New Course to Assists Adults with Mental Illness
Melbourne’s Jewish Care, is offering a new course to open doors to further community participation, education, training and employment for Jewish adults with a mental illness.
The course is being held in partnership with the Mental Illness Fellowship Victoria (MIFV),
The nationally accredited Certificate II in General Education will develop skills in reading, writing and numeracy in a positive and supported environment. The 12-month, two-day-a-week course at Jewish Care’s Always Moving Forward facility starts 17th August.
Jewish Care’s qualified counsellors will be available for support.
Jewish Care’s CEO Bill Appleby said psychiatric illness had a profound effect on learning capacity. He said this was compounded by the fact that many of those who are diagnosed with a mental illness are between the ages of 15 and 24 – a time when most young people were likely to embark on post-secondary education and training.
“We are aware that many Jewish Care clients who have a mental illness have not managed to complete school or tertiary education,” Mr Appleby said. “We also understand that many Jewish Care clients want to participate in the community through paid work but need to be able to demonstrate basic literacy and numeracy skills to do so.”
“This course aims not only to introduce new skills but to contribute to the recovery process through building self esteem, independence, self confidence and achievement and developing pathways to further learning or employment.”
Mr Appleby said the partnership with MIFV, a registered training organisation, was yet another example of Jewish Care’s emphasis on joint initiatives to “extend the capacity of the organisation and enable our clients to access the assistance they require”.
Basic English reading skills are required. Cost is $110 and payment plans are available. Places are limited to 15 people and pre-commencement interviews are required.
To find out more about the course, contact Irina Markevitch on (03) 8517 5741 or [email protected].
