as opposed to recreating exclusive services for the choirs. This not only reflects the principles of diversity and inclusion that govern the whole With One Voice program and vision, but also ensures the program is effective and sustainable.

The Wellbeing Initiative has been launched in both practical and online ways throughout our choir programs during June 2012. Specifically, the “How Can We Help?” booklet and complimentary section of the With One Voice website, will inform members about the initiative, introducing and connecting them to various pathways and opportunities – from employment, to education, to simply finding a new thing to do in Melbourne. As the name suggests, it is all about helping members, encouraging them to “find their voice” and enhance their wellbeing in a variety of ways beyond choir.

Ultimately, the With One Voice program aims to grow as an organisation so we can help our members grow as individuals – and the Wellbeing Initiative helps us to achieve just that!

From here, we will continue to implement the Wellbeing Initiative, monitoring it’s progress / impact on our members over the coming months. We hope that, where necessary, our members will feel encouraged to seek help as they need it, and realise the importance of prioritising their health and wellbeing beyond choir rehearsals.

So far 2012 has bought incredible change and opportunity to our organisation itself. With a new general manager at the helm of a driven, dedicated and enthusiastic team, we have been able to harness this energy and achieve fantastic outcomes so far. We look forward to continuing this positive momentum within our projects and programs, and continue to have a substantial impact on our members within and beyond choir, within and beyond 2012.

For more information please get in touch with us, or contact:

Bec McHenry
Community Projects Manager
bec@cal.org.au

T (03) 8679 6088