Karakan | Community organisation

Karakan

Phone: +61 7 3299 1898

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24.01.2022 RESPECT - EMBRACE DIVERSITY AND VALUE UNIQUENESS We embrace diversity and value the uniqueness of every individual, supporting people to advocate for themselves. To recognise the resourcefulness and resilience of each person and use these in our work together to promote personal growth and positive change.

24.01.2022 BRIAN THERE ARE STILL BARRIERS, BUT PEOPLE ARE MORE UNDERSTANDING AND ACCEPTING Just the general way people think about mental health. They aren’t so stand offish these days. Instead people try to understand and be more accepting. That's what people need. They need understanding. All people need to be understood. Not just those with acquired brain injury (ABI) or mental health There are still barriers though. There are certain things that people say like ‘you can’t do thi...s; you can’t do that’. If you put up all these barriers, people will never be able to improve. We should always be striving to be better It is great though to see organizations popping up that help people with ABI. I think generally having these discussions openly and without judgement is super important even in small groups. It’s hard to start these discussions sometimes but once the conversation starts it can get easier. There are thousands of people with ABI and I’m certainly not unique, just one of a kind, just one of that number Brian doesn’t let his ABI define him. He describes himself as being an easy going and accepting person with a love of animals and nature. Working two days a week as the gardener for his old police station, Brian maintains a strong connection to his past and considers himself very lucky to have had such great support through recovery from his family, his coaches and organizations such as Headway and ABIOS. By maintaining his healthy, active and social lifestyle Brian has proactively pushed back on any preconceived ideas of who someone with ABI should be.

24.01.2022 RECOVERY IS POSSIBLE, RECOVERY HAPPENS We are unwavering in our belief that personal recovery is possible, seeking to encourage people to have active engagement within their community to build support networks to aid their recovery journey. Brian has used sport on his recovery journey to enhance his mental health and wellbeing.... Brian represented Australia at the Paralympics in 1996, 2000 and 2004 winning Gold in Atlanta and Bronze in Sydney. I just focused and trained constantly. Being in the Australian team I had coaches and other athletes around. They made sure I was in touch with the right trainers. I kept training and bettering myself. You can be the biggest and strongest person in the world, but if you don’t have good technique it doesn’t matter. Any person with a good technique will always do better and my body remembered how good technique felt. Brain still remains focused on keeping fit and heathy. I like to take my dog for a walk 2-3 times a week. I also go to the gym 3 times a week with a trainer and do a lot of strength, conditioning and other general fitness activities. After exercising I feel relaxed and like new. Brian maintains a strong connection to his past and considers himself very lucky to have had great support network through his family, his coaches and organisations assisting him on his recovery journey.

24.01.2022 TODAY IS R U OK? DAY During these challenging times reach out and ask someone R U Ok? Use these 4 steps to start a conversation which could change a life. 1. Ask R U Ok? 2. Listen... 3. Encourage Action 4. Check-in Put it on your list to do today and reach out to ask someone R U Ok? https://www.ruok.org.au/

23.01.2022 RHONDA’S CORN FRITTERS BAKE THEM TONIGHT Rhonda has made some fantastic looking corn fritters. Make them tonight for your dinner and enjoy. You will need 3 cups corn kernels, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 large eggs, cup of heavy cream.... 1. In a large bowl, stir together the corn kernels, flour, baking powder, and teaspoon salt and teaspoon pepper. 2. Stir in the eggs and heavy cream, until the batter is well combined. 3. Heat a frying pan and add a small amount of oil. When the oil is hot scoop several spoonful’s of mixture into the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then flip them over and cook for an additional 3 minutes. 4. Transfer to a plate and enjoy.

23.01.2022 HAPPY BIRTHDAY J.J Last Friday J.J celebrated his 61st birthday Thank you for sharing your special day with us, hope you had an awesome day!

23.01.2022 DO YOU LOVE ANIMALS? Did you know you can watch the animals at Taronga Zoo Sydney live from your own couch? You can tune in daily to see your favourite animals, meet the keepers and learn what goes on behind the scenes. So whether it is elephants you adore, or the tigers you are fascinated by take a look at what they are up to! https://taronga.org.au/taronga-tv#animallivecams

22.01.2022 DAILY LIVING SUPPORT - SELF CARE SUNDAYS WITH CONAN Conan and Susan have started self-care Sundays and Conan loves it. Making self-care a priority is important for mental health and Conan has been making sure that he is focussing on his! This week was trying out different face masks. Relaxing and Fun. Conan would suggest everyone gives it a go. Looking forward to more self-care tips and tricks from Conan and Susan.

22.01.2022 COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS SO IMPROTANT FOR INCLUSION Isolation is a major challenge for people with a disability, Sarah has built some strong ties with her community where now she is quite the social butterfly, but for some it isn’t always like that. http://www.abc.net.au//disability-community-at-ri/12442108

22.01.2022 OUR MISSION Working with you to live your life better today, so that you can create your tomorrow. We want to make sure that we understand what our customers want from us, so that we can support them in the best way possible, whether that is developing life skills, finding and keeping a job, getting out and about or helping build connections with community. We want to make sure that people can embrace everyday life to the fullest. We are unwavering in our belief that personal recovery is possible, seeking to encourage people to have active networks within the community to build support networks to aid their recovery journey.

22.01.2022 INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE A challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we're all responsible for our own thoughts and actions - all day, every day. We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women's achievements. ... Share and celebrate the women in your life and their achievements. https://www.internationalwomensday.com/

22.01.2022 GOODBYE 2020, HELLO 2021 Remaining connected with friends, family and communities has been more challenging this year than most. Reconnect with someone today, tag someone you want to share a wish with, it is a perfect time to let people know how much you are thinking of them. Send them a wish that motivates them to welcome new goals, new opportunities, or new relationships.

21.01.2022 TURN UP THE MUSIC Music has been shown to boost happiness and reduce anxiety. During the lockdown people from all around the world have turned to music, there have been duets sung across apartment blocks in Spain; instruments played and songs sung from balconies in Italy; patriotic songs sung from windows in Wuhan and parodies shared across social media. So we thought we would bring together our top ‘belt them out tunes’ which we have been listening to over the last couple of... months 1. Road to Nowhere - Talking Heads 2. Tomorrow - Six60 3. Viva La Vida - Coldplay 4. Breathin (clean) - Ariana Grande 5. Never too much - Luther Vandross Share with us the songs you have been listening to that have kept you positive, send them to [email protected]

20.01.2022 BRIAN’S TAKE TIME FOR MENTAL HEALTH TOP 3 How I stay healthy I like to take my dog for a walk 2-3 times a week. I also go to the gym 3 times a week with a trainer and do a lot of strength, conditioning and other general fitness activities. After exercising I feel relaxed and like new. Sometimes I feel a bit sore but after a few days I feel re-energized. If I don’t get to go I feel sluggish, slower and I don’t properly operate or feel as capable.... What I do to connect and stay socially active I enjoy going to the shopping center and just doing the normal things like groceries and clothes shopping. That’s the one thing I want people to realize about me, I do the same things as normal people. I was just at work this morning. I go to work and come home and do all the ordinary things that someone without an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) does. I also go to the bowls club 3 or 4 times a week to throw some bowls. The members and staff at the club are fantastic. They’re friendly, welcoming, understanding, encouraging and accepting of me. The bowls club is extremely important to me. It makes me feel happier, accepted and more at ease when moving through society. When people around me are friendly and attentive the same way they would be with their other friends, it makes me feel more normal Getting out in nature to help my mental health I love planting a seed in the ground and watching it come to life and grow. It makes me feel really great to be responsible for something and make the area which it’s planted in come to life and be more attractive. It’s a great joy growing and nurturing something to life. Even maintaining and shaping it is satisfying. It gives me a sense of control by designing the way it grows, protecting and supporting it I also go to the dog club a couple times each week. I enjoy the wide open space. I love seeing the big space utilized in different ways. The field is used for soccer, cricket, football and dog training My dog is my best friend no matter what. He’s a better friend to me than anybody. It doesn’t matter what I do or if I’m grumpy, happy or sad, he loves me. He will always come up to me give me a lick on the face and want to keep me company

20.01.2022 MENTAL HEALTH AND YOUR FINANCES There is a strong association with mental health challenges and finances. Whether that is debts, overspending or job insecurity. Check out some ideas on how to get on top of things. https://www.abc.net.au//money-budgeting-bipolar-d/12495852

20.01.2022 DAILY LIVING SUPPORT Our supports are never one size fits all! We are about helping you develop the skills in whatever area you need them, from assistance in getting to appointments, self-care, cooking or cleaning or budgeting, it’s about how you want to Create your Tomorrow. Learn more from our website https://www.karakan.com.au/daily-life/

20.01.2022 STAYING CONNECTED IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY DURING LOCKDOWN If there is one thing we have learnt as we have negotiated the lockdowns due to COVID-19 is the need to stay connected. With the announcement today we are seeing more and more of our customers keeping their support, so that they can remain connected during these challenging times.

19.01.2022 VIRTUAL HOT CROSS BUN MORNING TEA As we had to cancel our Hot Cross Bun morning tea this week, we wanted people to share their pics of enjoying Easter treats, so we can have a virtual morning tea instead. So please post and share and see how many people we can get joining the Virtual Easter Morning Tea!! Brad has kicked us off.

19.01.2022 INDEPENDENT LIVING Karakan started out with a vision of ensuring people have access to suitable affordable housing in the community and nearly 50 years on that is still a focus. And it still needs to remain a focus as more people with a disability are looking to live independently and join in with their communities, but with limited options available to them. http://www.abc.net.au//new-disability-housing-giv/12443706

17.01.2022 DAY OUT AT MOVIE WORLD Lisa shared with us her fun packed day spent at movie world. Lisa told us her favourite parts of the day were the carousel and car stunt shows. ‘I absolutely loved the carousel, I spent so long on there, almost an hour, it was so much fun!’ Definitely looked like great day out, thanks for sharing Lisa.

16.01.2022 PEOPLES DAY Nothing organized for Ekka day public holiday? Take a look at what’s on in Brisbane. From farmer’s markets to whale watching, there are plenty of options to get out, visit new places or do something a little bit different. https://www.mustdobrisbane.com//ekka-public-holiday-brisba

16.01.2022 ADVOCATING INCLUSION FOR ALL A small start for a huge impact. Representing people with a disability to ensure all people are considered for roles.... https://www.bbc.com/news/business-53997790

15.01.2022 CUSTOMER MEETING AT THE TOP OF MOUNT GRAVATT Trevor wanted his support teams to come together to work on ways to collaborate so that he can start ticking off his goals. But he wanted somewhere outside to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air and suggested Mount Gravatt. Mount Gravatt in the sun for Friday lunch meeting. Thanks Trevor for the suggestion, it was a pick me up for everyone there and got the outcomes Trevor wanted too.

15.01.2022 SUPPORT COORDINATION WHAT TO LOOK FOR If you have got support coordination in your plan and not sure how to choose the right support coordinator for you, we asked a couple of people what to look for. This is what they said. Responsive Look for someone who comes back to you in good time, within a couple of days or quicker. ... Reliable Look for someone who does what they say they are going to do, who keeps appointments and contacts you when they say they will. Relatable Look for someone who you feel comfortable with, that you can talk to and that you feel that you can trust. Really knowledgeable Look for someone who knows what they are talking about with the NDIS and knows about different support options in your area. If you want to find out more about Karakan’s support coordination, please drop us an email [email protected] or phone us on 07 3299 1809 and we can chat things through with you.

15.01.2022 LOCKDOWN ACTIVITIES Alison created her own activity to stay active during lockdown. This is her DIY soccer field. All we needed was a ball and container. Good fun and exercise ... Thanks for sharing

14.01.2022 INDULGE IN SOME SELF-CARE THIS LONG WEEKEND Had an emotional week? Or just generally a little anxious or run down. It is never a bad time to take some time out and indulge in a little TLC. After all, taking care of yourself makes you better able to handle things at work, be a better friend and have more positive energy overall. There are a range of full splurge options to free activities that can help you unwind and reenergise. We have some ideas for you:... 1. Go for a Spa Day 2. Stay at home in your PJs all day 3. Go for a long walk outside 4. Go for a massage 5. Have a leisurely lunch 6. Turn off your phone for a day 7. Make your favourite meal 8. Sleep in Tell us what you did to take care of yourself this weekend

14.01.2022 PPE TRAINING COMPLETE Thanks to TAFE university for coming to our all staff meetings and giving us a great session on donning and doffing masks and good hand washing techniques.

13.01.2022 HAPPY BIRTHDAY LISA Lisa celebrating her birthday last Wednesday with a slice of chocolate cake and coffee. YUM Thanks for sharing.

13.01.2022 MEET KATRINA KARAKAN’S NEW TEAM FACILITATOR Hi I am Katrina Batterson, I am the new Team Facilitator at Karakan. I feel that belonging is a fundamental human need and my focus is on bringing a warmth of respect and connection with people to help them feel a sense of belonging in life.... My experience over the last 20 years in nursing has developed my passion for advocating for people with mental health challenges. I believe in a holistic approach, with a focus on the physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing to assist people on their recovery journey. But that can only happen by understanding the individual themselves, everyone is unique, their experiences, background and culture, all contribute to the person they are and so my connection with people is built on my need to really know people. Outside of work you will find me enjoying time with my family, they are everything to me! We love the outdoors, so holidays and weekends you will find us camping or fishing. To relax I listen to music, my favourite is country music, I find it de-stresses me and improves my mood. I have found that it is good for my mental health and gives me a better outlook on life. I have plans to study for a social work degree to gain more experience within the field of mental health.

13.01.2022 HAPPY NEW YEAR Happy New Year from everyone at Karakan. Wishing all of you a 2021 filled with new hopes and plans for the year to come.

12.01.2022 WHAT COULD THIS MEAN FOR PEOPLE WITH PSYCHOSOCIAL NEEDS? The need for trust, rapport and pace are critical in being able to understand a person, their preferences and needs. We are watching closely to see how the planned independent assessments could work for people with psychosocial needs and what this could mean for their ongoing NDIS funding to support their recovery journey. Help spread the word by sharing!... Disability organisations rally against proposal to introduce independent assessments https://www.abc.net.au//disability-organisations-/13233838

11.01.2022 STARTING TO GET OUT AND ABOUT? With the cooler weather upon us why not get out and enjoy the glorious sunshine, if you are looking for an easy walk try poets Rock at Karawatha Forest Park open any day 6am-6pm https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au//20200429-Karawatha-track- Or for something a little harder try D’Aguilar National Park (formerly Brisbane Forest Park) https://parks.des.qld.gov.au//south-daguilar-walking-map.p... Take some pictures while you’re out and about and send them in to us at [email protected]

11.01.2022 I’M MAKING MORE PROGRESS NOW I HAVE A SUPPORT COORDINATOR TO HELP Hi I am Jolene. The NDIS was new to me, and I felt lost. There were so many things that I wanted to do but I just didn’t know how to do it. A family friend of mine mentioned Karakan, as she had worked with them and heard of them before and recommended we get in touch. I did, and now I have Amber who has helped me start working towards my goals. One of my goals is to build on my independent living skills, so that I can budget, grocery shop and do household chores on my own. Now I am finally feel like I am making some progress.

10.01.2022 GETTING THE RIGHT SUPPORT DURING LOCKDOWN MADE A MASSIVE DIFFERENCE TO ME Hi I am Jolene. This is my second plan with the NDIS, I struggled a lot in my first plan as I didn’t have much help and I didn’t know how to achieve my goals. I only had a support coordinator for a brief time, and after that ended, I didn’t know how to find another one or where to start or how to manage my plan. A family friend recommended Karakan. I now have a Support Coordinator who is helping me make... the most of my plan. Amber helped me by linking me with an Occupational Therapist, who has worked with me and helped me get items, such as my laptop, to help me with my independence. The laptop was to help me practice activities the OT had given me, but has been so useful during the lockdowns, it has allowed me to connect with people and have any important appointments. I felt stuck before, so the change when I got the laptop was so significant, it started building my skills and confidence again. See more

09.01.2022 JOIN THE TEAM CASUAL SUPPORT WORKER ROLES AVAILABLE Do you want to help people in your community make a positive change? We support people with mental health challenges and disability and are looking for support workers to join our growing team. Do you have experience working with people with mental health challenges or disability, a minimum of cert. 3 in individual support or lived experience? We develop our people through training and coaching to be able to provide activ...e support to our customers. So if you are looking for casual, flexible work that fits around you, then we’d love you to APPLY NOW. https://www.seek.com.au/job/51662957.

09.01.2022 NOW RECRUITING SUPPORT WORKERS WANTED IN THE LOGAN AREA! Do you want to help people in your community make a positive change? Do you have experience working with people with mental health challenges or lived experience? We support people with mental health challenges and disability to Create their Tomorrow, and are looking for support workers to join our growing team. If you are looking for casual or flexible work that fits around you, then APPLY TODAY sending your résumé to [email protected].

09.01.2022 JOIN THE TEAM SUPPORT WORKER ROLES AVAILABLE Do you want to help people in your community make a positive change? We support people with mental health challenges and disability and are looking for support workers to join our growing team. Do you have experience working with people with mental health challenges or disability, a minimum of cert. 3 in individual support or lived experience? If so then APPLY NOW. We are about looking at things differently, developing people‘s skills and supporting people to get back into the workplace. So if you are looking for casual, flexible work that fits around you, then apply online today https://www.karakan.com.au/careers/ or send your résumé to [email protected]

09.01.2022 PAUL’S TRIP TO SEAWORLD ‘Hi I am Paul, I love theme parks and wanted to go on an adventure, so I suggested to my support worker about going to SeaWorld. We chatted about some of the things that I needed to think about, like planning how to get there, what I wanted to see on the day and what I would need to take.’ So that I would get a full day at SeaWorld I asked for a full day shift, I was able to get this as I had the funding available. It also mattered to me who came w...ith me, so I asked to have a particular support worker to come along, Steven’. Once I had that sorted I went about planning my day, I chatted with Steven about what I would need for the day, things like money to buy lunch and drinks, my companion card, sunblock, my hat and water. I needed to think about when I was there as well. I have a sore knee, so knew I would need to take rest breaks during the day, but I also wanted to make sure I visited the best attractions. So I looked at a map and planned the route I was going to take. Steven also said about having a place to meet if we became separated, that made me feel more confident if anything happened’. ‘Check out my photos!! the day was a success and we both had a great time. The time I took beforehand to plan my day made a real difference when I was there, it just made it more relaxing.’ ‘Now I have taken this trip I am thinking about planning a couple of nights away. I will go on some more day trips first, just to get used to planning days out, but definitely a short break is my new goal’.

07.01.2022 LOVE ON THE SPECTURM Love on the Spectrum is running on NetFlix. The world of dating is always daunting, but for young people on the autism spectrum it is even more complicated with the unpredictability of it all. The series follows 5 young hopefuls in their quest for love. Check it out and tell us what you think https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX-QbcXyZug

06.01.2022 CORE SUPPORTS - LEARNING NEW SKILLS Paul learnt how to reverse sear steak. He started by cutting the eye fillet in half (it was as long as an eel!), covered it in oil, salt, pepper, rosemary and garlic, then put the two pieces into the oven on 100 degrees for 20-30 minutes, pulled the smaller piece out and put it into a scorching hot fry pan with oil on hot for 2.30 minutes each side. ... Pulled bigger piece out 20 minutes later and done the same process. Slice up and enjoy. Paul rated his meal tonight 9.9/10 and loves that he learnt a new way to cook eye fillet Thanks for sharing Paul.

04.01.2022 COOKING UP A FEAST More time at home has awakened people’s passions and hobbies. Michael has been spending more time cooking, learning new recipes and techniques. On the menu last weekend, fritters, a lovely hearty stew and muffins. All of them look delicious. Share with us the winter recipes you have been cooking

02.01.2022 KARAKAN AGM OCT 22 RSVP Karakan’s AGM will be held Oct 22 at Hotel HQ, Underwood starting at 6pm. It is a great opportunity to meet the board directors and management team and ask them any questions you may have. Everyone is welcome, so hope to see you there, send your RSVP to 07 3299 1898. If you can’t make it feel free to email any questions you want to ask to [email protected], these will be answered on the night and we will come back to you

02.01.2022 CREATE YOUR TOMORROW Looking for a service provider that is all about you? Karakan specialises in supporting people with mental health challenges on their recovery journey and helps you ‘Create Your Tomorrow’ www.karakan.com.au

02.01.2022 KARAKAN AGM SCHEDULED FOR 22ND OCTOBER Karakan AGM date has been set for 22ND October 2020 It is a great opportunity to meet the board directors and the management team and ask them any questions you may have. We are finalising the location and will send this out over the next couple of weeks. Please put your expressions of interest to attend by Friday 16th October to 3299 1898. Everyone is welcome, so hope to see you there. ... If you can’t make it feel free to send us an email to [email protected] with any questions you want to ask the board, they will answer them on the night and we will come back to you. See more

01.01.2022 FINDING THE RIGHT SERVICE FOR YOU CAN BE TRICKY We can help!! Support coordination is about helping you to understand your plan and connecting you with the services that help you make the most of it. It can be a little overwhelming and support coordinators are there to take that stress away and make it easier for you to start using your plan in the best way for you. Our support coordinator team are like mentors helping you to make the most of your NDIS funds. Find out more https://www.karakan.com.au/support-coordination/

01.01.2022 MENTAL HEALTH WEEK BRIAN’S STORY During Mental Health Week we will be following Brian, he will be talking to us about his story, what he does to take time for his mental health and his views and thoughts on mental health and the changing attitudes of people. Follow Brian’s inspiring story this week. On 16th November 1984 Brian Harvey had realized a lifelong dream to become a Queensland Police Officer. Less than 12 months later, Brian began the long recovery process followin...g a motor vehicle accident that left him with permanent brain damage and a limited ability to create new memories, retain information or regulate emotion. To this day, Brian has no recollection of what happened that day or anything four weeks prior. This is far from the end of Brian’s story though. Always an active and avid sportsman in his youth Brian had been discovered to be a track and field talent with a particular strength in the throwing events. In 1994 Brian made his first representation as an Australian athlete at the IPC World Athletics Championship winning gold and setting a new Javelin throwing world record. Brian then represented Australia at the Paralympics in 1996, 2000 and 2004 winning Gold in Atlanta and Bronze in Sydney for Javelin throw. When asked how Brian stayed mentally focused and retained technique especially given his ABI he responded I just focused and trained constantly. Being in the Australian team I constantly had coaches and other athletes around. They made sure I was in touch with the right trainers. I just kept training and bettering myself. Constantly being around it and getting better and better technique just made it work. You could be the biggest and strongest person in the world, but if you don’t have good technique it doesn’t matter. Any person with a good technique will always do better and my body remembered how good technique felt