In the Community

Design & Technology Major Work by Alison Olmstead

HSC student Alison Olmstead has has based her Design and Technology major work on Lifeline and mental health in the community.

Although all 15 Lifeline Centres in NSW are receiving vital State Government funding this year, to support our 24/7 crisis line; Lifeline Harbour to Hawkesbury still need to raise approximately $700,000 each year in order to keep operating and maintaining all our face-to-face counselling and vital community services. Bookfairs are one of our major fund-raising activities that enable us to reach this target and ensure that none of our services cease to operate. Every year more and more people turn to Lifeline's life saving services for support, be it crisis phone support, face-to-face counselling, group or welfare support.

Alison has focused on looking at ways a product could be developed utlizing book donations which could significantly increase the funds raised per book donated. Using acrylic and resin Alison has created a range of costume jewellery that incorporates pages from donated books; where the wording within the jewellery is very visible, for example on the bracelet, she has used pages from books that contain famous quotations. The aim of her creation is for the jewellery to be sold which could significantly increase the funds raised by Lifeline. (Photographs of her major work are modelled by a friend.)

We wish Alison all the best with her HSC and commend her on her major work and for raising awareness of mental health in the community.