Tandem Carers

16/12/2025

Thank you to everyone who joined us to make the 2025 Tandem Awards such a special celebration of those who go to exceptional lengths to support family, carers and supporters in Victoria's mental health and wellbeing system!

Congratulations to all our 2025 winners:

- Rebecca Lovell, Eastern Health - the Carer Lived Experience Workforce (CLEW) Award
- Liza Staios, Mind Australia - the Individual Community Award
- Dr Simone Keogh, Peninsula Health - Individual Clinical​ Award
- Peninsula Carer Council - the Volunteer Service Award
- Ash Burnett - the Satellite Foundation Youth Advocate Award
- Karen McKnight, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect Award
- Annette Mercuri, the Family Carer Research Award
- Sarah Izhak, Samual Ryan & Navin Singh and Katherine Dowson, Eastern Health - Office of the Chief Psychiatrist Award
- Gabby Cohen - the Jackie Crowe Memorial Award
- Judi Burstyner, Inner South Family and Friends - the Lifetime Achievement Award
- Karen - the Arafmi Ltd Carer Respite Award

We appreciate all that you do to create a safe, fair and inclusive mental health and wellbeing system for family, carers and supporters. 💛🏅

Find out more about Tandem's work at https://tandemcarers.org.au/

15/12/2025

We at Tandem express our horror at yesterday's violence in Bondi and its impact on the Jewish community and Hanukkah celebrations here in Victoria. This year, as for centuries, the lighting of the candles on the menorah symbolise light’s victory over darkness.

It is a terrible, terrible tragedy and we extend our thoughts to everyone affected. There can be no room for such acts of hatred, antisemitism and racism in Australia.

If you are feeling impacted, please reach out for support:

- Jewish Care Victoria : 1300 133 660 (if their lines are busy, please leave a message and they will phone you back)
- Lifeline: 13 11 14
- Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800
- Griefline: 1300 845 745

Lifeline has also developed a Wellbeing Support Guide for anyone affected: https://www.lifeline.org.au/get-help/support-toolkit/techniques-and-guides/bondi-beach-incident-wellbeing-support-guide

13/12/2025

Helen Saigal, winner of the 2025 Monash Art Competition for Carers, spoke to our team about her creative practice.

As a full-time carer, Helen’s journey into art began when someone asked, “what are you doing for yourself?” That question led her to art classes, and it changed her life.
Today, creativity is her sanctuary. “When you’ve got so many issues… you just lose yourself in it,” she explains. Art helps her stay grounded and healthy. “Touch wood, I haven’t been to the hospital for the last four years.”

Helen encourages other carers to make time for themselves. Whether painting, gardening or cooking, she believes creative outlets are healing.

Read her full profile here: https://tandemcarers.org.au/p/Contents/Stories/Member-stories/Helen%20Saigal%20story.aspx

11/12/2025

“We are seeking urgent clarity on how a strong carer perspective will remain embedded in Victoria’s mental health reforms, and whether these changes reflect a shift away from a government commitment to the royal commission’s vision to centre lived experience in system transformation,” Jane Dune, Tandem's acting CEO, told The Age yesterday.

Tandem is deeply concerned that the proposed changes – the removal of the Lived Experience Commissioner (Carer) role, together with the shift of the Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing to a single-CEO model – will weaken lived experience leadership in Victoria’s mental health system.

Read the article here [subscription required]: https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/abolition-of-lived-experience-test-for-mental-health-leaders-alarms-industry-20251208-p5nlpt.html

Read our full statement here: https://tandemcarers.org.au/p/p/Contents/Stories/News/Revised%20Tandem%20statement%20on%20silver%20review%20impact.aspx

10/12/2025

The Tandem Awards are here! If you're joining us today in person, all the info you need on how to find the venue is available at: https://tandemcarers.org.au/p/Events/Event_display.aspx?EventKey=TA2025

If you're joining us online, the livestream will begin at 2pm at https://awards.tandemcarers.org.au/livestream

Next Thursday 11 December, we honour some of the extraordinary people and services improving the lives of family, carers and supporters in Victoria. 💛

Watch the 2025 Tandem Awards via livestream — or grab one of the last in-person tickets (if you’re a Tandem member and get in quick!).

Livestream from 2pm: awards.tandemcarers.org.au/livestream

In-person tickets (members only): tandemcarers.org.au/events

08/12/2025

Congratulations to Inner South Family and Friends (ISFAF) for winning a Carers Victoria Connecting Carers Grant.

The grant will help ISFAF build their community support programs for mental health family, carers and supporters, especially those from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Judi Burstyner is a longtime Tandem member and is stepping aside as ISFAF Chair after many years of contribution. Read her profile here: https://tandemcarers.org.au/p/Contents/Stories/Member-stories/Judi%20burstyner%20story.aspx

04/12/2025

Next Thursday 11 December, we honour some of the extraordinary people and services improving the lives of family, carers and supporters in Victoria. 💛

Watch the 2025 Tandem Awards via livestream — or grab one of the last in-person tickets (if you’re a Tandem member and get in quick!).

Livestream from 2pm: awards.tandemcarers.org.au/livestream

In-person tickets (members only): tandemcarers.org.au/events

03/12/2025

Tandem is concerned about the planned closure of Cohealth’s general counselling services in Collingwood, Niddrie, Footscray, Fitzroy and Kensington on December 19 this year.

These services provide essential early intervention and support for people facing psychosocial stress, hardship, trauma, social disadvantage or isolation, and they’re a lifeline for family, carers and supporters too. Losing them will create a major gap in community health and wellbeing, particularly for marginalised and disadvantaged community members.

We’re calling on the State Government to pause the closure, consult with service users and retain community-based counselling as vital preventative infrastructure.

Read our full statement here: https://tandemcarers.org.au/p/Contents/Stories/News/cohealth-counselling-services.aspx

02/12/2025

Christmas is on the way - and Victoria's Mental Health and Wellbeing Connect centres are holding events all over Victoria! 🎄

Find events on the Tandem website: https://tandemcarers.org.au/christmas

25/11/2025

UN Women’s international campaign 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, takes place each year from 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) until 10 December (International Human Rights Day).

The 2025 campaign focuses on one of the fastest-growing forms of abuse: digital violence against women and girls. This year’s campaign is also a reminder that digital safety is central to gender equality.

https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/unite/theme

24/11/2025

A reminder that our Annual General Meeting is just around the corner, on Thursday, 27 November, from 11:00am-11:45am. It will be an online-only event, held via Zoom.

We'll discuss our key achievements in 2024-25, launch our 2025 Impact Report and vote on proposed amendments to the Tandem Rules of Association.

For more information on the proposed amendments, visit www.tandemcarers.org.au/members

This is a members-only event and registration is essential. Register here: www.tandemcarers.org.au/events

21/11/2025

Today is International Survivors of Su***de Loss Day, which is about survivors of su***de loss finding connection and hope through shared understanding and solidarity.

If you or someone in your life has experienced su***de loss, Support After Su***de run a phone line on 1800 943 415, and a range of resources on their website, here: www.supportaftersu***de.org.au

Survivors of su***de loss can also access specific supports via Su***deLine Victoria, on 1300 651 251, and via Lifeline, on 13 11 14.