Excellence in Service Award:

Supported Accommodation team, Hadfield, Victoria – for their delivery of compassionate services

In April 2014, a resident at the Hyde Street Supported Accommodation facility was diagnosed with advanced cancer. On learning this, she requested one wish to return to her ‘home’ at Hyde Park.

She had lived there since 2012, after residing for more than a decade in a secure psychiatric extended care unit.

The staff committed to support her in her return, and her fellow residents, with whom she’d lived with for over 10 years, also agreed she should spend her remaining time at home.

The roster was modified so she would have dedicated care at all times.

As a team, they ensured she had visitors all of whom were supported to understand what was happening and given a chance to say their goodbyes.

She died soon after coming home knowing she was loved and cared for.

Excellence in Service Award:

Clinical Team, Western Australia, for delivery of specialised and professional services

Our Western Australia clinical team has taken the time to know the accommodation clients we support, and create strong relationships with support workers to ensure the delivery of meaningful and effective support.

This support has also been extend to the non-clinical staff who are the frontline contact with clients that may have challenging behaviours, through the development of risk management plans to improve the knowledge and skills of the frontline staff and the delivery of training modules to increase their confidence and proficiency.

At times of crisis, the clinical team offers support and assistance to develop safe and appropriate response plans to ensure the wellbeing of people we support, our staff and the community. As a result, external stakeholders regularly commend the responsiveness and ongoing support of our Western Australian clinical team.

Excellence in Service Award:

Sarah Galbraith, acting Operations Manager, Beenleigh, Queensland, for demonstrating stability and leadership during times of change

As acting Operations Manager at Life Without Barriers, Beenleigh, Queensland, Sarah Galbraith constantly demonstrates an ability to coordinate team work environments that are conducive to positive outcomes for the people who we support and staff.

Sarah has improved the workplace environment and staff satisfaction through implementing programs such as boot camp, yoga and fruit platters. She was recognised by peers for bringing structure and balance to an ever-shifting community environment in south east Queensland and has maintained resolve and leadership during a period of uncertainty while acting as operations manager over two years.

She is a highly effective communicator and brings innovative approaches to the work environment that align with business and strategic plans including the development of strong relationships with government and non-government partners.

Excellence in Service Award: 

Connect 4 and Payroll team for systems technology implementation project

The Connect 4 and Payroll team transformed Life Without Barriers system from a manual pay process to a state of the art technology-driven system.

Phase one of Connect 4 focussed on the successful delivery of a new payroll system. Phase two will see the introduction of online timesheets, rostering and human resources processes.

Connect 4 worked across Human Resources, Payroll, Finance, Information Technology and Operations to develop and review the design of the new payroll, human resources and timesheet, roster and labour management process systems.

Reconciliation Award:

Team Kowanyama for Coming Home project

Team Kowanyama has connected people with their biological and extended families and remote communities through the Coming Home project.

The first Coming Home project saw six young people with complex needs travelling to Queensland’s remote Kowanyama, towards Reconciliation and to rebuilding their lives. The camping trip to Kowanyama meant some people returned to their original communities for the first time in many years.

It was quite a challenge to reconnect some of the clients with their biological families and remote communities, and the team also prepared and supported the extended family members, the local council and the young people for what was an emotional reunion.

As the team themselves have said, ‘This is it. This is where Reconciliation begins’.

Reconciliation Award:

Northern Territory Child Care Centres for high quality, culturally sensitive early learning and development programs

In 2013 Life Without Barriers opened two child care centres: Minjilang on Croker Island and Lajamanu on the edge of Tanami Desert. Both deliver high-quality, culturally-sensitive early learning and development programs to support 30 children, aged from birth to five years.

More than 90% of staff employed at the centres are local Aboriginal women and 97% of children attending are Aboriginal. Of the combined 60 placements available, 20 are for at families requiring additional support.

Staff at the centres also provide a positive influence in the community, teaching positive child-raising techniques, and building child safe communities and supporting local employment.

All staff completed a Certificate II in Children’s Services qualification and are enrolled in the Certificate III in Children’s Services qualification to develop their professional skills without needing to leave their local community.

The centre staff established outstanding relationships with Elders and Traditional owners, who were integral to the development and design of the services, and are now helping to drive the operation and development of the centre. Elders frequently attend the centres, supporting cultural activities through storytelling, traditional singing and dance, cooking and teaching the children about bush medicine.

The team is a shining example of Life Without Barriers’ commitment to ‘walking the talk’ when it comes to Reconciliation.

Breakthrough Award:

Libby Richardson, Tasmania, for establishing Tasmania’s School and Family Disability Liaison and Meditation Service in 2010.

Libby Richardson established Tasmania’s School and Family Disability Liaison and Meditation Service in 2010. Since then she has continued to develop and deliver this innovative program across Tasmania.

The focus of the service is on problem-solving and finding mutually beneficial and sustainable solutions, to deliver improved outcomes for children and young people with a disability.

In the past 12 months, Libby supported 39 cases involving 35 families, 32 schools, and collaborated with 23 community agencies and services; and delivered 147 advisory service sessions.

Breakthrough Award:

Support for Refugees and Asylum Seekers team, Sydney, consolidation of new refugee and asylum seekers services

The start of 2014, saw the Sydney Support for Refugee and Asylum Seeker (SRAS) team expanded and established nine new properties, and began support to families, unaccompanied minors, and vulnerable adult males previously supported by another agency.

Thirty-four new clients were brought smoothly into our care, simultaneously establishing staffing and recruitment processes to meet these new demands – within a four week period.

The team remained responsive to the needs of the clients while still meeting the tight transition deadline.

Community Connect Award:

Rebecca Sanciolo, South West, Western Australia, for her key role in setting up community vegetable gardens across Bunbury

Rebecca Sanciolo has been helping to establish community vegetable gardens across Bunbury. This joint initiative between Life Without Barriers and the City of Bunbury is key to local healthy living programs, and it has also helped the LWB clients reconnect with the community.

LWB clients have worked with others in the creation of the gardens. They have greatly benefitted from a culture of mutual respect, achievement and belonging, where people are valued as genuine members of the local community. They have also learned many practical skills through their involvement in designing the gardens, creating mosaics and painting outdoor furniture.

Rebecca has also set up a community kitchen as part of the project.

Community Connect Award:

Wollongong, for Street Soccer Program

Led by soccer coach and residential support worker, Life Without Barriers’ Street Soccer Program has proved to be a successful program to help young people at our residential services connect with the community.

Every Wednesday afternoon, around 25 participants, aged 16 and over, enjoy participating in a community-based soccer match at their local Wollongong PCYC.

Young people from the area who have since left out of home care and moved into supported accommodation, and also part of the program and through it are able to engage with each other and network with the local community.

Chief Executive Award for High Achievement:

Kyp Boucher, Area Operations Manager at Mental Health, Immigration and Country Services, South Australia for significant contributions to the development of LWBs mental health programs

Kyp Boucher, Area Operations Manager at Mental Health, Immigration and Country Services, South Australia joined Life Without Barriers in 2005, and soon after won a tender to support people to transition from psychiatric hospitals to community-based accommodation and support that she called the Returning Home programs.

The Returning Home program helps people to engage in recovery programs and reclaim their lives.

Kyp has also made major contributions towards the development of mental health programs in Western Australia, Tasmania, Queensland and Victoria, and is the driving force behind our Albury Wodonga prevention and recovery care service.

Kyp was also responsible for the creation our Mental Health Community Peer Worker Traineeship program in 2006, which continues today.

Chief Executive Award for High Achievement:

National Disability Insurance Scheme Transition Team, Hunter region, for their work in establishing LWBs NDIS service

Life Without Barriers National Disability Insurance Scheme Transition Team in the Hunter region comprising Barbara Dow and Leanne Webber won the Chief Executive Award for High Achievement for their work in establishing the NDIS at the Hunter region.

Over the last 12 months our LWB NDIS transition team in the Hunter has led 400 staff, and supported just under 200 people with disability, their families and carers through a process that has seen an ambitious policy vision realised in the lives of people with disability.

The transition to the NDIS has been a complex task for service providers. While both Life Without Barriers and government agencies were still working out the rules, the team was getting on with the job of implementing individualised services and a client-directed care model.