It has been estimated that in Australia, approximately 20 per cent of grownups are every year affected by some kind of mental disorder. Every year, around 6 per cent of the total populations are affected by depression while anxiety disorders are affecting about 14 percent.
The Satellite Foundation purposes to provide support to young people and children as well as their families on a voluntary basis in cases where a parent has been diagnosed as having a mental sickness. This includes schizophrenia, eating disorders, anxiety, depression, phobias, personality disorders, panic disorder and bi-polar affective disorders.
The Satellite Foundation Mission
The Mission is to offer openings enhancing the wellbeing, health and community connectedness of young people, children including their families in cases where a parent got a form of mental illness.
The Vision
That young people, children plus their families become additionally resilient to the challenges brought about by with mental sickness.
The History
Historically and for many years, children plus families have remained hidden not just within the community but also when it comes to the family and mental health services sectors. However, during this period, we have learnt a lot from the families themselves regarding what would be helpful. During the past 15 years, the Foundation has evolved as a result of the efforts by many working in Victoria addressing the issues that face families in which a parent is suffering from a mental sickness.
Several interventions for young people, children and their families have over time been piloted and assessed inside Victoria State and the gathered evidence is strongly supportive of their effectiveness. Programs include holiday programs, camps, various child-parent supporting groups as well as other groups that offer after-school peer support.
The Satellite Foundation becomes an integral part towards advocating for those parents having a mental sickness and for the promotion of positive outcomes for the young people, children, and their families. Besides, even though basic changes may have been witnessed inside the mental health systems which are acknowledging the significance of partnering with the affected families in which a parent got some kind of mental infirmity, a noteworthy gap still remains. The peer support programs which are evidence-based cannot continue successfully without a long term sustainable strategy which is what the Foundation is seeking to implement.
The Satellite Foundation Programs
The Satellite Foundation purposes to offer a variety of programs that include among others music and song writing workshops, weekend camps, after school group programs, parent support group programs and programs for school holiday groups. Up to now, the Satellite Foundation has been able to implement the song and music writing workshops and the weekend camps.
A variety of children programs, for young people and their have been developed and appraised and these are going to form the foundation of the upcoming Satellite Foundation initiatives and programs. Several of such programs include the Paying Attention to Self (PATS) Program for those young people aged between 13 and 18 and the Children and Mentally ill Parents (CHAMPS) Program for kids aged between 7 and 12.
Song & Music Writing Workshops
The music and song writing workshops of the Satellite Foundation purpose to offer a medium empowering children to obtain the mastery experience over the impacts of parental mental sickness and a space in which they could engage themselves in interpersonal relationships that are effective with their own peers, workshop facilitators and the musicians. These programs are being operated by the Foundation and are being co-facilitated by several talented musicians based in Melbourne including Charles Jenkins, Eva Popov, Beatrice Lewis and Justin Brady.
Weekend Camps
The weekend camps purpose to offer the kids the opportunity to get a break, have an opportunity of knowing other kids that in similar situations to theirs, enhance their comprehension of the mental sickness affecting the parent and its associated human behaviours and most significantly, to get some fun!
Helping at the Satellite Foundation
Donating
The Foundation depends on the financial backing coming from the community, groups and individuals to continue providing services and programs.
Volunteering
The Satellite Foundation welcomes support of the community towards assisting with events, programs, fundraising events and other administration tasks.
Fundraising
Hosting or organizing a fundraising event is an effective and fun way of raising funds for the Foundation and also boosting awareness of mental sickness and how it is affecting kids in your own community.
In Kind Support
An additional means through which one can offer invaluable support to the work of the Satellite Foundation is through offering providing ‘in-kind’ services and/or goods. You could also volunteer your personal time towards providing accounting, IT, legal, office administration or giving your marketing expertise. It is also possible to offer other types of services like camp accommodation, printing, catering, bus transport or room hire. Also one could also donate to the Foundation goods that they could utilize for raffles or prizes or other supplies for usage in programs such as stationery, sports equipment, puzzles, games, art and craft materials and musical instruments.
Leaving a Bequest
A number of people opt to leave a bequest made in their Will to carry on their support towards the work of the Satellite Foundation.
