Demo
SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY
03 5332 1286  DONATE TODAY
  • Home
  • Services
    • Services
    • Alcohol & Drugs
      • Counselling
      • Youth Outreach
      • Intensive Case Management
      • Tabor House
    • Community Access
      • Do Care
      • Supported Residential Health Program
      • Supported Residential Services Visiting
      • Community Transport
      • Buddies
      • Support for Carers Program
    • Early Childhood Services
      • Alfredton Pre-School
      • Buninyong Pre-School
      • Enid Rogers Jubilee Kindergarten
      • Bacchus Marsh Montessori Centre
    • Housing and Crisis Support
      • Housing Support Services
      • Transitional Housing Management
      • Social Housing Innovations Project
      • Rooming Houses
    • Breezeway Meals Program
    • Lifeline Ballarat
    • Community Mental Health
      • Barnagnen
    • Reid's Guest House
    • Op Shops
    • Support Services
      • The Big Issue
      • Family Ties
      • Living Better with Less
    • Youth Residential Services
      • Karrung
    • Meals for Change
    • Integrated Family Services
    • National Disability Insurance Scheme
  • You can help
    • You can help
    • Volunteer Today
    • Please Donate
    • Make a Bequest
    • Make a Difference
  • Events
    • UnitingCare Book Fair
    • UnitingCare Pancake Day
    • Lifeline call for volunteers
    • Lifeline Upcoming Training
  • Employment
    • Employment
      • Volunteer Today
  • About
    • About
      • Our History
      • Mission & Values Statement
      • Awards
      • Our Supporters
      • Quality & Accreditation
    • Board of Governance
    • Our History
    • Mission & Values Statement
    • Awards
    • Our Supporters
    • Quality & Accreditation
    • Publications
      • Publications
      • Articles
        • Community Service Myths Revealed
        • Inn Their Shoes
        • Under The Floorboards
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • Agency Feedback
Demo

Community Service MYTHS Revealed

There are many myths in the community regarding the types of people who require our assistance. 

MYTH: Elderly people love their own company and don’t like to go out.
Many older people either lose the ability to go out alone through a disability or frailty, or lose their confidence to go out alone because of a bad experience they may have had. If you would like to find out more, contact Gail Reid on 5335 3500 or click here to go to our Aged & disAbility pages.

MYTH: All homeless people are older alcoholic males who sleep on park benches.
Homelessness affects people of all ages and gender and can happen to all types of people. A person who does not have access to safe, secure, adequate housing is considered to be homeless in Australia. If a person is living in emergency accommodation, or are couch surfing (staying at many different peoples couches for short periods of time) they are considered homeless. For more information regarding homelessness go to Homelessness Australia.

MYTH: People are homeless because it’s their fault.
Rent rises, rental property shortages, public housing waiting lists are just some of the reasons people become homeless. Other reasons for homelessness include women escaping from domestic violence, people with mental health problems, economic stress and people with drug and/or alcohol problems. If you or someone you know has housing difficulties, contact our Housing program.

MYTH: People who require Emergency Relief aid all receive Centrelink payments.
UnitingCare Ballarat regularly assists low income working families who are having financial difficulties because of mortgage or rent rises, unexpected expenses, multiple bills turning up at once and/or trying to pay for children’s uniforms and books at the beginning of the school year. For information regarding our Welfare programs click here.

MYTH: Calls to Lifeline are from people who are thinking about committing suicide.
People call Lifeline for many reasons including crisis support, mental health issues, loneliness, isolation and anxiety. If you are having any of these difficulties please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

MYTH: Alcoholics are always derelicts.
Most people with alcohol-related issues are every-day people who work, have families and friends, which can often make the problem a hidden issue and difficult to deal with.

MYTH: Marijuana is harmless and not as ‘hardcore’ as other drugs.
Marijuana can’t directly kill you – but smoking it is not risk-free. Regular marijuana use has been shown to be associated with long-term problems, including poor academic performance, memory loss and lung cancer. Smoking marijuana can lead to panic attacks, depression and other mental health problems and increased anxiety. If you or someone you know has a problem with alcohol or other drugs, contact UnitingCare Ballarat’s Alcohol and Other Drugs program.

  • Privacy Policy

Copyright ©2010 — 2018 UnitingCare Ballarat. All rights reserved.

  • HOME
  • SITE MAP
  • Services
    • Services
    • Aged & disAbility Services
    • Alcohol & Drugs
    • Early Childhood Services
    • Homeless Response & Housing
    • Breezeway Meals Program
    • Lifeline & Integrated Family Services
    • Community Mental Health
    • Reid's Guest House
    • Retail Shops
    • Support Services
    • Meals for Change
  • You can help
    • You can help
    • Volunteer Today
    • Please Donate
    • Make a Bequest
    • Make a Difference
    • Secure Donation Form
  • Events
    • Events
    • UnitingCare Book Fair
    • Inn Their Shoes
    • Under the Floorboards
  • Employment
    • Employment
  • About
    • About
    • Our History
    • Mission & Values Statement
    • Awards
    • Our Supporters
    • Quality & Accreditation
    • Publications
      • Publications
      • Articles
        • Community Service Myths Revealed
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • Agency Feedback