Penny Antonopoulos
Penny is Founder & Director of the Vital Health & Wellbeing Centre. Penny has worked in health and community care for over 15 years, as Health Education Officer with NSW Health; Project Officer with the Commonwealth Respite & Carelink Centre; and Manager Aged, Disability & Mental Health Programs in the not-for-profit sector, including Partners in Recovery. She has worked with a broad range of client groups, including older people, people with disabilities, mental illness, dementia, chronic illness, palliative care patients and their carers. She is an experienced Group Facilitator, developing and delivering programs on self-care, stress management, building resilience, cultural awareness, depression and other health related topics. She has played a key role in the development of service partnerships and sectoral capacity building, with a wealth of experience in community development. Penny has also undertaken qualitative research into mental health services, disability in the context of hospital presentations, and the carers’ experience, the latter in partnership with the University of Western Sydney, University of NSW and the South East Sydney Local Health District, resulting in a published paper. In addition to her directorship of Vital Health, Penny is Co-Director of See Through My Eyes, a not for profit charitable organisation, and works for a leading NSW not for profit organisation as regional manager of home care and disability services.
Penny is passionate about working with people and supporting them through their diverse journeys. This stems not only from her work experience but also her personal journey and life experience as a carer. Her practice is based on a holistic, person-centred, strengths based approach aimed at empowering people to achieve optimum health, wellbeing and quality of life.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor of Arts, University of Sydney
- Associate Degree of Health Science (Leisure and Health), Charles Sturt University
- Master of Human Service Management & Policy, Charles Sturt University
- Legal Studies LPAB University of Sydney Law Extension Committee
- Accredited ‘Partners in Depression’ Facilitator, Hunter Institute of Mental Health
SPECIAL INTERESTS:
- Human Service Management and Policy
- Coaching and Mentoring
- Community Development and Capacity Building
- Systemic Advocacy
- Qualitative Research
- Group Facilitation
- Mental Health
- Disability
- Gerontology
- Carer’s Issues
- Cultural Diversity
ASSOCIATIONS:
- Diversional Therapy Australia