WERE IN THIS TOGETHER BUILDING BRIGHTER FUTURES

#5

03ON TRACK WITH JACK

www.lwb.org.au

09HAWTHORNE HOUSE OPENS

05LWBs DISABILITY SUPPORT

11SPINAL INJURY SERVICE IN QLD

Our 2015 National Carer Consultation Group From left: Paul Worsman, SA; Robert Herbert (Chair); Jacintha Bachelor, NSW; Sean Cashin, National Manager Carer Services; Mary-Jane Wright, Tas; Robert Ferris, LWB Board; Judith Mackay, QLD; Donna Birch, Victoria; Eddie Bachelor, NSW; Debbie Micklethwaite, SA. Not pictured: Jessica Duncan, WA; and Christine Dohnt, NT. Read about the NCCG on page 12/13.

Issue #5 April 2015

2|3

As I meet with our teams at centres across Australia, I am inspired by their commitment and dedication to making a positive difference in the lives of the people we support.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE CLAIRE ROBBS

In this edition of We Live Life we are really proud to showcase the expansion of our home-based and community care services. Im also excited to be able to share with you the launch of our new mental health support service at Bendigo and our spinal injuries service in Queensland.

This month were profiling the work we do supporting people with a disability to determine and direct the services they receive both through our involvement with the National Disability Insurance Scheme pilot sites and with our long-standing work in all states and territories. It is wonderful to see how having support can enable people to grow in confidence and, for many for the first time, open the door to deciding for themselves what services suit them best.

Everything we do here at LWB is about partnering with people to change lives for the better. We do this by bringing our values to life each and every day. Im really pleased that over the next few issues well be sharing with you real examples of how our values shape our approaches, actions and decision-making.

I hope you enjoy reading this issue of We Live Life, and I encourage you to visit our website www.lwb.org.au and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram for regular updates.

In this edition of We Live Life we shine the spotlight on individuals who are making a difference.We hope you enjoy reading about our volunteers and staff who, through their passion and commitment, are helping people to change their lives for the better.

In each edition we publish articles about our work with clients and our services, and share inspirational stories from around the country. We also profile our Life Without Barriers teams, innovations and successes.

WELCOME TO WE LIVE LIFE

Did you know, Life Without Barriers is also on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram @LWBAustralia? Join us in these conversations.

Jack has done it again. This time he and his crew have tackled the 65km Tasmanian Overland Track.Eight year-old Jack suffers from cerebral palsy and cant walk, talk or eat on his own, but he is the force that has brought together several expeditions and almost 1,000 followers on Facebook.

While his dad Chris carried Jack, a crew of 9 volunteers carried the many supplies necessary to tackle this trek.

We are truly humbled and inspired by the amazing Duffy family, and their adventurous spirit, said Melinda Ferrier, LWB Operations Manager in Northern Tasmania.

Chris and Erin Duffy embrace the motto championing opportunity for all.

ON TRACK WITH JACK

They continue to demonstrate that with a little bit of support, anything is possible for their son Jack, and motivate others to provide support to people with disability to break down barriers and enjoy experiences they may not otherwise have had.

The Duffys Overland Jack project has already raised over $15,000 for

Life Without Barriers towards installing an automatic opening door at our Rocherlea site, which will enable participants easy access to the building and increase independence.

You can follow Jack and his adventures on Facebook @Overland Jack supporting Life Without Barriers.

Overland Jack Duffy with dad Chris and team and LWBs Operations Manager in Northern Tasmania, Mel Ferrier, meeting with Kristen Dolle of Cube Aquatic to thank them for a generous donation to Overland Jack.

SPARKE HELMORE NBN TRIATHLON FESTIVAL

Team LWB, from left, Karen, Colin, Cedric, Nathan, Megan and Ashleigh.

Team LWB, enjoyed their evening out at the Sparke Helmore Foreshore5 twilight run on Friday 27 February.

Sparke Helmore is a long standing partner of Life Without Barriers, providing probono legal advice that supports the delivery of LWBs support services across Australia.

Through this partnership, Sparke Helmore offered LWB staff, young people and clients the opportunity to enter the Festival for free, which lead to 23 people taking part last weekend and enjoying this community event.

But best of all, was the reaction of the other competitors when the three clients from LWBs residential accommodation, Argenton House, arrived on the course.

Our clients had a wonderful time, said LWB Team Leader Karen Dries, and a number of runners and members of the public stopped and cheered the Argenton team on with words of support and encouragement.

Our clients had smiling faces and enjoyed the supportive environment of the Sparke Helmore race, and we look forward to entering again, in 2016, said Karen.

LWB was also offered a complimentary staff space where it shared information on its disability support services and foster care programs in the Hunter area. For information Life Without Barriers and its services, visit www.lwb.org.au

4|5

LWB DISABILITY SUPPORT ACROSS AUSTRALIAOur footprint of disability services covers most of Australia and means that LWB is in direct contact with over 2,000 people with disability each year. Below is a state-by-state, and territory, snap shot of our support services for people with disability.

TASOperating out of our Launceston and Hobart sites, we are actively involved in the NDIS trial for young people aged between 15-24 years old across Tasmania. Our current focus in the areas of accommodation supports andcommunity individual support services.

VICIn Victoria, the NDIS trial site in Barwon near Geelong, is focusing mainly on adults in shared living arrangement, who have individual care packages. LWB is not yet actively involved in this trial, however, we are watching the developments closely and following the learnings from this trial.

WA LWB has service sites operating in Kimberley, Kalgoorlie, Perth, Bunbury/Busselton and Margaret River areas. We are involved in both the NDIS trial in the Perth Hills which started on 1 July 2014 as well as the WA-specific My Way Trials. Our clients are primarily adults. The current focus in WA is in the areas of accommodation and individual support services.

ACTAs a small provider of services in the ACT, LWB supports people with disability in the national capital in areas of case management and in home support and these individuals are soon to transition into the NDIS. We are taking an active role to attract new scheme participants to our programs with regular information sessions, participation in expos, advertising and media.

NSWLWB has been part of the Hunter NDIS trial since it began in July 2013 with a large number of its existing clients living in the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie local government areas transitioning into the scheme over the past 18 months. Through our delivery of service through the NDIS we have also attracted new clients seeking support in these areas.

Life Without Barriers welcomed four new members to its Disability Services Advisory Council (DSAC) last October.

DISABILITY SERVICES ADVISORY COUNCIL LISTENS TO THE PEOPLE WE SUPPORT

DSAC, which first formed in 2011, provides LWBs Board and Executive with advice on matters that impact on the lives of people in LWBs services and broader communities. They advise on disability care and support related matters, and members also serve on interview panels for new staff recruited to our disability support programs.

The members collectively bring to the council their personal experience, formal feedback and consultation as representatives of the interests of clients of our organisation.

Our newest members are Bradley Mitchell from Tasmania, Christine Conway from New South Wales, Mac Yee from Victoria and Nick Wride from South Australia.

They join existing council members John Green from New South Wales, Carolyn Jurgens from Western Australia, and Sereako Treloggen from Queensland. We hope to see a Northern Territory representative on the Council before the year is out.

We value the knowledge, skills and ideas that our clients bring to our peak disability services internal body, the Disability Services Advisory Council, said Dominique Ryan, LWB Senior Project Manager.

Our clients from across Australia deserve to have their ideas and concerns heard and responded to, and this engagement helps inform the continuous improvement of service delivery.

Members of the council also participate in sharing information about LWB within their local communities, with the council providing an opportunity for members to develop their leadership abilities.

It is through our clients voicing their opinions on the council that we have improved in areas of client participation, community engagement, clients rights and are better positioned to advocate for people with disabilities to influence government and sector policies.

Our first priority is the people we support, their families and carers, and we want to be certain we are getting the best deal for them, Domique said.

Eighteen months since the first National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) pilot started in New South Wales, the scheme already demonstrating how it can support people to change their lives.

Life Without Barriers is active in all of the pilot sites in New South Wales, Western Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania and the Northern Territory.

Tony Crothers, LWBs Disability Support Co-ordinator, Rocherlea in Tasmania, said he was already seeing positive changes for many in the community.

Moving out of the family home and into the community is a big achievement in anyones life, Tony said.

Thats why when the people we support locally with disability services seek our assistance to live independently, we are only too happy to help.

Were now supporting more clients to access key services and develop practical living skills such as budgeting and home maintenance.

If we can help more people to set up their own private rental accommodation and deliver flexible services to help them live independently in their community this would be a great model made possible through the NDIS.

Tony said helping the people we support to live more independently was also a reminder of the commitment of Life Without Barriers to supporting people to explore opportunities in their lives.

A November 2014 Productivity Commission Report into disability services in Australia reported participant satisfaction with the NDIS remains very high at 1.67 (2 = very good).

To find out when the NDIS is available in your region, please visit the NDIS website at www.ndis.gov.au and go to My Access Checker to check your eligibility.

NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME IS SUPPORTING MORE PEOPLE TO LIVE THE BEST LIFE POSSIBLE

NTLWB has supported accommodation sites and individual support plans in Darwin, Alice Springs and Katherine. The Community Pathways Day Program is in operation in Darwin and Alice Springs. Weve recently become involved in the NDIS trial in the Barkley Region by supporting people with disability in Tenant Creek. The current focus of our support programs is in accommodation and individual support services.

QLDLWB has service sites in Cairns, Townsville, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and Gold Coast. There are no NDIS trial sites in Queensland, however, the full roll out of the scheme is due to begin in July 2016. Our current work is in the areas of accommodation andindividual support services.

SALWBs disability program has experienced growth in recent years mainly in supporting people in shared living. The NDIS trial site in South Australia currently focuses on children aged between 0-14 years, and while we arent actively involved in the trial, we are watching closely to see how the trial is meeting the needs of families.

Christine Conway, DSAC member; Chantal Campbell, disability support worker; Dominique Ryan, Senior Project Manager; John Green, DSAC Chair.

Visit our online interactive map for details of Disability services provided in each state and territory at www.lwb.org.au and go to Our Disability Services Across Australia.

6|7

Our client satisfaction surveys provide a feedback mechanism to ensure the people we support can influence the planning and delivery of our services.

In north Queensland, we recently surveyed the people we support through our local Home and Community Care (HACC) program to obtain formal feedback about our professional care services and programs for older Australians.

Out of the 961 clients from north Queensland that were surveyed, 98 per cent responded that they were completely satisfied with our HACC services.

HELPING OLDER PEOPLE IN ALICE SPRINGS WITH HOME CARE SERVICESOur Out of Home Care Packages Program in Alice Springs has been well received within the local community.

Beau Thornton, LWB Operations Manager, Alice Springs said, the care and support services requested can range from daily tasks to personal care such as showering and help in getting to medical appointments.

The services offered by LWB supports clients to stay safely in their homes and therefore stay connected within the community.

Our professional care team delivers the highest level of support aimed at maintaining independence and quality of life, Beau said.

Depending on the services available locally, the people we support may also

be eligible for other LWB professional care services if they have a disability or condition which affects their ability to carry out activities of daily living or believe that they are at risk of premature or inappropriate admission to hospital or long-term residential care, said Beau.

LWB also introduced its Home Care Packages Program in regional New South Wales and Victoria and expanded its Community Care (HACC) in the Northern Territory, Queensland and South Australia.

People in the Alice Springs who are interested in this service can contact LWB on 08 8955 6401.

Sandre Buckley, Program Co-ordinator and Beau Thornton, Operations Manager, Alice Springs, Life Without Barriers is now providing Home Care Packages to more local people.

Life Without Barriers was proud to be part of the first CareStars program and prouder still of the three graduates we supported with mentoring and workplace experience.

An initiative of the Illawarra Disability Alliance and Illawarra TAFE in southern NSW with support from the NSW Government, the program supports long-term unemployed young people in the

CARESTARS ALL STARSarea with valuable work experience and on the job training to gain a certificate qualification, and through this attract more young people into the disability services sector.

LWBs Janelle Duffy was the TAFE teacher that supported the 13 students in the program who successfully attained their Certificate III in Disability with nine now,

working in the industry. Each learner was supported by disability service providers in the Illawarra area.

Australia will need an additional 25,000 qualified workers across the sector by 2018 in order to deliver high-quality services to people with a disability.

In Queensland, Life Without Barriers has been awarded contracts for the delivery of innovative new services for young people between the ages of 15 and 21 years old who have exited care.

BREAKING NEWS!

Amy Williamson, Area Operations Manager, Life Without Barriers, Far North Queensland welcomed the results of the surveys from our participants in the local HACC program.

That means we are on the right track and will continue to deliver HACC services for local older people that are responsive, integrated and effective.

We also encourage you to contact our Client Information and Feedback Service on free call 1800 721 226 for feedback, advice and information about our services and supports.

OUR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE

The establishment of the new After Care services to be delivered by LWB in partnership with other key agencies will for the first time, ensure targeted access to specialist support for young Queenslanders up to age 21 who have left the care of the state. Like most other young people leaving their childhood home, young people leaving care will now have somewhere to return to for support and assistance as they navigate adult life.

LWB will deliver the new Statewide After Care connections service in partnership with CREATE Foundation and Uniting

Care Community; and will provide After Care tailored individualised support for young people who have left care, in five of seven statewide delivery areas.

There are approximately 1,500 young people in Queensland who will be eligible to access the service when it commences, with 500 young people becoming eligible each year, as they exit out of home care.

Visit Children and Young People on our website for more information www.lwb.org.au and check out www.nextstepaftercare.com.au

8|9

MORE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO SUPPORT REGIONAL VICTORIANSThanks to a partnership between Life Without Barriers, Care Connect and Aftercare, residents of Loddon Mallee in Bendigo, Victoria, have a new mental health outreach support service.Celebrating its first six months of operation, the service Teresa McClelland, LWBs Victorian Operations Manager, says that this service is a great initiative and is expected to help people in the region who may experience mental health difficulties over the coming year.

The Individual Client Support Packages are delivered through an outreach model and will provide vital support to the community, said Teresa.

With one in five Australians experiencing some form of mental ill-health in their lifetime, the service means we can work closely with people in their homes and communities to develop a recovery plan specifically for their needs.

Our recovery oriented practice aims to support people to plan brighter futures, helping them to build confidence and life skills which will allow them to lead fulfilling lives, she said.

The program provides personalised support, tailored and directed for and by each client.

LWBs program co-ordinator, Joy, explained the work the team has undertaken with one client.

Representatives from LWB: from left, Rohan Willett, Program Manager, Teresa McClelland, Operations Manager with Russell, Natalie, Joy (co-ordinator) Marc, Raewyn, recovery staff and Margaret-Ann McClean, Human Resources Manager.

(The clients) recovery plan looked at improving his health and wellbeing.

With support in menu planning through to participation in a walking group, he is feeling fitter and happier than he has in years.

He was very pleased that we were there to listen to what was important to him and this gave him hope to live a normal life in his community, she said.

The services, led by Careconnect, is staffed by an experienced team of client advisors and recovery workers. The service is referral based via ACSOs Intake and Assessment Service and can be reached on 1300 022 760 or acso@acso.org.au.

POEM BY JOYCE*Care ConnectThat is trueThey care about meThey care about youBelinda is such a blessingKind, considerateClever and smartShe has a special Place in my heart

*Joyce is supported through the program, and dedicated this poem to her recovery worker.

Rhonda McLaughlin, General Manager, Life Without Barriers, Tasmania and Mayor, Southern Midlands Council, Anthony (Tony) Bisdee OAM celebrated the opening of Hawthorn House.

Doors of Hawthorn House are now open in Church Street, Oatlands, Tasmania.Hawthorn House is providing respite services designed to meet the needs of the people we support while providing carers and families with planned short-term breaks. Rhonda McLaughlin, General Manager, Tasmania

Life Without Barriers services and programs at Hawthorn House provide an opportunity for clients to:

HAWTHORN HOUSE OPENS AT OATLANDS TASMANIA TO DELIVER RESPITE

enjoy new experiences

learn new skills

visit new places and participate more actively in the local community

meet new people and build new relationships, and

connect with other groups, services and resources in the local area.

Rhonda commented that, the respite options offered at Hawthorn House were designed to promote community access and support healthy physical/ mental

wellbeing providing outings, arts and crafts, games, gentle exercise and morning teas, to name a few.

These respite services are designed to complement support from family and other services. They are tailored services to meet their needs as much as possible and as a result Hawthorn house has already become a home away from home for many of the people in the local area.

For more information about Life Without Barriers Hawthorn House at Oatlands, Tasmania, please phone 03 6236 7700.

The biennial Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival is on again, and Life Without Barriers is already warming up.

LAURA ABORIGINAL DANCE FESTIVALThis year, over 100 people from LWB will be attending the three-day event being held from 19-21 June. Our group includes 78 clients from our disability, youth and strong mob programs throughout North Queensland, 25 direct care staff and 20 additional staff as volunteers.

As a sponsor, LWB will be on hand to share information about our services, and discuss support options with people.

This is the 34th festival held in Cape York Peninsula. It first started in the 1980s as the Cape York Dance Festival and has

continued to highlight the diversity of the communities, languages, song, dance and stories.

Over 5,000 people are expected to attend Laura to take part and bear witness to this showcasing of the strength, pride and uniqueness of Aboriginal people.

For information on the Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival visit www.lauradancefestival.com You can also find out more about our services by visiting www.lwb.org.au

10|11

Our chairperson, Terry Lawler, proudly displays one of our new Volkswagens, being rolled out across Life Without Barriers as part of our three-year fleet arrangement.

We have our partners to thank for helping us to promote road safety among employees said Peter Armour, LWB National Fleet Manager.

After confirming our three-year partnership with Volkswagen in July last year were in the process of changing all fleet cars to Volkswagen.

Ensuring fleet vehicles are kept in top condition is another priority and thats why our partnership with Kmart Tyre & Auto Service, confirmed in February, is so important, Peter added.

Kmart Tyre & Auto Service now has the important responsibility for maintaining and servicing LWBs national fleet vehicles.

WORKING WITH PARTNERS TO ACHIEVE ROAD SAFETY

LWB also proudly confirmed its partnership with Navman Wireless to make driving easier and safer for our employees. Our fleet needs to be robust enough for city and suburban driving as well as country and off-road terrain.

Navman Wireless enables LWB employees the opportunity to log their journeys through the Navman, no longer having to record via log books.

With GPS systems now installed in all of our fleet vehicles, employees can reach their destinations more easily, and they no longer have to mess around with fiddly paperwork as logbooks are automatically tracked.

Our partnership with Volkswagen is great news for the young people we support too.LWB and Volkswagen have also developed an innovative partnership that will also see Volkswagen supporting more young people to acquire driving skills.

Volkswagen dealership staff are donating their time to mentor LWB young people to acquire driving skills and to reach the required hours of driving time to move from their Learners to the Provisional drivers license.

Volkswagen cars will be used as part of this life-skills program which will not only give our young people a sense of accomplishment but also the opportunity to be more mobile for work and leisure and access employment opportunities where a license is required.

OUR PARTNERS HELP YOUNG PEOPLE LEARN TO DRIVE

Making the move home following a spinal injury is both an exciting and challenging time.

SPINAL INJURIES SERVICE STARTS IN QUEENSLAND

At Life Without Barriers, we have experience in working with people with a spinal injury and are committed to delivering quality services that help maximise their overall health and well-being.

Brad Swan, LWBs Director of Operations, North and West Australia, recently announced a new spinal injuries service for Queensland.

In Queensland, LWB recently launched a spinal injuries support service to work alongside people with spinal injuries to develop the right support plan and fine-tune arrangements to meet their evolving needs as they settle back in to everyday life at home, Brad said.

Our clinical services team of nursing, social work and psychology staff play an important role in ensuring support plans and everyday support services are of the highest quality.

A member of the clinical services team will work with clients to identify and plan the support services they need, and ensures support workers receive

specialised training in providing services to people with a spinal injury.

Clients can also be supported with ongoing therapy at home.

Whether its getting back to work or volunteering, attaining new qualifications, keeping fit or simply getting out to local events and activities, we can also support clients by linking in with other service providers and local networks. We can provide advice about different assistive technologies, accessible housing options and opportunities for peer support.

Brad commented that in Queensland, people with disability, including those accessing the spinal injury support service, have the opportunity to manage or direct their own supports through the State Governments Your Life Your Choice (YLYC) framework. YLYC is a key initiative in Queenslands preparation for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

For more information about the Spinal Injury Support Services contact Life Without Barriers Queensland state office at Springwood on 07 3440 6300 or our Manunda office on 07 4032 8322.

A SPLASH OF COLOURLast year, Life Without Barriers launched a new brand, one that we felt better reflected our broad range of services and the diversity of our clients.

The focus of this brand, like our work, was people and we have been sharing our message of available services and our organisation since mid-last year via our refreshed website, our publications (including We Live Life), our promotional materials, new signs and even on our buildings.

If you have an LWB office near where you live, keep your eye out for our distinctive, easy-to-see new look.

Wed love to see where LWB is adding colour in your community. Post your photos to #ourlwb on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

12|13

The CREATE Foundation is taking applications from young people wishing to attend its 2015 conference Strength to Strength: improving the care system for children and young people through participation.

Young people between 12 and 25 years of age, who have a lived experience of Out of Home care can apply for a grant to cover their travel and accommodation or conference registration. The conference is being held in Brisbane from the 2 4 October. Grant applications close 1 July.

Details and conditions are available on the CREATE Foundation website youthforchange.create.org.au

GRANT APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN

The National Carer Consultation Group (NCCG) is our internal body representing the views of the Life Without Barriers foster carer community. LWB believes that our foster carers hold a unique position in our service delivery model, providing valuable insights into the quality of our services.

LWB has a tiered system of forums that give opportunities for carers to participate in development and review, and piloting of projects. The NCCG ensure the views of carers is represented as does a series of Regional Carer Reference Groups in operation around the organisation.

Our NCCG started in 2008, and since that time has continued to come together quarterly to meet with LWBs senior management, and Board representative Bob Ferris. The ten carers represent every state or territory where LWB provides home-based foster care or kinship care. The members bring feedback from

CARERS VOICE

carers in their own state or area and openly discuss service improvements or initiatives.

Past initiatives that the NCCG has brought forward around service improvements for the benefit of our carers have included: consultation on systems for agency

transparency. direction on carer advocacy services. establishing carer surveys to gain

feedback on service quality. providing input on the content of carer

website and testing its functions. advice on the implementation of the

Employee Assistance Program for volunteer carers.

support of regional carer reference groups.

Visit our Foster Care information on our website and the carer portal for resources and information on being a carer www.lwb.org.au

The Life Without Barriers national practice and quality team partnered with Newcastle and Central Coast organisations, and family and community members, to host a practice and research seminar at the University of Newcastle on Family Inclusive Practice in Out of Home Care.

The seminar included speakers with lived experience of the out of home care system. Parents of children in out of home care and foster carers shared their experiences with around 65 participants from many

Speakers at the seminar were left to right (back row) Karen, Mary and Jessica, (front row) Liz, Teegan, Katie and Felicity.

government and non-government organisations working in out of home care or child protection. Speakers Mary Ivec and Liz Reimer from the Australian National University and Southern Cross University also shared their research findings about family inclusive practice and the need to build warmer and more trusting relationships between workers, carers and family. The remainder of the seminar was dedicated to workshop activities aimed at answering the question: what is family inclusion?

For more information about the work of partnership of agencies and family members please read our Building Better Relationships report at www.lwb.org.au/who-we-are/publications-and-resources/out-of-home-care/ or contact Jessica Cocks in LWBs National Practice Team on 02 4033 4500.

BUILDING BETTER RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILY IN OUR OUT OF HOME CARE PRACTICE

PARTNERING WITH CARERS TO FOSTER A BRIGHTER FUTURE At Life Without Barriers we celebrate the efforts of our 2500 foster and kinship carers across Australia safe.

Life Without Barriers had a super time at this years Tunarama Festival parade in Port Lincoln, South Australia, with staff and volunteers dressing as super heroes in honour of our foster carers across the country.

Taking the theme, Everyday Superheroes, the LWB float sought to showcase

A SUPER DAY OUThow ordinary people are helping in an extraordinary way when they choose to become a foster carer.

Close to 30,000 people attend Tunarama each year, which started in 1962 to celebrate the launching of the Tuna fleet each year. Today, this three-day event held over the Australia Day weekend, has

broader community engagement but still with a strong emphasis on fun.

Staff from our LWB teams in Port Pirie, Whyalla and Port Lincoln not only enjoyed the fun of the parade, but were pleased to win the awards Best Community Float and Best Overall Float.

Celebrating our Everyday Superheroes LWB staff and volunteers took to the streets of Port Lincoln in the annual Tunarama festival parade, thanks to float organisers Natasha Sud aka Supergirl and Teresa Tresize aka Wonderwoman.

But what is foster care?Foster care services are provided to children and young people aged between birth and 17 years of age who are unable to live with their own families.

Foster care is provided by people in the community within their own home on a short or long-term basis.

Specialised or therapeutic foster carers provide care to children whose needs are higher and more complex than those of other children.

These children may have complex and challenging behaviours, developmental delays or learning difficulties, and disabilities.

At Life Without Barriers we work with children and families from a wide range of cultural backgrounds and are sensitive to their cultural needs.

For more information on foster care and enquiries regarding becoming a foster carer, visit our website www.lwb.org.au

Are you a foster carer, or thinking of becoming one? Why not take a look at the information and resources available on our newly expanded Foster Carer portal @ www.carers.lwb.org.au

14|15

Debbie Woodward (on left), Senior Support Worker, Life Without Barriers, Bunbury, said the success of the garden can be attributed to the teams passion for social inclusion and commitment to supporting all clients to gain the most they can out of the program.

Life Without Barriers community garden is the perfect recipe for creativity, cooking and togetherness for our clients with disability.

BUNBURYS INTERACTIVE COMMUNITY GARDEN AND KITCHEN

Established in June 2014 as a joint initiative with the City of Bunbury, LWBs community garden and kitchen provides a dynamic place where clients have been making new friendships and learning valuable skills with members of the local community.

LWBs Debbie Woodward, Senior Support Worker, and Rebecca Sanciolo, Bunbury Program Manager, were the masterminds behind the project.

Our plan was to develop a place where the people we support could come together with members of the community and really enjoy a sense of belonging, says Rebecca.

In setting up this project, facilitating social inclusion was considered to be just as important as teaching life skills and we believe we have exceeded our expectations.

The outcome has been fantastic, providing an opportunity for participants to enjoy cooking, healthy menu planning, planting, growing and harvesting produce as well as creating new social networks.

The team epitomises the Life Without Barriers values, demonstrating courage, innovation, and a commitment to the importance of positive relationships.

The kitchen, made possible through funding by the City of Bunbury, operates two days a week.

OUR VALUES

WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS

We are people people. Relationships come first.

Listening helps us understand.

WE ARE IMAGINATIVE

We are imaginative in our thinking and open to new ideas and ways

of doing things.

WE ARE RESPECTFUL

We are respectful and caring in our dealings. We see the big picture

but never lose sight of detail. We welcome diversity.

WE ARE RESPONSIVE

We are responsive to needs, determined to get things done

and do them well.

WE ARE COURAGEOUS

We are courageous in our convictions. We stand up for

what we believe in.

FIVE MINUTES WITH ASMAA AHMEDProgram Manager, Adelaide, South Australia.How did you come to join Life Without Barriers? My first job was as a language teacher in Melbourne for two years while studying my degree from 2008 to 2010 when the opportunity came to join LWB. I eagerly took it and joined as an independent observer for almost a year in 2011 before travelling to WA and QLD in a co-ordination position for another year, before settling with the SA office in 2012 in both a co-ordinator and program manager capacity.

Why did you join LWB? I wanted to help carry out remarkable changes in the lives of those Im caring for especially cultural and linguistic diverse refugees and asylum seekers.

What do you most enjoy about work? Recognising, accepting, respecting and celebrating cultural and linguistic diversity within the team and our client group.

What profession other than your own would you consider? The variety of programs within LWB makes it a unique organisation. Im very proud to be part of this, and its growth through positive energy and true dedication, and I love the fact of being a part of a team that delivers important services to deserving clients.

What inspires you? Seeing the remarkable changes in the lives of those people Im working with.

My greatest achievement has been... at a personal level: being a caring mum, honest wife, and a cheerful friend to all my loved ones. Having faith in delivering my message. Whereas on a professional level: being respected by work colleges and my clients.

Hear Asmaas story on YouTube @lifewithoutbarriers

Life Without Barriers is taking to the road in May and August to look for staff just like you.

People can visit us at our information stands in Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth, on the dates listed below, and discover the variety of career options that are available within the social services sector and, more importantly, LWB.

ADELAIDE CAREERS AND EMPLOYMENT EXPO 22/23 MAYFriday: 9am 3.30pm and Saturday: 10am 4pm

Jubilee Pavilion, Adelaide Showground

BRISBANE CAREERS AND EMPLOYMENT EXPO 29/30 MAYFriday: 9am 3.30pm and Saturday: 10am 4pm

Brisbane Convention Exhibition Centre

SKILLSWEST EXPO PERTH 21-23 AUGUST Friday 9am 4pm, Saturday 10am 4pm and Sunday: 10am 4pm

Perth Convention Exhibition Centre

WERE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE LIKE YOU

Almost eight hundred delegates gathered in Sydney on 16 and 17 February for the National Disability Services NSW Conference. With the disability sector in NSW facing a period of enormous transition to prepare for the rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) from July 2016, the conference was a pivotal opportunity to share information and revitalise our work.

Joined by the NSW Premier Mike Baird and Disability Services Minister John Ajaka, Lauren Murray, Director of Operations for NSW and the ACT presented to the conference on inside the shop front a insiders look into LWBs change-initiatives and reforms within the NDIS Hunter Pilot site, providing insights based on LWBs experience on how other NGOs could prepare for the NDIS. Tracy Mackey, LWBs Director of Strategy and Engagement presented on developing corporate partnerships, outlining examples of how not-for-profits, government and the corporate sector can work together to support people with disability to be part of the community.

For more information on the NDS conferences, go to www.nds.org.au

LWB SHARES ITS WORK WITH NDS DELEGATES

For information on employment opportunities at LWB at all times, visit our careers section on our website www.lwb.org.au and at Life Without Barriers on LinkedIn.

CONNECT, WATCH, LIKE AND FOLLOW LIFE WITHOUT BARRIERS. PLEASE LIKE US ON FACEBOOK TO JOIN IN THE CONVERSATION AND SUPPORT THE ORGANISATION OR FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @LWBAustralia, WWW.LWB.ORG.AU, LINKEDIN, YOUTUBE AND INSTAGRAM.

www.lwb.org.au

VALE ROBYN ANIUU

By Hani, a NISS client of Robyns

The hardest part of life is when its time to say goodbye

Even though you wish you could make them stay.

Now I will let you go to spread your wings and fly.

Life is a journey that needs to be travelled,

I know you enjoyed most of it.

I just want you to know and never forget

I will surely miss you.

When the sun wishes goodbye to the earth it leaves a beautiful sunset as a gift.

When family and friends say goodbye to each other they leave moments of everlasting memories.

The thoughts of Life Without Barriers are with the family of our friend and colleague Robyn Aniuu, who passed away last month.

To her closest colleagues, she was a hard-working reliable co-worker with a wicked sense of humour and a ready laugh. To the clients she supported she was Aunty; the person who woke them in the morning with freshly made pancakes, and instilled in the young girls in her care many values and skills to prepare them for life as adults.

Robyn was a Cultural Support Worker in LWBs recently formed National Immigration Support Service (NISS). She supported a group of young girls within our unaccompanied minors program in north west Sydney and showed them the care and guidance she had shown her own children and grand children.

As a person and as a colleague, Robyn touched others with her generosity of spirit, her laughter, and her dedication and commitment to supporting the clients in her care.

Our thoughts are with her husband and family, and with the many whose lives she touched in her unique way.

Robyn Aniuu (left) with colleagues Marden Abdulla, LWB Cultural Support Coordinator, and Anupam (Pam) Goraya, LWB Case Coordinator.

We will coming there one day and its our real home

I know mountains will never see each other.

As we are human, someday we will meet again in heaven.

My prayers will always be with you.

Now I will force my voice and my tongue to say goodbye to you.

Honestly its hard to say goodbye

To a special Aunty, like you.

Rest. In peace

In God hands your safe and in our hearts. You remain, forever.

GOODBYE AUNTY ROBYN