Last month we said goodbye to Sarah Macnee, Manager of the Adolescent Transition Program. Sarah has been a key part of the Royal Children’s Hospital team for many years promoting and establishing transition support for patients and families and in the creation and development of this innovative program. Her passion for improving adolescent health care and transition outcomes has greatly influenced practice and we would like to thank her for her vision and dedication. She will be missed!
Transition News
The Lowdown of Adolescent Transition so far!
Hey there guys!
Just thought we would fill you in from our end with what’s been happening in Adolescent Transition lately!
Recently Tim and I attended our first ever conference in SYDNEY! We went with Sarah Macnee (Adolescent Transition Program Manager) as well as Emily Armour (RCH Youth Advisory Council member). The conference we attended was the Children’s Healthcare Australasia conference. It was very exciting for Tim and I as it was our first professional presentation! We presented to doctors, nurses and many other healthcare professionals involved with paediatrics nationally and also internationally.
We prepared a PowerPoint with Emily that explained the Adolescent Transition Program at the RCH as well as the Youth Advisory Council. The feedback we received from our presentation showed that 100% of the attendees found our presentation to be very valuable and they had this to say about our presentation:
“The youth were brilliant and should be front and centre in this discussion.”
“Very insightful perspectives, as a young person attending the conference we learnt a lot!”
“Contribution of the young people was VERY powerful.”
The conference was a great success and was really enjoyed by Tim and I. We had the oppurtunity to meet lots of great new people and hopefully we will attend again next time!
Best wishes for the holiday season to you and your families. Hopefully we will see you in transition clinics in the New Year!!
Bec and Tim 
Tim and Bec getting in to the Holiday Spirit at the RCH!
“If only Santa was here today!”
Children’s Healthcare Conference Sydney!
- Group photo 2012!
From the left: Rebecca Peters, Timothy Demos, Sarah Macnee and Emily Armour.
Introducing Tim and Bec – New Adolescent Transition Youth Mentors
Hi there,
My name is Bec and I have recently joined the Adolescent Transition Team as a Youth Mentor, after previously being a patient of the Royal Children’s Hospital for 12 years. I’m currently 19 years old and in my second year of studying a Bachelor of Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations.
The opportunity to work at the Royal Children’s Hospital is amazing! I enjoy seeing lots of old faces and meeting new ones. I love working with other young people as I know what it feels like when you are transitioning from a place that has probably become a second home to you by now. This can be a busy time in your life with events like turning 18, graduating from high school, getting VCE scores, going to Uni or Tafe, getting a job, managing your own medications, managing your own medical condition independently, moving out of home and other things like being in a relationship.
I’m here as a helping hand, someone who understands and most importantly I’m here to listen to how you are feeling through the journey of transition. I also have lots of great resources I can link you up with so please don’t hesitate to contact me anytime.
Hope to see you guys soon!
Bec
Rebecca Peters
Adolescent Transition Youth Mentor
Adolescent Transition Program
The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne
50 Flemington Road | Parkville | 3052 | Victoria
T: 9345 4617 | F: 9345 6202 I P: 9345 5522 #5485
Hiya,
I’m Tim and just a short while ago I started as a Youth Mentor at the RCH with the adolescent transition department. To tell you a little about myself; I’m 19 years old and I have severe Haemophilia A. I’ve been a patient at the RCH all my life, well that is to say until I transferred to the Alfred Hospital late last year. Now I have all my health care at the Alfred. To be honest I do miss the Children’s sometimes but between working at the RCH and the freedom and independence of adult health care, I’m pretty happy. I play Basketball 6 days a week and am just starting to reach higher levels of the sport. I am studying emergency health (paramedics) at Monash University this year and by 2015 I hope to be working for Ambulance Victoria.
The transition process is something that’s growing in importance all the time. Having been through it myself, I know it can be challenging at times and that is exactly why I’m here to support you as a Youth Mentor. My role also includes catching up with other young people in transition clinic appointments and preparing them for the differences they might encounter in the adult health care setting… If you’re undergoing transition to adult health care, are approaching or thinking about transition, or even just need someone to talk to because your health condition or something else is bringing you down (believe me I understand), I’m always ready to listen and help as much as I can.
I promise I’m pretty friendly so please don’t ever hesitate to say hello or contact me whether it’s by email, phone call, pager or carrier pigeon! Probably don’t use a carrier pigeon actually, I heard they’re expensive!
Hope to see you all soon,
Tim!
Tim Demos
Haemophilia Youth Mentor
Adolescent Transition Program
The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne
50 Flemington Road | Parkville | 3052 | Victoria
T: 9345 4619 | F: 9345 6202 I P: 9345 5522 #5485
RCH Youth Forum
The Royal Children’s Hospital Youth Advisory Council invites you to the first-ever
RCH Youth Forum
Monday 8 August 2011
The 2011 RCH Youth Forum is open to all 12-20 year olds who have an interest in or an association with the hopsital, including inpatients, outpatients, siblings and friends. Young people will come together in a fun and friendly environment to discuss their ideas about how to make the hospital an even better place for them.
A great opportunity for young people to develop their skills in:
- leadership
- public speaking
- youth advocacy
- teamwork.
Participants can contribute to:
- the identification of youth health issues in 2011
- improving the hospital experience for children and young people with the move to the new RCH.
There will be three different workshop strands that will use various creative arts mediums—including theatre, music and creative writing—to prompt discussion and facilitate expression of the young people’s views.
The Youth Advisory Council will record these views via film, sound and written content to inform policies and practices at the RCH and in the broader community.
The forum will run over one day from 9.00am–3.40pm at The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. All registered participants will receive a forum pack which will include a letter for their school or education provider, directions to the RCH and an overview of the day.
Places are limited, so register today at: http://rch.ncsonline.com.au/home
Adolescent transition moves along…
The adolescent transition team has been busy engaging with several departments across the RCH. Discussions have taken place in several departments including rehab, cystic fibrosis, immunology, genetics and the Centre for Community Child Health. We have also begun transition clinics and individual consultations with the haemophilia and cardiology departments.
The adolescent transition team is very excited to roll out the transition program across these departments.
We are also continuing our work with the rheumatology department. Currenly we have about 35 young people and their parents/carers involved in our clinics.
To discuss how adolescent transition could be implemented in your department give the adolescent transition team a ring on 9345 4980.
Adolescent transition team expanding…
The adolescent transition team is pleased to announce the arrival of two new team members, Evelyn Culnane and Charlie Bowes. With a background in teaching and nursing respectively these two are a welcome addition to the crew. Evelyn and Charlie will be involved in the hospital wide launch of adolescent transition.
The adolescent transition program now comprises:
Sarah Macnee, Adolescent Transition Program Manager
Evelyn Culnane, Adolescent Transition Coordinator
Charlie Bowes, Adolescent Transition Liaison Nurse
Jordan Hammond, Adolescent Transition Project Officer
To get in touch with anyone from the adolescent transition team please head to our contact us page.
Adolescent transition: coming to an area near you soon!
P.S. Keep your eyes peeled for our posters which are now going up across the hospital.
Get the GYST
Gyst is a website for young people living with diabetes who are going through the process of transition. Recently developed, GYST aims to provide young people with a fresh new approach to preparation for adult life.
You don’t have to have diabetes to check it out! The website provides links to information that is both specific to young people with diabetes as well as to young people in general.
GYST addresses different aspects of life including:
- getting a drivers licence,
- finding employment opportunities,
- accommodation,
- travel,
- education,
- and resouces for maintaining health and getting support.
There’s even a section where you can access information about current musicians who helped out on the project!
The website provides some fantastic links to information that is youth friendly and gives tips on how to juggle living with diabetes, being an adolescent, finding support and transition.
For more information about GYST please head to their website at www.gyst.org.au
RCH Adolescent Transition Program in a major implementation phase!
After lots of behind the scenes work over recent months, we are excited to announce lots of new initiatives:
- New RCH Adolescent Transition Procedure [link]
- New RCH medical records form [link]
- New Adolescent Transition Facts Sheets – more to come!
- New Adolescent Transition Tools/checklists – more to come! |
- The launch of the Rheumatology Adolescent Transition pilot
- Some major transition research projects
Under development and coming soon:
• New Adolescent Transition Feedback form
• Lots of work on this website including a “Transition Stories” section
For more information:
Call the RCH Adolescent Transition Program on 9345 4858/4980
Or email us.
Cheers,
The RCH Adolescent Transition Team
