STEPS is getting set to celebrate Disability Action Week this September 13 to 19 to raise awareness of how everyone can play their own role in creating an all abilities community.
The week acknowledges the important contributions people living with a disability make to our communities.
STEPS have a long history of providing a range of excellent services to support people living with disability and autism including fun group activities, one on one disability support services, and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Support Coordination.
Disability support workers are the backbone of STEPS Community Services, they provide daily support to their clients in their homes, as well as provide companionship and promote independence and community participation.
STEPS Community Services manager Josh Hansen is recruiting new support workers to join their Gympie team and believes the longevity of their staff speaks volumes about working with STEPS.
“STEPS very much lives and breathes by its values,” Mr Hansen said.
“We invest in our staff, and we listen to the needs of our participants, so we can be the provider of choice.
“We offer flexible working arrangements, salary packaging and a highly skilled and experienced team.
“It’s also a very secure industry to work in, the NDIS is the fastest growing sector, work force studies show our region is going to require around 5000-6000 full time equivalent staff to meet the demands of the NDIS.”
STEPS Pathways College also wants to help spread the message of this important week as they continue to further empower young people with disability, increase public awareness, and promote inclusion throughout the wider community through their Australian-first training college.
STEPS Pathways College based on the Sunshine Coast is continuing to teach the skills of independent living to young adults living with disability and autism and is now expanding to meet current demands for their revolutionary training model.
STEPS Group managing director Carmel Crouch, whose 48-year-old son with a disability is still living at home, said for her, this perspective has always been her driving force.
“This idea of the college comes very much from my personal point of view, I always thought there had to be some way we could make opportunities for young people with disabilities to become independent,” Ms Crouch said.
“We’re excited to announce we will have a new expansion built by November this year, to accommodate even more boarding students, and we’re looking to accommodate another 14 students, in a ready built complex soon.”
STEPS Pathways manager DJ McGlynn believes the growth of the STEPS Pathways College programs is a true testament to its success
“Every single element of our training program has an educational underpinning, we see it working everyday as we witness the confidence and capacity of our students grow,” Mr McGlynn said.
“I’m constantly surprised by how much a student can do when given the opportunity.
The college is best suited for young adults with intellectual disabilities, a simple suitability assessment process is completed as part of the application.
With disability touching the lives of most Queenslanders in some way, this week is an important celebration. To find out more call STEPS on (07) 5458 3000.
Caption: STEPS Community Services deliver a range of programs to support people living with disability – Tin Can Bay camp 2019.
