Well on our way at UoN

Congratulations to Cecilia White, Staff Development Consultant with Organisational Development and Diane Bunch, Safety and Wellbeing Advisor with Health and Safety, for winning a 2011 Vice Chancellors Award for Professional Staff Excellence in the Team category.

People want to find an alternative way of understanding issues in a relaxed and gentle manner with a supportive community, says Cecilia about the popularity of Wellness@UoN, an initiative she and Diane Bunch developed in 2008.

Since then, the pair have successfully championed a shift from a traditional Organisational Development and Health and Safety approach to a more inclusive recognition of employee mental, physical, social, spiritual, creative and financial needs. The whole person comes to work. So, we take the view that we should provide a wholistic program, Cecilia says.

In particular, Wellness@UoN has proactively addressed workplace issues such as stress and also engaged staff with mental health awareness. Depression affects one in five Australians at some point in their adult lives, so Cecilia and Diane consider it essential to address this openly and proactively in the workplace.

This year, a research grant from the NSW Mental Health Association allowed Cecilia and Diane to expand their wellness initiative. It enabled Diane to enlist a massage therapist, stock show bags with tips and resources to promote mental health at Callaghan campus.

"There was such a great response", she says of the positive conversations with staff. "It's okay to talk about depression". Diane wants to further engage staff so they know about the University's early intervention programs. "If people come to us as soon as they're diagnosed with depression then we can help them with a return to work program immediately. We also offer support for managers".

Cecilia facilitated two successful University sponsored community events called Breathing Space, at Newcastle Art Gallery and the Lock-Up cultural centre. The act of breathing often passes unnoticed as a marker of both constancy and change. The simple in, pause and out rhythms are key to our ability to engage with our emotions, thoughts and actions, reads the opening paragraph on the event's flyer. The event featured award-winning poets and musicians and explored topics such as missing persons and grieving, along with joy and wonder.

Wellness@UoN has seen remarkable benefits for the individual, their families, the University and the wider community. Cecilia and Diane's efforts have helped to raise awareness and empower and encourage staff to develop a healthy and balanced lifestyle wholistically. "We are investing in our staff. We genuinely care", says Diane.

Your Wellness@UoN program includes:

Watch out for the 2012 Training and Development calendar coming soon to HRonline where you can register for your courses!

If you would like to find out more about Wellness@UoN and how it can help you or your team contact Cecilia.White@Newcastle.edu.au