Say G’day to Headstart’s newest team members

Olga Learning & Development Lead

I grew up in Newcastle but spent 10 years in Sydney where I had access to courses in Fashion. I studied dressmaking, pattern drafting and a whole lot of other creative stuff. I started teaching at the Hunter Institute of Technology where some of my students were visual and hearingimpaired. I then worked in a range of corporate organisations where I broadened my skills in training and management. My brother had an acquired brain injury. For me to be able to do my bit for Headstart is rewarding and energising.

Get to know Olga

Favourite food: Cheese and bikkies.

Favourite movie: The Joy Luck Club.

Favourite music: Depends on my mood. I love a broad, eclectic range of music.

Favourite sport/team: Swimming.

Favourite hobby: Reading.

Favourite place on earth: Paris.

If you could be any animal? MagpieI love their intelligence, playfulness, and curiosity.

If you could meet someone famous?

Keanu Reeves. I’ve had a crush on him forever!

Craziest thing you’ve done: Getting lost in France, on my own, in a little Smart Car and finding my way back to a very worried husband hours later.

Three words to describe you: Kind and empathetic.

James

I am married with 2 teenage children and one very spoilt staffy dog. I grew up in north-west NSW and then spent about 13 years in Sydney before relocating to the Hunter where we have lived for the past 16 years. I try and travel when I can, either domestically or overseas. I love spending time with my family and taking the dog for a walk. Over the past 25 years I have worked in most areas of the disability sector, as well as having worked in Aged Care as a Diversional Therapist. I enjoy a role where I can learn every day and have variety in what I do.

I enjoy modified cars but don’t like working on them. I ride a motorbike occasionally and have a tinny for when we want to go fishing. I enjoy following the rugby and help out with my son’s team when needed.

Get to know James

Favourite food: Roast Lamb.

Favourite movie: Running on Empty (Australian ‘80’s cult car movie).

Favourite band/music: Country (Aussie, US, Hick Hop, traditional, Country rock etc.)

Favourite sport/team: Wallabies.

Favourite cartoon character: Droopy.

Favourite hobby: Fishing.

Favourite place on earth: Hawaii, Great Barrier Reef.

If you could be any animal? Dolphin. If you could meet someone famous? Bruce Springsteen.

Craziest/silliest thing you’ve done: Too many dumb things over the years! Three words to describe you: Friendly, trustworthy, dependable. What brought you to Headstart?

I have had contact with Headstart in previous roles and appreciated the values of the organisation.

Brandi

I was born and raised in Dubbo and moved to Newcastle in 2019. I’ve never looked back!

I have a beautiful staffy named Alfie. He is my absolute world and I will do anything to bring him up in a conversation and share photos. My spare time is mainly spent with him, playing sport, going to the gym or with my friends.

I have been studying to become a high school teacher and have almost finished my degree, however, stumbled across Headstart 11 months ago, starting as a CSW and only wanted to be more involved.

As Headstart’s new CET coordinator, I aim to continue to support consumers to have the opportunity to educate the community about their brain injuries in the hope to change one life.

Get to know Brandi

Favourite food: Spaghetti Bolognaise.

Favourite movie: Jurassic Park.

Favourite band/music: Almost anything.

Favourite sport/team: Soccer & netball.

Favourite cartoon character: Tweety Bird.

Favourite hobby: Spending time with my dog, sport, going to the gym or art.

Favourite place on earth: The beach/ anywhere overseas.

If you could be any animal? Owl. If you could meet someone famous? Meryl Streep.

Craziest/silliest thing you’ve done: I have a tendency to make impulse decisions and end up anywhere!

Three words to describe you: Caring, adventurous and appreciative. Describe your first week at Headstart: I had a friend who raved about working here. I applied and have loved it since.

A blast from the past: our very first edition of NewsLink featured an interview with our CEO Sue McHattie when we were called Headstart Community Access Program (C.A.P.)

“They say time flies when you’re having fun. A lot has changed at Headstart, but much has stayed the same: we do have fun, we still focus on and are committed to acquired brain injury and we continue to see people and their potential, before the brain injury.

I trained as a social worker and worked in a variety of hospitals, at St Vincents in Sydney, in the hospice, in cardiac care, the burns unit. After a few years working I decided to venture overseas and was there for quite a few years. I was born and bred in Newcastle and I decided to come back for a short while to touch base with my parents before going back overseas again, but that didn’t ever eventuate.

In 1987 I decided to settle down in Newcastle again so started looking for a job. There was an advert in the paper to work with people with a brain injury at Rankin Park in the Hunter Regional Rehabilitation Service (HRRS).

Part of my job was to look at how we could support people to manage barriers and hurdles after injury and support families as well. One of the biggest barriers for people after brain injury is relationshipslife issues such as changes in personality after injury and grief and for families who struggle to deal with those changes. Times have changed, but to understand the context we have to think back to the mid 80’s when there was very little recognition of brain injury. Someone with a brain injury had to fit into other kinds of services: such as for people with an intellectual disability or spinal cord injury. This wasn’t a good fit, but there was nothing else to support in the long term. So the issue was: what do we do, and what do people need and want? The previous page of this edition (pg 6-7) is a copy of a1994 interview I did that briefly covers those early years. My goal was to generate people’s interest by offering more than just something to do… it should be meaningful, while at the same time supporting people to work out how to manage changes in their life and rethink how they wanted a future to be. It was also vital to support families who were trying to do their best in a situation that was at best a challenge and at worst, devastating.

So we started with only one day at a week at what was known as the DOCS building in Darby Street (now the Hunter Brain Injury Rehab Service), which was a huge unused building with great yard and a pool! We then had to move to Bean Street Wallsend, then to Karoola Rd Lambton then to a Scout Hall in Georgetown then to Elder St Lambton etc etc. There were so many addresses early on, with lots of moving from place to place as we had no funds and Health was unable to dedicate funds for premises. I think we’ve been in all the streets in Newcastle! But this also taught us resilience and to never give up, and long with wonderful volunteers Pat and Ann, we kept on ensuring we built the model of support close to what we have today.

We are also very grateful for the enormous support from Dr Geoff Booth who was the Brain Injury Rehab Specialist at Rankin Park (aka Dr Geoff in a surfing mag) and leading our team at HRRS. Headstart, we hoped would provide a bridge back to community after hospitalisation and rehabilitation. At that stage there was nothing to offer people in the long term to support their progress and tackle the roadblocks.

Two year funding commenced in 1992 through the Motor Accidents Authority (MAA). In 1995 we received limited block funding through ADHC (Dept of Ageing Disability and Home Care) where you had to stretch funding to meet as many needs as possible.

Its always been about individual needs, independence, new skills, positive interactions and dreams for a future.

Right from the beginning we wanted to ensure people revived their dreams and goals in life, and that they also had a ‘place’ and a common understanding with others in the same boat. People needed a community that understood what they were going through because brain injury is very different from any other disability. And a lot of those initial members of the group came from very different types of backgrounds and there was value in an amazing understanding of each other’s experiences, and to feel supported and the reciprocal nature of support. Families also had some time out, and saw their family member creating new friendships. It was also around reframing behaviour, challenges and interactions in a supported environment whether that be in a group or one to one. We need to understand that people can get stuck. We are all often at our worst with the people who love us unconditionally and over the years the pressure cooker can lead to relationship break down. If we can do more to maintain those relationships we’re actually helping people feel more connected to their family and included as part of the wider community.

Our early days were full of activity –gardening, some crafty things, movies, BBQs etc. It was about creating vegetable gardens in the backyard, and giving the produce away to their families and neighbours. It was about finding different activities and sharing responsibility to organise on behalf of the group. We had no vehicle available until 1995, so we walked or used public transport – and never lost anyone : )

In the early days, about 1992 I set up the karate class with Peter Oberekar at his dojo in Hamilton - we still have the classes today and Peter’s commitment over all these years is amazing. We had predominantly young men with colourful backgrounds and interactions with others, who needed to be able to channel their physical energy and frustration into a focused activity where self discipline and respect was primary.

Karate was important to build upon strengths, self discipline and co-ordination.

We went regularly sailing on NS14s on Belmont Bay with the gentleman who introduced Sailability to Newcastle. It was all about trialing different activities and locating people in the community to support our pursuits.

Now-a-days we think nothing of undertaking these activities but back then, over 35 years ago, it was considered to be risky and left field.

So in 1992 we received 2 year funding from the Motor Accidents Authority. Things were starting to progress and we made some really strong connections with ADHC and with two supportive project officers (Sandy and Gay) who recognised the fact that people with brain injuries were too often overlooked. This began a whole change in the system in the move away from block funding towards individualised funding. This was all a precursor to NDIS. Then in 2013 the NDIS initiative offered people more choices, and far better funding options. Despite continuing problems with the NDIS decision making processes this remains a true positive.

a specialist services and the feedback from consumers and family, about just how vital this is, rings as true today as it did over 30 years ago. Throughout this journey there have been so many dedicated volunteers and staff who contributed to shaping our service delivery of today. I thank them all. As organisations grow and develop you have to question: does the quality of our services change as you get bigger? We have always placed the consumer and their family at the centre - the focus of everything our service does. We need to keep asking the person what it is they need to be more independent and to have a terrific life (not just an ordinary one!). We need to embrace that everyone does the best they can in the situations they find themselves in.

But we have remained true to our original purpose and we’ve always had a Board of Management that was always committed to people with brain injury. The need for

As we continue to grow, we commit that the journey with consumers and their families will be firmly entrenched in ensuring the best quality services and this focus will always remain our true north. - Sue.

4 May 2018 - the day we launched a new logo for Headstart ABI Services and we also launched the "Sue Mc" at Belmont Sailability. A great day for all involved!