Tag Archive for: mental wellbeing

Anxiety Anthology Series Seeks Support for Boosted Campaign

The team behind HEADLANDS, a short film anthology shining a light on anxiety, is seeking support for their Boosted crowdfunding campaign. The team features several DEGANZ members in the director’s chair: Nicky Cameron, Harriett Maire, Mia Maramara, Claire van Beek, and 2020 DEGNZ Incubator alumna Stella Reid.

Tackling the various ways that living with anxiety can manifest in oneself, HEADLANDS aims to shift perceptions and build community around mental wellbeing. The anthology series is adapted from and inspired by Naomi Arnold’s Headlands: New Stories of Anxiety, a book of different stories by New Zealand writers, poets, journalists, and the like.

HEADLANDS will work like a concept album, with stand-alone stories of differing genres. Together the stories will weave “threads of a collective fabric, honouring the unease in our lives.”

After a successful fundraiser in 2019, HEADLANDS has nine finished scripts, with production teams ready to go, and platform support from RNZ and Attitude Live. Now facing a production funding application to NZ On Air, HEADLANDS needs your support to reach their goal in order to have the best chance possible of making this project a reality.

The deadline to reach their goal is November 29. As match donor for the HEADLANDS Booster crowdfunding campaign, The Body Shop will match any contribution made up to the value of $5,556.

Learn more about the project and donate here.

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Vista Foundation and Home & Family Counselling Offers Support to Screen Industry Members

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Cliff Curtis

DEGNZ would like to express our deep gratitude to the Vista Foundation and Home & Family Counselling for providing DEGNZ members with this professional counselling offer.

The recent global pandemic has been particularly tough on the film industry. This collaboration has been created to provide support for the people of New Zealand’s film industry adversely affected by the ongoing social and commercial challenges.

Cliff Curtis, a Patron of the Vista Foundation, had recorded this video in support of the initiative:

 

What’s on offer?

Up to 5 one-hour sessions of counselling. This can be for yourself or a family member.

Who’s eligible?

Anyone who’s a member of the below organisations:

  • Directors and Editors Guild of New Zealand
  • New Zealand Writers Guild
  • Screen Industry Guild Aotearoa (Technicians)
  • Screen Composers Guild of New Zealand
  • Screen Production and Development Association (SPADA)
  • Women in Film & Television NZ (WIFT)
  • Ngā Aho Whakaari (Māori in Screen)
  • New Zealand Cinematographer’s Society
  • Stunt Guild of New Zealand
  • Equity New Zealand (Actors)
  • NZ Advertising Producer’s Group (NZAPG)
  • Pan Asian Screen Collective.

* Organisation and membership details will need to be provided to Home & Family Counselling.

Accessing this offer

To take up the Vista Foundation / Home and Family Counselling Offer, a client will make contact directly with Home and Family using this process:

  • Visit www.homeandfamily.org.nz/filmindustry/
  • Click Make An Appointment and telephone or (form) email Home & Family’s central (Mount Eden) or North Shore (Northcote) centres. (Do not use the Hibiscus Coast/Orewa option). If outside of Auckland, choose Central.
  • Once Home & Family makes contact, the client will need to advise their membership organisation and number.**
  • Home & Family will initiate the process of counselling including assigning a counsellor.

For DEGNZ members **

DEGNZ does not issue membership numbers, so members taking up this offer will need to provide your name and membership expiry date to Home & Family PLUS explain that DEGNZ members do not have a membership number. If it’s a family member utilising the counselling, the DEGNZ member name and expiry date will be needed to confirm the session(s). Your membership must be valid at the time of your appointment(s).

You will find your expiry date under the ‘Card’ tab when you sign in to Manage Your Account.

About The Vista Foundation

The Vista Foundation is a social responsibility initiative founded by Vista Group, a publicly listed New Zealand company comprising several businesses and a world leader in providing technology solutions to the global film industry.

A New Zealand-registered charity run by a board of six trustees and with Roger Donaldson and Cliff Curtis as patrons, the Vista Foundation aims to help nurture the continued growth and success of the New Zealand film industry.

The Foundation has put aside a sum to subsidise counselling sessions for film industry workers and their families. The Foundation will make a donation of NZ$50 to Home & Family for each one hour session sought and provided. The $50 subsidy will mean that a donation to Home & Family by the client is non-obligatory; to be clear, a client donation can be at any level dependent on affordability.

Visit https://vistafoundation.co.nz/ and www.linkedin.com/company/vista-foundation

About ‘Home & Family Counselling

Founded 126 years ago in 1893, today ‘Home & Family’ provides counselling to children, youths, individuals, couples and families. With high social services empathy and an obviously impressive track record of achieving positive outcomes for clients, Home & Family counselling is accessible to all in need. For clients, the cost of counselling at Home & Family is by donation and it is voluntary.

Home & Family is an Incorporated Society with charitable status. The organisation is led by an Executive Director supported by a Board of seven. New Zealand’s Governor General, currently Her Excellency, the Right Honourable Dame Patsy Reddy is the Patron of Home & Family.

Counselling is offered from centres in Mount Eden and Northcote in Auckland. (Under the lock-down terms of Covid-19, online or telephone counselling is working well).

Visit www.homeandfamily.org.nz

Full details about this initiative:

A Vista Foundation and Home & Family Counselling Initiative

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DEGNZ Offers Members and Non-Members Facing Hardship a Membership Holiday

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COVID-19 Membership HolidayDEGNZ

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

26 March 2020

For those directors, editors and assisitant editors experiencing financial hardship during the COVID-19 crisis, the Directors and Editors Guild of New Zealand (DEGNZ) has instituted a COVID-19 Membership Holiday for those who cannot afford to pay membership fees at this time.

“DEGNZ represents the creative, cultural and financial wellbeing of ALL New Zealand directors, editors and assistant editors,” said DEGNZ Executive Director Tui Ruwhiu.

“The Board wanted to offer a centre for support, assistance, advice and information at this crucial time and as we navigate the future, for members and non-members.”

DEGNZ’s Membership Holiday is available to all New Zealand directors, editors and assistant editors who cannot afford membership fees. It provides a fee waiver on Associate Membership to DEGNZ, effective until 1 October 2020.

Current members who are due to renew their membership will receive instructions in their renewal notices on how to take up the Membership Holiday if they are facing financial difficulties. New members and those whose membership lapsed prior to 2019 can join on the DEGNZ website and choose either a paid membership or the Membership Holiday offer.

DEGNZ is moving a number of its professional development initiatives online during national self-isolation and restrictions on public gatherings in New Zealand, which members will be able to apply for and engage with. The Guild is also planning new initiatives to assist with mental health and wellbeing that it hopes to implement shortly to help in the self-isolation period and beyond.

“Now more than ever it’s important for everyone in the screen sector to band together and show support for each other,” Ruwhiu added. “Every guild and association is doing its utmost to overcome the challenges that COVID-19 has presented us, and we in turn need the support of every individual in the industry to get it back into production as soon as possible.”

 

For further information contact:

Tui Ruwhiu
Executive Director
Directors and Editors Guild of New Zealand
tui@deganz.co.nz
+64 21 659 950

 

Directors & Editors Guild of NZ

The Directors & Editors Guild of NZ is a not-for-profit Incorporated Society and Union that represents Directors, Editors and Assistant Editors in the New Zealand screen industry. This includes Directors, Editors and Assistant Editors of feature drama and documentary; television drama, documentary and factual programmes; short films; video art; animation; commercials and web content.

DEGNZ’s two primary roles are advocacy and professional development. We:

  • are dedicated to promoting excellence in the arts of directing and editing.
  • foster collegiality and unity within the screen industry.
  • promote members’ creative and economic rights.
  • work to improve industry working conditions and remuneration.
  • offer professional advice and information on contracts and industry standards and practice.
  • offer professional development events, networking opportunities, career advice, dispute resolution, mentoring, workshops, training, discounts and regular news bulletins for members across all levels of expertise, from novices to seasoned professionals.
  • are a voice for Directors, Editors and Assistant in influencing policy in the interest of our members. We do this through our membership of various pan-industry bodies, and by making submissions to government and public officials.
  • Internationally work co-operatively with other guilds and we belong to the International Affiliation of English-Speaking Directors’ Organisations (IEASDO).

DEGNZ is Auckland-based with an office in Grey Lynn.

Contact Details:

Directors & Editors Guild of NZ
Level 2, 66 Surrey Crescent
Grey Lynn
PO Box 47294, Ponsonby
AUCKLAND
admin@deganz.co.nz
+64 9 360 2102
+64 21 659 950

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Physical, Mental & Financial Wellbeing – In the COVID-19 Era

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DEGNZ

There has been an influx of information on physical wellbeing in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. But we also have to give thought to our own and others’ mental and financial wellbeing.

As a union and an affiliate to the Council of Trade Unions, we have been able to rely on their considerable efforts over the recent weeks to lobby the Government on behalf of all workers, and to get information updates helpful to us.

Below we have pulled together a range of information and links to assist you in looking after yourself and others.

DEGNZ hopes this information proves useful to you as we seek to address this constantly changing situation. We are here to help if we can. You can contact us on 09 360 2102, or by emailing Executive Director Tui Ruwhiu at tui@deganz.co.nz.

 

Physical Wellbeing

The Ministry of Health update their webpage regularly with the latest advice, information about self-isolation, and common questions and answers about COVID-19.

Read the latest COVID-19 information on the Ministry of Health website

Some quick pointers:

  • Call your family doctor for advice or information. If you think you’ve been exposed to COVID-19 (through contact with someone who has it), it’s important to let your doctor know.
  • Call Health line on 0800 358 5453 (if you’re calling internationally call +64 9 358 5453). Calls are free and someone is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can call them:
    • if you don’t have a family doctor
    • if you’re feeling unwell but you’re not sure if you need to see a doctor
    • for advice about what’s happening to you and next steps.
  • Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention early. Call Healthline or your doctor.
  • Wash and dry your hands (for at least 20 seconds) frequently – Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.
  • Maintain social (physical) distancing – Maintain at least 2 metres (6 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing. Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately and wash your hands.
  • In an emergency, always call 111.

 

Mental Wellbeing

These are stressful times. We need to look after our mind as well as our body:

Facts minimise fear

We need to stay informed by trusted sources. “There are two sources,” explained Aiysha Malik, Technical Officer, Department of Mental Health and Substance Use, World Health Organization. “One is WHO (World Health Organization); the other is your national authority [The Ministry of Health].”

A repeated message for managing fear in the COVID-19 response is to get facts. Facts minimise fear.

Social isolation is associated with poor mental health

  • Staying connected with your social and family networks via technology
  • Keeping your daily routines as much as possible
  • Exercising regularly and practising habits that you enjoy and find relaxing
  • Seeking practical, credible information each day

Shift narratives away from number of deaths toward number of recoveries

There often seems to be a dearth of positive stories about coronavirus and those who recover.

“We’re not seeing the stories of recovery,” said Ken Carswell, Technical Officer, World Health Organization. “We need to shift narratives away from number of deaths toward number of recoveries.”

Additionally, the negative effects of stigmatising language – such as attaching region or ethnicity to the virus or blaming people for transmission – exacerbate the sense of fear at a macro level. Journalists, news outlets and everyday citizens can help to increase hope and allay fear by being cognisant of the language they use in speaking about COVID-19.

In the coming days and weeks, fear and anxiety will likely increase as our lives continue to be disrupted and social distancing becomes necessary. As a society, we must work together with a sense of empathy. As individuals, we must inform ourselves of the facts, stay connected to the people we love and be kind to each other.

Taking care of children 

  • Take time to talk with your child or teen about the COVID-19 outbreak. Answer questions and share facts about COVID-19 in a way that your child or teen can understand.
  • Reassure your child or teen that they are safe. Let them know it is OK if they feel upset. Share with them how you deal with your own stress so that they can learn how to cope from you.
  • Limit your family’s exposure to news coverage of the event, including social media. Children may misinterpret what they hear and can be frightened about something they do not understand.
  • Try to keep up with regular routines. If schools close, create a schedule for learning activities and relaxing or fun activities.
  • Be a role model. Take breaks, get plenty of sleep, exercise, and eat well. Connect with your friends and family members.

Seek help and professional support if you feel you are not coping

Your family doctor is a good starting point. For support with grief, anxiety, distress or mental wellbeing, you can also call or text 1737. This service is free, available 24/7 and gives you the chance to talk it through with a trained counsellor.

Self-Isolation

Here’s a checklist from UK mental health charity, Mind, for preparing for a stay at home for two weeks (actor Stephen Fry is Mind’s President):

  • Food: do you have a way to get food delivered?
  • Cleaning: are your cleaning supplies stocked up?
  • Money: can you budget for any higher bills or expenses? Will you save money from lower transport costs that you could spend elsewhere?
  • Work: can you work from home or not? If not, what are your rights to payment or benefits?
  • Medication: do you have enough medication, or a way to get more?
  • Health: can you reorganise any planned therapy or treatments?
  • Commitments: can someone else help you care for any dependents, walk your dog, or take care of any other commitments?
  • Connectivity: have you checked the contact details of the people you see regularly, like their phone numbers or email addresses?
  • Routine: can you create a routine or timetable for yourself? And if you live with other people, should you create a household schedule? Do you need to agree how the household will run with everyone at home all day?
  • Exercise: is there any physical activity you can do inside your home, such as going up and down the stairs, using bean tins as weights, or exercises you can do in your chair?
  • Nature: have you thought how you could access nature? Can you get some seeds and planting equipment, houseplants or living herbs
  • Entertainment: have you thought about things to do, books to read or TV shows to watch?
  • Relax: have you got materials so you can do something creative, such as paper and colouring pencils?

 

Financial Wellbeing

Most New Zealand screen workers are contractors. Even with contracts, the termination period is usually one week. You need to prepare for a downturn in work and what you will do if faced with this situation.

Consider:

  • Opportunities for you to gain income outside the sector with work that will not suffer in the pandemic
  • Reducing unnecessary monthly outgoings or one-off expenditures
  • Chasing up outstanding payments for work performed
  • The Government has just announced financial assistance for businesses and beneficiaries. This includes contractors who essentially run their own businesses. You can learn more about this at Work & Income here.

If you have purchased a product or commissioned a service, consider making prompt payment. Your supply also needs  to ensure their financial health.

Work & Income NZ also offer assistance and advice as follows:

If you’ve been affected by COVID-19, we may be able to help – even if you’re not on a benefit. There are various ways we can help, whether you’re an individual or an employer.

Financial support for individuals

Contact us if you:

  • would like assistance
  • aren’t sure if you can get assistance
  • are struggling to support yourself, or your family
  • would like more information.

In emergencies, we can help you with costs you don’t have any other way of paying.

Even if you don’t think you qualify, call us on 0800 559 009 (Monday to Friday 7am–6pm, Saturday 8am – 1pm) to check your eligibility. There may be other options available and we can point you in the right direction.

In emergencies, we can help with:

  • loss of livelihood (where you can’t work and have lost your income)
  • food, clothing and bedding (immediate needs up to a maximum amount)
  • accommodation costs if you have to move.
  • You may have to pay the money back depending on your situation.

Find out more about what support we offer and who can get this

Stand-down if you apply for a benefit

Most weekly benefits have a stand-down. This is a period of time where you can’t get any money from us. It’s usually 1 or 2 weeks after your application is approved. From 23 March, there will be no stand-down period for 8 months. We’ll provide more information on this soon.

More information about stand-down periods

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