About Us
Background
Canberra Interactive Care Incorporated is a community based not for profit organisation established for the purpose of providing training, counselling, education, support and resources for vulnerable members of the community who are suffering from mental illnesses.
Vision Statement
Our Vision is to improve the quality of life for those living with mental illnesses through the provision of appropriate services that will enhance their lives.
Mission Statement
Our Mission is to encourage hope, foster independence and to instil resilience amongst vulnerable community members through the provision of mentoring, support and friendship networks and associated resources enabling them to rightfully contribute to society in a meaningful way.
Definition of vulnerable community members: people in need of special care, support, or protection because of age, disability, or risk of abuse or neglect as a result of mental illness.
Aims and Objectives
The Aims of Canberra Interactive Care are to:
- provide effective strategies to improve mental health care and the general well being of vulnerable community members through supporting them with a variety of planned and co-ordinated measures
- encourage and foster vulnerable community members to accept and acknowledge ownership of their inadequacies as well as their strengths and to participate in their agreed treatment/education modalities and
- develop resilience and independence amongst vulnerable community members so that they may take responsibility for their own lives enabling them to effectively contribute to society.
The Objectives of Canberra Interactive Care are to:
- supply resources for the training of volunteer mentors in learning how to interact and work with vulnerable community members who may be suffering from mental health issues (ie training in Mental Health First Aid MHFA, obtaining WWVP registration etc)
- fund establishment and conduct of support and friendship groups for vulnerable community members
- encourage pro bono professional services (such as counselling, financial and legal assistance) for vulnerable community members
- promote education in order that these vulnerable community members may contribute to society in a meaningful way
- provide material resources for vulnerable community members (food, clothing, furniture, household appliances etc) through co-operation and partnership with community pantries, local businesses and fundraising programs and
- continued liaison with and support of a number of street pantries and other community organisations.
How our achievements will be measured
The Aims and Objectives of Canberra Interactive Care will be achieved through:
- members and the wider community volunteering their services pro bono
- holding regular meetings in order to establish mentoring and friendship groups
- fundraising through donations to support the provision of resources
- sponsorship with appropriate businesses and
- continued liaison with and support of a number of street pantries and other community organisations.
The Interactive Care Model
The Interactive Care Model is a model of health care that first came to the forefront in 2015. It is a clinical model that can be applied to a variety of health and social issues that has as the forefront "person engagement". Simply put, it means people (and in this instance, vulnerable community members) learning to take responsibility for their own lives and needs (with a little bit of help from us). That is, where individuals are engaged in their own attempts to improve their lives, develop resilience and confidence and to end the cycle of dependency - the better the outcomes are for achieving this.
At Canberra Interactive Care we concentrate on health - physical, psychological and emotional: living-food, clothing, furniture etc; and participation - involvement in community activities, work, sport, recreation etc). Our services include pro bono professional services for vulnerable community members, training our members in delivering such services, and providing education and material resources.
The Interactive Care Model has a conceptual framework encompassing five components:
- assessing the person's capacity for engagement
- the exchange of information and the communication of choices
- planning between the community member and the organisation's members
- determining what interventions are required (services, education and/or resources) and
- evaluating regularly (through mentoring, support and friendship groups).