Calling all gig buddies, this is your last chance to sign up for tomorrow’s festive feast event.
Join us as we head to The Elly in East Gosford for a Christmas bite to eat.
We want to bring our growing community together and finish 2021 in style. Come join your fellow buddies for a night of good company, food and drink.
To register (and to find out more information about our gathering at the The Elanora Hotel), load up the link below:
Gig Buddies is all about meeting new people and expanding social circles. To all the buddies and volunteers who've signed up with us, we encourage you to come along - irrespective if you’re paired up or not.
If you have any questions or would like more information about our gathering at The Elly, send us an email: info@gigbuddiescentralcoast.org, get in touch with us via Facebook Messenger or call/SMS us on 0402 708 814.
Act for the camera
As for this week’s online offering, we invite buddies to join us on Zoom for a game of charades.
Drama and acting skills at the ready, we’re guessing words against the clock.
To join us on Wednesday click on the link listed below.
Wednesday 15/12
- 4pm: Gig Buddies charades
All online games will take place via Zoom. For information on how to use Zoom, load up the following easy read guide written by Learning Disability Wales. Alternatively, click here to check out our 'how to use Zoom' video.
If you have any questions or would like more information, send us an email: info@gigbuddiessydney.org or info@gigbuddiescentralcoast.org or call/SMS us on 0402 708 814.
Get them while you can
This is your last opportunity to buy a Gig Buddies calendar and have it delivered in time for Christmas.
Featuring some fabulous art pieces, our 2022 calendar is designed entirely by Sydney and Central Coast buddies.
Gig Buddies’ calendars are available in wall and desktop size, and they make the perfect Christmas stocking filler. To order yours, click here.
"People have made lifelong friendships….”
Our CEO, Carol, has featured in the State of the Disability Sector Report 2021 - sharing thoughts on our parent company, ACL Disability Services and both the Gig Buddies Central Coast and Gig Buddies Sydney projects.
To read the full article, either click on the image above or load up the following link and jump to page 54.
We want to hear from you
Suggestions continue to roll in for our ‘think big’ campaign.
As a reminder, we’re a user-led project - and we’re calling on both buddies and volunteers to help shape us moving forward.
During lockdown, buddies were invaluable when it came to sharing their Zoom suggestions. Now things are slowly returning back to normal, we’re looking for guidance on what you think we should do next.
We’re looking for suggestions on how we can improve the service, or any tweaks or changes to the project that you think would be beneficial to everyone involved.
Are we missing something when it comes to engagement or the recruitment of buddies and volunteers? Could volunteer training be improved?
Or, are there any major events coming up that you feel we should be part of? Or, are there any sporting spectacles you feel we need to be in the crowd for?
We encourage you to be bold and to think big. The possibilities are endless…. Nothing is off limits, no idea will be dismissed.
You can share your thoughts, ideas and suggestions via our website by loading up the following link.
New you for 2022
Is it too early to be thinking about new year’s resolutions?
If you’re after something new for 2022, why not try expanding your social circle? We happen to be looking for more buddies on the Coast.
For those not in the know, we match adults with disabilities with volunteers, both of whom share a mutual passion(s). Age, gender and location preferences are also taken into consideration - and once paired up, ‘matched buddies’ attend gigs and events of their choosing.
Events can range from music concerts, sporting matches, bushwalking or catching up for a coffee – the possibilities are endless, and are all determined on someone’s personal interests.
We have been in operation since April, and we have volunteers based throughout the Central Coast who are waiting and ready to go! The benefits of joining our growing community include:
✅ Meet new people
✅ Try new things
✅ Expand your circle of friends
✅ Go out with someone who’s not a family member or support worker!
If you, or someone you know, ticks the boxes above, I would love to hear from you.
Feel free to send a text or call us on 0402 708 814. Alternatively, head to our website, www.gigbuddiescentralcoast.org, get in touch via Facebook Messenger or head directly to our sign-up page here.
A word from the pros
We continue to enjoy greater freedoms, but we’re going to carry on publishing information for those who may be struggling.
Mental Health First Aid Australia have issued the following guidelines on assisting someone distressed by the Covid-19 pandemic, and they’re also providing mental health first aid in the time of ‘social distancing. Additionally, the team from ideas.org.au have shared their ‘look after your mental health in the COVID-19 crisis’ list of ideas.
reachout.com have also released their 10 ways to take care of yourself during coronavirus guide, while for those of you now working from home, Black Dog Institute have put together the following checklist to support your mental health.
We’re here to chat
From our perspective, while we’re not trained professionals, we are available for a chat.
For anyone experiencing increased social isolation, send a text or call us at 0402 708 814 (Gig Buddies Central Coast) or 0422 061 990 (Gig Buddies Sydney).
Alternatively, feel free to get in touch via Facebook Messenger or connect courtesy of email: info@gigbuddiescentralcoast.org or info@gigbuddiessydney.org
Matthew Collins
Gig Buddies Central Coast coordinator
Would you like more information about Gig Buddies Central Coast? You’re only a click away. Connect with us via the links below.
Fancy revelling in legendary status? If so, please support us in our cause to get more people out to live events in Sydney.
Donations over $2 are tax deductible and all are gratefully received.
Gig Buddies Central Coast is an initiative of ACL Disability Services.