walk with me 2012 - rocky bay with me supporters enjoying the events in mosman park and mandurah...

Walk With Me supporters enjoying the events in Mosman Park and Mandurah

Rocky Bay raised a record $31,565 in our

two Walk With Me events held in Mandurah and Mosman Park in September.The sun shone on both events as over 600 walkers enjoyed the opportunity to walk with their friends, family and colleagues living with disability.

Rocky Bay was thrilled to welcome Olympians Lauren Mitchell, Olivia Vivian and Emily Little (Gymnastics); Jesse Phillips (Kayaking); Kim Mickel (Javelin); Ben Cureton (Rowing); and Paralympian Kat Porter (Swimming) to our walk in Mosman Park. Kat Porter reflected the mood of the day when she said “it was great to support such a good cause and the wonderful work undertaken by Rocky Bay in general.”Entertainment included live music courtesy of Beyond Never in Mandurah, and Catch Music’s Leederville Group and St Hilda’s jazz band in Mosman Park, as well as the Ranger Red

wildlife show with snakes, a dingo and other Australian native animals; face painting, and the hilarious magician ‘Hey Presto’. We also had Dreamfit’s wheelchair-friendly speedboat at Mandurah and off road Go-Kart rides in Mosman Park – both of which were enjoyed by people of all abilities! Proudly on display was Rocky Bay’s new Posture Tech van – a mobile workshop that can visit client homes, schools and community centres to undertake wheelchair repairs and modifications on the spot.

All money raised from the event will support families living with disability through Family Support and the Wishing Tree programme.

Walk With Me is a national event run in conjunction with Ability First Australia to raise awareness of people living with disability and promote inclusion and community involvement.

Walk With Me2012Inside this issue2012 ReviewServices GrowthNew Beach HouseGetabout in Mandurah Super trikes Master ChefDiscovering AbilitiesGala BallWishing Tree

Nov 2012

The year in focus There has never been a more interesting or challenging time to be in the Community sector. With a myriad of political agendas at both State and Federal level, the focus is squarely on

disability service providers. With that focus comes a responsibility to be open to new ideas and engaged in discussion and debate - to ensure the best outcomes for Rocky Bay, our clients and their families.

Industry Developments

Rocky Bay is fortunate to have been included in many discussions and we (our staff and clients) are privileged to have a voice at such a crucial point in the history of the sector. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) continues to make headlines on a weekly basis but there are a number of other equally demanding and potentially landscape changing agendas at play, including:

■ State Procurement Reform to ensure sustainable funding and contracting within the not-for-profit sector

■ The journey to Individualised Services and Self-Directed Service Design

■ National OSH Harmonisation ■ The National Disability Strategy ■ The National Standards for Disability

Services ■ Australian Charities and Not-for-Profit

Commission and potential tax reform ■ National re-tender of 80% of Open

Employment business ■ The State “My Way” initiative – a quasi

NDIS trial

There are a multitude of aims outlined in the above but most articulate they are to assist with funding increases; making the sector more

professional; improving governance and risk management; and of course, provision of better quality services to West Australians impacted by disability.

With such an array of policy debates, we must be careful not to lose focus on the here and now and improving the quality of our services is still a key driver in our Strategic Plan. We must also be extremely careful not to throw out the “baby with the bath water”. Although the ideologies and philosophies are well intentioned, I believe that we have an obligation to make sound, considered cases for pragmatic and sensible solutions. West Australian society is made up of a diverse group of individuals with very different needs and wants and people with disability are no different – we would be doing them and their families a disservice if we developed a one size fits all approach.

The NDIS is a good case in point. To get disability at the forefront of political discussion and a potential election issue is a huge achievement, and we should be courageous in debating the process and systems needed to deliver a tangible and truly beneficial outcome. Governance, funding and design of the scheme is contentious and one of the key areas for debate involves deciding which functions should be centralised and which functions localised. It is also integrally bound up with conversations about funding responsibility. No government will want to share in the funding responsibility without exercising some measure of control over the policy setting. These discussions should not be taken lightly and I, for one, strongly believe the agenda should not be rushed purely to meet an election time line – this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to get the system right.

Cont....

Michael Tait, CEO

Page 5Page 3

Rocky Bay progress

At an operational level, we are most fortunate to have the support of a large number of businesses and volunteers who assist Rocky Bay in a variety of ways. Volunteers continue to play an essential part in the effective operation of the organisation, whether it is through spending time individually with clients or through the more formal aspects of committee representation or using their skills in marketing, engineering, accounting etc to lift the professionalism and scope of the work we do at Rocky Bay.

We can all take pride in the number of key project milestones achieved during the year, including:

■ approval for the addition of seven new homes on the McCabe Street site for clients with high medical needs

■ significant grant from Lotterywest for a major overhaul of our aged and overloaded IT and Communication infrastructure and systems

■ refurbishment of the Wheelchair Sports Club rooms

■ fitting of a canopy extension to the Recreation Centre

■ new office opening in Mandurah for therapy and day services

■ purchase of land adjacent to Patricia Kailis Centre for car parking and future development

■ a new respite guest facility “The Beach House” opened in Rockingham

■ ongoing construction of a respite guest house in Gosnells with completion targeted for April 2013

■ commencement of leadership training for managers and supervisors

■ commencement of an environmental controls project

As we approach the end of 2012, I look forward to the year ahead as we see the hard work put in over the last 12 months in planning and developing business cases come to fruition with better facilities, funding and levels of support for our clients.

On behalf of Rocky Bay, I wish you all the very best of health and happiness for the Christmas

break, the New Year and for 2013 and thank you sincerely for the

support, assistance and friendship you give to Rocky Bay, our clients and

community.

Michael Tait CEO

ProjectsHousing at 64 McCabe Street

It has been four years in the making but the development of 64 McCabe Street, adjacent to Rocky Bay, will finally get underway in February 2013.The project is a joint venture between the Department of Housing, Disability Services Commission and Rocky Bay and will provide homes for 13 people, including shared houses, two person units and single units.

The concept is for a small community set in landscaped gardens, with each dwelling incorporating accessible design features and a contemporary look. State of the art features designed to develop life skills include adjustable kitchen benches, cook tops and sinks, automatic entry doors, automatic exhaust fans, induction cook-tops, side opening ovens, etc.

While the venue will have full time support, a number of the tenants will live independently with minimal involvement from staff.

Rocky Bay anticipates that a tenants’ committee will be established to guide the delivery of services, in line with contemporary values of self direction and independence.

Upgrade Information Technology and Communications.

Rocky Bay was very fortunate to receive a significant grant from Lotterywest in order to upgrade IT and Communications infrastructure

and systems. The project is essential due to our aging network, overloaded phone system, large growth in services and lack outdated software. It will take up to two years to implement but it is planned to provide Rocky Bay with systems that will allow the organisation to provide better services into the future.

Posture Tech making everyday living easierExciting news – we recently received funding from the Disability Services Commission to embark on a pilot project to look at the impact of Environmental Controls and Assistive Technology.

The project will support six individuals aged 10+ years who are dependent on carers for activities such as switching on lights, turning on the radio, opening the front door and playing games.

Measuring effectiveness, time and cost, the project will determine our ability to assist more clients in the future to live an independent life, with a quality that we take for granted. Rocky Bay has partnered with Curtin University to do this evaluation.

Without the support of companies like these, projects such as this simply would not happen.

Improved accessibility at the Patricia Kailis Centre thanks to the opening of a new parking area for up to 45 cars.

Our sincere thanks to: RJ Vincent InfrastructurePorter ConsultingDowner InfrastructureHolcim Quarry

Over the past year several factors have demonstrated the need to prepare ourselves to meet the challenges ahead. These include the National Disability Insurance Scheme, discussion around choice and self direction and growth in our client population underpinned by autism and positive behaviour management.

In particular we need to ensure that Therapy & Professional Services remains sustainable and builds capacity to deal with rising demand.

Therapy & Professional Services

Therapy & Professional Services (comprising School Aged Therapy Services and Therapy and Professional Services teams of old) has in the past nine months been planning and realigning our team structure to better meet future demand.

A key strategic outcome from this activity is that we have adopted a Life Needs Model, which focuses our efforts on providing holistic support to assist clients and their families. The aim is to help them prepare for and successfully navigate through changing life circumstances and stages. It is designed to minimise stress for families at those important transition points.

We also recognise that if therapy provision is to enable self direction and positive outcomes for all, then this philosophy will need to underpin our service delivery. This may mean cultural shifts

in the mind-set of some therapists and families with a view to establishing and managing relationships and expectations. The aim is to realise each individual’s “dreams, aspirations or goals” of being included and having a better life.

Our journey on this path will be one of continuous improvement. With this in mind we welcome critical feedback and suggestions as to how we can do better.

Our offices are at Mosman Park, Cockburn Central and Mandurah.

People to contact are: ■ Kelly Ross, Manager Children

Email: [email protected] Phone: 6399 4114

■ Liana Dolzadelli, Manager Youth and Adults Email: [email protected] Phone: 9383 5151

■ Tracey Delamare, Manager Program Development Email: [email protected] Phone: 6399 4120.

Clinical Services UpdateNews

Father Forum Mums Coffee MorningFor mums of children with Autism ~ come and join us and other Rocky Bay mums, to chat about the practical ways we can support you and your child.

When: Thurs 29th November Venue: 13 Baling Street, Cockburn CentralTime: 10am - noon

RSVP to Christine on 6399 4121 or email [email protected]

Rocky Bay’s Father Forum is gaining momentum and proving to be relaxed, informative and a great opportunity to share advice and experiences with other dads.

When: Tues 19th FebruaryVenue: Rockingham (address TBC)Time: 6:30pm

RSVP to Scott on 6399 4122 or email [email protected]

Rocky Bay is pleased to offer Better Start Services to eligible clients. Visit the website www.betterstart.net.au or contact Rona by email [email protected] or phone 0406381782 for more information about a better start for your child.

Rockingham Beach House opening

The honourable Helen Morton MLC, Minister for Disability Services, assisted by Rocky Bay clients at the opening ceremony

Rocky Bay clients making the most of the inviting interior

Rocky Bay has now opened The Beach House, its newest respite guest house situated in Rockingham!The purpose-built, six bed respite facility was officially opened on 4 October by the Honourable Helen Morton MLC, Minister for Disability Services. Rocky Bay is the appointed service provider for the Commission’s South Metropolitan Residential Respite Services. The house offers short stays to people with disability, providing their primary carers with a break to rest and recharge.

In her opening speech, Mrs Morton stated that “Families and carers are very dedicated and often find their role rewarding, but it is important they get a break when they need it.

It is vitally important that carers can make the most of that break by being assured their loved ones will spend an enjoyable time in a safe, welcoming and homely environment that provides quality care for people requiring high support.”

The house earns its name from its proximity to Mangles Bay Beach, Rockingham and gives a holiday feel to guests - the internal décor matches this theme.

The Beach House is fully accessible and features

■ Foxtel and home entertainment systems

■ bathroom hoists ■ al fresco dining ■ landscaped gardens ■ trained Support Workers

Despite a few minor setbacks during development, including a stolen hot water system the day prior to opening, the first guests have given a thumbs up to the Beach House and the services offered by Rocky Bay to ensure a great stay.

Refurbishment of the two existing respite guest houses in Beeliar is also underway and construction of a brand new guest house in Gosnells is due for completion by April 2013.

Page 7

Mandurah has long been a source of inspiration for local artists, so it should not be too surprising that Getabout members Emma and Kevin decided to join the Community First Ability Arts group in Mandurah to further develop their creative skills and build new friendships.

The Ability Arts group gets together every Monday and Friday afternoon to offer members a range of art projects to work on. The programme is designed to cultivate confidence, creativity, independence and social inclusion through arts,

cultural activities and events.

Both Emma and Kevin travel to Rocky Bay’s new Getabout base in Cooper Street, Mandurah.

Between sessions they can relax and unwind, work on their art projects and prepare lunch in the fully equipped kitchen. When the weather is good they can take a short stroll to the beautiful Mandurah foreshore and its numerous cafes for a bite to eat before attending Ability Arts sessions in the afternoon.

Every kid wants a new bike for Christmas – well ten young Rocky Bay clients have gone one wheel further and created their own trikes. In a joint initiative between Rocky Bay and Dismantle, the hand-trike project was generously funded by Variety WA. Ten young people were selected to be involved in the project and were instrumental in the overall design, colour selection and assembly process, while the team from Posture Tech provided expertise in the postural and physical elements necessary to support individual safety and comfort. Cheryl Lockwood, Manager of Posture Tech

said “It is often difficult for young people living with disability to take part in regular recreational activities such as bike riding as they may not have the physical capability to peddle with their legs. Hand-trikes offer an alternative way of cycling but are generally very costly to purchase. This was a fantastic project to give these young people a unique opportunity to build their own.”The hand-trike project was the brainchild of Bruno Booth from Dismantle, whose father designed a hand-trike for him when he was ten. These young people and their families came together to design and then build their own hand-trikes with support from the Dreamfit Foundation.

A new trike in time for Christmas !

Kevin and Emma working on art projects with Rocky Bay Support Worker.

Getabout in Mandurah

The October school holidays were very special for six lucky Rocky Bay clients, who attended a three day cooking program run by 2011 MasterChef contestant John Hughes. The teenagers started with the basics of food hygiene by making simple sandwiches for their lunch. By the third day they prepared and served a three course sit-down dinner for 30 people in Rocky Bay’s kitchen, including their mums and dads, Rocky Bay’s CEO Michael Tait, and Clinical Director Linda Chiu.

John, who has cerebral palsy, was inspired by the show to develop the cooking class for children living with disability. As he said, “If I can use this profile I’ve been given through MasterChef to inspire people, with or without a disability, to believe in themselves and follow their dreams, then that is the best thing I can do and it would make me very happy.”

“Its was a big job, but it’s all about showing the kids their abilities, building their confidence in the kitchen and giving them the time to complete the task at their own speed,” he said.

John is a truly inspirational Australian, a winemaker from the Barossa Valley, he shot to fame in 2011 when he appeared on MasterChef as one of the 40 finalists. He became a much loved contestant and brought awareness of cerebral palsy to homes and workplaces all over Australia when he presented an empty plate to the judges after admitting that his disability had beaten him and his dish was not up to standard.

Rocky Bay’s purpose is ‘Discovering Abilities’ and in doing so, to improve the quality of life for people living with disability.’ Our aim is to develop life skills and encourage inclusion and participation, thereby assisting people to achieve their full potential and live their dream.

Fine Cuisine

Those attending the dinner enjoyed a trio of dips for starters - guacamole, tzatziki and red capsicum and goats’ cheese, for mains - spaghetti and meatballs with Italian salad and garlic bread. For dessert they had chocolate panna cotta with raspberry filling, served with orange biscuit.

MasterChef comes to Rocky Bay

John Hughes mentors Rocky Bay clients Scott and Joel

Sam, Gemma and Julian plating up in the Rocky Bay kitchen

Sadly Steve Jobs passed away in 2011 but thankfully the incredible legacy he left behind continues to benefit so many of us – some in a much more profound way than even the most devout Apple fan may ever appreciate!

Steve referred to iDevices such as the iPad and iPod as “magical” – for parents of children with autism and communication disabilities it might be the case. Technology is advancing quickly and giving your child the opportunity to use it provides them with opportunities to explore new ways of participating in their community.

However a product may be unsuitable for your child, or the market hype heralding the latest versions of these devices could lead you into making a purchase for the wrong reasons.

Key Questions

Before making a purchase, take the time to ask yourself some important questions:

■ What is the purpose of the device? Leisure, communication, skill development, education, or a combination of these? What key benefits do you expect to deliver?

■ How often will my child use it? How often will other people (teachers, therapists, family members) use it with my child? iDevices are great tools for interaction, working together to build strong relationships with your child.

■ What apps will I put on it? It is important to consider what to put on the iDevice and ensure that these apps help to meet your childs needs.

■ How much work goes into setting up? Talk to people at the Apple store or your therapist. They can explain what is needed to get your iPad up and running.

If you want an iDevice as a communication tool, you may also like to consider the following:

■ how can I help other people feel comfortable using an iDevice with my child?

■ where and from whom can I get support to maximise my iDevice in my child’s daily life so that it is their voice?

■ who will do the programming? A communication device needs to be kept up to date so the words are relevant for the user.

■ will I put a lot of other apps on the iDevice? Will this distract my child from using it as a communication device?

■ is my child motivated to use the iDevice to communicate?

■ is the iDevice the best tool to choose? Will it continue to grow with my child or will they need a different system in the future.

If you are having trouble deciding which communication device will best suit your child then talk to your therapist. They will be able to assist you to explore a range of communication devices including the iPad and iPod.

Editor’s Note: My daughter is non-verbal and uses both iPod and iPad devices which have given new dimensions to her world by way of communication and entertainment. A big challenge we faced was in getting teachers and support people to use her devices. Be prepared to chip away at their resistance. Also, we are now on our third iPod (they are NOT designed to be absorbent) so back up regularly and be prepared to shell out for more than one device over time!

Technology and communication

Note: iPhone and iPod: liquid damage is not covered by the Apple one year limited warranty or an AppleCare Protection

Plan http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3302#

The Rocky Bay riders group headed south during the October school holidays, livening up the Malibu school grounds in Safety Bay. Participants included seven children between the ages of 6 and 16, as well as their siblings, parents, grandparents and carers.

The program ran over four days with the first day involving Physiotherapists Therapists who conducted individual assessments. The programme on the following days included road safety awareness, sign recognition and development of bike riding skills.

Enthusiasm was apparent as many of the lessons and visuals were incorporated into fun

games. The children socialised and the families had an opportunity to meet therapists from all disciplines.

Families said they would recommend the program and requested that more events of this nature be held in the Rockingham and Mandurah area. Many children responded positively and were able to ride independently with training wheels by day three. One child even managed to ride with no training wheels on the last day.

Rocky Bay riders head south

Don’t Drink and Drive... It’s a community message that’s been drummed into us repeatedly, yet sometimes the significance of this message can be forgotten... until you meet someone like Mal that is.

At age 22, Mal ‘just’ survived a horrific car accident after a boozy night out with footy mates, upset after his relationship broke down. After five months in a coma, Mal, who suffered head injuries, was told he’d never walk again let alone play another football game. His dreams of a future which included marriage, family and a career were lost in a split second.

Mal is now an avid fundraiser for many causes and considers himself ‘just like you and me, only in a wheelchair’. Mal is passionate about

sharing his story on the consequences of drink driving and recently ran a successful session at Rocky Bay. Armed with a powerful slideshow, Mal is available to attend schools, clubs and organisations to share his story. If you know of any speaking opportunities, please contact Sally Smith at Rocky Bay on 9383 5111 or email, [email protected]

Mal’s message to all

Malcolm heads off to another speaking engagement

Some of the Rocky Bay families who took part during the October school holidays

Abseiling is a demanding sport that tests the courage of the bravest, yet Rocky Bay client and employee Darryl Rice only needed a few hours of contemplation before accepting a challenge to abseil down a cliff face at Statham’s Quarry in Gooseberry Hill in his wheelchair!

Dreamfit Foundation and Adventure Out have joined forces to offer abseiling adventures for people living with disability. They have a range of access-friendly sporting activities including a flying fox, quad bike, hovercraft, speed boat,

archery, trimaran and go-karts. They visited Rocky Bay to offer this unique opportunity to our clients and Darryl leaped at the opportunity!

“Although I’d considered abseiling before, I was too frightened of heights to think I’d ever do it, but I’m fine with heights now”. Darryl enjoyed the thrill so much he went back for a second adventure a couple of months later.

View the photo album on Rocky Bay’s Facebook page - www.facebook.com/discoverrockybay

Stretch your imagination

Courage is contagious it seems as a couple of months after Darryl’s adventure, Kelvin, a resident at Rocky Bay, caught the bug and asked about an adventure that might suit him. As Kelvin would require a stretcher, Dreamfit’s flying fox was deemed to be ideal. They came out to measure up and borrowed a helicopter Sea Rescue stretcher, all helping to allay Kelvin’s fears for his safety. Trusting in the advice he was given, Kelvin’s trip went ahead without a hitch!

Congratulations to Darryl and Kelvin, Discovering Abilities.

Darryl getting prepped for his abseil in gale force winds

Kelvin takes the flying fox down the cliff face ..... for fun!

Discovering abilities

The eagerly awaited inaugural Rocky Bay Gala Ball was held on Friday 22nd June at Burswood on Swan. In all, around 145 clients, staff and volunteers “glammed up” on the night in colourful gowns and dapper suits to dance the night away.

The event, which was coordinated by the Getabout team, grew to be much bigger than originally envisaged with all revellers on the dance floor until well after midnight, thanks to DJ, Kev Hotchin.

Like every gala evening, hours of preparation went into the much anticipated event. Rocky Bay residents were granted a wish from the Wishing Tree. Some received professional hair and make-up treatments while others spent weeks shopping for the perfect outfit. After all the “primping and preening”, those attending got the full VIP treatment, welcomed with a glass of bubbly and a stroll down the red carpet into the beautifully themed glitz and glamour of the gold and silver ballroom.

The paparazzi was on hand to treat guests to a professional photograph, taken in front of a fun Hollywood themed backdrop. Delicious food was served through the night along with a selection of beer, wine and mocktail slushies.

Rocky Bay client Lissa Ninyette said “It was good fun and great music. Getting dressed up and having photos taken was the best – we’ve gotta go back there!”

The evening was not only memorable for the clients but also for the volunteers who seemed to get more out of the experience than they gave. One volunteer mentioned how welcomed and moved she felt, saying: “I was so touched by how happy everyone was - despite their disabilities they were able to look past their challenges in life to have a good time and enjoy themselves”.

Rocky Bay clients have requested the “same again” next year.

Glitz and glam at the Gala Ball

The Rocky Bay ball was a huge hit - the dance floor “pumped” all night!

Glitz and glam at the Gala Ball

Public Relations students Natacha Petersen and Qisti Zahairi are currently working on a Communication project for Rocky Bay. They recently interviewed Rocky Bay clients working at Foodbank in Welshpool. The students found it very informative. "It is amazing how much you learn when listening to peoples’ experiences" Qisti said.

Natacha added that, "as International students from Denmark and Malaysia, working with Rocky Bay has given us insights to new perspectives of the Australian way of life. To learn from those living with disability has been very inspiring and left us with memories we can take home to our

own countries".

For Natacha and Qisti the following weeks will be spent in the library, while the clients in Foodbank will continue their valuable work.

Rocky Bay’s tender for an increase in Disability Employment Services market share over the next five years has been successful. The Department of Employment, Education and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) have granted us a moderate increase in business at the Patricia Kailis Centre in Cockburn and a significant increase in business at our site in Cedric Street, Stirling.

In both areas we exceeded our contracted share during the period of the last tender, and this outcome means we can offer significantly more clients individualised job search, monitoring and support services. These services help to gain

and maintain employment and assist clients to use and improve their skills.

It also means that Rocky Bay Employment Services will increase its staff significantly over both sites.

DEEWR received over 200 tenders representing over 1,700 bids across 102 tendered Employment Service areas.

Rocky Bay received an overall 3 - 4 star rating putting us in the top 20 percent of National providers and we are all justifiably proud of our achievement.

Employment Services growth

Employment Services working with students from Murdoch University

Rocky Bay client Janet interviewed by Natacha and Qisti

Employment

Megan Hatfield and Jess Maccora both love their jobs as Occupational Therapists at Rocky Bay, working with families to support them achieving their goals and dreams for their children.

Megan, who joined Rocky Bay in January said, “It was a big decision due to the distance from my home but it was one of the best decisions I ever made”. She was especially attracted by one of Rocky Bay’s

company values – ‘Finding Better Ways’ – and says that is exactly what it is like here. “If I’d known what an amazing place it is to work, with such support, flexibility and opportunity to make a difference, I’d have made my decision even quicker!”

“I love everything about my job, I’m so lucky!” - Megan

Occupational Therapy is about empowering people to engage in day to day life activities to the best of their ability. Seeing people of all ages and disabilities, Megan and Jess work alongside speech therapists, physiotherapists, social workers and our ‘Posture Tech’ equipment service. They find creative solutions, tailoring services to individual needs.

“Every family we see is so different and has such different goals. It is important for us to spend

time getting to know them. Rather than focusing on therapy specific goals straight away, we find out what is important and meaningful to the life of the child and the family so we can build their therapy around that” said Jess, who has been at Rocky Bay for 18 months.

“I’m a big talker so I love sitting and talking with families!” – Jess

“The periods after first diagnosis or at different life stages for the child can be very worrying for parents. If the family is able to have a vision for the future, it makes the design of therapy to meet their goals easier

and they feel more positive and engaged, helping their child to achieve his or her full potential. They take an active role in their child’s development which can lead to a much more successful outcome”, added Jess.

It’s an exciting time of growth in Rocky Bay’s Therapy & Professional Services team. If you are a skilled therapist with a passion for person-centred care and you’re looking for a role where you can see meaningful changes and really make a difference, the advice from Megan and Jess is to apply now!

Working at Rocky Bay – Therapists

To celebrate the 2012 AFL Premiership Season, Rocky Bay clients and staff were joined on Wednesday 26 September by volunteers from Woodside and former Fremantle Dockers player Ashley Prescott.

The dining hall at the Residence was adorned with the patriot colours of our much loved WA teams - purple / white and blue / gold. You would

be forgiven for thinking we were celebrating an all WA grand final rather than what proved to be a mighty match between the Hawks and the Swans!

Following a traditional “football lunch” of pies and hot chips, clients, volunteers and staff all got into the spirit of the day playing handball and football games in celebration of another brilliant AFL season!

Thank you to Woodside and Ashley – we hope to see you at next years’ all WA grand final!

Self directed services projectA series of action learning workshops to try to answer the question “How do we transform therapy provision to enable self direction and positive outcomes for all?” has benefited Rocky Bay’s OTs Megan and Jess.

The four month series of workshops led by Rocky Bay was a collaborative project, in partnership with Therapy Focus and the Centre for Cerebral Palsy. The project involved 30 therapists and family focus groups.

Therapy service providers have been working with a family centred model for years and some families had reported dissatisfaction with the removal of a direct intervention approach, perceiving this to be due to a lack of funding or overworked therapists.

In fact it is intended to provide families with greater independence and ensure that therapy services are tailored to their needs and vision for their child’s future. Initial feedback from many families included being listened to and having input, has been very positive whilst others prefer a directive approach and we are able to cater for that too.

The project culminated in a presentation of each therapist’s personal reflections to 190 delegates at a disability, health and education forum.

Thanks go to consultants Jane Sherwin and Dr Margaret Potter and to the Disability Service Commission for their Quality Service Improvement Grant that funded the project.

AFL Grand Final Lunch

Volunteers join Rocky Bay’s 2012 AFL Grand Final celebration

Carols by CandlelightRocky Bay’s Carols by Candlelight 2012 is proudly sponsored by Mosman Park Pharmacy and will be held in the lovely gardens at Rocky Bay, 60 McCabe Street, Mosman Park, on Wednesday, 12 December from 6.30 pm.

A community event at which the whole family can celebrate the joy of Christmas while raising much needed funds for people living with disability in Western Australia.

Candice Barnes will host the evening and will be joined in song by A Capella West as well as signers, Giuseppe and Sam. His Worship, the Mayor of the Town of Mosman Park, Mr Ron Norris will be guest of honour on the night and the whole community is invited to attend.

We hope you can join us - entry is by gold coin donation and there will be lots of delicious food and drinks to purchase on the night.

Corporate organisations are often on the lookout for opportunities to volunteer and support not-for-profit organisations such as Rocky Bay.

Volunteering can help achieve corporate social responsibility targets in a fun and meaningful way while building a strong community ethos and team spirit in staff who get a feeling of pride and personal satisfaction in their volunteering achievements.

Bankwest, Woodside and HBF have all supported us in the past 12 months and we are creating more and more opportunities for businesses to get involved, such as team based activities like gardening, painting, refurbishment and our fundraising events. Or you could help out at client events such as discos, the Christmas party, gala ball and the

recent Melbourne Cup day at The Residence, which also require financial support to make them the best that they can be.

Skilled volunteers

There are also opportunities for skilled volunteers to get involved – to use specialised skills in a meaningful way to support Rocky Bay. Current projects include a website redesign, employer branding and an IT refresh, whilst there are always opportunities for strategic input and for people with other skills such as engineering.

If you or your organisation is interested in getting involved with Rocky Bay, please contact Jenny Styles, Volunteer Coordinator on 9383 5135.

Corporate volunteering opportunities

Save the

Date !

Carols By Candlelight60 McCabe Street,

Mosman Park

Wednesday 12 December

6:30pm - 8:30pm

Proudly sponsored by Mosman Park Pharmacy & William Porteous Properties International

Fundraising

Jian is a member of Rocky Bay’s Getabout programme and an avid photographer. He has a passion for nature, people and the world around him. Taking photos is a great creative outlet for Jian and he has learned to make wonderful montages of his images on a computer.

Rocky Bay’s Wishing Tree has granted Jian’s wish to get his very own ‘tough’ camera so he doesn’t have to miss out when the Getabout cameras are being used by other people.

Look what great snaps Jian has already taken in and around Getabout.

The Wishing Tree is made possible by fundraising and has also granted wishes for people with disability to purchase items such as white goods, educational courses, computer equipment, modified sports and play equipment.

Each wish is assessed by a committee to ensure other funding is not available and that granting the wish will help to Discover Abilities and optimise the quality of life for people living with disability.

If you would like to help us grant more wishes in the future, please complete and return the donation form on the back page.

Cameraman Jian gets his wish

Jian (pictured top with new camera) and a collection of his photographs - Jian finds inspiration in his

friends, everyday objects and the wonders of nature.

At some point in the day most of us will sit down with a coffee (or a tea, or any other drink you might buy at a cafe, bar or restaurant).

A take away coffee might cost $5 but in ten minutes it is gone.

If just once a week, you were to forgo the cost of that coffee towards a monthly or quarterly donation to Rocky Bay, you may be astonished at the difference it would make. 1,000 People donating the cost of just one coffee each week adds up to over $240,000 in a single year. Can you imagine the lasting impact this could make for people living with disability? This Christmas, we are asking our generous supporters to set up a small monthly or quarterly tax deductible donation to Rocky Bay. One coffee per week would be $20 per month or $60 per quarter.

If you’d like to do so, please complete the form on the back of this newsletter. You can make regualr payments by credit card or direct debit.

Thanks so much!

What fundraising pays for

Rocky Bay receives government funding for many of the basic services provided such as therapy, employment services and alternatives to employment.

However, some of the things that really make a difference need to be paid for through fundraising, either from individual donors, community grants, bequests or corporate support.

Family support

Fundraising is used to pay for Family Support – listening to the family’s story and developing ideas and options which may improve and strengthen their everyday life. These are tailored to individual needs and examples include overnight and weekend breaks, school holiday programmes, vehicle, equipment or environmental modifications, domestic support, recreational activities and provision of disability support worker services.

The Wishing Tree

You’ve already read about some of the great things we’ve done with fundraising dollars through our Wishing Tree (see Cameraman Jian and Gala Ball articles). The more we raise the more wishes we can make come true.

Equipment

Fundraising helps to pay for many types of equipment, devices for communication, interaction, games, therapy and everyday recreational activities.

Your donation could help to pay for some of the equipment opposite so please go to the back page and give generously.

Could you survive without your morning coffee? We couldn’t!

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Hydrotherapy pool:

■ Cerebral Palsy float suit - $390-$450 ■ Floatation aid – $160 ■ Buoyancy collar - $60 ■ Pool games - $20-$60 ■ Bar bells - $20

Switch toys: For those with limited function and movement enabling them to control their environment using simple switches and encouraging interaction with others:

■ Train set - $250 ■ Hungry hippo - $130 ■ Swirl art set - $90

Early intervention equipment: ■ Soft shape steps - $300 ■ Soft shape wave - $400

Gym equipment and physiotherapy: ■ Bodyweight supports for treadmill –

$500+ ■ Wheelchair workout kit – $60

Communication devices: ■ iPad - $400 ■ Software - $200

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Remember your donation

is tax deductible.

A receipt will be sent to you.

YES! I want to support the important work of Rocky Bay,

please accept my gift

WHATS ONMums Coffee MorningThurs 29 Nov 2012 13 Baling Street, Cockburn Central

Carols by CandlelightWednesday 12 Dec 2012Rocky Bay, 60 McCabe St, Mosman Park

Father ForumTuesday 19 Feb 2013 6:30pmRockingham (address TBC)

Jazz & ShirazSunday 10 March 2013 from 5pmHosted in conjunction with the Friends of Perth Bone and Tissue Bank IncRocky Bay, 60 McCabe St, Mosman Park

AHG Charity Golf dayFriday 15 March 2013Joondalup Golf Club

Royal Fremantle Charity Golf dayFriday 3 May 2013RFGC, Fremantle

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walk with me 2012 - rocky bay with me supporters enjoying the events in mosman park and mandurah...

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