ABOUT US
The Story of ELPIS
ELPIS is ‘A home for everyone’
ELPIS is a Greek term, meaning ‘Hope’
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Through our faith at ELPIS, we believe hope, fulfilment & purpose can be everyone's story, no matter the circumstance.
“ELPIS was created as a way to give back to those who are less fortunate in their lives and who have had their lives traumatized and their families, loved ones and friends affected by their drug or alcohol addiction. Our purpose is to give our strengths to help the greater good and make a positive impact in our communities”.
– HIS EMINENCE ARCHBISHOP MAKARIOS OF AUSTRALIA
THE NAME 'ELPIS'
According to the sacred teaching of our Orthodox Church, ‘Elpis’ or hope, as an eternal universal truth and value, is not merely perceived as a powerful symbol that inspires in us resilience, perseverance, and the pursuit of positive change, yet rather as the very power that comes from God Himself, “the God of hope” who fills us with “all joy and peace in faith” so that we may “overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).
As St Paul the Apostle exclaims, “We know that trouble produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope … because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5).
This hope, grounded in and moved by “faith, hope, and love” in God (1 Corinthians 13:13) not only allows us to overcome and surpass all turmoil and difficulty in our life, but furthermore, leads us towards the hope of salvation, which is the fullness of eternal life in and through our Lord and God Jesus Christ.
WHO WE ARE
- Provide an inclusive residential therapeutic, drug and alcohol rehabilitation program.
- Care for the community and provide treatment and support services based on the dignity and respect these vulnerable people require to live a valued and quality life.
- Foster support and counselling to the family and loved ones of those addicted.
- Create a meaningful culture of inclusiveness and belonging where all people are welcome, based on Christian ethics and principles.
- Provide an opportunity for experiencing spiritual life.
ELPIS – Hope Is A Home For Everyone.
To realise his vision, involving the establishment of ELPIS, Archbishop Makarios and his team met with various State and Federal political leaders, religious leaders from other denominations, including clergy and community leaders and members of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia. During His Eminence’s consultative timetable, there was unanimous support for the establishment of a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Alcohol and other Drug Rehabilitation facility to cater for the needs of CALD, Indigenous and broader community members affected by alcohol and other drugs.
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia sends a strong message; by serving Christ in the poor, elderly and needy with love, respect, justice and hope, and working unceasingly towards shaping a more just and compassionate society.
His Eminence Archbishop Makarios has appointed The Very Reverend Father Angelo Alifierakis to lead ELPIS due to his experience and long-standing success involving the establishment and running of The ESTIA Foundation of Australia as its CEO.
WHAT WE DO
Our number one priority is to help you on your journey to recovery. ELPIS will provide treatment based on the dignity and respect vulnerable people require to live a valued and quality life. ELPIS’s mission is to help people with drug, alcohol addiction and dependency issues.
At ELPIS, we are dedicated to providing the following services:
- In-house short stay rehabilitation residential program (one week to twelve weeks)
- Withdrawal management from drugs and alcohol (upon assessment)
- Counselling and Treatment programs
- Information on drugs and alcohol
- Group Programs
- Specialist advice from Healthcare professionals
WHY WE DO IT
ELPIS’s mission is to help people with drug and alcohol addiction and dependency issues as we understand what these vulnerable people are going through.
Every 30 seconds, a person reaches out for assistance due to exponential increases in drug use and abuse, gambling, alcoholic intake, depression, suicidal and other mental health concerns which is the very reason why ELPIS exists. ELPIS verily believes its mission and core values will make a significant and positive impact to the community in need.
Drug substance, alcohol use and abuse has become an exponentially increasing problem for our communities. There is anecdotal evidence and research that demonstrates the number of addicts in our community continues to rise.
For example, according to the 2022 National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS), an estimated 9.0 million (43%) people aged 14 and over in Australia had illicitly used a drug at some point in their lifetime (including the non-medical use of pharmaceuticals), and an estimated 3.4 million (16.4%) had used an illicit drug in the previous 12 months. 1
The Pandemic as a contributor to increases in AOD intake
Globally, the significant health issues that existed before COVID-19 have not gone away and in many instances, the pandemic may have exacerbated the problems.
In Australia, a number of surveys conducted between 2019 and 2021 during various pandemic moments, showed that over 25 % of the adults increased their alcohol consumption during the pandemic, mainly due to higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms, with the proportion of harmful drinking, measured by Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. 2
Culturally and Linguistic Diverse (CALD) Indigenous Communities
It is estimated 500,000 nationwide people are unable to obtain the assistance they require from AOD treatment services, as they’re either not available or the wait lists are extensive. It does not matter whether someone is just starting to develop a drug problem or whether they have a severe dependency issue, many cannot receive the support they require. The situation is at its worst in regional and rural Australia 3
