Paralympic Matt Levy, pictured, understands a thing or two about overcoming obstacles. Born 15 weeks premature with cerebral palsy and vision impairment, Matt has survived over 50 operations on his brain, heart, lungs and ears. Incredibly, he has competed in four consecutive Paralympic Games, winning two gold, one silver and four bronze medals.
Levy is one of the speakers that are providing free ‘lunch and learn’ webinars for jobseekers during Mental Health Month in October.
“2020 has certainly thrown a number of curveballs for many people and it’s important to look for ways to navigate this time. Looking for work can require a lot of mental fortitude in the best of times, let alone during a pandemic,” Levy said. “I’m keen to share my experience and hopefully provide some motivation to jobseekers by talking about the different versions of success, resilience, learning to adapt and having a framework to be the best version of yourself. I think all of these topics are particularly relevant for right now.”
The free webinars are presented by Arriba Group, that is helping Australians return to work through disability employment and NDIS allied health services.
“We see the psychological effect that being a job seeker in the current environment can have on individuals, often leading to poor mental health, CEO, Marcella Romero said. “This applies to all individuals, especially those living with mental health issues or physical disabilities. It is important to have the tools necessary to manage your mental health as a job seeker.
“We have organised a range of exceptional special guest speakers who will provide an insight into overcoming adversity while looking for work, returning to work and facing unemployment. These speakers have a combination of lived experiences and professional expertise, so they are well-equipped to guide people in the right direction, no matter what their circumstances are.”
The webinars include:
*How to Exercise Your Way to Improved Wellbeing – October 13 & 27 at 12:00pm: Learn about the importance of physical and mental health, how to structure an exercise plan and discover exercises to do at home with no equipment.
* Morning Motivation – October 15 at 10:30am: Join Matthew Levy to learn the meaning of success and how to defy odds. Create the tools for success, define action and build a supportive inner circle to help on the journey to achieve your dreams.
* Managing Stress and Anxiety – October 19 at 12:00pm: Dr Yvette Vardy will explain how to manage negative emotions while job seeking or facing unemployment, how to make sound job-seeking decisions and use mindfulness when feeling stressed or anxious and practical tips and tricks to help navigate job seeking or unemployment.
* Mental Resilience Through Adversity – October 21 at 12:00pm: Join Heath Ducker, lawyer and author of ‘A Room at the Top’, to hear his account of growing up facing hardships and adversity from a young age but coming out stronger to achieve his life goals and success.
The webinars are open for anyone to attend. Each runs for 60 minutes, consisting of a 45-minute presentation and 15 minutes for questions afterwards.
To register, participants can go to https://info.aimbigemployment.com.au/rehab-management-lunch-and-learn-webinars
All times are in Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST). Upon registration, participants will receive an email and calendar invite with complete instructions on how to access the webinar through Zoom.