Newsletter - Issue 8 - February 2022
Our News
Play and Chat is up and running
It’s been wonderful to host Play and Chat groups all this month, with children and their caregivers spending time in the cottage and backyard. The program is designed to promote healthy relationships and happy children - and we even make time for morning tea. To book, just email Lauren or call 02 4872 1229.
Black Box Parenting starts this month
Our Black Box Parenting program is also now underway. Black Box Parenting equips mums and caregivers with the skills they need to parent children who have been through trauma, and to understand the impact of that trauma on their lives.
Research shows that parents’ own experiences of abuse, neglect and violence can get in the way of them engaging in mainstream parenting groups - Black Box is tailor-made for families in this type of situation.
The course is a 10-week program, with fortnightly sessions. Child care is provided on site, so children can play at the same time.
Our first Black Box Parenting course is fully booked; Pop In is now taking bookings for our second course, which will begin in late March. Simply email Lauren or call 02 4872 1229.
Vicki Kelley,
Chair
Our Results
When Betty* first visited Pop In, she was looking for options to help her leave her abusive partner. She had savings, she was resourceful and organised, and we didn’t expect to see her again.
However, a week later we heard from Betty again. Pop In’s team helped her - and her dog - move into a safe place and apply for extra assistance. Betty’s story is a good snapshot of what Pop In does to provide true support.
Betty told us that just having “a friendly face” was all she needed to get through.
*Name changed to protect privacy.
Our Community
Great to see Pop In supporters getting active! We’re incredibly fortunate to have been named as one of the beneficiaries of two very fun local events coming up in March.
The Creek to Peak is being billed as “a course with a cause”. The 5km charity fun run, from Bowral Pool, up Mount Gibralter, and back along the creek on the Cherry Tree Walk, will be held on 6 March. Organiser Tim McLean has named Pop In as a beneficiary of the inaugural event, which is being supported by a huge range of local businesses. It’s not too late to register - just visit the Creek to Peak website.
The wonderful team at Waratah Building are raising money for Pop In by competing as a team in the Tri Husky Festival. The team of friends, family, clients, suppliers, business groups and individuals have been getting together to train - in the pool and on the track. Last year at the same event they raised more than $4K for the Make A Wish Foundation, and we’re so grateful that they nominated Pop In as their beneficiary this year. It’s not too late to donate. Visit their Go Fund Me page.
Our People
Rod Stockell
Rod Stockell says the last three years volunteering for Pop In have been “very much an adventure, a very exciting period”. We’re not surprised! One of four founding members of Pop In, Rod has been with us every step of the way. Now the company secretary, he attends to all of the statutory bits and pieces that are required of an ACNC registered charity.
Rod is, in his own words, a “late in life lawyer”, having been admitted to the High Court in his 60s. He went on to volunteer a day a week for a community legal centre in Sydney, helping many clients facing disadvantages like homelessness or being refugees. “Part of my motivation in wanting to get a domestic violence service up and running - the gleam in my eye - was to use my legal experience to help clients here in the Southern Highlands, because there is not a community legal centre in the Highlands.”
Rod’s motivation, and ongoing conversations with like-minded friends, led him to Rotary, Vicki Kelley, extensive research with help from the University of Wollongong, and a very proud moment: the opening of Pop In’s doors in March 2021.
“I’m very proud of the fact that we’ve managed to open the doors and start helping women. If we can help on woman then that’s worthwhile - and we’ve gone on to help many more than that.”
Pop In's vision is to help women get back on their feet - which can mean different things to different people. To Rod, it means that the women Pop In support will be able to cope with the unexpected things that come along. “I hope that they have a better perspective on what they’re capable of doing and where they need help.”
Our Partners
A huge thank you to Dirty Janes for passing on a donation to support Pop In! A few big-ticket items came their way late last year, including a beautiful bed head made of Huon Pine. Together with their owner, Jane Crowley decided that the profits from the items sold would go to Pop In. Well, the bed head is now on its way to a beautiful former convent in the Hunter Valley - and the donation is in our account.
A couple of other items are still for sale. Call into Dirty Janes and ask the lovely staff to show you!
Pop In’s unique model of support was developed after an extensive research process with help from the University of Wollongong. We’re pleased to report that UOW is now undertaking an external evaluation of our processes and procedures. We’re grateful for the support of the Thyne Reid Foundation for a financial grant to support the evaluation.
The Thyne Reid Foundation, created by the late Andrew Thyne Reid in 1944, encourages and supports projects in the fields of medicine, science, creative arts, environment, education, social and community needs.
