Supporting our community during COVID-19

Update

Thank you to those who completed our survey earlier this year. We heard from 181 members of our community.

Overview of feedback:

• Respondents were predominantly looking for ways to keep active and busy, followed, by ways to improve physical and mental health. Increased social isolation had the biggest impact on respondents (60% said this was affecting them and their household)
• There was significant aspiration for technology free activities and to be part of their community. A majority of comments indicated they would like Council services to resume as soon as possible, with particular reference to the library and sports.
• The primary coping strategy was to keep in touch on phone and online at 34%. Zoom was the prominent platform mentioned (while mindful that this survey was completed by those with access to technology). 13% said they exercised.
• Respondents appreciated Council’s Native Plant Sale and requested more services around exercise, outdoor spaces, walking trails and online council customer services.
• Overall, Tea Tree Gully respondents missed their pre-Covid lives but were proud of their resilience, adaption to isolation and were thankful about living in South Australia. The use of technology increased and provided much needed social connection. Overuse of technology encouraged a slowing down and return to hobbies, nature and walking.

What we did

A Community Wellbeing Team was created in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and focused on the following areas to support our community during lockdown: learning and sharing skills, giving back to the community, supporting our most vulnerable and local enterprise.

The survey results confirmed this approach with identified needs as: family connection, wellbeing – mental and physical, caring for children and vulnerable, and community connection.

Where possible we adapted our programs to deliver them online including the April School Holiday programs and Library programs such as Baby Bounce, Mini Movers and Storytime.

Other examples include:

• Hundreds of wellbeing phone check-ins conducted and kindness kits and puzzle kits made and delivered
• A parenting webinar to support parents with lockdown held – we had 100 participants and it booked out in 2 hours
• The Connection Cards project introduced volunteers to elderly Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) clients through a pen pal model. 100 participants communicated with a partner through handwritten cards and letters
• In lieu of volunteer recognition events, Council volunteers were offered the opportunity to select a $25 gift card for a local business. This allowed council to provide recognition to volunteers and economic support to businesses. 255 vouchers were provided
• To encourage people to reach out to their immediate neighbours a series of kindness cards titled ‘Hi Neighbour’ were available to download from the Council website. The cards allowed an individual to tell neighbours in what ways they could offer assistance to those in need.
• Promotion of local walking trails
• A 12 week wellbeing challenge involved an email sent each week to connect locally with wellbeing activities.

More information about our community wellbeing programs are available on our website

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic is like nothing that has happened in our lifetimes. We understand it’s a challenging and difficult time for our community, even as we start moving into a recovery phase.

The City of Tea Tree Gully is working hard to ensure the safety, health and wellbeing of our community.

To provide the best support we can, we would like to build our understanding of the needs and issues facing our community, and the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on you and your family.

Let us know how you think Council can support you and your wellbeing. We would also like you to share your stories, ideas and thoughts about some of the good you may have seen or experienced.

You can get involved and have your say in some or all of the following ways (click on the tabs or links below):

• Complete our Community Needs Survey (it should take around five minutes)
• Share some good about how our communities have been connecting and supporting each other
• Share your ideas and thoughts about what we should keep or continue doing on the other side of COVID-19. What’s something that you’ve appreciated that you don’t want to see lost?