Cootharinga OTN Newsletter 2015 Dec

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Cootharinga North Queensland Ability First!

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Volume 20, No 2 December 2015 Cootharinga North Queensland is honoured that Premier Palaszczuk, chose our offices in Townsville to announce the launch site for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in Queensland for children with a disability, 17 years of age and under.

The launch site will cover the local government areas of Townsville, Charters Towers and Palm Island and is due to commence in April, 2016.The NDIS is a life-long scheme which will change the lives of individuals and families living with a disability for the better.

Currently there is an unacceptably high number of individuals and families across North Queensland, Queensland and Australia, who do not receive government funding for disability support services and either have to pay for that support out of their own pockets or, more often, not access any at all.

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IN THIS ISSUE 1. Qld NDIS Launch site Announced in Townsville 2. From the CEO 2. $6.6m Disability Housing Boost 3. NDIS update 4. Walk with Me 5. An outstanding and clear purpose!

6. News from around the region 7. JBD Melbourne Cup event 7. Cootharinga Caufield Guineas Race Day Mackay 8. Cootharinga Cash Bingo Upcoming events 2015/16

Cootharinga is confident that the introduction of the NDIS, commencing with children 17 and under and their families in the Queensland launch site, will enable North Queenslanders with a disability to access supports to assist them live a quality life and pursue their life goals and opportunities like any other Australian.

To be chosen as the place for this historic NDIS Queensland launch site announcement is a great honour and reflects the strong support that Cootharinga, our partners in Ability First Australia, and North Queenslanders in general, have given for the introduction of the NDIS. The launch site announcement was witnessed by many families who will benefit from the introduction of the NDIS and was attended by many influential and supportive dignitaries. These included Bruce Bonyhady – Chair of the Board of the National Disability Insurance Agency; The Honourable Coralee O’Rourke – Minister for Disability Services, Minister for Seniors, and Minister Assisting the Premier in North Queensland. Mayor Frank Beveridge – Charters Towers, Mayor Alf Lacey – Palm Island, Aaron Harper – MP Thuringowa; Scott Stuart – MP Townsville; local members of the Queensland State Parliament and senior government officials.

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Our Vision: “Building a better world with people of all abilities!”

$6.6 MILLION DISABILITY HOUSING BOOST ACROSS QUEENSLAND Cootharinga is thrilled to announce that we have been successful in two submissions for State Government funding to build more accessible housing in Cairns and Townsville.

On 28 October Minister for Disability Services, The Honourable Coralee O’Rourke, announced that more than 30 people with disability will be able to move out of nursing homes and public health facilities and back into the community, thanks to more than $6.6 million in funding from the Palaszczuk Government.

Six organisations across Queensland were successful with funding to build or modify a range of dwellings in areas where there was a high disability housing demand.

“This is great news as it means people with high physical needs can move out of aged care or public health facilities and return to live in their communities, close to family and friends,” Mrs O’Rourke said.

“We know how important it is to people with disability and their families to have choice and control about where they live, and independence in their daily lives,” she said.

“These projects include a range of accommodation options designed to help people who use wheelchairs and other equipment to live as independently as possible.

Minister O’Rourke said the Palaszczuk Government was delighted to work with the non-government organisations to improve the lives of people with disability.

“Organisations are contributing land where new housing will be constructed, or contributing an existing building which will be modified to be fully accessible,” she said.

Minister O’Rourke said it is anticipated that the new housing projects will be ready as the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) rolls out in Queensland.

“A shortage of suitable disability housing is a concern with the increased demand the NDIS will create, so I’m pleased we are investing close to $25 million in the state budget for a range of housing initiatives.”

Cootharinga will shortly commence building two x 2 bedroom units for 4 people in Townsville and also two x 2 bedroom units in Cairns. We plan to have both projects completed before Christmas next year, allowing 8 individuals across North and Far North Queensland to move into their new home in the community.

Cootharinga will ensure these properties achieve the Platinum Level of the Livable Housing Guidelines, as well as introducing a range of innovative technologies to enhance the design including automated doors and lighting, sound and airconditioning units that can be turned on and off by the residents using an IPAD.

As we head into Christmas and New Year, it is a good time to reflect on the past year. This last edition of On The Move for 2015 has great articles that do just that, with: • the early launch of the NDIS in Queensland was announced in Cootharinga’s Townsville offices – what a great day for Queenslanders with disability and their families – not to mention Cootharinga itself • Cootharinga launching our new Purpose Statement to take us into 2016 and beyond • the outcomes from the Mackay Race Day and our Melbourne Cup events • tenants moving into the newest accessible house in North Queensland – built by Martin Locke Homes and completely paid for by Cootharinga; and • making even greater strides in increasing accessible housing stock in North Queensland with the State Government partnering with Cootharinga to deliver 2 new accessible houses in Cairns and Townsville We have achieved and witnessed a lot in 2015 and I look forward to even greater things on the horizon in 2016 as money starts flowing from the NDIS. Earlier this month I reflected on The International Day of People with Disability (3 December) which came and went without a great deal of fanfare or media attention. This is a shame – particularly when we are on the cusp of achieving in Australia what a great many Australians with disability and their families and supporters fought long and hard for.

How different Australia is in 2015 compared to the International Year of the Disabled in 1981… and while we still have a way to go as a society, people with disability and their families are right to celebrate the changes the past 34 years have brought.

It is also day of celebration for all of us working in this sector.

I know that I am not alone in Cootharinga in having spent a significant part of those 34 years working in the disability sector. For me it’s 29 years. My first day in the sector was on the day that the Disability Services Act 1986 was passed through the Senate in the Australian Parliament and Senator Don Grimes’ speech on that day fired a passion that has never left me.

I remember the heady days of the late 80’s and our great hopes for real and lasting reform; the disappointments of waning government commitment in the mid 90’s; and the fervour and impact of the Unmet Needs Campaign in Queensland (and nationally) of the early 2000’s.

Thinking back on this, while the challenges facing providers through the implementation NDIS seem at times daunting, the opportunities that will be opening up for Australians with disability and their families over the next three years and beyond represent a realisation of the light at the end of a tunnel that has been 40 years in its journey.

I am very fortunate to be taking these momentous few steps with Cootharinga and all of you.

I wish you all very happy, safe and festive Christmas and New Year and look forward to what 2016 will bring - with us working together to make it happen.

Kind Regards, Peter

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NDIS UPDATE KEEPING YOU INFORMED! The NDIS brings all state and territory disability systems into one national scheme with: • • • • • • •

One piece of legislation One set of access requirements One set of eligibility criteria One IT system It’s designed for individual choice and control It focuses on helping people be part of their community and find work where possible Takes an insurance approach

Early transition to the NDIS in Queensland The early transition sites cover the Local Government Areas of Townsville City, Charters Towers Regional Council and Palm Island Aboriginal Shire. Around 1600 people are expected to be eligible for the NDIS in the early transition sites, with up to 600 of these people expected to receive their funded packages by 1 July 2016. The remaining 1000 eligible people from the early transition sites will receive their funded packages from July 2016.

How will the early transition work?

From January 2016, the NDIS will be made available to eligible children and young people under 18 years of age living in the areas of Townsville and Charters Towers.

All eligible people residing on Palm Island aged under 65 years of age will also begin to be covered by the NDIS. Initially in Townsville and Charters Towers the NDIS will support children, young people, their families and carers through community engagement forums, building links with mainstream and community supports and, for some people, assistance with access and planning.

Existing Commonwealth and state-based services and supports will continue until eligible people start their plan with the NDIS. What can I do to prepare?

Participants in the NDIS early transition in Queensland will be contacted from early 2016. Before then, you can prepare by: • Thinking about your life now and into the future.

• Identifying your strengths, interests, networks, opportunities and challenges.

• Considering your current supports including your informal, mainstream and disability supports.

• Collecting your disability information, this may include existing reports and other information to support a NDIS access request.

• Creating words or pictures about your daily life and goals.

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Coothari nga are curre ’s Linking and D evelopm ntl ent team supports y working with people by assis accessin ting the planning g m with in prepa life goa ration fo Please d l r the ND IS. o not h esitate to Bolk, Co ordinato contact rL G 4759 20 21 to d inking & Develop lenda iscuss yo ment on or how ur n we can better a eeds, concerns journey to ssist you the NDIS on your .

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Walk With Me is an important community fundraising walk which is held in 19 regions across Australia to promote inclusion, break down barriers, raise funds and celebrate the achievements of people with disability.

Cootharinga is proud to have held 5 walks in North Queensland in 2015 - in Townsville, Mackay, Cairns, Mount Isa and Charters Towers.

In September, people of all abilities across North Queensland joined together with Cootharinga to walk alongside each other to build awareness of the presence of people with disability in our community and to celebrate their abilities!

The wonderful thing about Walk With me is that the people supported by Cootharinga are ambassadors for the event. This means they actively participate in raising funds for the services they themselves use which assists Cootharinga to improve services and support even more children and adults in our community. All donations stay in the area where they were raised and go directly to support children and adults with disability in that local community which is a great thing.

Public Relations Manager. “This goes back to the very heart of what Walk With Me is all about. Seeing people Cootharinga supports feel included, valued and celebrated through their involvement in Walk With Me makes us truly believe we really are achieving our vision of: “Building a better world with people of all abilities!”

Cootharinga would like to sincerely thank our magnificent ambassadors, our wonderful staff who worked so hard to help fundraise, their family and friends and all of the generous businesses across North Queensland who supported our 5 walk events and made Walk With Me such a success this year.

A special thanks to Dick Smith who is the major, national sponsor of Walk With Me. Cootharinga’s 5 Walk With Me events have raised $68,500 with a further $16,000 coming in from grants. An amazing result of $84,500 from Walk With Me in 2015!

“It’s always wonderful to see the big smiles and the happiness that being a part of Walk With Me brings to the people we support” said Sharon Smith, Cootharinga’s Relationship and

CAIRNS SPONSORS

MACKAY SPONSORS

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TOWNSVILLE SPONSORS

AN OUTSTANDING AND CLEAR PURPOSE! We have spent the past year listening to the people we support and their families, to our staff and to our community supporters across a broad range of issues that matter to you. One of the outcomes of these regular conversations is an understanding that Cootharinga needs to have a very clear Purpose as we head into 2016 and beyond.

Following a full workshop of the Board and Senior Executives, and then testing the results with firstly, a customer reference group and secondly, a staff reference group, we are launching a Purpose along with four pillars which underpin the achievement of our Vision.

Cootharinga’s vision, purpose, and pillars are integral to the organisation and are:

Our Vision is: “Building a better world with people of all abilities!”

Our Purpose is: Tailoring solutions to assist people live the life they want.

Our Customers are: anyone who is having difficulty achieving the life they want due to an impairment, whether permanent or temporary.

Our pillars are: We do this through: • Support and Services – a range of tailored services that are relevant to the choices and needs of the people we support • Equipment Solutions – expert tailored equipment and technology solutions • Empowerment – assisting people to exercise choice and control in their life through planning, information and advice, pathways, linking, peer support, brokerage and plan management • Accessible Housing – working with partners to increase the stock of quality, accessible housing Our purpose is the driving force that underpins our brand, our identity and our culture. Operating with a clear purpose will strengthen our competitive advantage as a provider of choice, further engage our staff and continue to connect our customers. With purpose, Cootharinga is not just built from the ground up, but from the purpose up!

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OUT AND ABOUT

The last few months have been very busy socially for some of our people we support, with attendance at the V8’s, State of Origin nights, Cowboys home games and concerts!

The ladies from one of our Northshore houses ventured out to Rollingstone to check out the Annual Pineapple Festival and Family Fun Day at the Rollingstone Community Centre, taking in the markets, picking out Pineapples to bring home and then settled in for afternoon tea of Pancakes with grilled pineapple.

Highlight of the afternoon was the “De-topping Pineapples Competition’, with one talented lady taking out the prize for De-topping 69 Pineapples and winning $50!

MACKAY - NEW OFFICE Although Cootharinga North QLD has been present in the Mackay community for almost 25 years, the upcoming introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has increased the need for a greater profile. The availability of the new office, in the Mackay CBD, offers a space for people to meet to discuss their needs, and assess the suitability of Cootharinga providing support for themselves or their loved ones. People currently supported by Cootharinga are also claiming ‘ownership’ of this space and are enjoying get-togethers on a regular basis for time to have a cuppa and chat. The space allows the Mackay Management Team to effectively manage the many facets of running a diverse and successful business, whilst being handy to other local businesses and public transport. This is a great addition to our service quality in Mackay and one in which all of Cootharinga North QLD are proud of.

Article by Colin McPherson, Manager Mackay Area

TOWNSVILLE - NEW HOUSE The ladies who had been supported living in a private rental property at Northshore, recently moved into Cootharinga’s brand new house in Townsville. This house was fully funded

by Cootharinga and was finished in October 2015.

In the months leading up to moving in, the ladies went to the site meetings, talked to the builders, had a peek at the progress and started to design the layout of their bedrooms.

Each week the ladies would ask “Is the house nearly finished yet?”. You can imagine when the house was ready, everyone was busy packing and getting things organized, it was a very exciting time. It only took a few days to move and get settled in.

In response to how they feel about the move, the ladies all say, “There have been lots of visits, get-togethers and sleepovers to see if we enjoy living together. So far so good, we all enjoy cooking, housework, going out on dinner dates, movies and shopping.“ We are so proud of our new home and are so happy that we will not have to move house again, ever!

Article contributed by Carron Bullock, Manager Community Living.

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COOTHARINGA SPARKLES AT THE JEWELLERY BY DESIGN MELBOURNE CUP EVENT Reminiscent of the upmarket glamour of The Birdcage at Flemington, Jewellery By Design’s Melbourne Cup Event raised funds awareness for Cootharinga and brought a unique cup day experience to Townsville.

The event connects discerning and philanthropic business people who desire a truly amazing Melbourne Cup experience. A brilliant aspect of the event is that over 35% of all ticket sales go directly to support children and adults with disability in Townsville.

Shannon Molder, winner of the $3,000 diamond!

From a beautiful waterfront location at Pier Restaurant with exquisite views, premium champagnes, fine dining and huge 4m2 screen to watch all the horse racing action, the intention is always to deliver the best experience possible for guests.

This year’s event was outstanding, with MC duo Bernadette Smith and Kevin Wright from the Stage Door Theatre Restaurant performing fantastic songs and every guest had a chance to win a $3000 diamond from Jewellery by Design!

Thanks to our naming rights sponsor Jewellery By Design, our many business sponsors and our guests, $24,000 was raised for people with disability in Townsville which is a wonderful outcome.

The dreary weather and rain in Mackay did not stop the fashion conscious and horse racing enthusiasts enjoying themselves at the Inaugural Cootharinga Caulfield Guineas Race Day on Saturday 10 October 2015. Crowds flocked to the Mackay Turf Club with fascinators and umbrellas alike to celebrate the opening of the Caulfield Spring Racing Carnival and to raise funds for people living with disability in Mackay.

Cootharinga North Queensland played host to 21 teams of 4 in the Mackay Turf Club Event Centre where guests were treated to a day of fabulous food and beverages, exclusive views as the horses crossed the finishing post and incredible odds to win fantastic prizes!

The Cootharinga Caulfield Guineas Race Day featured the new and exciting Bonanza Tipping Competition, allowing guests the opportunity to win fabulous prizes such as weekends away, fishing charter experiences and the major prize of a Hyundai i20, kindly sponsored by Autocorner Mackay!

The Competition was close, with the leading team constantly changing throughout the day. The winner at the end was Mackay local’s, Blueblood Thoroughbreds! Congratulations to this team who walked away with a brand new car and huge smiles!

This exclusive event has now been noted as a must attend for the discerning race goer in Mackay. All funds raised at the Cootharinga Caulfield Guineas Race Day will go toward developing our Mackay Services by purchasing a van to assist the people we support for further community access. The generous support of the Mackay community helps us to further achieve our vision…

“Building a better world with people of all abilities!”

Our Magnificent Sponsors!

Major Sponsors - Autocorner - BB Print - Mackay Turf Club Individual Horse Race Naming Rights Sponsors - Autocorner - BB Print - CB5 Management - Cootharinga North Queensland - Urban Trend Constructions Team Sponsors - Above Ground Zero Fireworks - Blueblood Thoroughbreds

- Central Signs & Graphics - Cootharinga North Queensland - GW Industrial - Jackies Mobile Bookkeeping - Mkybe Diva’s - NQ Classic Muscle Car Restorations - Rohan & Associates Team 1 - Rohan & Associates Team 2 - S J Taylor Constructions - Smart State Rentals - Starcut Flowers - The Kingsmen - The Meadow Street Kings

In-Kind Sponsors - Aquarius on the Beach - Blessed Beauty - Bunnings - Eungella Chalet - Forest Flying - Mackay Tiger Moth Museum - Mackay Turf Club - Pacific Toyota - Peppers Airlie Beach & Tide Restaurant & Bar - Renegade Fishing Charters - Sorbello’s Italian Restaurant - Starcut Flowers - The Grove - Townsville Brewery

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Cash Bingo has a new home! Cootharinga North Queensland is proud to partner with The Ville to present a brand new Cash Bingo to Townsville!

Come and join us at The Ville every Wednesday night for a game of Bingo. It doesn’t matter whether you’re an old hand or brand new to the game, everyone is welcome! The progressive jackpot is a huge drawcard, and increases by $100 each week until it goes off!

Each week at Cootharinga Cash Bingo there are raffle prizes to be won, lucky door prizes up for grabs as well as the regular Jackpots.

However, on the last Wednesday of each month there is also a $1,000 Most Valued Player (M.V.P) draw! To receive entry into the draw, simply spend $30 at Bingo and be present on the last Wednesday of the month to win!

Come and join in at Cootharinga Cash Bingo beginning again on Wednesday 13th January in 2016! All funds raised will go towards ensuring there is more accessible, purpose built housing for people living with disability in North Queensland.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN 2016 Bingo

Every Wednesday night at The Ville

Cowboys Raffles

Nov 2015 to Feb 2016

Charity Cocktail Party 18 March 2016

Charity Golf Day 3 June 2016

Charity Race Day, Mackay Caulfield Guineas Race Day

Melbourne Cup Event

Tuesday 1 November 2016

Eyes down at 7.30pm.

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Volume 20, No 2 December 2015