Dubbo’s Debbie Todkill new NALAG loss and grief org CEO

A huge rise in the number of people in the state’s central west seeking support after a tumultuous year has the new chief executive of a grief service calling for more volunteers.

New NALAG CEO Debbie Todkil has extensive experience leading Dubbo community service organisations. Picture: Ryan Young

A new chief executive officer has been appointed to run a Dubbo-based loss and grief service which has seen a massive increase in the number of people reaching out for support.

Debbie Todkil has started out as the new CEO at NALAG — the National Association for Loss and Grief (NSW)— and recruiting more volunteers to help deliver support is one of her top priorities.

NALAG systems manager Gerry O’Leary works with Ms Todkil and a small team to help people in need. Picture: Ryan Young

Ms Todkil took over last month when much-loved former CEO Trudy Hanson retired after three decades of distinguished service.

“It was a sad time, Trudy had been with the organisation for many, many years and she’s certainly missed,” Ms Todkil said.

“Making sure what NALAG has been doing continues is my first priority.”

From September 2019 to September 2020, Ms Todkil said there was a 53 per cent increase in the number of people registering to get support from NALAG.

“The world has certainly seen a lot of tragedies in the past 12 months.

“Loss and grief isn’t just about death, it can be loss of job, loss of marriage, physical disabilities, accidents and so much more.”

NALAG was invited recently by Community Health to hold a special remembering ceremony for members of the local...

Posted by NALAG NSW on Tuesday, December 15, 2020

The inability to grieve and mourn in usual ways, because of COVID restrictions, has made matters worse for many people who’ve experienced the loss of loved ones, Ms Todkil said.

“We usually hug, we visit people, we take them food, there’s always been that personal connection when someone passes away.

“We haven’t been able to do that and it’s had an impact.”

While NALAG received some state government funding to help deliver support to people, Ms Todkil said more volunteers were needed to help the organisation.

“We’re certainly open for support, we’re mostly government funded and that for us is a challenge, keeping that funding going is so hard it’s a tough environment.

“We’re always looking for more volunteers and we couldn’t open the doors if it wasn’t for the volunteers.

“NALAG was only ever a volunteer dominated service, had it have not been for the wonderful contribution from Trudy and the other amazing people that were instrumental in setting the service up, it wouldn’t have been possible to have the head office in Dubbo. The work they do is so invaluable because if we had to pay people we just wouldn’t have the funding to pay wages.”

Mr O’Leary and Ms Todkil with a book NALAG board member Jen Cowley created to promote resilience and empower country communities battling drought. Picture: Ryan Young

Ms Todkil said NALAG delivered a mix of services from other locations including Ballina, Bellingen, Sydney and Mudgee,

“One of my focuses is looking at where else we can go, where other communities can have branches and face-to-face support,” she said.

NALAG was also expanding it’s online support services, Ms Todkil said.

Before taking over as CEO Ms Todkil worked as the organisation’s intake and volunteer co-ordinator for 12 months.

She was previously head of the Dubbo Neighbourhood Centre and the Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service.