Umatter Support Service

12/06/2024

Looks like an interesting day for anyone interested in it.

Welcome to the Hervey Bay Library Makerspace where you learn new skills, while having fun and meeting others. Makerspaces provide an opportunity for hands on learning, while developing information & technology literacy skills, initiation, flexibility, and problem-solving skills. The makerspace environment offers a place to imagine, learn, create, interact, collaborate, share and invent.

Join us for our first ever workshop this week!

🧴 What: Create a personalised water bottle using Cricut.
🧑Who: This hands-on workshop is perfect for attendees 12 years and over with all skill levels. Don't miss out on this fun and interactive session!
⏰When: Thursday 13 June 10am
📚Where: Hervey Bay Library

Spaces are limited. Bookings essential 👉 https://bit.ly/4aZtmGm

10/09/2023

Discover how our Equal Access Toolkit can make it easier for you to do your banking with us.

23/07/2023

Totally what we as SW should be aiming to do!

💭 I’m dreaming of the day I see an ad for a support worker or service provider with a tagline like: "We're your worker, not your paid friend; and we work to help you make real friends."

🚫 No photos of one obviously disabled person with one worker out for freakin’ coffee on their website or socials.

🌟 Reviews showcase success stories like "I'm now membership officer of my local beekeeping society thanks to my worker's help."

🎉 Another review: "Met my Fiance at pub choir, all thanks to my worker's support."

🍔 And maybe: "I’m hosting a monthly neighborhood BBQ with new friends from my street, thanks to my worker's assistance."

💭 Sigh. Dreaming dreaming dreaming.

Pic desc: beach and cliff at Walkers Beach near Gerringong NSW with lots of puffy floaty dreamy clouds in the sky.

01/06/2023

Someone has finally done this. Would be great with keyword/Auslan sign also.

08/04/2023

Happy Easter all

14/02/2023

Happy to share my cousins story. NDIS made such a difference to her life. Amazing couple.

In recognition of Valentine’s Day, we’re sharing Gill and Alan's story 💖

Queensland participant, Gill, partly credits the survival of her 42-year marriage to the support she receives from the NDIS.

“The first time I went out with a NDIS support worker was the first time I left home without my husband since I was married. It changed my life.” - Gill

Gill’s husband is part of the growing number of families and carers who feel more confident about the future of their family since the NDIS. This figure has increased by 80% (for participants who have been on the NDIS for five years).

Read Gill’s story: https://bit.ly/3YOPlKs

19/01/2023

This is great! sometimes encouragement and given time is all you need to achieve!

17/12/2022

Some great communication resources.

Resources to facilitate communication with DHH while waiting for qualified interpreters.

19/11/2022

Some amazing paintings!

01/11/2022

Enjoy your day everyone .

Here are some useful Key Word Signs to use this ! 🏇🏻

Key Word Sign is a strategy used to support understanding and encourage language in children and adults with communication difficulties. Find more information and resources at https://kwsa.com.au/

17/10/2022

08/10/2022

October is AAC awareness month.

If someone struggles with verbal communication why wouldn’t we encourage using AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) alongside verbal speech if it helps them to be understood and lessens their frustrations. 💙

Picture credit: Mrs Speechie P

08/09/2022

Such a great story.

A New South Wales student who was once unable to communicate has earned a prestigious education award.

12/05/2022

Sound Great!

Congratultions to the world’s first-ever all female learning disabled pop group, The Sisters of Invention for launching their second album, 'Stranger', today!

The Sisters are based at ’ Tutti Arts studios, a creative hub in Adelaide’s south.

You can now stream the full album on all streaming platforms including Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/3Nm9zWobnYM96qnoWNMtBt?si=pQbGhMs_QLGBfDTVWymaBA&nd=1



Image Description: A band photo of the Sisters of Invention. The 4 members are standing and all have their mouths open. There are in a park and are wearing colourful clothes.

24/03/2022

Great school! Awesome idea.

🛍️🛒It's a supermarket built for a special purpose. Check out the mini Woolies at Mater Dei School, Camden and what it's all about 👉 https://bit.ly/3D7Ir9l

06/02/2022

Supporting a lady who has a visual impairment to trial quilling. Last week we learnt some basics to make a card which she shared on Instagram.
As she can’t see the printed worksheet, thought today I might do up a card of some of the basic shapes that she can feel and help her remember.
I have divided with 3D line sticker for half length and full length paper also.
Making accomodations for learning or visual aids/ resources for communication to help involve people is what I enjoy.

29/08/2021

https://www.facebook.com/164261160329175/posts/4267773686644548/

Get ready to tell Dad how much he means to you this Father’s Day!
You can print out this resource and fold it in half to make a card, and decorate the front with your own unique, beautiful artwork. Practice the signs ahead of time, and read it out to him this Sunday! He will love it.

The PDF download is available on our website https://kwsa.com.au/fathers-day/

Key Word Sign is a strategy used to support understanding and encourage language in children and adults with communication difficulties. Find more information and resources at www.kwsa.com.au

19/09/2020

Awesome. Will be interesting to see the outcome.

Researchers will observe the non-verbal cues of young adults with severe intellectual disabilities to help design an all-ages and all-abilities playground.

17/09/2020

Earlier this year created this sensory/ fidget lap blanket for a person I used to support. Great fun to do. I used material from the persons clothes on the back to line it. Favourite shirts or material from dresses or other clothes can be used to help with memories. These as great for a variety of people and can be individualised.

17/09/2020

Are you looking for a support professional with years of experience in and around Fraser Coast area that can assist with cooking, budgeting, social and recreational groups, community access or to help assist with skills building. I’d love to be able to assist you. People who are plan or Self managed only.

03/09/2020

Covid 19 caused a bit of a delay but glad I have completed the course and received the Certificate on Monday. Hoping to work with speech therapists/ families in the area of communication as an Allied Health Assistant.

01/09/2020

Some short films. Awesome to watch. A friend and ex colleagues sister is in Transforming Lives.
Vote for your favourite!

https://www.focusonability.com.au/FOA/school-entrant-documentaries.html

FOCUS ON ABILITY is a short film festival that will encourage the community to become more aware of the ability of people with a disability.

30/08/2020

NDIS Participant Service Improvement Plan 2020-21
Improving how the NDIS works to serve participants.
I haven’t been through the planning or review process so I don’t fully understand all aspects yet.
I’ve briefly read through this and it does look promising for people accessing NDIS, taking less time to implement small changes and not having to go through entire review. Not a lot of people are in favour of individual assessments from what I have read on other sites and I will be continuing to read more about this and why they are not favoured.

https://www.ndis.gov.au/media/2616/download

Check out the Participant Service Charter on the NDIS web site also.

28/08/2020

Thoughts anyone. Is this going to be a good thing or bad?

28/08/2020

If I’m reading this correctly, this will be awesome.

Check it out, love to hear your opinion and interpretation!

The Federal Government Supports all the Tune Review Recommendations, and core/capacity building flexibility is back on the table!

In big breaking news, the Federal Government have just released their response to the Tune Review and every recommendation has been "supported", including:
Allowing participants to use their funding flexibly across core and capacity building
Giving plan managed participants the same flexibility as self managed participants
Improving NDIA decision making, with a Participant Service Guarantee from 2021
A Participant Service Charter and Participant Service Improvement Plan to be released later today
Outlining when Support Coordination should be funded in a plan and when it should be delivered by an independent provider
Fairer planning for children and families (hello, core supports!)
A $20 million outreach program to better engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, culturally or linguistically diverse communities and people with psychosocial disability
and much, much more.

The ABC this morning has quoted Minister Robert saying "No longer will participants have certain funds in core support, certain funds in capacity support. They'll have flexibility right across their plan with perhaps maybe a couple of exclusions, such as specialist disability accommodation or home modifications." You know we'll be keeping you posted about how that "perhaps maybe a couple of exclusions" looks in practice.
This is a big step forward for the NDIS and will hopefully make it easier and quicker to navigate. The dream!
We'll share a complete analysis of the announcement early next week. But if you can't wait (we don't blame you!), you can read the full response here.

https://teamdsc.com.au/

See Resource Hub I think.

DSC is committed to improving NDIS participant outcomes. We work with all kinds of organisations that share this ambition. We are really good at what we do.

21/08/2020

Inclusion is not just about close proximity.
It’s planning for the success of all people.

20/08/2020

Accessibility Support: This is pretty awesome to assist people with low vision or are blind.

Google now introduces Lookout - new modes Food Label and Scan Document which bring AI features similar to the assistance received from Be my eyes.
With Food Label, you can quickly identify packaged foods by pointing your phone’s camera at the label. Lookout will guide you to position the food product so that it can be properly identified through its packaging or barcode.
Scan Document takes a snapshot of a document and captures the entire document’s content in detail so that it can be read aloud by your screen reader.
Super cool and super helpful!
Read more here
http://ow.ly/iQ7p50B4lUQ

We are updating Lookout to be more helpful by introducing new modes, an expansion to more languages, and a redesigned interface.

19/08/2020

This might be useful for ideas.

❇️ BOREDOM BUSTERS ❇️

If you're in search for some boredom busting activity ideas, we've got you covered!

Start by listening to our podcast about how to connect and engage with people with through enjoyable activities!
👉 http://ow.ly/QJBq50AT8OW