Category: NDIS

In the Spotlight – Winter 2023

It has been a decade since the NDIS has been in place in Australia, and in that time has faced considerable criticism from both Participants and service providers.

As a result, the government has conducted an independent review of the Scheme which has brought to light some ongoing issues including:

* long delays in making decisions

* unexplained changes to plans

* lots of red tape

* confusing and complicated information and processes

* too many changes made too quickly

* lack of help to work your way through the scheme

* not enough focus on what needs to be done to make sure people with disability have what they need to be independent and live a good life.

Whilst promoting “choice and control” for Participants, the NDIS scheme has been widely criticised for its inconsistent rules and controls for registered providers and unregulated providers including private support workers.

Unfortunately, very few checks are currently in place for unregulated providers and private workers, so it is not surprising that the quality of care, safety of Participants, and rorting of the NDIS scheme has been called into question.

Minister Shorten has indicated that the NDIS system will as a result undergo a major shakeup and many changes are expected to be announced before the review reports back in October this year.

At Myhorizon, we take the protection of our Participants’ rights very seriously. As a registered provider, we are committed to advocating for our Participants and doing what we always do – going above and beyond to provide the highest quality services and care.

We are passionate about ensuring that our Participants receive the best possible care and support.

Emily & Beverley – A perfect pairing

When transitioning into Supported Independent Living (SIL), Myhorizon believes that the compatibility matching process is the highest of priority. We want our participants to live with people they feel safe and comfortable with.

We believe that the success of a SIL home is dependent on appropriately matching participants based on age, gender, interest, location and support needs.

For participants Emily and Beverley, their 2022 transition to a Myhorizon Supported Independent Living home in Burbank has been a major one. Beverley has relocated all the way from Melbourne and Emily from the Gold Coast, both to be closer to their families.

Despite the challenges that comes with moving in with a new housemate in a new community, Beverley with her bright, articulate, and bubbly personality is pairing very well with Emily’s soft, gentle and caring traits, proving a successful compatibility match so far.

“I love the house and being close to my family. I get on really well with my housemate.” Says Beverley, who is now also preparing to welcome a third resident into her home with Emily.

Both ladies are working towards their goals to increase their independence in the home and build their daily living skills such as cooking and shared household chores.

Alicia & Jacinta lend a helping hand

There are many benefits to volunteering in your local community, and for our Wynnum Lifestyle participants, Alicia and Jacinta, they love lending a helping hand to those that need it most by volunteering at the Redlands Community Centre in Capalaba.

Alicia and Jacinta kindly volunteer their time every Friday at the Centre, where they pack emergency relief packages full of basic meal necessities, and also restock shelves and complete a variety of other tasks.

These Emergency Relief Packages are just one way the Redlands Community Centre provides support to those that need it most. They also provide a number of valuable ‘one-stop-shop’ community focused services which assist people experiencing a crisis in a way that maintains dignity and encourages self-reliance.

Not only have Alicia and Jacinta contributed to a worthy community cause, but together they have developed excellent team work skills, expanded their social group and learnt various skills they can utilise in day to day life.

“It’s fun packing bags and I like talking to all the staff members there” says Alicia.

For more information on the many ways you can volunteer with the Redlands Community Centre, visit: redlandcommunitycentre.org

Vadim is job ready

For people with disabilities, the move from school to employment can sometimes be a challenging transition.

Which is why programs like the School Leaver Employment Support (SLES) program can be life changing for NDIS Participants like Vadim Ovchinnikov, supporting him to gain the skills and confidence to navigate his employment options and gain meaningful employment.

Vadim, now 20 years old, originally came to Myhorizon’s Specialised Training service in March 2021 looking for employment opportunities, having had no previous employment skills or history, limited workplace communication and literacy skills, and little understanding of social protocols.

Through the SLES program and with the help of his Myhorizon Employment Support Worker Aaron, Vadim was able to overcome these barriers, identify his career goals and learn essential job skills such as resume preparation, interview skills, independent travel, teamwork, time management and many more.

Vadim then gained work experience where he was able to implement some of these newfound skills in a real work setting, and also discover what areas of work he liked, all before landing a paid job he now enjoys at McDonalds, Birkdale.

“I like serving the drinks and talking to the customers. I also get to meet new people and the job gives me my own money.” Said Vadim.

Employment and Training Assistant Manager, Nikki Louange is part of a passionate team at Myhorizon who support Participants through this process,

“It’s about helping Participants build their skills, their ability and their confidence to enter the workforce and achieve their employment goals. It’s through this intensive 1:1 job support where we see many success stories”, Said Nikki.

“In Vadim’s case, we helped him to successfully gain an interview and secure employment with McDonalds which included supporting him at the interview, assisting him with understanding their rostering program and looking at transport options so he could get to and from work safely”.

For more information on SLES and our Employment and Training service, contact us today.

It’s a full house at Riley Drive

It’s been a warm welcome for Lifestyle participant Scott Adam, to our Supported Independent Living home in Riley Drive, Capalaba.

With tenants Stephen and James already living in the property, the last vacant room has now officially been filled with Scott recently moving in and joining the bachelor pad.

The men in the house were thrilled with Scott’s arrival and his calm demeanor and easy-going attitude have made him a fantastic and compatible addition to the house.

Now that Scott has moved out of home, he’s keen to expand his skills in the kitchen and cook for his housemates (with the help of his Support Worker). He’s even been given the run-down by his new housemates on how to operate the dishwasher and washing machine and actively contribute to keeping the home clean.

Scott is no stranger to embracing an independent lifestyle, having already achieved his driver’s license, and arriving to his new home in his very own car, which he regularly enjoys taking for a drive when he gets the chance.

What a fantastic and empowering achievement!

 

When transitioning into Supported Independent Living (SIL), Myhorizon believes that the compatibility matching process is the highest of priority. We want our participants to live with people they feel safe and comfortable with.

We believe that the success of a SIL home is dependent on appropriately matching participants based on age, gender, interest, location and support needs.

We want our participants to take an active part in choosing their housemates. We ask our participants what they want and need and we design a home environment to suit their wishes.

We don’t fill vacancies, rather we match people who are compatible to live together.

For more information on our Supported Independent Living Service, contact us today.

Kasper is cooking up a storm

When it comes to food and cooking, Kasper, a participant from our Logan Lifestyle Centre, is constantly thinking up new ideas for what he can create in the kitchen.

From wraps and burgers, to cakes and sweets, Kasper’s newfound love of cooking is at the top of his list of things he now enjoys.

After many years of suffering from severe food intolerances, a recent health procedure has meant that Kasper can now enjoy a much wider variety of foods, allowing him to get creative and explore new recipes that are a little more exciting than his previous bland diet.

Nowadays, you will find Kasper outside using the BBQ with Jean Claude, or in the kitchen with Tia (his Support Workers), cooking up a storm, and building his Daily Living skills.

Lifestyle’s Executive Manager, Belinda Thompson, is passionate about ensuring participants have hands on opportunities to grow their skills and reach their goals.

“It’s about empowering individuals to explore all the things they enjoy and nurture their interests and develop their competencies”, she said.

Apart from cooking, Kasper has also been running a car washing business for the last few years, with a growing client base of staff and visitors at the Loganlea Community Centre every Tuesday.

Why not drop in next time you’re in the area for a quick wash or even a full detail. Kasper can cover just about any car cleaning needs you have!

For more information about our Lifestyle services and locations, contact us today.

Almost $1200 raised to support RSPCA

To help fight against animal cruelty, Jean Jensen from our Employment & Training team, recently took part in RSPCA’s Million Paws Walk, surpassing her $1000 goal and raising $1152 by walking with her beloved dog, Molly.

“After I took part last year, I wanted to raise funds to support the RSPCA again this year, as they do such important work. A big thank you to those who have donated”. Said Jean.

There is still time to contribute to Jean’s fundraising campaign. Go to www.millionpawswalk.com.au/fundraisers/jeanjensen and donate before end June.

A message from Joe – Summer 2021/22

It is refreshing to almost see the end of this crazy year. This festive season is a time for us to restock, refresh, and remind ourselves of the good things in our lives, and the hope we hold for the future.

I am personally thankful for the amazing staff we have at Myhorizon who have taken on all of the challenges they have been confronted with, especially the additional pressure as a result of the impact of COVID.

Safety of our clients has been our number one priority and we are fortunate to have been able to continue to operate our various programs with minimum disruption. Mandatory vaccinations are now in place and all Myhorizon staff delivering services have been vaccinated.

2022 is a year of new beginnings and new opportunities to be embraced, and Myhorizon is here to support you in the journey.

From the Board, management and staff, we wish all of our Myhorizon subscribers the very best for the Festive Season. We will continue to be with you, for you in in 2022.

Joe Gamblin
CEO

 

Image: Myhorizon Disability Support Professionals – Jade & Jackie, with CEO Joe Gamblin

A message from Joe – Winter 2020

Six months ago, we could not have predicted the immense impact the COVID-19 pandemic would have on our lives. We are all seeing the devastating effects overseas, while here in Queensland, and all around Australia, we have been extremely fortunate in comparison.

Myhorizon as an essential service has continued to operate during the COVID lock down period but did need to vary its service delivery with the closure of all group programs. These were quickly replaced with 1:1 support activities with many Participants taking up the opportunity to try a new type of service delivery.

Moving to 1:1 support provided safer activities for Participants, providing more choice and control. Participants experienced a greater range of activities and even with social distancing were still able to meet up occasionally with their friends.

Myhorizon as a team and as a service provider, has responded quickly to the spread of the virus and to the concerns of Participants who rely on us and trust us to deliver services in a safe manner. Over the last few months, we’ve made sure that infection control, and social distancing where possible have been prioritised and put in place across all service activities.

Before and during COVID, the NDIS has continued to change and evolve with far greater flexibility around how Participants use their plan funding than we have ever seen before. One of the big changes is that Participants can now use their Core Funds to access Support Coordination, which can be an invaluable service for Participants to get the most out of their Plan. We currently have a few remaining places to provide support coordination so make sure you contact our team to see how this can benefit you.

Other changes include the ability to use Core funds to pay for activity-based transport costs, which in the past has been a large financial burden for many. Participants can also ask for their Plan to be rolled over rather than going through a full review process. Hopefully with some of these changes we will see Plan utilisation increase so that Participants can get the full benefits of their Plan.

As COVID-19 continues to impact our community, I want to assure all our clients and Participants that the team here at Myhorizon always remain with you, for you.

Joe Gamblin
CEO

Jasmine & Peter honour ANZAC day from home

Being in isolation hasn’t stopped Myhorizon participants from keeping  busy and productive from home. To commemorate Anzac Day, Peter and Jasmine from Loganholme both spent weeks creating poppy wreaths with the assistance of their Myhorizon Support Workers.

The red poppy wreaths have always been symbolic of ANZAC Day and remembering those who have served and sacrificed.

“Making a wreath was Peter and Jasmine’s own way of commemorating, and they both were really eager to bake Anzac biscuits as well.” Said Cheyanne, one of Peter and Jasmine’s Myhorizon Support Workers.

General Manager of Myhorizon’s Supported Independent Living Service, Janine Lillico, acknowledges how important it is for people with disability to feel connected and continue participating in activities right now.

“Many of our participants are used to socialising and getting out of the house so it’s definitely been a challenging time for many. However, it’s been wonderful to see how our staff and clients are making the most of support in the home.” Said Janine.

“Anzac Day has been a great example of how many people are still finding ways to pay their tributes from home this year, whether it be through making and displaying wreaths or showing support by standing on their driveways at dawn. We really do have an amazing community despite these challenging times” Said Janine.