Learning and support solutions for people with disability
With your help, our Learning and Lifestyle Centres can provide a personal support model that helps people with disability to develop their independence, confidence, self-esteem and social interaction skills through a wide range of activities and programs.
These centres give the people we support direct access to an ever-evolving array of new support and learning solutions matched to their needs and their life goals.
Battle of the Bands Brisbane 2019
Performer: Are you ready? Well, it goes like this.
Paula: This event is so important because it celebrates who we are. It celebrates all of our diversity, it celebrates all of our customers, it celebrates all of our staff and all of us just really coming together to imagine what’s possible.
Performer: Words can’t even describe how proud of everyone I am.
Amanda: Yeah, I think this is a really important platform for anyone really, regardless of your ability. To be able to express yourself creatively and sink in to something that you enjoy. I mean, music is a real leveller, it’s something that really brings people together and today is an example of that. To say ‘joy’ would be an understatement I think. I just really think it’s great watching people who have potentially never been on stage or done anything like this before.
Performer: All of youse are the best! I care about all of youse, Chelsea, you’re the best service in the whole world.
Performers: We smashed it! We smashed it!
Performers: We are ready to rumble. Ready to rumble! Ready to rumble!
Performer: We’re going to knock the stage, we’re going to rock!
Paula: Be strong, be brave, be you.
Amanda: I don’t think I was expecting to be as overwhelmed as I was.
Performer: We have a couple of people in our band who aren’t vocal, so we just wanted everyone to be able to accept us as well. The song is called ‘this is me’ so it’s really about accepting people for exactly as they are, no matter how they come. Even people that couldn’t hear can hear can see what we’re signing and can be a part of it as well.
Performer: Yeah!
Performer: We wanted all people to be involved.
Performer: You ready for the fame? You ready for the fame life?
Performer: Yeah.
Performer: You got this. I was just so proud. Yeah, I was so proud of them, I think they did awesome, they just blew us as staff away, completely. The fact that some of them would get up there, I think it really showed some of them getting out of their shell as well and yeah, it was just really good to see and we are just so proud of the effort that they have put in and everything that they have done and yeah, we’re like, overwhelmed.
Performer: I would like to actually just thank everyone. The whole scene is incredible. It’s for us to be able to celebrate inclusion and diversity and that’s what we’re all about.
Current community projects
LEGO Education SPIKE Prime Set
We are seeking to place LEGO® Education SPIKE Prime Sets in our Learning and Lifestyle Centres across Australia. Using these kits, support staff can give people with disability an engaging learning experience that will help grow skills in creativity, collaboration and critical thinking.
Cost: $580 per set
Site Car (Windsor)
We are seeking funding to replace a 2013 Holden Cruse sedan that provides transportation for people with disability at our Windsor Learning and Lifestyle Centre. A vehicle upgrade is required to meet the needs of people we support.
To effectively build and participate in the community, people with disability need to be able to access community. The funding will purchase a 2021 Kia Sportage wagon – with easy access for people with disability and sizeable boot for walkers. This model vehicle is used at other service centres and has proven to be a reliable, accommodating and safe transportation of people with disability.
Cost: $23,263 (excl GST)
Gym Equipment
Developing sound personal health is important and well documented. For people with disability in particular, physical activity within a group helps individuals gain the ability to maintain a higher level of independence, sense of freedom and quality of life. Endeavour Foundation has designed 10 fitness modules to support the Healthy Body/Healthy Mind initiative. These modules support people with disability to be active, make healthy choices and be responsive to their own mental and physical wellbeing.
To achieve this, we seek funding to equip each of our centres across Queensland with gym equipment needed to effectively facilitate this Healthy Body/Healthy Mind initiative.
Cost: Approx. $5,000 (excl GST) per set
Kitchen Upgrade (Caboolture)
One of the barriers to a healthy diet for people with disability is having the skills, knowledge and confidence to shop for and prepare healthy meals. Our program, teaching cooking to people with intellectual disability, is an opportunity to increase independence, as well as put basic academic skills to use in a functional way. Determining what is needed, obtaining the ingredients from local supermarkets and following directions to put it together are all important steps in the program.
To achieve this for the people we support in Caboolture, we seek funding to upgrade the existing kitchen facilities at the local Learning and Lifestyle Centre. This upgrade would accommodate nutritional cooking classes for people with intellectual disability. It would allow for the 10-week nutritional cooking program to be fully realised. The program also includes meal planning and kitchen/food hygiene requirements.
The project funding will provide:
- Site preparation, disconnection and removal of existing cabinets and benchtops.
- Cabinetry, including stainless steel sink and tops to sink/cooktop side and island bench.
- Electrical power points and wiring.
- Installing new plumbing.
Cost: $34,154 (excl GST)
Site Gym (Gladstone)
Developing sound personal health is important. For people with disability in particular, physical activity within a group helps individuals gain the ability to maintain a higher level of independence, sense of freedom, and quality of life.
We have learnt that to make the most of our efforts, modern and specialised fitness equipment is needed. This is why we sought funding for a full range of equipment for the people we support in the Gladstone region, with the equipment range including:
- Dual Action Bike
- Tempo Bike
- Treadmill
- Rower
- Kettle bells
- Dumbbells
- Aerobic Stepper
- Elliptical machine.
This initiative has been funded by Aurizon. Thank you to Aurizon for aiding the people we support to continue living their best lives through better physical health.
