Reflecting on the past year and all we have managed to accomplish, we have been truly inspired to watch our participants reach their goals and broaden their horizons. We, as an organisation, have grown in so many ways, and as we prepare for the end of 2022, we would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone an enjoyable and safe festive season. We look forward to welcoming you all back in 2023 to experience everything the new year has in store for us.
Intentions and Aspirations …
“That’s a wrap!” for 2022, and what a year it has been… We have had a brilliant end to our last term, and as we look forward to next year, we can’t wait to come back with additional participants and new opportunities. We are so grateful for all our partner-ships with different organisations this year, it has been amazing to see our participants flourish in these environments. Thank you everyone for a great term, we can’t wait to come back in the new year well rested and prepared to smash some more goals. We’re so proud of everyone for their continued growth this year.
Dylan’s New Job …
Towards the end of the term, Dylan completed three work placement shifts at Central Fish & Chips, where, after his third shift, he was offered a paid position at the eatery. His work there has included everything from setting up the restaurant, and cleaning, to restocking, preparing some of the menu items, and also cooking some of the food during the lunch rush. We are so proud of you Dylan! All of your hard work learning how to cook and work in a kitchen shone through, and we have loved watching you grow and accept this position. Well done Dylan!
Our Voice …
Dylan: It’s been so cool to get experience with cooking and learning new skills.
Certificate II in Animal Care …
We’re well into our Certificate II in Animal Care course, completing assessments and learning about how to care for animals and care for ourselves around animals. We have learnt how to care for the common animals, such as dogs and cats, but also how to recognise any sicknesses they might have, and how to keep
ourselves safe when a sickness may be spreading. During this time also, Paul has been working hard to
improve his literacy skills, continuing to practice his writing.
Our Voice …
Kaitlin: I enjoyed learning about different zoonotic diseases is interesting.
Bianca: I learnt about things I don’t know.
Samual: I loved learning different things about dogs, emotions and microchips.
Riley: It’s a fun course and I really enjoy myself.
Brayden: I enjoy learning about zoonosis and how to manually handle dogs.
One At A Time Pet Rescue …
At the dog rescue centre, we learnt how to groom and take care of dogs, as well as the necessary steps as to how to care for dogs and cats who might be wary to humans.
Gembrook Wildlife Shelter …
As we finished up our volunteering at Gembrook Wildlife Shelter for the year, we kept learning the importance of caring for our Australian animals. Every week we were able to get the opportunity to care for beautiful native Australian animals, which include wombats, kangaroos, joeys, and koalas.
While giving everyone a really good sense of what it is to be caring and kind to the creatures around us, volunteering at the Shelter also teaches our participants responsibility and how to be organised. We have so many tasks to complete in one morning, and we have to work together as a team to get them done efficiently. Our teamwork has blossomed through all the volunteering we do, and we are all able to work like a well oiled machine as we clean up the animals and their homes and make sure they are well fed with the appropriate amount of cuddles thrown in.
Our Voice …
Kaitlin: Watching the ducks grow over time is so cute.
Brayden: I love meeting and working with different animals.
Riley: I enjoy feeding the wombats and taking care of the emu babies outside.
Bianca: I enjoy different experiences with animals I don’t get to see often.
Bluey and Alice Bunny Rescue …
We’ve finished up our volunteering at the Bluey & Alice Bunny Refuge for the year, and it has been so fruitful. As we take turns going up to the refuge, we have the opportunity to cuddle and care for the cutest of bunnies, who are being rehabilitated before finding their forever home.
Working with bunnies gives everyone a chance to de-stress, negating some of the harmful effects of our anxious world. It also teaches everyone how to be responsible completing chores, timelines and how to work well in a team. We absolutely love volunteering at the bunny refuge, and really appreciate all the cuddles we get to have with bunnies who need some love.
Our Voice …
Kaitlin: It’s fun to give out hay and water and give lots of cuddles.
Samual: I like learning how to look after bunnies.
Jess: I enjoy giving them fresh water and hay.
Brayden: They are so fluffy and cuddly.
Bianca: I enjoy hugs from bunnies.
Equine Therapy …
Our participants finished up with Equine Therapy/Counselling at Jabulani Sanctuary, where they work with horses. Through this process, they often discover how they can improve on their interactions with the people around them. This term there has been a specific focus on resilience, saying no, and herd mentality.
The benefits of equine therapy include:
- Reducing the effects of anxiety
- Improving social skills and communication
- Growing in confidence
- Increasing self-awareness
- Emotional regulation
- Learning how to be present
- Gaining peace
Our Voice …
Kaitlin: I enjoy learning how to groom horses and learning about my emotions.
Brayden: I love learning about horses’ body language and walking Indie.
Wellness Mondays …
We spend our Mondays this year having some well needed time to discuss emotional intelligence before heading down to the gym to improve our physical fitness. We spend time discussing acceptance, managing emotions, and resilience building. Learning about these gives everyone a chance to really hone in on their emotions, and understand why they feel the way they do; equipping everyone with strategies on how to deal with their complex emotions while also improving their awareness of what/how the people around us are feeling.
This term we have been doing cardio, weight training, and basketball, with weight training being a favourite—we do stretches before smashing out personal bests. We know that physical and mental health go hand in hand, and our Wellness Mondays set ourselves up for the week ahead, with an emotionally aware start, and an energised workout afterwards.
Our Voice …
Kaitlin: I enjoy trying out new things and equipment.
Riley: I love working on my muscles and playing basketball.
Samual: I enjoy doing weights and increasing the weights every week.
Woodwork …
Our Thursdays are spent doing Woodwork at the Dandenong Community Learning Centre, where we have
made: outdoor decorations, jewellery boxes, Christmas trees, marble racing games, wooden scoops, trolleys and our very own Thor hammers! Woodwork has been such a highlight of our year, as the transferable skills included into each activity is fantastic— working towards the same goal by utilising teamwork. It’s also a great chance to be creative, and we have the opportunity to learn how to use a range of machinery and
equipment each week, including sawing, sanding, nailing, hammering, to name but a few.
A new challenge awaits us weekly, and we keep growing our skills with each creation.
Our Voice …
Riley: It’s fun and I enjoy making things.
Dylan: I like to craft stuff out of wood.
Kaitlin: I like trying and making different things.
Brayden: I love making different things out of wood—especially Christmas trees.
Jess: I enjoy making random things.
Everyday words and Numbers …
This term we finished our everyday words and numbers course, focusing on endangered animals through-out the world. We were able to hand out our certificates and congratulate all our participants on their hard work.
Out and About Friday’s …
Each Friday we get out and about in our community, going to movies, exhibits or other experiences. Throughout the week
we chat about what we want to do, and the participants all choose Friday’s activities. Every week we mix up our transportation options also, sometimes going on our Grow 2 Be buses, and sometimes opting for public transportation. Over this term we’ve had some amazing excursions, including going to the: movies, bowling, arcade, escape rooms, Myer Christmas windows, The LUME exhibition, Phillip Island, Twisted Science, and the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Ultimately, the most important thing about our out and about Friday’s is that our participants choose what we do. Having our Friday’s dedicated to getting out and about means that we have the opportunity to research, price and discuss all the options out there, improving our communication and critical thinking skills. There is such a place in our lives for recreation, exploring and learning new things, and being able to get out into the community is crucial for us to live fulfilling lives. We get to socialise with each other, but also those we haven’t met before, all while learning such important everyday life skills, such as money handling, problem solving and teamwork.
Our Voice …
Jess: I love that we get our choice of what we want to do.
Samual: I loved seeing Black Panther—best 3hr movie ever.
Kaitlin: LUME was my favourite.
Brayden: Going to the movies and also trivia day was so fun.
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