Development Plans

Carer Hub Development Plans

It’s very exciting to be able to see plans taking shape for our mental health carer hub! Previously the property at Harcourt Street, New Farm was used as an office for our staff members before they moved into the office at Merthyr Road, New Farm. Until recently the house has been the unofficial Arafmi storage facility, housing everything from filing cabinets to old monitors and desks. 
 
We’re so proud to have been successful with the CIIP grant and being able to realise the dream of creating a dedicated mental health carer hub. Stay tuned – we plan to keep you updated on the progress of the mental health carer hub.

See more about the project here.

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Hidden Role of young carers
Carer Event

The hidden role of young carers

“I just thought it was normal” – the hidden reality of young mental health carers For many young people, caring doesn’t have a name. It’s something they do as part of everyday life, being there when someone needs them. As Tanya Boge from our Carer Support Team explains: “Many young mental health carers don’t identify with the word ‘carer’ they see what they do as just helping out.” What often goes unseen is everything that sits behind that. The mental load, the worrying, the responsibility, and the feeling like they have to stay strong, even when things are uncertain. Over time, that can begin to shape how young people see themselves and where their own needs fit. “Many also grow up without clear boundaries, which can make it harder to balance their own needs alongside supporting someone else.” For Tanya, this understanding comes from her own experience. “It’s important to me because I was a young mental health carer myself, even though I didn’t have that language at the time. I just thought it was normal to take on that level of responsibility and not have clear boundaries.” Looking back, she can see how those early experiences shaped her. “Without

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Meet Carol
Arafmi Staff

Meet the Carer Gateway Team: Carol from Townsville

Support where it didn’t exist before Meet Carol, supporting mental health carers in Townsville When Carol Sheeren sits down with a carer for the first time, she notices the same moment. “You can actually see it… they relax and just exhale.” She calls it “the great exhale”, that instant when someone realises they finally have space just for them, and someone who will listen without judgement. Carol is Arafmi’s Carer Gateway Carer Facilitator in Townsville. Since starting last August, she’s been quietly building connections, supporting carers one-on-one, linking them with resources, and offering support where it hasn’t always been available. Her work is part of Arafmi’s partnership with Wellways Carer Gateway, bringing support into regional and remote communities. Meeting carers where they are Without a dedicated hub in Townsville, Carol meets carers where they feel most comfortable, a park, a café, or a quiet space away from home. She also spends one day a week at the Medicare Mental Health Centre, where she meets carers and connects them with other supports. That choice gives carers a chance to step out of their role, even briefly, and focus on themselves. “People often need that first… just to feel supported before they’re

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