The date has been finalised now after much anticipation – it’s April 26 – the official opening of the Endeavour Clubhouse Building at Hamilton Green, Port Macquarie.
This event will be the culmination of nearly 12 years of work by a dedicated committee to ensure that the mentally ill of Port Macquarie have a place to attend for employment, good nutrition and a structure to their days.
Even though the opening is being awaited with great excitement, the Endeavour Clubhouse Committee is still seeking funding to run the clubhouse.
All levels of government are aware and support the very successful Clubhouse concept, however, as yet nothing has been put in writing to indicate there will be funding to keep the project going
An estimated figure for ongoing funding of the Clubhouse, which would mean four staff, including a Director and all running costs such as food provision, phones, computers etc, would be in the region of $500,000 annually.
The building, which is based at Hamilton Green, is nearing completion now and is a great example of quality workmanship by Wesley Uniting Employment and the young people on New Start Allowances who are building it.
They are being supervised by Phil Pittis, a nominee for Port Macquarie Australian of the Year this year.
Once finished, it will mean that Port Macquarie is one of only three coastal venues in New South Wales to have successfully put a clubhouse on the map.
What a wonderful achievement for a relatively small coastal town to be able to provide its mentally ill with restorative activities, focusing on their strengths and abilities, not on their illnesses.
As well as the committee, a number of businesses in Port Macquarie have contributed by providing fixtures and fittings for the building, which will be more like a well fitted office with an exclusive club attached, than an “institutional” type building!
The key to success at other clubhouses – (there are in the region of 350 around the world), is the development of a roster of companies willing to give a job to the mentally ill. In America, these include companies such as Time Warner, Reuters, Dow Jones & Co, Newsweek and Woolworths.
In England, they include employers such as NHS Trusts, Lloyds Bank, The Trustee Savings Bank and The National Lottery.
It is hoped that there will be employers in Port Macquarie willing to give Clubhouse members “a go”. They are cost effective and the employers will never have to worry about absenteeism, because the clubhouse model will ensure that others are trained up in the same job and can take over when required! This is ensured by Clubhouses Transitional Employment Model.
Everyone in the world needs a shot at love and work. There should be no exceptions and the Clubhouse model intends to ensure that, in Port Macquarie, our mentally ill can have what others take for granted
