Two months after launching, Castlemaine’ own Safe Space is achieving exactly what it set out to, and is now keen to secure a permanent home of its own.
Volunteers with the new Safe Space, the first for regional Victoria, say the space has been well used from the get-go.
“Since launching we’ve had attendees at almost all of our sessions which proves there is a need in the community,” the Space’s Rachel Stewart says.
Like other such Safe Spaces Australia-wide and beyond, it aims to provide a safe non-clinical drop-in port of call for anyone experiencing emotional distress or suicidal thoughts to sit and talk to a sympathetic trained volunteer with lived experience of suicide.
It’s currently operating Tuesday evenings 6pm-8.30pm from the town’s Senior Citizens rooms and Saturday afternoons 1.30pm-4pm from the Salvation Army hall on Kennedy Street.
But with storage an issue, the board and volunteers are now keen to secure a permanent home of their own and are appealing particularly to local real estate agents and landlords or other venue managers to get in touch if they think they can help.
“We’re looking for a permanent venue, somewhere central,” volunteer Rose Gubbels says.
“It’s been going well. People have been just coming in and checking us out and we’ve had some pretty good feedback. We are building up trust.”
They’re also particularly inviting more people to get on board and train to become peer volunteers.
Having a background in counselling, psychology or social work is not necessary – but being an empathetic listener with some prior lived experience of the needs of folk undergoing emotional distress or suicidality is, Rachel says.
She says anyone who thinks they may be able to assist the Space secure a new permanent home in central Castlemaine is encouraged to get in touch straight away.