Illawarra volunteer assisting the mentally ill

Lorraine Huisman is a passionate and dedicated volunteer with the Illawarra branch of the Association of Relatives and Friends of the Mentally Ill (ARAFMI).

 

As a volunteer for ARAFMI Lorraine travels over 70 kilometres a day, three times a week, and is an enthusiastic promoter of the good work performed by ARAFMI.

 

Having qualifications in mental health care, specialising in dual diagnosis (where a combination of factors can be involved in treatment) Lorraine was looking for work in her chosen field. When she crossed paths with Kelly Parrish, regional manager of ARAFMI, at a promotional event in Dapto three years ago, Lorraine found an alternative solution. Instead of searching for a job that would allow her to put her research into mental health to professional use, she was offered the opportunity to volunteer with the ARAFMI.

 

Working with the organisation provided Lorraine with the experience she needed, as well as providing an outlet for her training in mental health treatment. The ARAFMI focuses on providing any necessary assistance for carers who work with friends, or relatives suffering from mental illness. Occasionally carers in turn require someone to help them, so that they can continue to provide aid to the people in their charge. This is where the ARAFMI can benefit carers the most.

 

Volunteers working with the mentally ill can face many challenges each day, something the ARAFMI tries to alleviate. "When their world is crashing around them they need someone to listen and offer other services which we can refer them onto, or even if they'd like to stay and talk to us, this is what we do".

 

Lorraine is also involved in fundraising events, to pay for educational initiatives such as workshops on first aid, or suicide prevention. The cost of training the carers to provide them with the skills necessary to cope with their difficult work is paid for by the organisation. ARAFMI, as a result, has a very close relationship with local care groups in each regional area.

 

The organisation itself is celebrating its thirty-five year anniversary this October in Sydney. Over two days, members of ARAFMI will discuss the challenges and issues that carers experience as part of their work under the banner 'National Challenges – Local Solutions'. The conference will also offer a forum for initiatives to be put into practice to assist the organisation in the future. It should prove to be an exciting time for all, as one of the founders of the organisation, Margaret Lukes, will be in attendance.

 

Lorraine works within the office of the Illawarra branch on many fronts, working with the family support network, on statistics, behind the reception, co-facilitating Thursday evening group sessions, as well as assisting the regional manager. Despite the hard work involved in volunteering for ARAFMI, she finds the whole endeavour very rewarding. In fact, Lorraine is no longer looking for a paid job in her chosen field. Through her work with the ARAFMI she has been able to develop her qualifications and received training on a continual basis. More importantly "I am respected and that's a very important thing. I am respected for what I do there."

 

Through giving of her time freely to benefit others, Lorraine has found a sense of personal fulfilment she would otherwise have missed. She does insist, however, that it is necessary for a volunteer to be flexible, respond to the needs of the people you work with and to insist on quality delivery of service. These are important factors in successful voluntary work.

 

 

Lorraine is a nominee for the 2010 NSW Volunteer of the Year Award.