History

The formation meeting of our organisation on 25 March 1997 is now a distant memory. These were heady days as a group of a dozen or so people who had experienced mental illness gathered supporters to help them increase additional mental health support and rehabilitation services in their local area. We chose to name our organisation “Kaiyu” (pronounced Kie-yu) as it is an Awabakal word meaning “to have power and ability”. We think this best describes the way we see people with emotional and mental health issues.

After much lobbying our first government funding was provided in June 1998 by the NSW Minister for Health to set up Kaiyu Clubhouse at Argenton Community Hall. Subsequent funding was provided by Hunter Health and then NSW Health to continue the operation of Kaiyu Clubhouse. Kaiyu Clubhouse remains the only non-government community support and rehabilitation program based in Lake Macquarie open to all people with a mental illness.

In May 2000, the NSW Boarding House Reform Strategy enabled the establishment of social, community integration and skill development services to former boarding house residents. This program is called the Kaiyu Community Based Activities (CBA) program. Funding is provided by the NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care. The Kaiyu (CBA) program continues to assist participant's expand their skills and interests while achieving higher levels of community integration.

In July 2002, we successfully tendered to be the mental health specialist provider of the Australian Government's Personal Support Programme in the Hunter. This has seen us assist people who do not identify as being a mental health consumer. Many of these people are struggling with emotional and in some cases psychiatric issues.

In 2006 Kaiyu Konnect (formerly Clubhouse) were successful in gaining funding for three years. The PSP program also relocated to rental premises in the Cardiff area.

In 2008 Konnect implemented an early intervention program for young people aged 18-25 years who are experiencing mental illness.