team, Author at Northcott Annual Report 2023-24

A social worker’s impact on disability support

By teamSupporting Customers

Karin

A social worker’s impact
on disability support

As a Northcott Social Worker, Karin Weston supports customers in overcoming various challenges, ranging from practical help like accessing support services and housing to offering emotional support and advocating on their behalf.

A career in caring

Karin has worked with Northcott as a social worker in Queensland for three years. With 25 years in Human Services, particularly focused in grassroots organisations, she is acutely aware of the barriers faced by vulnerable members of the community. An early experience in aged care where she was frustrated by the lack of time to offer choices or have conversations with aged care residents had a significant impact on her.

“Back then, working in aged care, I was just 18. The number of people that we had to get up and get showered and dressed was huge. There was just no time to offer a choice of what you would like to wear, or to have a conversation,” she says.

Experiences like this in her early working life resonated deeply with Karin, steering her towards social work. Her career has included working with a range of aged care and disability non-profit organisations.

Northcott social workers have a dynamic and unique role. At its heart, their work involves supporting individuals with disability and their families cope with challenges they may experience. They advocate for the rights and needs of people with disability, coordinate various services such as healthcare, housing, and education, and provide emotional support and counselling. Additionally, they assess individual needs, develop personalised care plans, and promote social inclusion and community participation.

Karin discusses a customer with Northcott Physiotherapist, Jack.

Navigating guardianship for Kiana

Reflecting on her role at Northcott, Karin discusses her recent involvement with Kiana, who is 19 years old with cerebral palsy and an intellectual disability. Kiana is non-verbal and has significant difficulty communicating her needs. After turning 18, her mother, Kristina, encountered numerous legal challenges in managing Kiana’s affairs.

“At Northcott, we encourage our therapists to flag if they are working with someone who needs support. Jack, our physio here, said Kiana’s mum had been talking about having difficulties with medical appointments. We also found out that Kiana wasn’t receiving the disability support pension,” Karin explains.

“And because Kiana was 18, her mum Kristina couldn’t open a bank account on her behalf because Kiana didn’t have capacity to consent for mum to be able to do that. So that’s where I got involved.”

Karin explains the next steps.

“I got involved to assist Kristina in navigating the complexities of the system. The first step was to pursue guardianship, as Kristina had no legal guardianship over Kiana despite being her mother. This was crucial because, without guardianship, Kristina couldn’t make legal or financial decisions for Kiana.

“Guardianship is not granted lightly, as it involves taking away a person’s decision-making rights. It is considered a last resort, especially when the individual cannot demonstrate any understanding or consent.

“In Kiana’s case, she was unable to gesture or verbally give consent, making guardianship necessary. The process involved obtaining significant medical reports and completing extensive documentation to present to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT), the body responsible for awarding guardianship,” Karin says.

A positive outcome

The successful acquisition of guardianship and the disability support pension has had a profound impact on Kristina and Kiana’s lives. It has ensured that Kiana now receives the necessary financial support she needs while allowing Kristina to make important medical and life decisions on her behalf.

“My role does involve a lot of hard work, but you have some wins along the way, and you get to see some good outcomes like for Kristina and her family, so that keeps me going.”

25 October 2024

Supporting relationships and intimacy for all

By teamInnovative Projects

Feel the Vibe 2023 in the Illawarra, NSW.

Supporting relationships
and intimacy for all

Northcott believes that people with disability have the right to achieve their goals, whatever they may be. We are committed to supporting them do this, including goals focused on achieving sexual fulfilment.

“Up to 50% of people with a physical disability don’t take part in mainstream sex education in school.”
– Amanda Damian, Northcott’s Clinical Lead Counsellor

A decade after Northcott’s first Feel the Vibe expo, the popular sexuality and disability event made its way to the Illawarra in 2023.

A brief history

Access to education and resources about sex and relationships is a significant barrier for many people with disability, often limiting their opportunity to enjoy fulfilling and healthy intimacy.

“Up to 50% of people with a physical disability don’t take part in mainstream sex education in school,” explains Amanda Damian, Northcott’s Clinical Lead Counsellor, from our Sexuality and Relationship Education service.

“This lack of access is just the beginning of the inequities faced by people with disability when it comes to learning about sexuality and healthy relationships.”
To address these gaps, Northcott created Feel the Vibe to provide crucial information and a safe space for open discussions on issues around sexuality and relationships.

The first Feel the Vibe expo was held in 2014 to give our customers and other people with disability greater choices and opportunities to learn about and explore their sexuality and relationships. The expo lifted the taboo on disability and sexuality, fostering open dialogue on a wide range of topics. It also focused holistically on the needs of people with disability.

In that year, Feel the Vibe won two awards in the Disability Innovation Awards, and was named a finalist in the National Disability Awards.

With Northcott customers continuing to call for more support in this area, Northcott has continued to deliver Feel the Vibe regularly, adapting to challenges such as COVID-19 restrictions.

Feel the Vibe had stalls where attendees could find out more or speak to experts.

Feel the Vibe returns

In November 2023, Feel the Vibe returned as an in-person event, bigger than ever. Held in Kembla Grange, the expo attracted over 200 attendees, including people with disability, support workers and health professionals. The event featured adult product stalls, speakers, interactive displays and entertainment.

For attendee and Northcott customer Ben, who travelled from Coffs Harbour with his support worker, the event was the chance to learn some new skills to support him to achieve his relationship goals.

“I’ve come to Feel the Vibe because I really want a boyfriend and to learn how to be in a relationship. At one of the stalls, someone showed me how to put a condom on a banana. I’ve never had anyone show me how to use a condom before,” Ben shared during the expo.

In addition to providing useful information for people with disability, Feel the Vibe is also valuable for professionals working in the disability sector. Service coordinators and support workers from some of Northcott’s houses went along to gain a better understanding of how they can support their customers in this space, including how to connect them with vetted disability-friendly sex workers.

“We have customers who have been asking some spicy questions that we haven’t known how to answer appropriately. We’ve come to get answers for them and to find out more about training so that we can learn how to offer better support in this area,” said Amanda Dunshea, Northcott Housing Service Coordinator.

A support worker from Northcott’s Merrylands accommodation said, “Mark* has a real interest in this kind of stuff, so we connect him and other residents who are interested with sex workers monthly. It’s just a part of Mark’s routine.”

In 2024, Feel the Vibe will be held in Coffs Harbour, and for the first time ever, attendees are invited to an official after-party!

*Northcott customer – name changed to protect confidentiality

25 October 2024

Building capacity and inclusion in Woodenbong

By teamInnovative Projects

Dylan Wilson, First Nations Early Childhood Coordinator

Building capacity and
inclusion in Woodenbong

Woodenbong, New South Wales

In the regional town of Woodenbong and nearby Muli Muli Aboriginal community, a cultural inclusion project led by Northcott’s Early Childhood Community Capacity Building team is helping families get the support and services they desperately need.

Woodenbong is in the far north of New South Wales near the Queensland border and 150km from the coast. Approximately half its population of 390 people identify as Aboriginal and there are around 60 children in the 0-14 years age group. Isolation, health issues and lack of transportation are some of challenging factors for people who live in the area.

Following COVID, essential services in the community ceased, with staff at Woodenbong Central School and Preschool struggling to support families in need of therapists, health services, NDIS funding and more.

Saira-Jane Booler, Northcott’s Early Childhood Community Capability Building Facilitator

Northcott’s Early Childhood Community Capability Building Facilitator, Saira-Jane Booler began working with the Woodenbong community in early 2023.

“While services have been intermittent for the past 20 years, issues escalated after COVID. Prior to this, regular therapists were visiting, an Aboriginal Health Corporation was running out of Muli Muli and the preschool had funding for an occasional speech therapist. But all this disappeared after COVID,” Saira explains.

After attending several Service NSW meetings in Muli Muli to try to meet families and other services, Saira realised she needed to connect directly in Woodenbong to be effective.

“I decided to approach the Woodenbong Central School and Preschool. It took three emails and an invitation for the principal and director to join both Dylan Wilson, our First Nations Early Childhood Coordinator, and I for lunch before they would engage, but it worked,” she says.

Dylan and Saira travelled to Woodenbong together for a meeting, kicking off a year-long collaboration to overcome barriers and build the capacity of the school and preschool to know where to go for support in the future.

Positive outcomes

The first and most significant achievement was establishing a fortnightly online networking meeting with the school, preschool, First Peoples Disability Advocate, Social Futures, Dylan and Saira. Very quickly these meetings grew, with more stakeholders attending and valuable connections made. The catch-ups fostered open communication, problem-solving and, importantly, the re-establishment of services in the community. From these meetings, many positive outcomes have been achieved, some of which are detailed below.

Introducing Dylan to Woodenbong Central School was hugely valuable. In his role as First Nations Early Childhood Coordinator, Dylan has been able to connect with Aboriginal families in a culturally sensitive way, supporting many to begin accessing services or applying for NDIS funding.

Saira also successfully lobbied the Northern NSW Local Health District and Member for Lismore, Then Hon. Janelle Saffin MP to have a mobile dental van visit Woodenbong Central School to conduct free dental checks and minor work. The mobile unit, which had previously bypassed the town, spent time at Woodenbong in June/July 2024.

Another important connection was to link Woodenbong Central School and preschool with Brighter Beginnings, a NSW Health program providing health and development checks for 4-year-olds. With no preschool screening previously available, making this program available in Woodenbong is a win for local families and early educators.

The coming year

While several services have been re-established in Woodenbong, Saira’s networking meeting will continue in FY2025 to further strength connections and support Woodenbong Central School and Preschool. Additionally, Dylan will continue to support First Nations families to access services and the NDIS. The cultural inclusion project has not only revitalised services in Woodenbong, but also empowered the community and local providers to better support families and children.

25 October 2024

A new home for greater independence

By teamSupporting Customers

Sue

A new home for greater independence

The chance to move into a new accessible home supported by Northcott was just what our customer Sue needed to work towards her goal of becoming more independent.

Meet Sue

Sue has lived in a Northcott disability home for several years. While she was happy where she was, she knew there was room for her to grow her skills and independence. Both Sue and her Northcott support team were on the lookout for the right property to help support her goal of living more independently.

When Northcott and Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) provider Good Housing announced plans to build disability housing in Bradbury in south-western Sydney, Sue was hopeful the modern property would be a place to grow her independence.

Sue and her friend Tracy, who lives in a separate unit with Sue’s complex.

Settling in

Sue moved into her new home in late 2023, settling into a self-contained two-bedroom villa with her housemate, Leanne. The pair have their own bedrooms and share an accessible bathroom and kitchen. They also have access to a communal kitchen and living space which is shared with other residents living in two self-contained one-bedroom villas within the property.

“I moved into the house to become more independent. While I have support staff with me 24/7, the modifications in the house, like lower shelves for wheelchair accessibility, mean that I can cook on my own and wash my clothes,” Sue explains.

“My independence has gotten better. I can do so many more things by myself now. I do my own washing, sweep and mop the floors, wipe down benches, bring in the mail and answer the house phone. Now that the benches are adjustable, I can also cook my own food.”

Sue also has opportunities for gardening and planning the landscaping design, thanks to the level access backyard.

Northcott Service Coordinator Jess Mackie says, “Since Sue moved into the new Bradbury home, I have seen her independence, productiveness and self-confidence greatly increase.

“Sue now makes herself a cup of coffee completely on her own. This is something that she couldn’t do in the last place she lived. I am so proud of her and it’s fantastic to see her grow in this way.”

Sue says she is feeling more confident, and proud of what she is now able to do.

“I’m really happy and I have learned to do so much. My staff support and encourage me to be independent. They let me try to do things by myself and only help if I ask. Northcott makes my life so fun!”

Northcott currently manages more than 120 disability homes with several currently under construction. Our Bradbury disability home offers a unique living situation for people with disability. Comprised of four self-contained villas connected to a shared communal living area and kitchen, the property is fully accessible with assistive technology throughout. Residents are supported to live independently within their own villas, but also socialise together in the shared spaces. Support staff assist with anything the residents need, including taking them out in the community.

24 October 2024

Supporting Helen to learn new communication skills

By teamSupporting Customers

Helen

Supporting Helen to learn new
communication skills

With support from her speech pathologist, behaviour support practitioner and staff in her Northcott home in Wagga Wagga, Helen has found a new way to express herself and have greater choice and control in her life.

Helen, who is non-verbal with limited communication, moved into Northcott’s home in Lake Albert (Wagga Wagga) several years ago. Since relocating, her multidisciplinary team has been doing everything to make sure Helen is happy and comfortable, with opportunities to make her own choices.

“Helen may be non-verbal but she has always been able to communicate her wants and needs. From her gestures we know Helen loves coffee, Elvis, socialising with others and spending time in the community, in particular op shopping for new outfits,” says Jack Barwick, Northcott Service Coordinator in Helen’s house.

Helen’s progress

Taking a collaborative approach to improving her communication, Helen’s support staff, behaviour support practitioner and speech therapist decided to work together to support Helen to learn a new skill she may not have used for a long time, if ever – Key Word Sign.

As part of a house-wide communication strategy, the team created a communication wall featuring Key Word Signs. Helen was the housemate who adapted to the Key Word Signs the most, responding positively to signs and Objects of Reference.

“Helen will get quite frustrated when she wants to go out. Previously we didn’t have a way to explain to Helen ‘yes’ or ‘no’ or ‘later’. Now we can, and we see Helen is a lot less frustrated when waiting to go out.

“We’ve also noticed that showing Helen the coffee cup object always elicits a positive response, usually tears of joy and a dance!” Jack says.

Helen’s Northcott Speech Pathologist, Claudia Westcott played a huge part in Helen’s progress and has been delighted with the results.

Claudia, Helen’s Speech Pathologist visit Helen at home for sessions.

“It’s been great to see Helen use a combination of Key Word Sign and Objects of Reference to communicate her needs and wants,” she says.

“I first started working with Helen in April 2021. The therapy has predominately included staff training on what is communication, general communication strategies and Key Word Signs and Objects of Reference,” Claudia says.

Next steps

With some simple signs now part of Helen’s communication, Helen’s team are now supporting her to increase her Key Word Sign vocabulary.

“I’ve been continuing to work on implementing Key Word Sign with Helen, specifically for when she is at home and also at her day program,” says Claudia. Jack and his team are also keen to see Helen’s skills develop further.

“The sign for ‘coffee’ is a big one we want Helen to learn as she is an avid fan of coffee,” he says.

Helen’s team

Jack says the dedicated team at Helen’s home are a big reason her communication skills are developing.

“I want to give a shout out to my team. They are a real example of how easy it is to provide people centred support. They have persevered through some challenging times and still provide a high level of support and care. I’m really proud of them.

“Helen’s achievement is also a testament to the good work we are all capable of with the support of Northcott and our community. It’s not just empowering for the customer but also for the staff.”

24 October 2024

A new outlook on life

By teamSupporting Customers

Samantha and Kerrie

A new outlook on life

Individual support from Northcott is helping Samantha regain her confidence and get out in her new community after a life-changing accident.

Four years ago, Samantha was working as an Executive Assistant and living a busy, independent life in Sydney. Then she had a devastating accident, impacting her mobility, balance and capacity to look after herself and live the independent lifestyle she enjoyed so much. Around the same time, Samantha was also diagnosed with bi-polar disorder.

Unable to cope on her own, Samantha moved to Coffs Harbour on the NSW mid north coast to live with her elderly parents. Shortly after, she was approved for NDIS funding so she could access services to help her regain her independence and increase her social and community participation.

Finding the right service

Samantha started accessing Northcott’s Life Skills service in Coffs Harbour around three years ago, joining the group a couple of days of week. While she appreciated the support from the team, the service wasn’t the right fit for her.

“It wasn’t stimulating enough for me. I decided it wasn’t working so I moved to Individual Supports,” she explains.

Samantha was matched with our support worker, Kerrie Simpson, who supports her twice a week with whatever she needs.

“I live with my mum and dad and none of us are really up to walking around the supermarket independently so Kerrie supports with that. Then she assists me with dinner preparation and later we go to exercise physiology,” Samantha says.

“On Thursday, we have brunch, run errands, such as going to the bank and the post office, and then we do aqua aerobics.”

One of Samantha’s main goals has been to get out more and increase her social circle.

She says Kerrie’s positive nature has been encouraging for her, helping to give her confidence to reach out to new people she meets and organise social activities.

“Kerrie is just so positive. Nothing is too much trouble and she’s always supportive. When I said I wanted to organise a birthday get together, Kerrie was really supportive. That made me go ahead and do it,” Samantha says.

Kerrie supports Samantha to do her grocery shopping.

Tailored support after a life-altering event

When Samantha started at Northcott she was adjusting to some huge life changes. The team at Northcott Coffs Harbour remembers Samantha keeping to herself and being quite reserved. She had lost some of her confidence and wasn’t as independent as she once was.

One-on-one support from Northcott has helped Samantha to grow in self-confidence and build a new life in Coffs Harbour. Through the physical activities she’s doing with Kerrie, Samantha’s mobility is improving and she’s now more stable on her feet.

Participating in volunteering work, and then securing part-time employment around 18 months ago has also boosted her confidence.

“Samantha is a lot more confident now and she is walking a lot more. We go to the jetty and the physio. She’s totally changed her attitude on life,” says Kerrie, Samantha’s support worker.

If funding is available, Samantha recommends people consider accessing individual support.

“When you are with your support worker, you don’t need to worry about stuff for the day. And they are good company. That’s so important because when you have a disability you can be isolated,” Samantha says.

“Having a support worker is a good way to get out of your shell and share your life.”

24 October 2024

A whole new world for Ben

By teamSupporting Customers

A whole new world for Ben

Our Housing customer Ben is discovering a new world beyond his bedroom, thanks to the right funding, supports and a dedicated Northcott team around him.

Ben lives in a Northcott disability home in south-west Sydney. He uses a mix of vocalisations, gestures, Key Word Sign and single words to communicate. Until recently, Ben was very withdrawn. He didn’t participate in many activities and rarely left his bedroom. He displayed complex, sometimes aggressive behaviours which made interacting with others challenging. When Northcott Service Coordinator, Donna Murphy, started managing Ben’s house in 2022, she saw an opportunity to improve the situation for Ben and his four housemates.

“Initially Ben was segregated from his housemates because of his behaviours of concern. He didn’t have suitable funding, which meant it was difficult to provide adequate staffing to support him to go into the community safely. Overall, there wasn’t a lot of quality to his life,” Donna says.

The right support

Northcott worked hard to get Ben the funding he needed for more behaviour support and therapy services as well as one-to-one support to allow him to enjoy an improved quality of life.

“It took us quite a while to get the correct funding for Ben, but now he has what he needs. This means he can access more behaviour support, speech therapy and occupational therapy. Ben also now has two-to-one support four days a week and one-to-one support three days a week.”

Donna and Ben’s support staff have been working with Northcott Behaviour Support Practitioners, Kerry Kubecka and Suzie[KK1] [KK2] Purcell, to build trust with Ben and introduce strategies to give him the confidence to be around others.

“Since February 2024, Ben has been coming out of his room. He now has more choice and control including different choices of activities. He likes colouring in and painting, and being taken out on a three-wheeler motorbike,” Donna says.

“Ben is a lot happier and appears more approachable and calmer around others. More than anything, I feel his quality of life has improved.”
– Donna Murphy, Northcott Service Coordinator

Ben enjoys outings on a three-wheeler motorbike with Jess, his Northcott Support Worker.

Working together

Behaviour Support Practitioner Kerry is proud of how all the staff in Ben’s house have worked together.

“All the customers now have sufficient funding to allow Suzie and I to continue to support them. Behaviour Support Plans and strategies are in place for all customers.

“We’ve worked with Donna and her team to build skills and knowledge in understanding the function behind Ben’s behaviours of concern. Strategies have been developed to help Ben be able to make choices about what he wants to do,” Kerry explains.

“Staff now understand Ben’s personality and can see the person behind the behaviours. With the use of visuals, Ben now has a communication platform where he can request items and activities, and he is able to understand his predictable routine. This is reducing his levels of anxiety, distress and frustration – and ultimately, his behaviours of concern.”

Kerry describes Ben as one the most complex yet rewarding customers she and Suzie have worked with.

“It’s been incredibly rewarding to see Ben find a way to communicate other than through his behaviours. Our work with Ben is evolving but it’s a very good example of how a customer benefits from having a multidisciplinary team working together towards shared goals.

“There have been many tricky days but we’re definitely on the way to giving Ben a voice, choices and improved quality of life. Ben’s therapeutic supports are focused on stabilising him and building staff knowledge to support him, so he can continue to experience meaningful engagement.”

24 October 2024

Supporting a life-changing goal

By teamSupporting Customers

Supporting a life-changing goal

Like most young people, Blake was nervous about leaving his family home, but he wanted to be more independent. Moving into a Northcott supported disability home has given him more independence than he ever imagined.

Blake started accessing Northcott services around 8 years ago, looking for support to gain skills to find a job and build his confidence. He also accessed Northcott’s Recreation Service and was supported to do more in his local community. Later, Blake became more involved in Northcott’s activities, volunteering in the Wollongong office and representing other people with disability on our Customer Advisory Group for the new Dapto Community Hub. This year Blake also started producing his own podcast about living with cerebral palsy.

A huge life change

When Blake moved into Northcott’s Supported Independent Living (SIL) house in Kembla Grange, near Wollongong in 2022, he was eager to become more independent. After 26 years of his parents looking after him, taking him to appointments and helping him make decisions, he felt ready to be responsible for himself.

“Living here has completely changed my life,” he says. “My independence has grown a lot. I now have choice and control and when I want things done, I don’t have to rely on my parents or make sure they’re available to take me places. This is a fantastic feeling.”

Blake now makes all his own appointments and asks his support staff if the house van is available to take him wherever he needs to go.

“I can now decide when I want things done,” he explains. “I have great housemates and it feels like I have a community here who I can trust. I think I have achieved my goal of being more independent.”

Blake and his housemate Brandon have a wonderful friendship.

Support at home

Blake’s house is purpose-built for wheelchairs, with an open plan layout and large rooms. There are also features like accessible cupboards and large bathrooms which enable Blake to do more around the house by himself.

“I’ve got a bathroom bigger than most people’s bedrooms,” Blake jokes. “And the kitchen is very accessible. I can open every drawer, which increases my independence further.”

To ensure Blake and his housemates are safe, Northcott provides 24/7 care in the house. A team of support staff are always around.

“Three people come on of a morning, three people of an afternoon, and then it’s two staff to three customers on night shift, in case I need anything while I’m sleeping,” Blake explains.

“The staff support me with personal care, meal preparation and taking me to appointments or wherever I need to go. It’s a fun and supportive environment and I enjoy the camaraderie between me and my support workers.”

A fun and friendly atmosphere

For Blake, one of the most enjoyable aspects of his new living arrangement is the fun atmosphere. Blake and his housemates enjoy spending time together and the house has regular parties and celebrations.

“A personal favourite for me and my staff are our monthly Friday night dinners. I organise this with our families and my housemates at our local club. It’s a great way to get everybody together and we always have plenty of fun,” Blake says.

When asked what advice he would give other young people with disability who may be considering moving into a SIL house, Blake doesn’t hesitate with his response.

“I was uncertain at first. There will be ups and downs, but…just go for it. You could end up in the same situation as me, living independently and having heaps of fun parties!

“Living here is fantastic. It’s always a great vibe. Everybody gets along well and there’s never a dull moment.”

24 October 2024

From ambition to employment

By teamSupporting Customers

From ambition to employment

Nicole came to Northcott as a shy, nervous 19-year-old. She wasn’t sure where to start or how to find a job, but she knew she needed guidance. With Northcott’s support, Nicole achieved her goal of employment, gaining confidence and so much more along the way.

In 2020, Nicole joined Northcott’s Work & Study service in Casula. She wanted to learn how to apply for jobs, be successful at interviews and develop skills that would make her stand out to employers.

Through Northcott’s group sessions, Nicole learned valuable skills, especially in applying for jobs and customer service, gaining confidence to apply for work.

Unfortunately, however, securing a job was tough. Despite feeling discouraged Nicole stayed motivated, thanks to the support she received from her Northcott support workers. Every success, from completing her Certificate III in Beauty Services at TAFE to completing work experience at Bunnings, added to Nicole’s growing confidence.

For Nicole, one of the biggest hurdles to overcome was the thought of applying for jobs and handing in her resume in person. Although she had applied for many roles online, she didn’t have the courage to deliver her resume face-to-face. With the encouragement of her support worker, Alexis Greenwood, Nicole gained the confidence to do just that at ABCOE, a grocery store in the same shopping precinct as the Northcott centre. When she got the call for an interview with ABCOE, Nicole couldn’t believe her luck. All the practice sessions with Alexis had paid off, giving her the confidence she needed to succeed in the interview.

Nicole is loving her retail job at ABCOE in Casula.

Tailored support

After Nicole started working at ABCOE she soon realised handling money was a source of anxiety. She just couldn’t seem to get the hang of counting money and working out change. To ensure she could properly fulfil her work duties, Nicole asked Northcott for one-to-one support to improve her money handling skills. Through tailored support, practical exercises and patience, Nicole started to master it. She practiced with a mock cash register and used money-handling programs that helped build her confidence.

The right support and encouragement

Now, at 22, Nicole is a different person. She is happily employed at ABCOE, confidently serving customers at the register, stocking shelves, handling inventory, and even balancing the till at the end of the day. Nicole reflects on how far she’s come, remembering the shy girl who first came to Northcott. She’s proud of her achievements, especially her ability to handle money – a skill that once felt out of reach.

“I could do that with my eyes closed now,” she says.

Nicole’s support worker Alexis is delighted with Nicole’s success and new-found confidence. “One of the things that I’m proud of is to see that confidence come through every time Nicole is at work. You can see that she’s incredibly sure of herself, she knows what she’s doing, and if she doesn’t know what she’s doing, she’s not afraid to go and ask for help, which is an important skill to have,” they say.

Nicole’s success shows what can happen when someone is given the right support and encouragement. Northcott helped Nicole transform from a nervous teenager into a confident, capable young woman. Today, Nicole has a job she loves and the confidence to live the life she chooses. Her message to others who feel unsure about their path is clear: “Northcott is the best place you can go to get help. They’ll support you in finding a job and gaining the experience you need. They’ll help you become the person you want to be.”

24 October 2024

Cooking up confidence

By teamOur supporters

Jay and his mum, Evangelina.

Cooking up confidence

Over many years of receiving support from Northcott, Jay has grown in confidence, skills and independence. He’s also gained friends and a sense of belonging.

Today, Jay is all set for Life Skills at Northcott’s Gold Coast centre, where he’ll be making sausage rolls. Jay knows everyone in the group and is busy checking his phone to see if they are all coming.

Today’s session is about finding a sausage roll recipe and planning the shopping, cooking and clean-up. The group will go to Coles to buy their ingredients before working through the recipe to make and enjoy their creations.

Therapy support

“We started coming here when we moved from Sydney and after Jay had been diagnosed with Achondroplasia. We were referred to Northcott (known as Montrose in Queensland at the time) as Jay needed occupational therapy and speech therapy. He also did hydrotherapy with the physio,” Jay’s mum Evangelina explains.

“Jay really liked it and I’m a really loyal person so we just kept coming. Jay is comfortable here and the therapists are so good with him.”

“Coming to Northcott has helped in many, many ways. We’ve been coming so long that they really know us.”
– Evangelina, Jay’s mother

Jay and other Life Skills participants shop for ingredients needed for their cooking session.

Growing independence

Jay’s recent goals have been to build his independence and develop skills to do things by himself. He recently turned 18 and having some autonomy and choice are important to him. To assist him to be more self-sufficient, he’s completed travel training with his occupational therapist. This involved some practice runs on the train, discussing what to do if something unexpected happens and how to ask for help if he needs it.

Now Evangelina can confidently drop him at the train station, and Jay can make his way to places like the cinema or appointments.

“I do still worry a bit and I like to chat to him on the phone as he is travelling but it’s great to be able to drive him to the train station and see him make his own way to places,” says Evangelina.

“Yeah, I like that,” says Jay when we discuss the added independence that catching the train allows.

Communicating confidently

A key goal for Jay has been building his ability to interact with others using social and communication skills. Speech and occupational therapy sessions have focused on improving his language skills and boosting his confidence in talking to others.

Jay attended the first pilot of the Skills 4 Life program in Queensland. This was his first social program, and it significantly enhanced his ability to interact with others. He made valuable friendships, learned new skills and gained the confidence to access community facilities. This experience complemented the goals set by his therapy team, allowing him to apply them in real-life situations.

Jay is a huge NRL fan and loves chatting about the current ladder and the performance of his beloved Panthers. He’s also using his communication skills to express his opinions. In the Life Skills group tonight, that includes insisting his sausage roll will have some bacon too!

24 October 2024