Robin Dibble
Counselling Unit Manager
Kirketon Road Centre
“Over an eight-hour period, you don’t know what’s going to walk through the door. The Kirketon Road Centre, which also has doctors, nurses and health educators, provides healthcare for people who are the most marginalised in the community. The Counselling Unit provides assessment and intensive case management for people on our Opioid Treatment program. We have a strong focus on drug and alcohol counselling, referrals to detox and rehab programs; inclusive we do crisis work; domestic violence; child protection; suicidality; grief and loss; mental health and LBGTQI support.
I love the challenge of this work. I love people’s stories. Many are really awe inspiring and humbling. You see how incredibly resilient and courageous people are in the face of tough odds. It’s heartening. It’s really important we create the safe spaces for people to feel they can access the healthcare they need and the care they’re entitled to. I think Kirketon Road does that really, really well.
I once supported a woman whose child had been taken into foster care when he was a baby. She received news that he was very sick and she hadn’t seen him for 12 years. Being alongside her and supporting her to have that first meeting was deeply moving. We thought the child wasn’t going to survive and the foster parents allowed her to come. It was a very special privilege to be part of that."