Meet the team: Nimashi Senanayake

Meet Nimashi - working with selectability in Mount Isa for the last 8 months, she currently holds a dual role, as a community care officer and as a support coordinator for the Way Back Support Service.

More recently Nimashi has also been the lead coordinator for the Voices of Hope program, designed to provide positive social connections and a strong sense of hope for women aged over 55 through expression; in this case; singing.

“My role in the program involves coordinating this project across Mount Isa, Cloncurry and Longreach,” Nimashi said.

“Most of my work includes travelling across the regions, engaging with other community organizations and senior ladies.

“As a community care officer, I often connect with the community, particularly in the Lower Gulf, where I help them access CPS brokerage funds.

“The program is mainly about funding people to access psychosocial supports.

“We were working with diverse communities, raising awareness on these available fundings for them and help them get on to these funding schemes.

“Then as a support coordinator for The Way Back Support Service, it is my role to Coordinate the after care for people following a suicide attempt or crisis and create safety plans and goal plans for them and help them reach their goals.”

With a strong clinical background, Nimashi completed her medical degree in Sri Lanka, moving to Australia to complete her postgraduates, a Masters in Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

Equipped with an extensive education and an innate devotion to providing care to others, Nimashi’s qualities are not only highly regarded, but a valuable asset to selectability.

“I love the fact that even without being involved with a clinical job, I can still help the people.

“And the fact that I got the opportunity to work for a rural community was simply amazing.

“In my roles I get to meet different people from different backgrounds, and the best part is seeing people reaching their goals and finally getting the help they were looking for.

“I love the fact that every day and every client you work with is different and nothing compares the feeling you get when your clients and their families appreciate your work.

Such commitment to a role and to a community can only be attributed to selectability employees, and their drive improve the mental wellbeing of people in regional Queensland and contribute to suicide prevention.

With this, there is a passion for the mental wellbeing field, a passion that clearly runs strong within people like Nimashi.

“In my opinion Mental and physical health are equally important components of overall health.

“This job offers me a unique opportunity to make a positive impact on individual lives and on society by fostering mental well-being and resilience in others.

“Improving the quality of another person's life is rewarding.

“The beauty of mental health treatment is that minor treatments can often make a big difference.”