People experiencing hardship in Mount Gambier were recently invited for hair and beauty sessions or to enjoy a cinema screening through experiences organised by country agency ac.care.
A group of 10 women received free treatments from hair and beauty students at TAFE SA’s Mount Gambier campus, while a crowd of 45 recently attended a screening of Twisters at Oatmill Cinema Complex.
The separate experiences were organised by ac.care Limestone Coast homelessness service manager Kelly McGuinness to bring joy and connection to people experiencing personal challenges.
“It was a great day out at TAFE for the women who took part and they were given wonderful treatment by the students there,” Ms McGuinness said.
“We had one person who was so grateful for their experience, they shared a picture of themselves on social media – something they said they normally did not feel comfortable doing.
“It was a great example of how something small we may get to experience regularly can really make an impact on someone who does not have that luxury.”
ac.care’s Limestone Coast Homelessness Service team hosted a special morning screening of Twisters during National Homelessness Week, with Oatmill Cinema subsidising costs and community donations to ac.care also helping to fund the experience.
“We had a line-up almost out the door of invited guests who came along to enjoy a movie, popcorn and drink,” Ms McGuinness said.
“We had people saying they could not remember the last time they went to the cinema so it was nice to know we could provide some joy and entertainment.
“It was great for our staff to also be involved and get to share in that enjoyment with the people they support.”
While the experiences go beyond the specialised support offered by ac.care, Ms McGuinness said they played an important role in building a sense of community and bringing positivity into people’s lives.
“We work closely with the people who need support to address the challenges they are experiencing and to work with them to create the safety and stability they need to thrive,” Ms McGuinness said.
“A lot of these interactions happen in our service delivery, as well as in our day-to-day functions at the community centre, so it was great to move outside of those spaces and to offer something to bring some joy.
“These experiences are often not a priority or out of reach for people facing hardship so we are thankful that we have the community support to be able to provide these opportunities.”
If you or someone you know needs support, visit www.accare.org.au, email care@accare.org.au or call 1300 ACCARE (1300 222 273) for more information.
