Depend on You - Alcohol Awareness Week

11th - 16th November, 2022 

Attribution to jpalinsad360: https://live.staticflickr.com/7336/11064873956_6ef5b12fee.jpg

Alcohol is a part of everyone's lives, whether you partake in drinking on a regular basis or completely abstain from it. Chances are you will either know someone or may yourself be alcohol dependent.

Pearl Cove Library is hosting a Human Library event where you can privately discuss your own issues with alcohol and alcohol dependency or those of a loved one with one of our books. 

Please note this event is restricted to those 18+

What is Alcohol Awareness Week? This initiative was launced in the UK and is a week dedicated to raising the awareness of alcohol consumption. The initiative offers information as well as factsheets and support for those with alcohol dependencies.

For more information on Alcohol Awareness Week visit: 

https://alcoholchange.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/alcohol-awareness-week-1

What is a Human Library? The idea of a Human Library is to open dialogue and address people's prejudices by allowing someone to borrow a "book". The "book" is not an item that you'd read off the shelf, rather a person that you will have a conversation with. Doing so allows people to talk to others from different walks of life and to gain a new understanding and hopefully change one's views and prejudices.

The concept was created in Copenhagen, Denmark in the year 2000 and was held at the Roskilde festival over four days. During this inaugural event over 1000 people took part during the 8 hours per day that the event ran for.

This concept was embraced by Australia and the very first permanent Human Library event was established in Lismore, NSW in 2006.

Now more than 70 countries have established Human Library events.

For more information please visit: 

https://www.humanlibraryaus.org/

https://humanlibrary.org/

Meet our books:

William Mitchell: William is a local indigenous leader in the Pearl Cove Community. He has witnessed first hand the impact that alcohol has had on the indigenous community and offers a unique perspective into the problems that alcohol abuse has had and how he and other indigenous leaders are helping to raise alcohol awareness in the community.

Constable Peter Grothe: Constable Grothe is an officer of the Pearl Cove Police Force. He has seen the impact of alcohol related violence and injuries during his time in the Police. He will be discussing the relation between crime and alcohol as well as his own personal experiences and those of his colleagues regarding alcohol and self medication in the Police Force.

Sarah Baker: Former MP and Councillor of Pearl Cove, Sarah developed a dependency on alcohol during her time working in the local government. Sadly this led to her losing her job and career. Sarah now runs AA meetings and counselling in the community and is an advocate of Alcohol Awareness.

Nurse Linda Ratchett: Nurse Ratchett is a local nurse at the Pearl Cove Hospital. She will be discussing the health effects and impact that alcohol has had on her patients in her care as well as the greater Pearl Cove community. She will also discuss the issue of self medicating with alcohol that occurs in high stress careers including the health sector.

Event details:

When: Saturday 12th November, 2022 from 12pm-3:30pm

Where: Meet at the Cove Meeting Room, Pearl Cove Library. Bookings with our books will take place in the adjacent group study rooms.

Bookings: Bookings are $10 per person, space is strictly limited so please ensure to make a booking and you will be allocated a book(s) and time. 

To book a session please either contact: 

Phone: (02) 9XXX XXXX

Email: events@pearlcovelibrary.com.au 

Online Booking: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/

Need support?

Depend on You will offer details and contacts to local AA meetings and will also offer details on contacts for drug and alcohol counsellors in the Pearl Cove community.

Additional information and support is available at:

Drinkwise: https://drinkwise.org.au/

The Alcohol and Drug Foundation: https://adf.org.au/

Any additional questions please contact Julian English via email: julian.english@pearlcovelibrary.com.au

Julian English

“A small step for personal growth, one giant leap for mental health!”

World Mental Health Day

https://www.pxfuel.com/en/free-photo-eutbz/download

The event

Pearl Cove Library is hosting a Human Library event in conjunction with World Mental Health Day. The purpose of this is to see mental health and its related concerns through another person's eyes by speaking with four guest 'Books' to discover a variety of opinions and stories related to the purpose of the event.  

The "Human Library" event will allow you to express ideas and opinions without fear of judgement. Explore the importance of diversity and encourage the acceptance of others, regardless of their personal histories. Engage in discussion to challenge stigmas about people with mental health and promote the importance of positive mental health. 

All discussions are private between the "Books" and individuals guests. The views and opinions of the "Books" may not reflect your own but we encourage guests to keep an open mind as well as be kind and respectful to all of those in attendance.  

Books 

The term "book" refers to a person that will be speaking at the event and they will have one-on-one discussions with guests regarding the theme of the event. 

The first "Book" at the event is Eva Thompson. She is an elderly woman aged 75, who lives by herself, and her children and grandchildren do not visit often. She also doesn't get to see friends and acquaintances often, and becomes quite lonely because of it. 

The second "Book" is a single father of two young children, Miles Walker. The mental health of a parent, can sometimes be overlooked and not spoken enough of, especially in a situation where they are the sole carer of young children. Parents need to be supported so that they are able to help their child become the best versions of themselves. 

The third "Book" is 20 year-old student Casey Hayes that identifies themselves with the pronouns they/them. This person holds significance to the event because there are some people that do not agree with the significance of the morals that the LGBTQI+ community spreads, and they occasionally may find a negative factor to invalidate a persons beliefs and undermine their happiness. 

The fourth and final book that will be featured in the event is, Professor Patricia Dudgeon. Professor Dudgeon is a part of the Bardi people of the Kimberly area in Western Australia. She is known for her research that includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing and suicide prevention. She is also the co-chair of the Ministerial Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Advisory Group.

Event bookings

Day and time: Saturday October 9, 2021 at 10:00 am to 03:00 pm. 

Location: Pearl Cove Library courtyard and Group study room.

Cost: $2 - Cost covers a donation for a gift for each "Book".

Bookings: Bookings are completed through the Eventbrite website. 

Each individual booking will allocate a session for a total of 20 minutes. 

1 booking per person.

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/pearl-cove-library-world-mental-health-day-47065/

Further information

The following links will take you to further information about the purpose of the Human Library cause and mental health support agencies in Australia which may provide resources that can be used in personal situations. 

• https://www.humanlibraryaus.org/about 
• https://mhaustralia.org/about-us
• https://www.onedoor.org.au/advocacy
• https://www.gayaadhuwi.org.au/about-us/
• https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

Sophia EL MOHAMAD

Pearl Cove, it's time to have the talk

 Sorrow Unmasked: A human library of loss, resilience and connection

“Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.

And how else can it be?

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.”

- Khalil Gibran

Photo by Cherry Laithang

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Location: Pearl Cove Library

Date: Saturday October 16^th, 2021

Time: 10am – 1pm (book a 20 minute appointment within this time period)

Tickets: $10, advanced bookings are necessary to secure a place. Book a ticket through Eventbrite here. 

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How often do you talk about the big stuff?

Come and join in Pearl Cove's human library this October 16th, where you can ‘borrow’ a human book for 20 minutes to learn more about loss, grief and resilience.

Maybe you lost a loved one, or you lost your job, or maybe your favourite gelato place closed and you’ve been feeling blue ever since. In this digital age, it’s easier than ever to distract yourself from examining life’s difficult moments, but are we losing out by keeping ourselves distanced from the universal experience of loss? Come and connect with our human books who can offer real insight into the experience of loss and how they grew around it.

Meet our books:

Maryanne Larkin: Co-founder of RUOK

Maryanne Larkin's husband Gavin was the founder of the RUOK suicide prevention charity. Having lost both her husband and son to cancer since, Maryanne has stated that acceptance has played a large role in her family coping with the unthinkable. Maryanne can share her experience in reaching a place of acceptance through grief. 

Jonathan Jones: Artist

Wiradjuri and Kamilaroi artist Jonathan Jones has a deep understanding of cultural loss and its lasting impacts. In 2016, Jones turned Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden into a memorial to loss, drawing attention to the unseen stories of indigenous Australian’s. Jonathan can share his thoughts and meditations on inter-generational sorrow and cultural resilience in Australia. (Read more about his work 'Barrangal Dyara' here.)

Sam Dastyari: Former senator

Former politician and author of ‘One Halal of a Story’ Sam Dastyari has experienced a public fall from grace but lives to tell the tale. Readers of this book should note that Sam will not be talking politics at this event but will instead be sharing his experience in grappling with the personal fallout of bad decisions and public ire. 

Melissa Tan: Amputee

Melissa Tan lost her leg in a road accident and continues to manage the resulting chronic pain today. As a former dance teacher, Melissa is now a florist in Pearl Cove. She would love to share her journey of joy and sorrow on her long road to mental and physical recovery. 

Ahmed Sorour: Refugee

As a lawyer in Beirut in 1986, Ahmed left Lebanon to come to Australia because of the Lebanese civil war. Now a Pearl Cove resident and passionate bush regenerator, Ahmed would like to share his experience in overcoming his grief for the life he left in Lebanon, and how he learned to love Australia.

Siobhan Morrell

Mental Health Awareness

 Understanding Our Minds

A Human Living Library Event

FreepikImage

Mental health issues are experienced by almost 1 in 7 Children and Adolescents aged 4-17.  Spend time with and ask questions of those who know so much about this increasing issue.

Come into the Pearl Cove Library and borrow one of our 'living books' to learn more about mental health for mental health awareness month!  

There will be 4 'books' to meet and you will be in groups of 5 talking to those who have a lot of knowledge about this issue that is experienced by so many.

Location: Pearl Cove Library,

The Pearl Room

Date:  Friday 3^rd September

Time:  7-9pm

Cost:  This event is free! 

(bookings essential)  

RSVP: events@pearlcovelibrary 

or call us on 9452 5252 to book or for more information. 

 

Refreshments and snacks will be provided.  

Come along and get to know more about mental health as well as meet some new people!

What is a Living Library?

A living library is an event which gives those who attend an opportunity to ‘borrow’ a ‘living book’ (a person) for a specific time frame to talk and discuss about anything to do with the theme of the event- in this case, mental health!

For more information about mental health, visit: https://www.ruok.org.au.

Let's talk about ... sex!

Pride, Prejudice and 21st Century Women

a Living Library Event at Pearl Cove Library

Monday 8 March 2021 - 5pm to 8pm

Includes light refreshments.

Free event but bookings essential. 

This is a 16+ event.

The "weaker" sex has never been stronger, but the road to gender equality and acceptance still has some distance to travel.

Join us on that journey when this year, on International Women's Day, Pearl Cove Library invites you to be a part of our first  Human Living Library event  to celebrate women’s political, social and personal accomplishments, but also to raise awareness of the prejudices and discrimination they face. 

Join us and "borrow" a "human book". Don't miss the opportunity to meet some fascinating and diverse people, ask them questions and hear their stories in the cosy, casual atmosphere of Pearl Cove Room. Our "human books" list includes, among others, Katherine Cummings -  librarian, award-winning author and activist for transgender people’s rights in Australia - and Professor Ngiare Brown - one of the first Aboriginal doctors in Australia.

(photo credits: "Wiki Women" by Alex Tash, https://oberlinreview.org/18101/arts/artfeminism-wikipedia-edit-a-thon-to-promote-marginalized-artists/)

Event details: