Life Is Worth Living

11/02/2026

Celebrating Ellie. A Life Is Worth Living Team Milestone

Yesterday marked a very special moment for our Life Is Worth Living family.

After seven incredible years with our organisation, Ellie has officially graduated with a Bachelor of Psychology (with distinction) and has now stepped into a full-time professional role. While we are so proud of her next chapter, she will be deeply missed by our team and by so many people in the Geelong community whose lives she touched along the way.

Ellie has contributed in countless ways, from hands-on mental health support, to her natural problem-solving skills, creative thinking, and steady behind-the-scenes support that helped shape decisions and direction within Life Is Worth Living over the years. Just as importantly, she helped foster a culture of kindness, humour, collaboration and care amongst her teammates and across our broader Life Is Worth Living community. I know she will bring that same positive vibe and grounded energy to any workplace she finds herself in.

As an inclusive employer, we are also incredibly proud to acknowledge Ellie’s lived experience and the barriers she has navigated along the way. Her journey has not always been straightforward, but she never let that hold her back. Her determination, resilience and commitment to learning stand as a powerful testament to anyone who might be considering further education or wondering if it is possible. It is.

Starting with TAFE followed by a traineeship 8 years ago, there were many years balancing work, study and life, Ellie never gave up. Yesterday she walked across that stage with her degree in hand. A powerful reminder of what perseverance looks like.

She now moves forward alongside her fellow graduates, turning knowledge into action and already making a difference on the front line supporting people experiencing homelessness in our region. We have no doubt she will continue to have a meaningful impact wherever she goes.

Ellie, we are proud not just of what you have achieved, but of the person you have become. Kind, caring, deeply committed, and always wanting to understand what is really driving situations to tackle things in your unique style, complete with humour!

Thank you to everyone who supported Ellie through her learning journey, and thank you Ellie for seven beautiful years with Life Is Worth Living. We are forever grateful for your dedication, your laughter, and the heart you brought to our work.

And yes, as a family business, this one hits a little differently.
Watching you receive your certificate was one of the proudest moments of my life.

Max and I, and the entire team at Life Is Worth Living, are all so proud of you, Ellie. ❤️

03/02/2026

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🎶 Welcome Wayne Jury to Cloverdale Singers! 🎶

We’re delighted to welcome Wayne Jury as the new facilitator of Cloverdale Singers. Wayne brings a warm, encouraging approach and a genuine love of making music together, perfect for a group that’s all about connection, confidence and having a good sing.

Cloverdale Singers is a relaxed, friendly program where people come together to enjoy singing in a supportive space. No auditions, no pressure, just voices, laughter and shared music.

🗓 Tuesdays
⏰ 10.30am
💲 $3 per session

New voices are always welcome. Come along, bring a friend, and sing your way into the day 🎵

02/02/2026

🐾 You Yangs Adventure Walk 🐾
An empowering walk focused on building fitness and confidence, supported by choice, encouragement, and a trusted canine companion.
One of the most important values I live and work by is “building belief”.

Chloe was supported to choose direction, trust her instincts, and explore with her dog Xena as a calming and empowering companion 🐾

They made it to the top for the first time!
Celebrating a big win 🏆

02/02/2026

🍳 Community, connection & confidence (with a side of laughs)

The Blokes cooking group at Cloverdale Community Centre in Corio is one of those places that just works.

Each week, the guys come together to cook, chat, joke around and share a meal and somewhere between chopping onions and stirring pots, real connection happens. No pressure. No spotlight. Just good food and good company.

For Neil, this group has become a familiar and comfortable part of the week. He’s a well-known face now, bringing his humour, warmth and very “Neil” commentary, the kind that’s become part of the group’s rhythm and always gets a smile.

And let’s be honest, the learning goes both ways. Keith will happily admit that his cooking skills have improved along the way too, proof that when people come together regularly, everyone picks up something new (sometimes a recipe, sometimes a life skill).

This is what community looks like when it’s done right. People showing up as they are, contributing in their own way, building confidence naturally and enjoying the process.

We’re proud to support spaces like this, where men support men, friendships form, and the food is usually pretty decent too 😄

👉

09/12/2025

🎄 Life Is Worth Living Christmas Celebration 2025
🌟 Connection • Community • Belonging

Every year, our Life Is Worth Living community comes together to celebrate something special.…the people who make our world brighter.

Today we celebrated those we support, our incredible staff, our volunteers, and the many community members who walk alongside us throughout the year. Each of you plays a part in creating a culture of connection, inclusion, and genuine care which is the heart of Life Is Worth Living.
Thanks to Rod too for your help taking on new responsibilities with helping make the day a success.
A huge thank you to The Valley Inn for once again hosting us with warmth, kindness, and the spirit of community. Your support of our LIWL clan means more than we can ever fully express. You always make us feel at home, and we are grateful for your ongoing partnership throughout the year.

To our participants:
😃Thank you for your willingness to grow with us. Your humour, and the light you bring to every day.

To our staff:
💕Thank you for showing up with heart. Your compassion , creativity, and commitment to person-centred support make all the difference.

To our families, friends, and wider community:
🌻Thank you for believing in what we do and for being part of this community we continue to build together.

Here’s to a beautiful Christmas season and a new year filled with opportunity, connection, and joy. ❤️

Life is worth living - especially when we live it together.

04/12/2025

“Inclusion: the easiest upgrade you’ll ever make.”

Residents living with disability have been recognised for their achievements and contributions to the Greater Geelong community at a special International Day of People with Disability event. One hundred and forty-nine community members came together for a celebration at the Geelong Library and Her....

04/12/2025

“A workplace built for everyone works better for everyone.”

Its an honour to be recognised for the intention I embed into my work developing inclusive workplaces.

This award isnt solely mine, its for all of our quiet achievers and a reflection of our whole Life Is Worth Living team, past and present and the inclusive culture we’ve built together.

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02/12/2025

🌏 International Day of People with Disability

Celebrating Connection • Inclusion • Growth • Community

Today, on International Day of People with Disability, I’m feeling incredibly proud and grateful for the community that has been built through Life Is Worth Living over almost seven years.

Its a long post today but I wanted to celebrate our achievements and acknowledge all who have contributed to our LIWL experience.

What began as a small idea to offer safe, person-centred, heart-led support grew into a vibrant, interconnected community where people are seen, valued, and genuinely included.

Over the years, our service has:

✨ Supported over 100 people in the Geelong region to access the community, build independence, explore new environments, and grow in confidence.

✨ Employed more than 60 staff, including many with diverse backgrounds and lived experience, providing a nurturing workplace where people can comfortably return to work, build both their careers and their sense of self, with the freedom to grow professionally while still contributing to this valuable field alongside others.

✨ Created spaces for belonging, including our unique respite experience at The Nest, where individuals can develop skills, gain confidence, and transition toward greater independence.

✨ Walked alongside families, therapists, and support teams, bridging communication gaps and ensuring each person’s needs, preferences, and human rights remain at the centre of their care.

✨ Provided meaningful routines, community access, and social engagement from SIMMA music groups, visiting local businesses where relationships form naturally, daily home support to build independence, outdoor adventures, cooking programs, train trips, and the quiet moments of connection that matter just as much.

✨ Supported growth and empowerment, self-advocacy development, helping people make decisions, try new things, and experience success in environments that uphold their autonomy.

✨ Welcomed volunteers, whose generosity and commitment have helped our service run smoothly and strengthened our community. Their contribution has been invaluable and deeply appreciated.

✨ Supported students on placement and encouraged staff to pursue further qualifications, contributing to a stronger, more capable, and confident workforce across the disability sector.

✨ Fostered an inclusive workplace, making thoughtful adaptations and modifications to ensure that people with lived experience can contribute meaningfully and sustainably to our workforce. Inclusion isn’t only a value, it’s a practice embedded into the way we operate every day. Inspired by my own lived experience and barriers I have personally faced living with invisible disability in the workforce.

Life Is Worth Living has never just been another service.

It has been, and continues to be, a community providing opportunities for belonging.

A place where inclusion isn’t just talked about; it’s lived.
Where staff are supported to become their best selves, and where individuals with disability are given every opportunity to explore, connect, and participate fully in life.

As we celebrate today, I want to acknowledge:

💛 Our participants, who are the heart of everything we do
💛 Families and carers, who entrust us with their loved ones
💛 Our dedicated staff, past and present, who lead with compassion and personalised care
💛 Our incrediblly dedicated volunteers
💛 Students and emerging professionals who’ve joined us on placement
💛 Our community partners, therapists, and local organisations
💛 And the ongoing vision for a more inclusive, connected Geelong

Thank you for being part of this journey.
Here’s to continuing to build a community where people feel supported, empowered, and genuinely included today and every day.

Happy International Day of People with Disability 💛🌿

21/11/2025

Careers Expo at Leopold Primary – A morning Full of Curiosity & Connection! 🌟

On Thursday I had the pleasure of attending the Careers Expo at Leopold Primary School, speaking with a slightly younger audience this time but one that was just as curious and eager to learn about different occupations.

What made the day so special was being joined at my stall by Tracey, her boyfriend Darren, and Belinda from InLife who supported Tracey on the day. Their presence added a real-life, authentic touch to the conversations with students. 💛

The kids asked thoughtful questions about what it’s like to work in disability support, from what support workers actually do, to how we help people build skills, confidence, and independence. And Darren shared openly about what he values most from a support worker, which the students loved hearing.

It was also a wonderful opportunity to show that people living with disability have relationships, goals, personalities, and full lives just like anyone else. Seeing Tracey and Darren together gave students a genuine example of inclusion, friendship, and community belonging.

Early exposure to diverse careers helps young people imagine possibilities they may never have seen before, and I’m so proud to be part of that.

Thank you to the school staff, students, and InLife for the welcoming and enthusiastic day. 🌻

14/11/2025

✅Careers Expo Highlights – What an Inspiring Day! 🥳

Today’s Careers Expo at Newcomb Secondary College was such a fantastic experience. Year 9 students took part in a fun speed-round rotation, moving through different industry stations every six minutes to explore a range of career opportunities. This wonderful initiative, delivered by Jen Martin, program coordinator from The Smith Family, in partnership with local schools, is all about opening young people’s eyes to what’s possible.

I was honoured to open the event by sharing my own career journey including how my path into disability support began. I also spoke about Tracey, the very first person I ever supported when I entered the disability sector 13 years ago.

What made today even more special was having Tracey attend the expo in person, supported beautifully by her InLife worker Anastasia. Seeing both shine and engage brought everything full circle. 💛

I reminded students that careers aren’t straight lines. They zigzag. They rise, dip, restart, and surprise us , and every twist helps shape who we become.

Thank you to all the industry professionals, school staff, and organisers who created such an energetic, hands-on experience for these students.


🙏

30/10/2025

🚗💨 Wheels to Freedom!

The wait is finally over - and what an incredible moment worth celebrating! 🎉

Thanks to the NDIS, one very proud community member has just received his brand-new assistive technology mobility aid… and today we took it for its first official spin! 🦽✨

We headed straight to the stunning Geelong Waterfront, with the Spirit of Tasmania in the background reminding us just how big the world can feel when independence opens up. 🌊🚢

This new AT isn’t just equipment — it’s choice, control, and a whole new level of freedom to enjoy community access, adventure, and connection.

Here’s to 5 years together, and many more milestones on the road ahead. ❤️

12/10/2025

Happy Birthday, Rod. Our veggie gardener extraordinaire! 🎉

When I first met Rod 13 years ago through Gateways Support Services, I was new to working in the disability field. From those early days, Rod has played such an important role in shaping how I understand the impact disability can have on a person’s life and equally, the value of a compatible support worker, and how much we as support workers can learn from the people we support.

Through our time together, Rod has helped me see the importance of recognising that everyone’s needs, goals, and preferences are unique. He’s reminded me that true support means tailoring our approach to suit each individual because no two people experience or respond to support in the same way.

Rod’s genuine feedback helps us to stay conected and adapt to his changing needs as he progresses on his life journey.

Rod’s love of gardening has also flourished over the years, becoming one of his greatest passions. Watching him nurture plants with such care and pride has been a beautiful reflection of his patience, dedication, and growth. 🌿💚 Not to mention his love of sharing his produce.

At Life Is Worth Living, we hold these same values close to our hearts. Our work isn’t just about care…it’s about empowerment, ensuring people have a voice, build confidence, and develop the skills to live life on their own terms. That’s what the NDIS is all about. Supporting individuality, purpose, and possibility.

Here’s to future growth, and achievements
Happy Birthday, Rod! 🥳🎂