It’s been no secret that over the past two years, frontline workers and other healthcare staff across the nation have experienced increased pressure and higher levels of emotional stress as a result of the enduring COVID-19 pandemic.
A recent initiative by local organisation The Newcastle Beacon has emerged to express gratitude for the hard work and sacrifices health staff have displayed and provide support for the battle ahead.
“At the moment, we’re doing drop-offs to ambulance stations and emergency departments – we’re doing gift hampers and providing them to some of the front line carers and supporters,” said paramedic and The Newcastle Beacon volunteer Shane Harris.
“It’s all about community spirit and the sense of community – it says ‘here we are, we’re here to thank you for all you’ve done for our community … rest on our shoulders for a while.”
The initiative is currently seeking donations for the small luxuries, including gift cards, movie tickets and meal vouchers.
“It just goes that little bit further than a thank you,” Harris said.
The Newcastle Beacon is a network of organisations, professionals, and volunteers with the common goal of supporting frontline workers, veterans, and their families in Newcastle and the Hunter.
The team includes social workers, welfare officers and advocates, veterans, first responders and family members of those in the community who serve.
“The Newcastle Beacon was born out of the willingness to try and provide thank you to people supporting or in the front line of COVID battle; it was really to say that we acknowledge what you’re going through, and we thank you.”
The value of the Newcastle Beacon has since expanded to include all personnel in a community service role.
This spans from individuals associated with the Rural Fire Service, Marine Rescue, and healthcare professionals to corrective services staff, SES volunteers, Defence Force personnel and their families.
Despite the large demographic The Newcastle Beacon serves, it relies purely on community support.
“We don’t currently get any funding stream – we just completely look for community and corporate support,” Harris said.
“The impact is far-reaching, supporting the community [more broadly] – if it’s a voucher for a restaurant or café, it would, in turn, support other industries that are struggling.”
A core tenet of The Newcastle Beacon is its ability to offer support that champions lived experience.
“Through lived experience, where you’re struggling even to do your shoelaces to go to work, sometimes it’s nice just to have that support.”
Volunteer support can be accessed at The Newcastle Beacon’s drop-in centre on Wednesdays and Fridays from 9.30 am to 2.30 pm.
Harris also said the offering was valuable as it was separate from the support available at workplace organisations.
“[Staff] have support networks and agencies [at work] … but we provide separate support and care from peers that have lived experiences,” Harris said.
“What we do well is dovetail people into what support might be right for them.
“If someone’s really struggling, providing them a roadmap of where to go next for support, what might work for them in their situation, that’s an important thing.”
The largest-ever survey of emergency workers released by Beyond Blue in 2018 found that emergency workers had much higher levels of mental distress than the general population.
One in three had high or very high psychological distress, and one in four former responders had probable Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Veterans also experienced higher rates of suicide.
Harris said the organisation wasn’t exclusively assisting service individuals but also their families, who often bear some of the burdens.
“Some workers have partners and family working in areas like hospitality, where the family income has been really adversely affected as well.”
Despite disruptions that have arisen for the service due to COVID, The Newcastle Beacon is gradually looking to revive previous support offerings.
“We’re slowly bringing back programs that we’ve had previously, like our yoga program, and that’s free for first responders and others who support the community,” Harris said.
“Emerging out of COVID, we’ll be able to do more practical things like that, like live music nights, exercise programs and gym sessions.”
2021 proved to be a huge year for the organisation, with a total of 231 community personnel visiting the drop-in centre, 1,086 peer support hours offered, and 690 hours volunteered for crisis support.
In addition, 240 food hampers and 492 frozen meals were delivered to workers locally.
One thing Harris said they wanted to see this year was a greater sense of optimism offered for healthcare workers specifically.
“For healthcare workers particularly, I think going out of the pandemic with a sense of optimism moving forward – that’s really important.”
Novocastrians interested in supporting the initiative can drop donations to The Newcastle Beacon’s office in Wallsend.
Alternatively, State Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp has also offered his CBD office as a collection point, as well as State Member for Wallsend Sonia Hornery.
Maia O’Connor