Broadmeadows Disability Services - Horticulture Therapy Program

1. Broadmeadows
Disability Services
Eleventh Annual Report
2009 - 2010

2. 25 Years Attendance
Frank Faba
20 Years Attendance
Mary Bretherton Phillip Falsone Tracey Ford
20 Years Service
Eveline Hoctor
15 Years Attendance
Robert Pingel
10 Years Attendance
Andrew Elkhawand Sam Garcia Benney Jamou Louise Mallon Nhan Nguyen

3. From the Chairperson
Upon reflection of the last year, much energy and focus has been on
expanding and developing sustainable partnerships that are mutually
beneficial to Broadmeadows Disability Services (BDS) and the broader
community. In this it has been a year of great opportunity in fostering
community connectedness and true partnerships.
The dedication, enthusiasm and commitment of staff and volunteers have
Sue Binger been critical in enabling the organisation to further develop meaningful
(Chairperson) links with the local community.
BDS has ended the year with a slight operating deficit of approximately
$6,000. The Finance sub committee continues to monitor and evaluate
budgets and manage investments. There has been a strong focus on the
development of systems and administrative processes that provide for
greater financial management and accountability across the organisation.
The development of our organisation delegation document has resulted
from this review as we move towards quality endorsement in 2012.
There is a stringent approach to resource management providing greater
Phyllis Cremona capacity to build on the infrastructure in the organisation. In the last year
we have completed a range of refurbishment and renovations throughout
the building, the purchase of plant and equipment and the upgrade and
replacement of the vehicles. We have been very successful in our
partnerships and funding submissions for grants that support the
development of our infrastructure.
One cannot ignore the vast opportunities the organisation has gained from
the continued development of our BEEEP project, supported by the
recruitment of a Community Development Facilitator position.
I would like to acknowledge the contributions of Phyllis Cremona who
resigned from the Board in September due to ill-health. On behalf of the
Michael Grech members of the Board, we wish her well and thank her sincerely for her
unwavering devotion to our organisation. Lastly, I would like to thank the
members of the Board of Broadmeadows Disability Services for their
continued dedication and commitment.
On behalf of the Board of Management, I would like to take this
opportunity to thank members of the organisation, the people we support,
families, carers, staff and volunteers for their dedication and passion. It is
all of you who make our organisation a spirited community.
As we review our current strategic goals and plan for the future, I would
encourage you all to celebrate what we have achieved together.
Rhonda Hunter Sue Binger
Carmela Lombardo Bruce McCurry George Zamola
(Deputy)

4. From the CEO - A year of Learning and Opportunities
A year of learning and taking advantage of opportunities has provided for some exciting
highlights and challenges over the last 12 months. I would like to extend my thanks to all
Members of the Board for their continued support, commitment and enthusiasm as we
embraced the opportunities and faced those challenges.
The new management structure comprising of the Client Service Manager, Program
Development Manager and Community Development Facilitator has provided stronger
capacity and greater strength from both an organisational and service perspective. This team
has supported the strategic review of service delivery areas and germinated many opportunities throughout
the year. The continued review of systems and processes has further developed a consistency of service
delivery and experience for the people we support across all service delivery areas.
I would like to thank those people who have contributed to the review of our services in any way over the last
12 months. We have been able to learn a great deal from the information that you have provided to us along
with ways to improve how we ask for, receive and use feedback in the future. As we increase our ability to
listen and remain responsive to the people we support, it is critical that we improve our ability and processes
to listen, hear and act upon what you tell us.
The development of the BEEEP has provided a range of
opportunities for BDS as an organisation and the individuals we
support in partnership with our local community. These
opportunities have resulted in a high level of activity and
involvement in the site at BDS. The range of opportunities include
the development of an access for all abilities garden, a horticulture
therapy program, a parsley project, a partnership with Kangan
Tafe, an energy audit, a social enterprise project and considerable
site redevelopment. These have provided great opportunities for
the members and staff of BDS and the broader community through
creating volunteer opportunities and partnerships with local
schools, Hume City Council and other community groups.
BDS continues its commitment in building a skilled, experienced and committed work force. In the past year,
whilst the implementation of the revised Community Support Worker agreement in December 2008 has
provided greater flexibility in the workforce, it has posed a number of challenges. These particularly relate to
the cost effectiveness of programs, operational systems and reform of practices and the cost of compliance.
In past months, we have been working towards a review of the two existing industrial agreements with a
focus on the development and implementation of a single industrial agreement . This agreement will aim to
ensure the viability and sustainability of our organisation.
A range of capital upgrades including replacement and refurbishment of furnishings and fittings, bathroom
upgrades and modifications and a number of minor works have been undertaken jointly funded in part by
DHS Minor Works. These include tinting of windows, landscaping, a car park upgrade, installation and
connection of water tanks and some roof repairs. The organisation has also funded a security upgrade, a fire
management upgrade and an IT systems upgrade.
Once again it was an eventful year in terms of Fundraising. BDS continues to host a range of fundraising
activities throughout the year with both staff and members
actively involved. These have included the Footy Day and
Easter Celebrations, Australians Biggest Morning Tea for the
Cancer Council of Australia and Jeans For Genes supporting
Genetic Research. These events were a great success in the
spirit of true partnership with our broader community.
My sincere thanks to the vibrant and enthusiastic staff, you the
people we support, your families and the volunteers who make
our organisation what it is.
Barb van den Vlekkert

5. Broadmeadows Environment Enterprise Employment Program (BEEEP)
It is with great pride that I look back at the achievements of the BEEEP over the last 12 months. The
collection of ideas that formed the project have been explored, solidified and either implemented or well on
their way to being so. This has been achieved with close consultation
with the members, staff, and the board of BDS and the invaluable
input of a host of volunteers. The foundations have been laid for
many projects that I am sure will bear fruit in the coming years.
The initial idea for a Community Garden has evolved into an Access
All Abilities Garden after assessing the needs of the members of BDS
and listening to the opinions and experiences of people like Steven
Wells from Royal Talbot and the Horticultural Therapy Association of
Victoria. A garden that is accessible to members of BDS with varying
physical capabilities will provide an opportunity for both active and
passive enjoyment of the space. An extensive consultation process
has been undertaken which included members visiting various garden settings and their feedback being
recorded by staff. With this information in hand, a design was finalised, costed and approved by the board.
Alongside the development of the Access All Abilities Garden we have been working hard to improve and
formalise the Horticulture activities that take place on site. This has involved researching various models and
settling on using the Cultivating Quality resource produced by Thrive in the U.K. This document has
influenced heavily how we have approached developing our own program and ensured that our members are
benefiting from international best practise.
The Parsley Project aims to give its participants the opportunity to see
from start to finish the process of small scale agriculture and inturn
give them a small financial reward. Using a format developed with the
Thrive Standards a project delivery plan was developed for a term
long program. This laid out instructions for each part of the enterprise
which included researching, building and maintaining the wicking
beds, recording the costs of materials, harvesting, delivering the
produce and working out profit margins. Our community partner is
Larder Fresh, a Falafel producer based in Preston who focus on using
locally sourced ingredients. Other benefits include understanding the
value of work, promoting BDS and most importantly showing the wider
community the capabilities of our members.
Another aim of BEEEP is to reduce the overall carbon footprint of BDS. The first step was to replace the 25
year old electric hot water service with a solar gas boosted hot water system. Conservative estimates from
Sustainability Victoria show this will achieve a minimum of 5% to 8% reduction in electricity used on site. The
second measure was to tint some East facing windows, in summer this will significantly reduce the amount of
glare and heat that is transferred through the window. To ensure that any further measures that are taken
provide the best environmental and financial return BDS engaged the services of an RMIT student to conduct
a full energy audit of the whole site.
The Bright Sparks project is a social enterprise that aims to give members the opportunity to participate in the
workforce, earn a fair days wage and assist in changing attitudes towards people with a disability. The
enterprise will increase workplace safety by ensuring that organisations are fully compliant with legislation
relating to the Testing and Tagging of Electrical items. A business
plan has been developed and the business model refined and
reshaped. The business will be trialled onsite over the next 12
months.
Big thanks to all those that have been involved in this projects
especially Claire Hetzel, Chris Williams, Steven Wells, Richard
Chan, Majella Grainger, Stephen Beavis, Jean marc Greco, Pablo
Gimenez and Phil McKenzie.
Ben Neil

6. Client Services
A busy and productive year from both an operational and program development perspective in Client
Services has enabled the strengthening of front line operational capacity across all service delivery areas.
Day Services including the Intensive Support Program, Individual
Support Packages, RASP and the Escapade Program continue to
challenge the organisation to respond creatively to the individual
needs of the people we support and their families. A more
consistent approach to workforce management, policy and
practice, systems development and budget management across all
program areas has assisted in enhancing the experiences of all
people who engage with our organisation.
Recruitment and retention of staff and opportunities for
professional development continue to be key focus areas.
Recruitment drives have been conducted quarterly resulting in
engagement of a number of highly experienced, qualified and dedicated staff. Our focus on engaging staff
that have a range of skills and expertise to offer and special areas of interest aims to expand the
opportunities of learning for members. Artists, Beauticians, Chefs, Carpenters and Horticulturalists have
complimented the range of programs and activities we can offer.
This year staff participated in a range of training initiatives including First Aid Level 2, CPR Refresher and
Manual Handling Fire Safety Equipment Training and Medication Administration. A number of staff attended
the Australasian Society for the Study of Intellectual Disability (ASSID)
Conference. Staff have also attended various workshops and in-service
forums on topics to enhance service delivery skills including Quality
and Outcome Standards, Community Gardens and Horticultural
Therapy, Communication and Sensory Stimulation.
Induction and orientation processes have been reviewed resulting in
the development of streamlined processes across all program areas,
including a focus on both the theoretical and practical aspects of the
roles. The revised processes have proven to be not only more
comprehensive but vastly more efficient in terms of their timing while
improving the experiences of staff undertaking orientation and induction
processes.
Over the past twelve months there has been a strategic approach to evaluating and reviewing the operational
capacity and financial viability across all program areas. This has included an operational review of the RASP
and Escapade programs and a review of the Day Services program. Planning and implementation of these
reviews has significantly informed the parameters for future planning and service development across the
organisation.
There has been a strong commitment and a keen focus on the continuous improvement and having the right
supports and people, mechanisms and systems in place to be able to provide the quality of the service and
outcomes expected by the people we support – as always, this work will be progressive.
We continue to focus on supporting staff to further develop their knowledge and understanding of the Quality
Framework, the development of quality measures and
alignment of supports and capturing achievement towards
outcomes for individuals. The challenging work in the coming
months is to expand our capacity to increase the knowledge
and understanding of the Quality Framework and Individual
Support Packages for people we support and their families
which will enable them to actively assist the organisation to
continue to grow and learn. We look forward to working with
VALID as they support us in increasing our capacity and
processes to work actively with the people we support and their
families.
This work is continuous and provides valuable information to

7. drive service development and review but most importantly, it informs all we do with the individuals we
support.
Escapade Respite Support Services
Escapade respite programs are as ever popular and in high demand, indicative of the fact that it is a truly
valued service by families and the people we support. The program
provides a combination of weekend and school holiday respite
activities for adults and children with a range of support needs,
including individuals requiring 1:1 support on a Fee for Service basis.
This Financial year the program provided 11,206 hours of support to
over 100 individuals, receiving a total of 19 new referrals throughout
the year. During school holidays program, as many as 10 individuals
who require intensive 1:1 supports have been provided respite
activities. The availability and energy of our vibrant team of support
workers has been vital in enabling these levels of service to be
provided.
As always the activities are the highlight of all that we do. We have really focused on the true integration and
participation of individuals in the life of the community offering a wide range of social and recreational
activities all over metropolitan Melbourne. The most popular
with the children have included visits to places of interest
including the Melbourne Aquarium, Science Works, the
Melbourne Zoo, local festivals and activities including Karaoke,
Fishing, Community Markets, visits to Play Centres, Roller-
blading and Bowling. Adult groups have enjoyed evening
Social Dinners, Discos and Live Music Venues, Karaoke
evenings, various Sporting Activities such as Bowling and
Footy Games. Visits to places of interest such as the Ballarat
Wildlife Park, the Zoo and Geelong Water Park have also been
popular.
The approach to the review of respite services was one of
consultation and collaboration with individuals and their
families. In early September 2009 a number of Information and Consultation Sessions were conducted with
families and service users, followed by a feedback survey. The attendance was fantastic and the information
was well received by families and individuals.
The forums provided the opportunity for BDS Management to showcase a range of information on the
operations, resources and the long term planning for the Escapade Program. Most importantly it provided the
opportunity for families to be involved in discussions, provide input and feedback on their opinions and
preferences. The feedback provided to us informed and resulted in a review of activity scheduling providing a
more efficient and sustainable service with minimum impact for individuals. We wish to acknowledge the
participation of those people who worked with us to provide such a positive and sustainable outcome.
RASP
RASP has been an active and consistent program this year with a continued focus on the provision of
community recreational, social activities and pre vocational activities,
all of which are community based. Programs have operated
predominantly on weekdays with the inclusion of the popular monthly
social dinner.
Overall the 2009/2010 financial year we have provided a total of
8,656 hours of support to 35 individuals.
Recreational activities such as evening dinner groups, Billiards and
Bowling have been well attended in the last 12 months. RASP
continues to offer pre-vocational opportunities to individuals who have

8. an expressed interest in this area. The Members from Darebin
Lodge (Supported Accommodation Facility) have undertaken
gardening and maintenance works for a range of customers in
the Northern region. These gentleman are enthusiastic and
committed to the work that they undertake and take great pride
in seeing a job well done while forming strong social networks
in the process.
A key piece of work undertaken this year was the Strategic
Operational Review of the RASP Program. The review was
conducted with a focus on the analysis of the imminent re-
tender of the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) contract.
Pending the tender process, the information attained in the
review will inform further discussion with the Board to
determine the future of the RASP Program. This will be a key focus in planning for the coming year.
Individualised Supports (ISP)
The ISP Program provides support to individuals in a range of settings, including their family home and
independent living arrangements. The supports are individually tailored to meet the needs of the individuals
and range from providing personal care and assistance, social and recreational activities and life skills
development in various settings.
This Financial year there has been a strong focus on reviewing
individuals support packages in line with individual support plans
based on the activities and supports that individuals require. Reviews
have involved the active engagement of individuals, their families and
networks and close collaboration with planners, funding bodies and
allied professionals to ensure the right supports are in place.
There is a need for continuous monitoring and review which requires
consistent commitment and collaboration from all parties involved.
We have worked steadfastly in ensuring that individuals and their
families understand the nature of Individualised funding and what their
opportunities and options are in ensuring they have the support they require. We will continue to work with
DHS, the people we support and their families to establish a common understanding of the parameters and
possibilities of individualised funding package allocations. Whilst this has been a challenge at times, it has
resulted in positive outcomes for individuals, who can truly be more self-directed about the lifestyle they want
and how this is best achieved.
Day Services
It has been a very busy year in the Day Services, full of opportunities which have been truly driven and
embraced by the individuals we support. The Members continue to be at the forefront of all that we do and
achieve and continue to aspire to achieve. There has been a continued focus on quality improvement aligned
with a strategic approach to the development of processes and systems for monitoring and reviewing the
outcomes for individuals and their achievements and the supports which
we provide.
Mid year, a comprehensive review of the Day Services Programs and
activity planning and resources allocated was undertaken. The main aim
was to expand on the existing opportunities and redirect the focus to
include a greater range of activities within a more equitable distribution of
resources across the program. This was a key piece of work with a strong
focus on getting the right supports for individuals and assuring that people
were positively engaging in activities of their choice.
New programs have provided fresh opportunities. Daily Programs have
been restructured and operate all day, maximising the activity time
significantly. There has been particular focus on the realignment of centre

9. based programs. Cooking and Art Programs now operate five days
per week to accommodate the needs of people with varied skills and
support needs, a range of Art and Craft Programs and a tuck shop
once a week.
There has been an increase in communication and computer
programs aligned with literacy, lifelong learning and pre vocational
skills development. These are hugely popular and individuals have
shown real dedication to the active literacy learning groups. Music
Programs also operate five days a week with a music therapist one
day a week over 2 sessions, a musical performer another day and
various Karaoke, disco and musical percussion sessions.
There continues to be a huge interest in sports and recreational activities within the local community. Netball,
footy and bowling are very popular with many of our members being active team players at local community
venues. Swimming and Sailability has once again been very popular with individuals enjoying many a day
sailing at Jack Roper Reserve and various venues including Albert Park Lake, supported by the dedicated
commitment of volunteers and BDS staff.
The development of the BEEEP project at BDS has offered a range of
fantastic opportunities for individuals in the Day Services Program, many
whom have truly embraced the opportunities, very proudly taking carriage
of a range of gardening, nursery and horticulture activities at BDS.
Through the development of the Horticulture Therapy Program some great
opportunities have arisen for Members. Between December and January
a total of 30 Members accessed a number of sensory gardens located
within reasonable proximity to BDS. The objective of these visits were to
gain greater incite into successful community gardens, providing Members
with ideas that can be developed here at BDS.
Members have been actively involved in the planning and initial
development of the Access for All Abilities Garden which should be
completed early next year. The Horticulture Therapy Program operates 2 days per week with individuals
learning basic horticultural knowledge, engaged in plant propagation and planting.
Gardening programs continue to be popular providing many and varied opportunities for members to develop
their skills in gardening and horticulture. These activities have been running four days per week consisting of
Garden Club (Learning based program) and Work Crew (Practical work component). This provides Members
an opportunity to learn about items such as OH&S in Garden Club and then put learnt skills into practice
during Work Crew. Currently approximately 22 members are actively participating in either or both of these
groups once per week to develop skills in OH&S and better understand how to use the equipment. The edible
garden is well established with many of the individuals taking great pride in their produce which is used in the
cooking program regularly.
Students from Broadmeadows Special Developmental School (BSDS) continue to be supported by their
teachers and BDS Members onsite while participating in gardening and horticulture programs here at BDS.
We are in the process of finalizing a partnership with Kangan Batman TAFE to offer a number of components
of the Certificate 1 in Work Education course to our Members
who have expressed a very keen interest in being involved.
This will be a great opportunity that we look forward to in the
coming year.
The Intensive Support Program currently provides supports to
12 individuals who require intensive levels of support. The team
comprises 11 core dedicated staff who work across the
program with all individuals. Individuals enjoy predominantly a
range of community based recreational and educational
activities of their choice, art and cookery activities. In the
interest of building their social networks and relations with
peers, individuals enjoyed some great group outings including a

10. day out at the Geelong Water Park and a classic river cruise down the Yarra. Friday Night Social Group has
once again been hugely popular. Members participated in a variety of sporting and musical events including
Babba, Rock Legends, Cold Chisel, AC/DC and the Rock Goddess Show and evenings at AFL games.
In July this year the Jeans for Genes annual fundraising event was held at BDS. This was a great event
involving families and the local community. We had the honor of the event sponsored by our local
Woolworths Hume Distribution Centre who made a significant contribution of foodstuffs for the morning tea.
Staff from Woolworths attended the event. A Certificate of Appreciation was presented to Woolworths. BDS
raised and donated funds for the charity which supports research into childhood genetic disorders.
The highlight of September was the Annual Churinga Bombers V’s Brimbank
Bulldogs Football match. Tony Azzopardi was awarded a medal and voucher from
Rebel Sports, for being ‘Best on Ground’. Tony was overwhelmed by his win which
was duly honored and congratulated by all his team mates.
Once again Members participated in The Great Race Victoria, organised by
Greyhound Racing Victoria. It was an exciting event this year in that the greyhound
sponsored by BDS won the first heat at the Meadows. The Members enjoyed the
community spirit and being part of such a community event.
Our performing drama group “Dream on Productions” have had another busy and energizing year. Mid year
they enjoyed a weekend at the “Dramarama” Camp in Maryborough, participating in various drama
workshops. The group forged a strong partnership with Carinya Society culminating in a duel performance at
the Awakenings Festival in Horsham last year where they performed “shipwrecked on a tropical island”
followed by big celebrations at the Awakenings Ball.
The Member Reference Group continues to be an active and focused group, with active membership and
representation on the Northern Client Network run by VALID. This has afforded individuals with some great
opportunities for self expression and attendance at forums and workshops on various informative topics. 20
Members attended the Human Rights Forum held at the Hume
Global Learning Centre in December 2009, an initiative of the
Hume Council.
In building and sustaining partnerships with our local
community a number of VCAL students from the local Penola
College participated in work experience placement at BDS. It
was a great experience for both the students and our Members
who worked in a range of activities alongside each other from
Penola College participating in Work Experience here at BDS.
Geraldine Long
My name is Dwaine and this is my story. I have been at BDS for over a year and
I have been working hard. It’s really good for me. I am very happy at BDS.
Before I came to BDS I was at Broadmeadows Special Development School. I
used to go to the gym at “Broadie” and do weights. I worked hard there for years.
I remember my first day at BDS. I got the bus to BDS. I was excited and a little
bit nervous seeing all my mates from the old school.
I like the things I do at BDS, like mowing the lawns, whipper snipping, doing
clean up and gardening work. This is what I like to do. I work at BRITE the other
3 days a week. I like all my mates here, all the boys, I have lots of mates.
I like going out with staff, I like coming to BDS and I have fun at BDS. It’s a good laugh. I like working here
with the men and the boys and I help other people out.
In the future I would like to go to work at Dysons Bus Depot, maybe doing some bus cleaning. For now, I am
happy at BDS.

11. Community Support Workers:
Sara Abela Neville Drummond Noreen Hickey Dale O’Keefe Sharon Swindells
Christine Baker Jowita Dymek Paul Ingham Anastasia Pangidis Manee Thepvongsa
Eve Batsanis Thomas Edwards Peter Hume Cheryl Parker Danna Townsend
Tanya Bird Mouna El -Masri Debra King Lily Petreski Karissa Tucker
Monica Blackstock Er Fedai Anna Lorenti Kim Prosser Chris Turner
Damian Cifonelli Dianne Flight Heath McCormack Carole Rachford Alan Walley
Lyn Columbo Carmen Gatoc Loran Moelands Rebecca Reale Jade Wilshire
Noel Crawley John Giagias Nadia Morando John Ruffin Fiona Wilson
Shelley Dighton Renai Grattan Lisa Nguyen Jessica Shields Lara Wilson
Luke Doherty Kira Green Brianna Nicol Melissa Singh Melanie Wong
Betty Doody Anne Hammill Sharon Neilson Michael Sumner
Day Services:
Tracey Barr Mary-ann Doria Elaine Latham Franca Pungitore Mary Skopelianos
Matthew Bonetti Katherine Fell Daniel Maundrell Talinga Ranking Desiree Smith-Pain
Susie Bountris Kevin Ferrari Phillip McKenzie Shane Ray Ondine Stachnowski
Michelle Burke Dale Hanson Brad Mendelson Adrian Ritchie Anne Stephen
Georgia Cabecas Debbie Happell Laurie Page Melissa Robinson Rae Timbs
Bonnita Christoforou Wendy Harvey Frank Pardo Ian Rowe Danna Townsend
Kevin Clark Claire Hetzel Gayle Pardo Craig Schell Wanda Waligora
Corinne Darby Eveline Hoctor Michael Perri Ronak Shah Suzanne Wightley
Theo Digal Melanie Irving Rebecca Poor Shaveta Sharma
Mary Doherty Amanda King Rebecca Pottenger Simon Silwamba
Bus Drivers:
Anne Brandt Jerry Le Maistre Chris Michaelides Karen Millman Jenny Oldenhuis
Lyn Rider John Timbs John Williams
Administration:
Reception - Lauren Lowther
Administration - Kim Keevers &
Rebecca Kendall
Finance Administrator - Lyn Chapman
Program Leader Escapade - Julie Chakley
Program Leader ISP & RASP - Amanda Beecham
Program Leader Day Services - Lisa-Jane Podesta
Program Manager Day Services - Luke Doherty
Community Development - Ben Neil
Program Development Manager - Simon McDowell
Client Services Manager - Geraldine Long
Chief Executive Officer - Barb van den Vlekkert