City Council has introduced the Award for Active Citizenship for the first time, recognising individuals who deliver outstanding work for the community.
The inaugural winner is South East Junction Mental Health Activity and Resource Centre Volunteer Coordinator Nel Jans, Ms Jans and her husband John immigrated to Australia from the Netherlands in 2008 and made Mount Gambier their home.
Soon after, Nel began work with the Skilled Migrants Friendship group, formed as part of Lifeline.
In 2010 she became the South East Junction Mental Health Activity and Resource Centre Coordinator.
Country Health SA withdrew funding for this position in 2012 and Ms Jans decided to continue in the role as a volunteer, providing up to 40 hours of her time each week to ensure her clients continued to receive much needed support.
Since then, Ms Jans has been the main driver of the organisation which provides support to people with mental health issues.
“The Junction is a volunteer-run organisation made up of 20 volunteers that is not funded, we totally rely on grants and donations,” she said. “We provide activities and support to people with mental health issues focusing on things like cooking, healthy living, exercise, positive psychology and mental wellbeing in Mount Gambier and Millicent.”
Lifeboat SE and Limestone Coast Meditation Community are affiliated with the Junction.
“Over the years we have forged many valuable partnerships,” she said.
Ms Jans has a wealth of knowledge in the area of mental health and is dedicated to using her skills to help people manage mental health issues and live their best life. “I have worked in the industry for more than 40 years across the whole spectrum as a homeopath, naturopath, mental health nurse, social worker, general nurse, so in that sense I have seen it all,” she said.
“I am good at reading people and I can easily see where their potential is and I try to empower them to give things a go and then it’s up to them if they want to go for it or not. “I had one woman who could not even go to the shop or even leave the house when
she first came to the centre and then she ended up becoming a volunteer for us, so I know it works.”
The passionate mental health advocate believes that self-empowerment and instilling confidence in people are the keys to help people overcome mental health issues.
“We do not label people as their diagnosis; they are people and they are capable,” Ms Jans said. “I ask them to think about what they are good at. “So many people have a lot of potential and sometimes they need to acknowledge their potential and feel confident about it.”
In her spare time, Ms Jans set up a social group for Dutch residents living in the region and co-authored a book ‘Dutch Odyssey’ which contains stories related to Dutch migrant settlement in the South East of South Australia.
“Elly Anderson and I spent five years seeking out stories from first- and second-generation migrants for the book. The stories outline examples of courage, hardship, humour, determination and achievement,” she said.
Ms Jans said she was pleased that migrants can now be recognised for their contributions to the community within the Active Citizenship category as part of the Australia Day Awards.
“I feel very honoured for this acknowledgement of my work at the Junction and it’s great the Active Citizenship Award recognises non-Australian citizens as many migrants go over and above within the community to fit in to their new communities and give back,” she said.
