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I trust that everyone had a great Christmas, one that was spent with family and friends in an environment of mutual respect and love. As well as lots of yummy food!
Our Christmas theme this year was around “Pop Culture” figurines that Ann and I thought best reflected the characteristics or personalities of our staff. It was fun deciding which character best represented each staff member, with a great deal of time spent on the internet as well as in the games shops. I hope everyone liked their presents and the thought that was behind the choice.
“Pop Culture is a reflection of social change, not a cause of social change” John Podhoretz
Stormtrooper Steven In This Issue Pop Culture DisAbility World 2017 in Review WhatsUp in Disability BigDog Photograph Gallery NDIS Updates Day Service
Rockhampton Safety Matters Staff Information January Events BigDog Newsletter Privacy Notice: Please note that as a subscriber to our BigDog Newsletter which supplies news and events relevant to this organisation, your email address or any other personal information collected will only be used for the purpose for which you gave it to us and will not be disclosed to any other person, body or agency except where you have provided your consent or it is required or authorised by law. 2
What is Pop Culture? What are all your friends talking about right now? A certain television program? A type of clothing that your friends all are wearing? All these things are part of pop culture. Short for 'popular culture,' pop culture includes everything that regular people are talking about and are interested in. Rather than movies that critics say are 'the best,' or books that highly educated people like, pop culture includes the attitudes, movies, books, art, and music of everyday people, usually younger people. Because pop culture is the culture of younger people, it changes over time. The pop culture of the 1950s is different than the pop culture of the 1990s or now. Things that fascinate young people and make them stand out from their parents are the pop culture for each generation. When we look back at certain time periods in history, we can identify the pop culture trends that were important at the time. It is undeniable that pop culture has gone a
long way in making the concept of “ global society� a reality by giving people across the world a common subject to talk about. Who among the internet community heavily into pop culture can say that they have not made even a single friend overseas through fan accounts and chat rooms? Enthusiasts happily share their potentially unusual interests with no reservation or thought of the stereotypes with which other people might associate them. Say what you will, but fandoms attract and support independent thinkers who are accustomed to the potential isolation of the road less travelled. However, we cannot just push away the fact that pop culture has negative influences as well. The depiction of violence, blood and gore can have serious psychological repercussions especially on young children. Some people can get so immersed into the fictional universes that it becomes difficult for them to distinguish between what is real and what is not.
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Can I claim the gap from private health insurance for Allied Health Services from my plan? NDIA plan budgets are developed to cover the full cost of Allied Health Services where these are considered as Reasonable and Necessary for the participant. As a result, there should not be a "gap" fee required to be paid. Where NDIA participants have private health insurance some people have claimed against their health insurance for part of the cost of their services and claim the gap only from their NDIS plan. The gap may only be claimed from the NDIA plan if the service has been provided to support the participant's goals in their plan. If the service has been provided to address health issues then the gap should not be claimed from the plan. There may be some circumstances, where a participant is eligible for services funded by Medicare, for example a Mental Health Plan. This is an example of a health system support that is able to be accessed by all Australians regardless of whether they have a disability. These services will be considered when developing a plan with the NDIA. Usually an NDIS participant will first use the 10 sessions claimable under Medicare and then any additional sessions will be claimed from their NDIS Plan. Some participants find the gap payment for these types of services a financial barrier to accessing them. In this case participants can make a decision to commence their services through claiming fully or just the gap payment from their NDIS plan. 4
Australia
Celebrities who passed
The Parliament of Australia passes the Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Act 2017, legalising same sex marriage in Australia
Adam West An actor most known for his portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman in the TV series. Chuck Berry A pioneer of rock and roll best known for “Johnnie B Goode” and “Roll over Beethoven” David Cassidy Starred as Keith Partridge in the Partridge Family and successful musical career. Erin Moran At 13, she was cast as Joanie Cunningham on Happy Days, catapulting her to fame. Fats Domino Singer and pianist best known for “Blueberry Hill” and “Shake, Rattle and Roll” Glen Campbell Country music sensation best known as the Rhinestone Cowboy Hugh Hefner The 27-year-old Hefner unveiled Playboy in 1953 with nude pictures of Marilyn Monroe Jerry Lewis Highly successful nightclub act and movie comedy team with singer Dean Martin John Hillerman Best known for his role on Magnum PI with Tom Selleck. John Hurt Movie Actor in Alien and as Mr Ollivander in the Harry Potter series Jim Nabors Lovable Gomer Pyle from the Andy Griffith Show and Gomer Pyle USMC and singer Martin Landau Best known for his role on the Mission: Impossible series and North by Northwest Mary Tyler Moore most known for her portrayal of Mary Richards in The Mary Tyler Moore Show Roger Moore Most known for playing British secret agent 007 James Bond and the Saint
Labor wins Queensland election Sport AFL 1st Women’s (AFLW) match WBO Jeff Horn defeats Manny Pacquiao AFL Richmond Tigers defeat Adelaide Crows Melbourne Storm defeat Nth QLD Cowboys Rekindling wins the Melbourne Cup Australia wins back the Ashes
Science Achievements Water from Air The prototype was able to pull three quarts of water in 12 hours while sitting in an area that had 20% to 30% humidity. Hydrogen into Metal Harvard University scientists figured out how to turn hydrogen - the lightest of all elements into a metal Growing Human Organs Scientists at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, CA, said they're one step closer to being able to grow human organs inside pigs Cassini After a 13-year mission, the spacecraft Cassini descended into Saturn's atmosphere and immediately disintegrated, all according to plan. Human Origins Fossils were uncovered in Morocco that dated over 300,000 years old. The discovery provides evidence that the first humans may have lived 100,000 years earlier than previously thought and may rewrite the story of human origins.
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Our 2017 AGM was held at the Paul Myatt Community Centre on Friday 29th December 2017 and the incoming Executive were elected for 2018. We acknowledge the great work that had been done by the retiring members of the previous Executive, Robin Meredith-Bramwell and Anita Adams. Looking forward to a great 2018.
President
WhatsUp In Disability (the magazine) was first published in 1994 to give local people with disabilities and carers, information on a growing multitude of local disability services, local news and issues, with the purpose of not only supplying information to people with disabilities, but of giving choices to people and to give local services a specialist media outlet where they could give information on their services. To obtain a copy of WhatsUp in Disability magazine or to be an advertiser, please contact the WhatsUp office at 4/33 Bell Street, Toowoomba or call on 4632 6678.
President Steven Paull
Secretary Jeremy Scamp
Treasurer Ann Paull
Editor Wendy Adams
Committee Kyle Paull
Bronwyn Herbertson 6
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Work Experience At Parisianne, Chef Mark has kindly offered a number of work experience positions for our young people each Friday morning.
Chef Mark specialises in boutique French patisseries and shared some of his secrets in making the perfect dessert item with our budding chefs. Parisianne reopens the 8th January.
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Breaking Free Mail Run For almost 10 years this community based disability support program has provided a nimble pick-up and delivery service that’s tailored to small and medium-sized Toowoomba businesses. Daily office tasks like visiting the post office is time consuming especially when there’s a million other things to be getting on with. Leave all those hassles to us and take advantage of a Mail Pick-up and Delivery Service.
We provide total convenience for all your incoming and outgoing mail, parcel delivery and collection. We will go to the post office on your behalf to collect your mail each morning from your mail box and each afternoon deliver your mail to the Post Office, giving you back more time to do what matters.
From only $7 a day Contact us to find out more, or get a quote now on 1800 22 44 36
Thanks
Dazza 9
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Christmas Choir
Santa pays us a visit 11
Jeremy Certificate III in Individual Support Certificate III qualifications are considered to be the requirement for entry into the community services sector and are suitable for new employees and existing employees. Certificate IV qualifications are appropriate for those who want to increase their level of skill and knowledge or may be acting in a supervisory role. The User Choice program provides a public funding contribution towards the cost of training and assessment for eligible Queensland apprentices and trainees. A training contract is a legally binding contract for the training and employment of a person as a trainee BigDog supports an educational environment, and as such will give you every opportunity to learn and be trained to fulfil your required duties as per our policies and procedures and we will support your traineeship in the following manner:
Employ you on a part-time Level 1 for the period of the traineeship
Support you in providing copies of documents that relate to the traineeship
Assist in payment of tuition fees
As a trainee you must:
Work towards achieving the competencies agreed in the training plan
Acknowledge that all workplace instructions and any other material that comes into the your possession as a result of the training remains the property of BigDog
Expressions of interest are now available for those staff interested in undertaking certified training.
Akadia Training is a local Toowoomba organisation that provides a range of formal and informal training programs with a variety of delivery models across Queensland to Aged Care, Home and Community Care and Disability organisations. They offer a range of contextualised nationally endorsed qualifications and professional development workshops. 12
Plan reviews are a normal part of the NDIS. Your plan review will help you to measure your progress against your personal goals, explore new goals and identify any changes in your life. When you became a participant in the NDIS, you received a plan which funded reasonable and necessary supports that assist you in your daily living. This plan also helps you achieve your personal goals such as increasing your independence or learning a new skill. Your plan review is the opportunity to check your supports are working for you and are helping you to progress and achieve your goals. How will your plan be reviewed?
Depending on your needs and circumstances your plan review conversation will be conducted face to face or over the phone with an LAC at their office or over the phone or at an NDIS office. Your next plan will be developed based on your plan review conversation, and formally approved by the NDIA. How can you prepare for your plan review? You can work with your LAC, Support Coordinator, friend or family member to prepare for the plan review. Have a think about your goals in both the short and long-term. Knowing what you would like to work towards will help you to think about the supports and services you may need to achieve those goals and how you will use the funding in your plan to access the supports and services you need. Talk to your providers about your new plan When you have completed your plan review, it is important you talk to your providers about the length of your plan and goals and your new supports.
Support Coordination Not all participants will receive funding in their plan for Support Coordination. It is a special type of support and will only be deemed reasonable and necessary in certain circumstances. If you have Support Coordination then you should contact them to assist you in completing a report that you can take with you to your NDIS Plan Review meeting. The need for Support Coordination is expected to reduce as the capacity of the participant increases. 13
Welcome to 2018 I hope that everyone has had a great Christmas - New Year break and is ready for a exciting 2108. We have been reviewing a whole lot of new activities as well as utilising our new bus service to include other NDIS participants who don’t attend our day service but would like to attend some of our fun community activities. BigDog has expanded our NDIS registration to include a number of Capacity Building items programs, training and Australia Day Please note that the Day Service will be closed for the Australia Day public holiday Friday 26th January 2018.
Chef Mark Following the great response for Chef Mark in 2017 he will be returning for another 20 week cooking course later this month. With a whole new range of delicious meals to prepare this is hands on learning that is fun and informative. Expressions of interest will need to be signed and returned immediately as with limited student numbers, consideration will be given to those both who missed last year as well as for those who respond early. 14
Welcome NDIS to Rockhampton
Wednesday 7th February 10:30am ph 4994 1600
Well, December was busy meeting with families and participants reviewing their NDIS Plans, developing support plans and completing service agreements.
Carers Queensland is the Local Area Co-ordination Partner in the Community. They’ll be helping locals access the NDIS, putting people in touch with mainstream and community support in their area, and working to build a more accessible, inclusive Central Queensland where everyone is welcome and valued. Join us to celebrate our official launch with morning tea and a look at our achievements so far. Hear from Central Queenslanders already using the NDIS, and find out how you could get involved.
A number of families did not receive funding sufficient to meet their needs and have submitted appeals to their NDIS Plan. We wish them success in their endeavours for a successful review. Day Service Address YWCA Sports Complex 125 Robinson Street, North Rockhampton 4701 Post Office address PO Box 9777 Frenchville 4701 Coordinator Suzanne Smith 0438 724 306 Suzanne@bigdogsupport.com
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Cruising is one of the safest forms of travel, and the vast majority of cruises pass without incident. But just like on a land-based vacation, it's worth taking a few basic precautions to stay safe. When you get onboard it's easy to forget that you are sharing your vacation with thousands of other people (crew and passengers), and all it takes is one person to spoil the experience. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Drink alcohol responsibly Buddy up Practice in-cabin safety Get to know your steward Pay attention during the muster drill
BigDog will be undertaking a number of supported respite cruises in 2018. Initially these will all be in Australian waters only so that a Passport will not be necessary
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Australia Day Friday 26th January Australia day - the office and day services will be closed. Motor Vehicles
If you fill the vehicle with fuel or utilise the car washing services you must present those fuel and car wash dockets to the office on that day Keeping up to date on things Staff need to check their phone texts, pigeon hole, the notice board and their emails for the latest information or updates. Where a message is sent via text then an acknowledgement text is required to ensure that the text has been received. Certificate III in Individual Support We have issued a memo advising that this Certificate is now available through Akadia Training, a local Toowoomba Registered Training Organisation (RTO). Those wishing to undertake this will need to sign and return the bottom of the memo immediately as training is planned to start this month. Further is information is available by contacting Steven
January 8th 10th 15th 16th 20th 25th 31st
Suzanne S Pauline V Chris K Mishel K Courtney P Kenneth H Esther W
Have a great day! Marrissa Moore
Angelene Schutt 17
Da Vince Challenges
Star Wars Day
Cobb & Co Museum
Toowoomba Library
Monday 2nd - Friday 19th January 2018 9:30am–3:00pm These school holidays you can take part in Da Vinci challenges including launching your own rockets and seeing what you can make fly in the wind tubes! The rocket launcher challenge will test your rocket building skills and then you can make an object out of everyday materials and see if it will fly in the wind tube. Collect your materials when you purchase your Da Vinci Souvenir Activity Book for $10
Saturday 13th January 2018 9:30am–3:00pm
Feel the force and prepare for an epic day of Star Wars goodness! Bring your family of troopers for an awesome day out at the Toowoomba City Library. Proudly sponsored by the Toowoomba Friends of the City Library.
Australia Day Street Party
Introduction to Sign Language
GC Central Square
Toowoomba Hospice
240 Margaret Street Toowoomba Friday 26th January 2018 8:00am–1:00pm
57B O’Quinn Street Harristown Tuesday 30th January 2018 6:00pm–8:00pm
A Free family fun day featuring market stalls, foodies, street performers, side show rides, Live Music, Activities & Car Display. A collaborative event between Grand Central Shopping Centre, City Heart Group & The Original Mix Co.
To book your place www.davidwallis.com.au For more information Email - mail@davidwallis.com.au Mobile - 0409 019 345 Deposit of $60 must be paid prior to commencement to secure your seat Cost $240 per person ($180 pensioners) 18
Shen Yun 2018 Empire Theatre Toowoomba 240 Margaret Street Toowoomba Thursday 18th January 2018 7:30pm–9:45pm In ancient times China was known as the Land of the Divine. Everyone, from emperors to the common people, believed that their culture was a gift from heaven. They lived in harmony with the universe and saw a connection among all things. Traditional Chinese culture carried these principles for thousands of years - until this world was lost. We now invite you to visit this lost civilization. To make this journey possible, we have pushed the boundaries of performing arts. We combine ancient legends with technological innovations, and historically authentic costumes with breathtaking animated backdrops. We let classical Chinese dance do the storytelling, and share with you beautifully diverse ethnic and folk traditions. Filled with an enchanting orchestral sound, this is a mesmerizing experience you won’t find anywhere else. Tickets from $99 to $149
What’s on in January 1st January Monday
New Year’s Day
13th January Saturday
Star Wars Day
15th - 16th January
Global-Mark Audit
17th January Wednesday
Steven & Jeremy Rockhampton
18th January Thursday
Audit Rockhampton
22nd January Monday
QLD School Term starts
26th January Friday
Australia Day
27th January Saturday
Crows Nest Day
Contact Us BigDog Support Services 232 Ruthven Street Toowoomba QLD 4350 PO Box 234 Harlaxton QLD 4350 YWCA Sports Complex 125 Robinson Street North Rockhampton
(07) 4632 9559
1800 22 44 32 0427 408 698 (On Call) admin@bigdogsupport.com Visit us on the web at www.bigdogsupport.com 19
P&O
Hamilton Island
29/01/2018
4
P&O
Queensland
2/02/2018
7
Princess
Queensland
4/02/2018
7
P&O
Sampler
10/02/2018
3
P&O
Whitsundays
13/02/2018
4
P&O
Queensland
17/02/2018
7
P&O
Sampler
23/02/2018
3
P&O
Hamilton Island
26/02/2018
4
Explore the world with us
Group Holidays BigDog Support Services run an extensive range of group holidays catering for travellers with different interests, skills and abilities. We keep our groups small to provide the personal service, support and individualised attention that our travellers deserve. Smaller groups mean we can also respond to special interests or changing weather by altering our daily activities to suit the group
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