By DANE LILLINGSTONE
LIFELINE is a service that has been associated with Warwick and the Southern Downs for over 20 years.
Their first office in Warwick was opened in 1997 on King Street, and now they have officially opened their new office in Warwick.
Senior practitioner with the Personal Helpers and Mentors Service (PHaMs) Terry Pinney said the office would serve as a hub for their services.
“This is the first time we’ve had an office where we can co-ordinate the services and that actually has enough space for everybody,” he said.
Lifeline now has offices based in both Warwick and Stanthorpe but their work seeps much deeper into the community.
“We don’t work a lot in the office, we meet people in the community, we meet people in their homes, we’ll go anywhere that people need us to be,” Mr Pinney said.
Their services cover the Southern Downs and its surrounds including up to Clifton, Wallangarra and out to Goondiwindi.
Having first opened in July, there are now eight workers across the PHaMs and Co-ordinated Accommodation Support Program available in the office, as well as gambling help and financial counselling services available by appointment.
Mr Pinney said that Lifeline did its best to make people comfortable and that people could expect ongoing support from their services.
“We have some processes that make it easy,” he said.
“We could see them for the first time in a coffee shop or wherever’s comfortable.
“If they already know someone, who they feel comfortable with, we’ll go with them. Or they can bring a friend, family member or partner. Whatever works for them, we will do.
“We can support people, sometimes they come in a real difficult stage of their life, rock bottom, not always though. We can work with people over quite a long period of time – up to two years or longer.
“That enables people to really tell their story and really take time to work out what will make a difference in their lives.
“We’re not working in a clinical practice way, we’re working in a support way. We’re really supporting people’s recovery journey.
“We will walk alongside them.”
