Nine years of craft and compassion: Pauline's journey with forensic mental health
02 March 2026
James Nash House is home to the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network's (NALHN) Forensic Mental Health Service — a specialised facility supporting people with serious mental illness who are involved in the justice system. It is a place that calls for patience, sensitivity and dedication.
Pauline brings all three. She has been volunteering with the Northern Healthcare Volunteer Association at NALHN for more than 21 years. Around nine of them have been at James Nash House, where she leads a craft group for consumers to come together, to create with their hands.
Image: Pauline has more than two decades of volunteering under her belt.
"I see my role as helping people with engagement and expression," Pauline explains. "It provides a safe way for patients to express internal worlds, trauma and emotions that are often hard to communicate in words."
Pauline’s impact runs deep. For people who may be far from home, separated from family or living with complex mental health challenges, her work matters enormously. Craft gives them structure, purpose and calm.
What keeps Pauline coming back after all this time? “It's all the small moments,” she says. "There is nothing more joyous than seeing group participants evolve and watching their skill levels increase from week to week."
Volunteers like Pauline remind us that care relies on human connection – with a side of creativity.