Mary Marsh, Author at Myhorizon

“The NDIS doesn’t have to be scary”

Hayley Hansen is an easy going, fun loving 28-year old. Hayley loves to go shopping, take her puppy out for walks and do what most other young women enjoy doing.

Hayley Hansen, a participant of Myhorizon since 2008.

As a Myhorizon participant since 2008, Hayley is like many other participants right now, waiting for her NDIS Plan to be approved so she can continue to do the things she loves, but also have the opportunity to choose the supports she needs, when and where she needs them.

When speaking to Hayley’s mother Shan, it’s clear that Shan only wants the best for her daughter, and as a full-time working parent, Shan appreciates the one-one-one support that Myhorizon are able to provide to Hayley currently. Shan’s biggest goal is for Hayley to one day live independently.

“We are getting older as parents so it’s important that Hayley gets the supports she needs to become more independent, and one day live on her own.” Said Shan

Shan says that Hayley’s journey with the NDIS has so far been a very positive one. After having her Planning meeting date confirmed, Myhorizon were able to dedicate the time with Hayley and Shan to complete all their necessary paperwork, ensure all their required information was gathered, and best prepare them for a successful meeting.

“Joe T. from Myhorizon came out to see us and was here for about 3 hours. He filled out all the paperwork for us and prepared all the information we needed for my meeting. He was great and he even came in with us to Hayley’s Planning meeting.

“Ive been really impressed with the whole NDIS process so far. I was a little nervous walking in but the Planner we had in our meeting was lovely. She really listened to us.” said Shan.

Shan’s advice to other families who are still working through their Planning meeting preparations is to be honest and not take all the negative comments on board that they might hear.

“There’s a lot of overwhelming information out there about the NDIS, and yes you have to think of the worst day of your loved one’s life rather than the best day when you’re answering the Planner’s questions in your meeting, but they are there to help you. Having people to support you in the meeting is a really good idea too.

“The NDIS doesn’t have to be scary. I don’t know yet know what we’ll get in our Plan, but so far we’ve had a very positive experience.” said Shan.

For more information on how Myhorizon can support you through your NDIS journey, contact us today.

Rewarding careers in disability

Looking for a rewarding career in the disability sector? Find out why it’s a great place to be right now.

For available positions at Myhorizon, visit https://www.myhorizon.org.au/careers/current-vacancies/

Traditional crafts supporting kids with disability

Traditional crafts from Rita’s cart at Myhorizon Capalaba are still proving a popular retail item with locals these days, and are funding new resources for kids with disability.

Rita Morris, a long-standing member of Myhorizon, still contributes her time and energy into the not-for-profit organisation where she has set up her own cart at the Community Centre on Runnymede Rd selling her crafty wares all for a good cause.

Rita has raised nearly $2000 just from her craft cart alone which was able to fund a new early childhood motor development program now used by Occupational Therapists at Myhorizon’s Ian McDougall Centre. The new tool allows therapists to provide both an in-depth assessment and training of gross and fine motor skills for children from birth to 5 years of age.

“This new resource not only gives our assessments more credibility for families to receive their NDIS funding, but also allows our therapy team a more consistent way of measuring a child’s developmental milestones and identifying the additional support and skills they may need”, says Ruby Ryan, an Occupational Therapist at Myhorizon.

Rita generously donates all her craft’s profits back to the Myhorizon’s Early Intervention programs to help kids with disability access important programs and resources, giving them more learning opportunities and supports they need to reach their potential.

“In the early days, there weren’t any programs around to support kids with a disability, but now there is more opportunity for children with a disability to get the support they need from services and programs like the ones offered by Myhorizon’s Early Intervention team” says Rita.

Rita speaks gratefully about Myhorizon for the support they have given her son Christopher over the years who has a disability, and wanted to return some of the support and generosity through fundraising from her crafts, kindly donated by herself and other members of the Redlands community.

“I’ll never be able to pay back Myhorizon for what they have done for Christopher over the years. This is my small way to give something back to the organisation”, says Rita.

You can find Rita’s Cart at Myhorizon Community Centre, Runnymede Rd, Capalaba, at the entrance to The Bush Pantry Café, where you can browse her selection of handmade items, novelties, and children’s clothing, open 8.30am till 2pm Monday to Friday. For more information on Myhorizon’s Early Intervention services, click here.

Surf’s up for David

The sun, surf and sand is what makes the Queensland beaches a major attraction for most of us. For many individuals with a disability however, it isn’t always a simple activity to access the beach safely, let alone the surf.

Well the Disabled Surfers Association of Australia (DSAA) is changing that and bringing smiles to people with all disability of all ages and taking them surfing in a fun, friendly and safe environment.

Let’s Go Surfing Day is organised by the DSAA at various times of the year all around Australia, and brings together participants with a disability who are keen to get back into the water, and a dedicated group of around 50 volunteers per event who physically support them to achieve this.

David Gunn, a Myhorizon participant receiving support from our Ashmore Lifestyle team, recently took part in Let’s go Surfing Day on the Gold Coast. David, who acquired a brain injury 25 years ago, was an avid surfer from Ballina as a young adult, and had since not been back in the surf. With the encouragement of David’s Lifestyle support worker Rex Middleton, David was able to experience his love of the beach and the surf once again.

“After getting David out of his wheelchair, and into a special beach chair designed for the sand, we pushed him to the edge of the water and with the help of the amazing volunteers we were able to lift David onto the surfboard and down to the water.

There were around eight volunteers who carried David past the initial breakers, and turned him around in the water, with more volunteers lining the shore. Once David was pushed onto a wave, he started surfing towards the beach. It was pretty awesome.” Said Rex.

With a ratio of around 12-15 volunteers per each participant, there are plenty of DSAA volunteers at an arm’s reach to keep the participants on course, and assist the participants to get back onto the board if they are to fall off.

“David had three turns and the second time fell off his board, but he was fine with it. He was helped back onto the board and had a third go and loved it. He says he’d definitely love to do it again.” Said Rex.

David’s mum Alana also encouraged the experience, as David grew up living near the ocean and spent years in the surf, and she knew he would enjoy the activity.

“I think it’s important for David to know that he isn’t locked in to a situation, and he can do different things. I was overwhelmed and grateful to David’s Support Worker Rex for initiating this idea. I had no idea an activity like this was available for David, and when Rex spoke to me about this idea, we both really felt that David would benefit from an experience like this, so I’m very appreciative.” said Alana.

Let’s go Surfing is open to anyone with a disability with events running on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. For more information go to
www.disabledsurfers.org

To find out how Myhorizon can build a lifestyle that is right for you, speak to our friendly team today on 1300 MYHORIZON or 07 3824 7007, or reach us via our contact form.

Ben making strides under the NDIS

With many participants awaiting the introduction of the NDIS from 1 July in south-east QLD, there are some already reaping the benefits of this new disability funding scheme.

Meet Ben, a playful and energetic 6 year old boy from Cornubia, just south of Brisbane. Ben was diagnosed with autism when he was two and a half years old. Originally from Bowen, a regional town in North Queensland, Ben’s family decided to move to Brisbane in early 2017 so they could access more supports and therapies needed not only for Ben, but for the entire family.

Ben is currently receiving funding under the NDIS which pays for his various therapies including occupational and speech therapies, an essential part of Ben’s weekly progress.

When speaking to Ben’s mother Kim, it’s immediately evident how passionate Kim is about getting the support and tools Ben needs.

“My biggest goal for Ben is to have him improve his communication skills, but also for him to ultimately be happy in his own skin, however that may look” says Kim.

Kim was referred to the Early Intervention Team at Myhorizon’s Ian McDougall Centre by a friend and hasn’t looked back.

“Coming to Myhorizon was the best thing I ever did. Geraldine, Kylee, and the staff have been wonderful. Myhorizon is more than just a centre, they actually care. There’s nothing that they won’t go out of their way to help me with” says Kim.

Myhorizon’s occupational therapist visits Ben’s regularly at his school to provide him with therapy in his own school environment. “This makes things so much easier for us” says Kim.

“It’s sometimes hard to know what is typical 6 year old behaviour, and what is autism. One day you’ll have a good day, and the next day may not be so good, but he is definitely making progress. He is becoming more social, more coordinated and generally more settled in his own skin” says Kim.

“Myhorizon even manage my NDIS funds for me. I give them the bill and they take care of it which takes a load off my shoulders because I don’t have to worry about invoices or people getting paid” Says Kim.

When asked what advice she would give someone currently working through their NDIS planning, Kim recommends that being specific with your requirements and being prepared is key for your NDIS meetings.

“Arm yourself with information and look to organisations like Myhorizon to walk you through what you need to do” says Kim.

For any NDIS advice or more information about our various services catering to all life stages from birth, right through to adulthood, contact Myhorizon on 07 3824 7007 or leave an email enquiry for us using the contact form on this website.

A great display of leadership

The Lifestyle team at Myhorizon are showing a strong display of collaboration across our various sites, where once a month a group of nominated participants meet together as true leaders in the newly formed Participant Advisory Committee (PAC).

This committee was formed by participants, for participants and is a genuine opportunity for those exhibiting qualities of leadership, creative thinking, and initiative to be nominated by their fellow committee members and be a part of a forum that provides them and their peers with a voice.

The committee currently meet at either the Myhorizon Springwood, Ormeau or Ashmore office on the Gold Coast, and have a formal discussion to provide feedback and generate new ideas on the way Myhorizon delivers its Lifestyle Service to them and fellow peers, and the wider community. They then help implement these improvements at their respective branch locations.

When asked what qualities make a great leader and an ideal member of the committee, the participant leaders chime in with attributes that speak to ‘commitment’, and ‘being a good listener’, all important qualities of a strong leader recognised by the entire group.

Recently, Participant Committee member, Antonia Bray, was the driving force behind a fundraiser held at the Springwood branch. Antonia thought it would be a great idea for the participants and staff of Myhorizon to support a worthy cause and so coordinated a ‘Day for Daniel’ fundraiser which is aimed at educating children about safety and support for young victims of crime.

Antonia managed everything from the event registration right through to promoting the event with posters and flyers, and arranging for all taking part to dress in red for the day. Together with the support of the other participants, Antonia and the team raised $150 for the worthy cause.

The Lifestyle team at Myhorizon are passionate about participants having this opportunity to make their own decisions and directly influence their own lives in a positive and meaningful way.

“We are finding this new initiative is working extremely well as a strategy for positive behaviour management” says Key Worker, Colleen Bleathman.

“These participants own the process and the outcomes of these meetings, and many of the ideas they come up with are really clever and relevant.”

For more information on Myhorizon’s Lifestyle service, simply call our Lifestyle Team on 07 3824 7007 or leave an email enquiry for us using the contact form on this website.

(Photo: From left to right: Participant Advisory Committee members – Julia Wojciechowski, Antonia Bray, Jason Korostovetz, Stefan Kanserski, Reese Poelstra, discussing their ideas for Myhorizon Lifestyle services.)

An empowering opportunity for Nick

Delightful Myhorizon participant, Nick Kreutzer, has had his sights set on working in the hospitality industry for a while now, and has recently commenced working at Capalaba Sports Club.

Going to work and helping the restaurant staff with a variety of different tasks is what Nick says he enjoys most within his new role, as well as learning new skills. He even says he would love to be the Manager one day.

Nick’s supervisor at the Sports Club, Troy Morton, who also happens to be his Disability Support Professional at Myhorizon, has praised Nick’s proactive and enthusiastic approach to his new role at the Club.

“Since Nick has been working at the club, he has improved his skills in listening, eye contact with people, and also his increased confidence, and the feedback I’ve had from Nick’s co-workers here at the club has been extremely positive” says Troy.

The supportive team at the Club enjoy having Nick as part of the team and value his contribution and positive energy. The Capalaba Sports Club is known for its strong community spirit and has been providing support to the local community for over 30 years.

Myhorizon Wins Australia Day Award

The annual Redland City Australia Day Awards were held last night (Tuesday 23^rd January 2018) at Alexandra Hills Hotel where Myhorizon were honoured as winners of the ‘Community Organisation Award’.

Each year Redland City Council recognises residents and community organisations through these awards where they acknowledge members and organisations in our community who have made outstanding contributions to promote the welfare and wellbeing in the Redlands.

Myhorizon has been part of the Redlands Community since 1981 and today supports more than 2000 people with a disability, with a passionate and dedicated team of over 240 staff.

The prestigious award was graciously accepted by Myhorizon CEO, Joe Gamblin on behalf of the entire organisation.

“This award is a wonderful recognition of the leadership at Myhorizon over many years and the contribution made by all the staff. It is great for the organisation to be recognised in this way and it is a strong reflection of goodwill and acceptance of people with disability within the Redlands community.” said Joe.

Myhorizon sincerely thanks the Redlands community and all who took the time to nominate the organisation for these awards, and congratulate all the other worthy nominees and winners on the night.

(Photo: Myhorizon CEO, Joe Gamblin, and Redland City Mayor, Karen Williams)

Generous Contributions to Early Intervention

The humble story of how Myhorizon first began is an inspirational one, where a group of dedicated parents were united by a common purpose – creating a better life for people with disability through education, employment, and community connection opportunities.

One of those dedicated founding parents was Rita Morris who says that back in 1981, there weren’t any local groups in the Redlands who could provide the support and opportunities that she wanted for her son Christopher, and so decided that together with like-minded parents would create their own organisation.

Rita speaks gratefully about Myhorizon for the support they have given her son Christopher over the years and wanted to return some of the support and generosity. So earlier this year, the idea of ‘Rita’s cart’ was born. Having a space at the new Myhorizon Community Centre at Capalaba where Rita could sell her goods to patrons of the Bush Café, staff, and general public visiting the centre, meant that she could donate her profits back to the organisation, specifically to the Early Intervention programs offered at Myhorizon.

“I’ll never be able to pay back Myhorizon for what they have done for Christopher over the years. This is my small way to give something back to the organisation” said Rita.

The design and construction of Rita’s Cart was kindly built by the wonderful members of Alexandra Hills Men’s Shed, who donated their time and materials to build Rita a custom made cart to sell her treasures. When approached to take on this project, long-time Men’s Shed member Damian Malone, was more than happy to contribute with the help of his fellow members, as he had a personal connection to Myhorizon.

“I decided to take on this project at Myhorizon because they previously provided my son and my family with a lot of support and information we needed through their Baby Bridges program. We wanted to do something to give back.”

Myhorizon presented Alexandra Hills Men’s Shed with a certificate of appreciation recently for their kind contribution to the construction of the cart which they completed in June 2017. Since opening the cart, Rita has sold many handmade pieces and novelties and already raised $1000 to donate back to Myhorizon.

Rita’s generous ongoing donations to Myhorizon’s Early Intervention Service contributes to important programs for children with development delay or disability, giving them more learning opportunities and supports they need to reach their potential.

“In the early days, there weren’t any programs around to support kids who had a disability, but now with more funding and help available, there is more opportunity for children with a disability to get the support they need from programs like the ones offered by the Early Intervention team at Myhorizon” said Rita.

You can find Rita’s Cart at Myhorizon Community Centre, Runnymede Rd, Capalaba, where you can browse her selection of handmade items, novelties, and children’s clothing, open 8.30am till 4.30pm Monday to Friday.

(Photo: Alexandra Hills Men’s Shed members Damien Malone, Les Burrell, and Michael Gleeson accepting their Certificate of Appreciation from Myhorizon; and Manager of ‘Rita’s Cart’ – Rita Morris)