Wyndham council is inviting residents who feel lonely or isolated during the Covid-19 pandemic to ring for a chat.
Mayor Josh Gilligan said that the council had altered its services to match the needs of the community during the pandemic.
“Check in and Chat is a one-on-one phone service, where you will be paired with a staff member for a regular chat – and they will check in on you to see how you are going,” he said.
“This service demonstrates the care that we have for our community.
“It is the role of local government to be agile and respond quickly when we see a need arise.
“We know that many residents are finding these restrictions challenging, that’s why we’re offering a friendly ear from staff already connected to our community through their work at our community centres and on our community projects.
“This initiative keeps local people in local jobs and responds, in part, to Australian of the Year Professor Patrick McGorry’s call for innovative strategies that adapt and extend mental health care.”
Cr Gilligan said that while the council staff would not be providing counselling or a mental health service, sometimes just talking to someone could make another person feel better.
“If you feel you need more specialised advice, staff can point you in the right direction of where to find these services or other essential services or resources you may need,” he said.
The service, which operates on weekdays, between 9am and 5pm, is open to residents of all ages and the council’s multilingual staff speak English, Punjabi, Hindi, Mandarin and Tamil.
Further languages are also supported through Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450. When you call this number, let the translator know you want to be connected to Wyndham City’s Check in and Chat service on 9742 0777.
If you’re feeling like you need to connect with someone over the phone or you know someone who is vulnerable and would benefit from a friendly chat, contact the council on 9742 0777 or email checkinandchat@wyndham.vic.gov.au
