Wellways

24/11/2025

Sometimes, when life gives you lemons, you’ve got to make grandma’s lemon slice!

Meet Sarah. From a young age she’s faced big challenges including homelessness, trauma, and family violence. More recently, Sarah has been rebuilding her life after a serious car accident left her with a physical disability that impacted her mental health. She felt every door had closed on her, until she discovered the Mental Health and Wellbeing Local in Lilydale, Victoria.

“I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t made that call from outside the Emergency Department.” Sarah says. “I spoke to Mel, a peer navigator, who is now one of the most important people in my life.”

Now, each week, Sarah brings the team home-made lemon slice, using her late grandma’s secret recipe. “She was always there for me but now she’s gone, I get to share a piece of her love with these amazing people! The Local is my second home, and the team feel like family.”

There’s no wrong door at the Mental Health and Wellbeing Local. Hope and connection can change a life.

Read more about Sarah’s story here:

Confronted with life’s toughest challenges, Sarah turned to her grandma’s recipe, found a new home and rediscovered her sparkle.

12/11/2025

The podcast exploring the lives of carers is back! Episode 1 of Tune in to Care Season 3 is out now on all your favourite podcast platforms.

This season we’ll get to know four inspiring carers and through their experiences we’ll explore how caring is timeless, but the way we support those supporting others is constantly evolving.

We’re also welcoming a new host in Billy Bentley, a fresh video format and more honest and real conversations about the challenges, victories and goals of carers.

In episode 1 you’ll get a sneak peek of what’s ahead: carer stories, expert insghts and the central theme of the season – how innovation can help carers thrive both in their caring role and in the pursuit of their personal goals.

Listen now, share, subscribe and join us in highlighting carer voices here: https://bit.ly/3WRquH0

11/11/2025

Today we're sharing the voices of veteran and defence community carers including Megan Humphreys, spouse of veteran, author and Wellways partner Kevin Humphreys - Keynote Speaker.

Their stories remind us that service doesn't end with a uniform, it continues in the work of love, advocacy, and resilience of those who support our veterans through life after service.

If you or someone you know is caring for a veteran, Wellways Carer Gateway is here to support you. To find out more about supports available for you, visit https://bit.ly/3Xm104B

10/11/2025

Doing things we enjoy connects us with ourselves and improves our overall wellbeing — but getting there can be a journey, something Yvette knows well.

Caring for her mother full-time led to burnout, and she had been reaching out to services that weren’t meeting her needs. Having a hearing impairment made accessing support even more challenging.

Through Wellways Carer Gateway, Yvette was connected with a service on her doorstep, a Medicare Mental Health Centre and paired with Kim, a Peer Navigator with lived experience.

“When they understood I was deaf and adjusted communication to emails and texts instead of calls, it made a huge difference — calls are stressful and affect my mental health,” Yvette says.

Working through her challenges, Yvette has reclaimed her wellbeing and reconnected with her creative self.

“When she first came in, it was clear she carried the weight of the world. Since then, she’s become a lighter, brighter person. She even wrote a song and shared it with all of us at the centre — it was beautiful,” Kim reflects.

Watch Yvette’s story and see how inclusive and tailored support can make all the difference.

05/11/2025

Looking for a new podcast? We've got you covered! Tune in to Care, our podcast exploring the lives of carers, is back this November with season 3.

Hear from four new inspiring carers and our new host Billy Bentley as we dive into how innovation is improving the lives of those who support others.

Stay tuned for our official launch date coming very soon and, in the meantime, catch up with our last season here: http://bit.ly/4owVCI4

31/10/2025

In our final video for parents caring for neurodiverse children, Madonna King gives her top tips on how to aproach social media. Madonna is a touring guest speaker with Wellways Carer Gateway. Watch part four now.

30/10/2025

Madonna King, an author and journalist, shares her wisdom, from a carers perspective, on friendships and neurodiverse children. Watch part three now.

29/10/2025

How do parents and carers advocate for their neurodivergent children at school? Author and journalist, Madonna King gives practical advice from her extensive research and lived experience. Madonna is a touring guest speaker with Wellways Carer Gateway. Watch part two now.

28/10/2025

Madonna King, co-author of 'Out of the Box: A one-stop guide to navigating neurodivergence', gives us her tips for parents who are carers of neurodivergent children. Madonna, an expert on the subject, recently toured NSW and Queensland as a guest speaker for Wellways Carer Gateway. Watch part one of this four part series now.

27/10/2025

Away from the big cities, in Australia’s regional and remote areas, connection is even more vital to ensure people are in touch and have someone to share their story with.

Rural Voices is an inaugural community event featuring powerful speakers with their own local connections and mental health stories to share. Launching this World Mental Health Month, it's a reminder that mental health is something we all play a part in.

Hosted by comedian Dave Hughes and featuring guest speakers Leila Sweeney-McDougall, Wayne Schwass and Gunditjmara Elder Paul Wright, Rural Voices invited open, heartfelt conversations about mental health, resilience and belonging.

If you missed it, watch the video or read more about it, here: https://bit.ly/4nsj5J5

25/10/2025

Listen to Judy Sharp's very special and final message to all carers - we promise it will make your day! Judy and Tim Sharp are internationally renowned 'mother and son' artists and motivational speakers. Learn more about Judy's carer journey and Tim's incredible artwork via LASER BEAK MAN by TIM SHARP.

24/10/2025

Judy Sharp, a powerhouse carer mum who has turned her role into a career with her artist son, Tim Sharp, says she is like every other carer. "You put yourself last and don't really look after yourself," Judy admits but at the same time she shares, her top tip for self-care that any carer can do to lift their spirits.