On December 10th, Participants from our Workforce Australia – Transition to Work program and Disability Employment Service gathered to enjoy a morning filled with holiday crafts and meditation.

The session featured Christmas ornament diamond art, paired with a 30-minute Christmas story and snacks. The morning was very successful, with all attendees feeling relaxed and recharged, even receiving a small gift bag of treats to take home.

The team decided a morning of meditation and crafts would be perfect during this busy time of the year! Meditation and art allow our Participants to create space between negative and anxious thoughts and positively connect with themselves. Meditation has many more helpful benefits, including reducing stress, improving memory and increasing focus and mental clarity, perfecting for recharging during the holiday period.

Thank you to Casey, Michele, Grace & Lara who helped organise the morning and made it one to remember for our Participants!

Tuesday the 3rd was the International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) and we celebrated here at Status! Across our sites over South and Western Australia, our teams hosted and attended various events with our Disability Employment Service (DES) Participants.

Some of the highlights!

A day out at Hyde Park – DES Participants made their own festival, enjoying board games, a leisurely walk and delicious food whilst connecting and building friendships with one another. Events like this one highlight the significance of fostering opportunities for individuals with disabilities to engage socially and professionally and celebrating their unique abilities and contributions to society.

Crown Luncheon – Crown held a luncheon and panel discussion where individuals in leadership roles shared their personal experiences. The event also featured a dance and choir performance, showcasing the diverse talents of individuals living with disability.

Christie Down BBQ – DES Participants from Status Noarlunga and Seaford enjoyed a free BBQ in collaboration with Christie Downs Community House, a lovely chance to discuss our partnership in the future. The Participants received a tour around the facility and were introduced to Christie Downs Community House and their services.

Site Parties – Sites around Australia held celebrations, complete with decorations, snacks and uplifting activities. Shout out to Status Torrensville, Port Adelaide and Kilkenny for their lively celebrations!

Sewing Something Simple – Employment Consultant, Sue, took her Participant, Lily, to a community sewing event at Clarkson Library to sew a bag completely out of recycled materials. Although Lily felt nervous about the event, this was a big personal achievement as this was the first time attending an activity outside of our Clarkson site!

Meditation and Morning Tea – Kin Disability hosted a Meditation and Morning tea in North Beach, filled with mindfulness, inspiration and creativity. The session started with a presentation from 18-year-old autism advocate, Jayelan Lee discussing his experience with disability, completely motivating and uplifting our Participants.

Storytelling Circle Event - Our Participants used their creativity through drawing to express their story, hobbies, dreams and what brings them joy. It was a successful and relaxing event with the Participants connecting with one-another and learning from their peers experiences.

Mandurah Morning Tea - Status Mandurah filled with Participants from our Job Clubs and Empower group to celebrate IDPwD. The attendees viewed inspiring stories of individuals living with disability and then joined a delicious morning tea with plenty of laughs and support.

Cannington Christmas Crafts - DES Participants at Status Cannington spoke about the meaning of IDPwD whilst completing a series of crafts including mental health colouring, identifying personal strengths and Christmas crafts.

IDPwD was a fantastic day of celebrations across the nation, highlighting the value that individuals living with disability can bring to the community and more specifically the workplace. This year’s theme, "Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future” was highlighted across the events, encouraging employers to consider hiring individuals living with disability!

Happy Holidays from our Mirrabooka Disability Employment Service (DES) Participants! 🎄

Last Month, Employment Consultants from Status Mirrabooka accompanied a small group of DES Participants to a DIY Christmas Trees class hosted by Gnalla Community. During the session the group created their very own Christmas tree with an eco-friendly twist, they were made completely from recyclables!

The group had a blast kicking off the holiday season in a fun and relaxing way, mixed with lots of laughs and huge smiles. The whole group are looking forward to attending more community events in the future.

Learn more about how we support our DES Participants at status.net.au/disability/about-des.

#DES #DisabilityEmploymentService

On November 7th, part of our Western Australia Disability Employment Services (DES) team attended a training session about ‘Understanding Suicide Prevention for the Neurodiverse Community’, hosted by Neami National. During the session a range of speakers took the stand and discussed a variety of aspects about their own and lived experiences with Neurodivergence.

The first speaker of the session was Laura Rowan, a dedicated mental health advocate, peer worker, and public speaker specialising in suicide prevention. Laura discussed her lived experience of being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at 56 years old and being diagnosed as suicidal with ADHD and PTSD. She then discussed the strategies and tools that helped her and her clients, including the ‘Role Model Movement’ and a range of therapy tools.

The second speaker was Emma Buitendag the CEO of Epilepsy WA. Emma has worked in the not-for-profit sector in leadership roles for over two decades, predominantly with a neurological and health focus. Emma is passionate about raising awareness of epilepsy and reducing its death and injury rates. During her speech she stated a range of facts about epilepsy including 1 in 25 Australians have epilepsy, 1 in 2 being children and 25% of people with epilepsy are suicidal. Emma then discussed creating an Epilepsy Management Plan, with a free template available on their website.

The final speakers were Tara Joyce and Isobel Ziatas from The KIDD Clinic. They discussed the Neurodiversity Affirming Framework, the idea that Neurodivergent individuals have differences in their abilities and how they interact with the world around them. The pair highlighted the difference in Neurodivergent individuals and a variety of definitions surrounding this.

At Status, we are passionate about continuously learning and evolving with the needs of our Participants. Through training with industry experts, we ensure that we can support our Participants in the ways they require, providing a more comprehensive and caring journey into employment.

Learn more about how we support our Participants through DES at status.net.au/disability/about-des.