Support for post-COVID wellbeing

Support for post-COVID wellbeing
By Lachlan Ellis

To say the last few years have been tough for small businesses would be a huge understatement, but a State Government initiative is offering a helping hand, with free counselling and support.
The Partners in Wellbeing program is offering access to Wellbeing Coaches to help deal with mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression, and professional mentoring to keep businesses running.
Nicki Paull is one of the program’s Consultant Clinicians, and explained how the Partners in Wellbeing program works.
“I and my Consultant Clinician colleagues are each ‘embedded’ within a number of Victorian Peak Bodies and Chambers of Commerce who, in turn, serve and support small business operators across numerous sectors: for example, hospitality, nurseries, tourism, sport, hotels, music industry and local municipalities,” she told the Moorabool News.
“People can either book directly through the link, or come to us via their own representative organisation. We offer free and confidential counselling, financial counselling or business advisory to Victorian small business management, staff and their families.”
She said getting the word out that support was available had proven a challenge.
“This fantastic Victorian Government initiative is quietly addressing the difficulty of accessing mental health support for rural and regional small business, as well as city venues. Telehealth can reach into areas where well-being support is scarce,” Ms Paull said.
President of the Ballan & District Chamber of Commerce, Michael Ryan, said the initiative was particularly promising, given the stress of running a business through the pandemic.
“All those sorts of things are very important in the business environment, particularly at the moment and especially for small and micro businesses who don’t have access to HR departments like bigger businesses do…so I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for people who are struggling to get help,” he told the Moorabool News.
“The stress has been exacerbated hugely by COVID, you just can’t be sure when the next customer is going to walk through the door. Small businesses in Ballan, during lockdown, there wasn’t much traffic on the highway…clearly the levels of stress are high.

To read the full story – Simply click on the following link

https://issuu.com/themooraboolnews/docs/mn_2022-03-08/8

in the 8 March 2022 edition
OR
pick up a paper around your town.