Testimonials

Kim's Testimony:

I have been working within Disability services for 17 years and during this time have worked In varied positions for numerous agencies. I have worked for smaller agencies as well as 9 years for the Government for Disability Services Queensland and 4 Years in NSW for ADAHC. Whist working for ADAHC I was also employed by NVDS as a casual support worker. I resigned from my for Government position to work part time for NVDS. When people asked me why I was leaving my Government position it was really hard for them to understand as its "Government job". My response was and always has been this. I want to work where I am my happiest and where I feel I can make the biggest difference to people I help support. I love working for NVDS!. I don't feel like I am just a number. As a worker, I feel valued and appreciated by management. Lots of work places I have worked at concentrate on providing in house care such as showering, meals and medication. At NVDS its about those things but more importantly it's about the little things that are massive things. The things that matter most to the service users. Things they love, things that they are interested in, things that make them happy, the thing that makes them smile and that's what matters most!. Happiness. At NVDS I feel we work that little bit harder and maybe we do push the boundaries once in a while but it's always worth the results. Lots of people are afraid of the NDIS. Afraid that our service users may not have the same opportunities as before. Things are going to change but I know how much NVDS cares about our service users and where there is a possibility, we will find ways!. We will still continue to make that difference. How do I know that? How do I know the future?. 17 years' worth of experience working within Disability. I know the difference we make now and how unique our service is and we will continue to be. NDIS or no NDIS.

Kim Baines' testimony

My daughter Veronica has been a resident in a Nambucca Valley disability Service home since 2002. She shares her home with Rhonda and the two are the best of friends. The pair have staff supervision in the morning and late afternoon. Since 2002, our family have been overjoyed with Ronnie’s progress, both socially and scholastically. The friendly staff at NVdS, as well as her friends within the service have shown her an independence which she loves. Amongst other activities she does office work one or two mornings a week; she attends both lawn bowls and ten pin bowling; she also attends hydrotherapy; and she attends Poets and Performers – in fact she is presently in Sydney with that group attending a live performance of The Lion King. What I love, as a mother, is that my daughter has a life of her own which she treasures. Despite my fears in letting her go, she has developed her own identity proving that, even with autism, she is capable of so much more than we ever thought. For this, I thank NVdS. Finally, I love the family oriented atmosphere the service exudes. I can thoroughly recommend the professionalism of management and staff at NVdS.

Robyn Thurston

Nambucca Valley Disability Services have raised the ceiling of expectation of Beliefs about people with a disability and support a person centred approach to planning. After a multitude of changes of Philosophies, Policies, Procedures, Discussion papers coupled with Government Rhetoric etc. This service does exactly what a good Disability Service should do:- Offer folk with disabilities a ‘Soft Place to Fall’. Have they got the perfect ‘Life Stage’ Support systems in place? Not as yet! However, for me that’s a good thing, because I can’t die until they have.

Loretta Harkess