WELCOME
CARING COMMUNITIES PROGRAM
Caring Community is at the heart of the vision and mission of Heart Place. Through this program we share research, resources and practices to support us in strengthening our capacity to care. What are the capacities and competencies needed to be caring, compassionate and responsive? What does effective self-care look like and why does self care fall 'flat' for so many of us. How can we best develop the capacity for care to create healthy loving and resilient communities?
Compassionate care is essential for social cohesion and diminishes when we feel overwhelmed, hopeless and isolated. Ability to care is integral to our health and wellbeing and indeed for the survival of this planet.
As babies we are born into this world with an expectation and need to be cared for. We have an inherent capacity to be co-operative and caring if nurtured by the right environment. We are social beings with a need to belong and wired to connect.
This core program encompasses the following workshops & resources
- Caring Communities Training: A 12 hour training of 3 modules that covers the 3 Circles of Care, 4 steps of Self Care and comes with its own Action Plan C.A.R.E. This Training has three versions adapted to the needs of Family, Workplace & Community.
- Mental Health Station which focuses on Mental Health Education, Mental Health First Aid (MHFA Australia) and the home of our Mental Health Station Directory with resources for Crisis and mental Health support. The focus of MHFA is early intervention .
- Trauma Integrative Community Regular meets where we share resources and trainings for healing and trauma stabilisation.
- The Grief Sanctuary
Seeding Hope: Creating MEaning & Purpose in Uncertain times
Your Facilitator Sydel Weinstein
🌱 You Are Invited: Seeding Hope Workshop
Part of the Caring Communities Program at Heart Place
Facilitated by Sydel, this workshop invites us to explore how hope moves us forward so we can engage with the three circles of care:
Care for self • Care for each other • Care for land & things bigger than ourselves
🌱 Details: Sunday November 9th
, 10am to 1pm.
🌱 Booking Here Early Bird Oct. 12th
🌱 Workshop Focus
Together we will explore the relationship of hope to:
• Connection & community
• Compassion, caring & resilience
• Meaning, purpose & values
• Mindfulness & wellbeing
• Social change & collective healing
• Grief, loss & renewal
🌱 Why Hope?
Hope is a light that can dim through overwhelm, burnout, grief, or depression. At such times, community can hold the threads of hope for us until we regain meaning and purpose. We all have an inner light that fades and rekindles. For ourselves, our children, and for the earth, we must keep this flame alive collectively and be there for one another.
🌱 Workshop Structure
• Opening Presentation – context, research, and resources on hope
• Circle-Based Exploration – discussion, processes, and practices to
activate hope and hold space for ourselves and each other
• Break – tea & snacks provided
🌱 Honouring Voices: reflections on the work of Joanna Macy, Jane Goodall,
and the emerging “Hope-Based Communications” of Thomas Coombes🌱 Your Facilitator: Sydel Weinstein
I draw on my own life experiences of loss, parenting, and caring for loved ones
— as well as the self-doubt that can come with being a vision-holder. I also
bring decades of professional work as a:
• Sociologist & mental health educator
• Mindfulness & trauma-informed body therapist
• Advocate working alongside refugees
• Co-director of the Family Nurturing Centre (home of yoga)
• Director of Heart Place & Mental Health Station
🌱 Practical Details
• Format: Circle-based, with a variety of seating options (floor, chair, ball)
• Venue: Heart Place (stair access)
• Duration: 3 hours (with mid-session break)
• Refreshments: Tea & snacks provided
• Fee: Contribution requested to cover organisational overheads. If cost is a barrier, please email sydel@heartplace.org.au – we want you to attend
🌱 Why Join?
This workshop is an opportunity to:
• Explore hope as a practice and resource
• Strengthen community bonds
• Share stories and resilience strategies
• Honour both personal and collective journeys
🌱 Please join us. Together, we can seed and nurture hope.
Our Partners & Collaborators
