Carnival of Flowers Queensland NDIS report 1
Editors Note While I was away in the USA, Australia once again had a change of Prime Minister and I read in The New York Times “Australians joke that leadership challenges are a national sport, and gambling websites were giving odds and accepting bets. As each candidate entered the field, the odds on bookmaking sites fluctuated." Its main coverage of the leadership battle focused on the anger incited in voters. "The frequent upheavals, experts said, have left foreign allies uncertain and voters angry when elected leaders are ousted in back-room coups and compared to previous 'spills', as they are known, this latest contest has been especially messy and unpredictable."
On the 25th August, the newly appointed Prime Minister the Hon Scott Morrison MP announced his new Front Bench Ministers. This included the appointments of the Hon Paul Fletcher MP as Minister for Families and Social Services, and the Hon Sarah Henderson MP as Assistant Minister for Social Services, Housing and Disability Services. Both were sworn in on 28th August, 2018. If a change of leadership occurs because the party thinks they will not do well in the next election, why change the ministers as well? Just when a Minister finds their feet in their portfolio they are changed. This disrupts lots of people, and when that portfolio includes vulnerable Australians then it is also irresponsible and harmful. .
Steven
In This Issue } Front Page Business disABILITY Awards with Johnathan, Victor and Dane
} NDIS Updates } In the world of DisAbility } Community NEWS } Community Partners } Carnival of Flowers } Day Service } Rockhampton
} Safety Matters } Admin Updates } October 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
The Awards provides a platform to recognise businesses and individuals in the Toowoomba and Darling Downs region who support, educate and employ people with a disability. A big thank you to Kim Stokes for being our Principal Sponsor for the second year. Kim is very passionate about her philanthropic work and has been part of this event from a grass roots level since its inception. We are very grateful for her ongoing commitment.
Productive and prosperous communities rely on all its members having the opportunity to participate in and contribute as fully as possible to their community. The 6th Business DisABILITY Awards of Australia aims to acknowledge those within our business community who are helping to achieve this aim.
South Toowoomba AFC received Highly Commended for this year's Innovation and Access Award, proudly sponsored by Akadia Training. Otherwise known as ‘the Bombers’, this club has demonstrated a strong commitment to making their club a safe and welcoming place for everyone. The club has initiated a skills development program, to help people of any ability learn the sport of AFL. This involves a community try out day, specifically for people with disabilities. They have also provided volunteer opportunities and hope to expand this initiative. Great job Bombers!
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Taking home the big prizes on the night As Mat Rogers said, "you are all winners". Social Inclusion Award GingerCloud Foundation Modified Rugby Program Outstanding Employer Award Angie's Domestic Duties (Winner) Dolly's Kitchen Authentic Asian Cuisine (Highly Commended) Outstanding Employee Award Hannah Xavier (Winner) Jade Gilchrist (Highly Commended) Outstanding Volunteer Award Chris O'Shea (Winner) Victor Woodhouse (Highly Commended) Innovation & Access Award Jobs By Jacobs (Winner) South Toowoomba AFC (Highly Commended)
Business Engagement Award Ben & Co (Winner) Abbey Dodds (Highly Commended) Elissa Flanagan 'Aim High' Scholarship Joint winners: Rhiannon Graham and Neil Prince Judy Antonio Memorial Award Jazzy Lane Hair & Beauty Studio
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Well done to Tony Wigan, members of the Toowoomba Hospital Foundation and all of the great performers including Chapter III and Little Patty who organised a fantastic night of 60’s and 70’s songs and raised important funds to assist the Toowoomba Hospital Foundation. I look forward to next year.
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Quarterly Report for Queensland The following are the key statistics discussed in this report: Participants and Planning 1,912 additional participants with plans this quarter. As at 30 June 2018, plans approved and ECEI referrals represent 55% of scheme to date bilateral estimate met (1 April 2016 to 30 June 2018) Satisfaction rating has improved from 86% in the previous quarter to 89% of participants surveyed this quarter rating their satisfaction with the Agency's planning process as good or very good. This reflects the positive impact of the participant pathway reform on participant experience. As new pathway improvements continue to roll-out, and participants engage with the Scheme for longer, positive outcomes across all domains are expected to grow. Committed Supports and Payments $567.9 million has been paid to providers and participants: • $0.3m in 2015-16 • $110.5m in 2016-17
• $456.8m in 2017-18 Participant Profiles by Disability Group 29% of participants entering in the quarter of 2017-18 Q4 have a primary disability group of Autism. A further 10% of participants entering in the quarter of 2017-18 Q4 have a primary disability group of Developmental Delay, compared to 5% in previous quarters.
Providers and Markets 3,559 approved providers, a 24% increase for the quarter. 80-90% of payments made by the NDIA are received by 25% of providers and 36% of service providers are individual/sole traders. This equates to 1.66 average number of providers per participant Therapeutic supports has the highest number of approved service providers, followed by household tasks and early intervention supports for early childhood As at 30 June 2018, 33% of providers have been active and 67% were yet to have evidence of activity. Of the overall stock of providers, 469 providers began delivering new supports in the quarter. 6
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
The Fight Fire Fascination (FFF) program is an initiative of Queensland Fire and Emergency Services designed to support community organisations, parents and guardians to educate their children about fire. It is based on a belief that children and young people can learn skills to remain safe from fire. This is achieved through a series of visits to the home or community centres by specially trained firefighters.
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BigDog Multicultural Cooking Classes By Beck McDermott On Friday afternoon BigDog held a cooking class and together we made African doughnuts. The plan for the future is to make all different dishes from around the world with the help of multicultural volunteers for lunches Mandazi, also known as the Swahili Bun or Swahili Coconut Doughnut is a form of fried bread and are similar to doughnuts, having a little bit of a sweet taste which can be differentiated with the addition of different ingredients. Mandazi are made by briefly cooking the dough in cooking oil.
Top: Dean and Tyrone giving hi fives Middle: Caitlin and Beck same as the boys giving high fives with the cooking dough Bottom: Christine cooking African doughnuts
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WhatsUp in Disability
Writer’s Workshop This workshop was jointly hosted by BigDog Support Services and was aimed at anyone interested in print or digital media production and any persons interested in regularly volunteering with Disability Media Association. The workshops were facilitated by Merryl Miller and assisted the attendees to build their confidence and capacity to develop contextually appropriate articles for our publication streams in accordance with our managing members’ vision for providing disability focused informational and human-interest articles.
We acknowledge the support provided by Toowoomba Regional Council
To obtain a copy of WhatsUp in Disability magazine or to be an advertiser, please contact WhatsUp via: Office
4/33 Bell Street, Toowoomba
admin@whatsupindisability.org
Phone
4632 6678 9
Thank you helpers Left - Right: Ann, Tasha, Matty and family, Kerrie-Ann, Rob, Cora and Manny, Victor, Marrissa, Beck, Deeanne, Steve, Gary, Sue and Dillon.
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Steam Train trip to Spring Bluff
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Excerpt from a speech by David Janetzki MP Disability Services and other Legislation (Worker Screening) Amendment Bill Although those larger enterprises are trying to do the right thing, it is important that local providers give local support to local people. There are some extraordinary small local disability providers in Toowoomba, such as BigDog. Steven Paull does an amazing job there with Jeremy Scamp. They work very closely with the community to make sure they are delivering local support on the ground.
Steven Paull has coordinated the local disability community by producing a magazine called WhatsUp in Disability. It is compulsory reading for everybody in community leadership positions because it publishes local stories and details local services. That magazine is produced regularly. It is a credit to Steven and the team as this magazine is of great benefit to the disability community and anybody else in community leadership in Toowoomba as they seek to connect people with the services they need. 5th September 2018
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Band Review By Beck McDermott Nightcore “I am not your Barbie Girl” is a song I really love its one of my favourites I listen to all of the time on YouTube on my phone I have found it the other day I love the beat of it you guys should listen to it and tell me if you love the song I recommended to anyone who loves music. Some of their other songs include; friends, freaks, solo, monsters, fight song, rockaybaby.
October Activities Breaking Free Concert We will be travelling by Stonestreet’s wheelchair accessible bus to Movie World on Friday 19th October 2018 to experience a day of fun activities.
Friday 12th October 5:30pm - 9:00pm
As the group will be travelling to the Gold Coast, the centre will be operating on skeleton staff providing Centre based activities only.
Halloween DISCO
Movie World Friday 19th October 7:00am
Saturday 27th October 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Includes Morning tea and Movie World $15 lunch voucher
BigDog Day Service Toowoomba
Requirements Water bottle
Paul Myatt Community Centre
Hat and sun safe clothing
11-15 Alexander Street
Shopping money (shop or snack)
North Toowoomba 4350
Departing Paul Myatt Community Centre 7:00am for 7:30am departure
Coordinators
Leaving
3:00pm Movie World
Arrival
5:50pm
Marrissa Moore and Sharon Price 4512 6020 dayservice@bigdogsupport.com 14
If travelling on the Rocky Mountaineer train is not on your bucket list - it should be! The company was founded by the Armstrong Group in 1990, and is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. It ran its first train on May 27, 1990. It is the busiest privately owned passenger rail service in North America, having transported over one million passengers since 1990.
Rocky Mountaineer’s first route travels along Kicking Horse River, through the Spiral Tunnels, the location where the last spike on the Canadian Pacific Railway was driven, and various other landmarks from the early days of the National Railway. This route is famous for uniting the country and connecting British Columbia to Canada over 125 years ago. Rocky Mountaineer is the only passenger rail service that operated on this route. The double decker carriages even have a wheelchair elevator from the dining area to the glass roof seating area.
Rocky Mountaineer has been awarded the "World's Leading Travel Experience by Train" at the World Travel Awards seven times for its GoldLeaf service and was recognised by National Geographic Magazine as one of the "World’s Best Journeys" in 2007. The Society of American Travel Writers, the world’s largest organisation of professional travel journalists and photographers, rated the Rocky Mountaineer as the world's top train ride in 2009. BigDog Day Service Rockhampton
1/105 Denham Street, Rockhampton 4701 Post Office address PO Box 9777 Frenchville 4701 Coordinator Suzanne Smith 0438 724 306 Suzanne@bigdogsupport.com 15
Luke and Lizzy Wedding
Saturday 29th September 2018 Hume Ridge Church of Christ In a moving ceremony Luke and Lizzy read their own prepared vows to each other. We join with the other attendees at the wedding in having witnessed and shared this special day, as this lovely young couple began their life together as husband and wife. Congratulations you two. Through the good and the bad times, remember how happy you are today as a reminder of your commitment to each other. Best wedding wishes going forward and here’s to an everlastingly happy marriage.
Kyle Lawyer
Robert (Kyle) Paull is a lawyer in Clifford Gouldson’s Workplace section and works closely with Director Danny Clifford. He joined the firm in early 2018 and has settled in quickly with an approachable and empathetic manner that his clients find reassuring. Kyle is a graduate of the University of Southern Queensland and has completed the Graduate Diploma of Practical Legal Training from the College of Law. Kyle has experience in the disability services sector having spent more than 7 years as a disability support worker and 12 months in a human resources role assisting local small businesses adapt to the changes of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Both these roles were with BigDog Support Services. Kyle is also a committee member of WhatsUp in Disability, a local magazine. a local magazine that highlights events and issues relevant to those with a disability. Clifford Gouldson Lawyers call (07) 4688 2188. 16
New Leave Entitlements
Birthdays
Following a recent decision by the Fair Work Commission (FWC) all employees covered by an award are now entitled to take unpaid family and domestic violence leave.
The entitlement comes into effect during the first full pay cycle after 1st August 2018. The FWC has updated all industry and occupation awards to include a new clause about family and domestic violence leave. All employees (including casual employees) covered by an award with the new clause are entitled to 5 days unpaid leave. The FWC described family and domestic violence as including violent, threatening or other abusive behaviour by an employee’s family member that seeks to coerce or control the employee or causes them harm or fear. Employees covered by enterprise awards and state reference public sector awards aren't entitled to the new unpaid family and domestic violence leave entitlements.
October 3rd 5th 10th 21st 22nd 23rd 25th
Jack R Jarney K Richard N Rob C Dan S Steven P Liam S Luke P Andrew N
Have a great day!
There is an updated Leave Application form available to download through the staff page on our web site. www.bigdogsupport.com/apps/auth/
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Contact Us BigDog Support Services 232 Ruthven Street Toowoomba QLD 4350 PO Box 234 Harlaxton QLD 4350
(07) 4632 9559 1800 22 44 32 0427 408 698 (On Call) www.bigdogsupport.com 19
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