Better Together

Types of Support offered by Better Together

· Community Information – Better Together provides two forms of Community Information. Firstly, the Network puts out a monthly Newsletter that provides members of the Network with information about the activities happening within the Caboolture Shire and how the Network is working within the community to increase participation of adults with a disability in these activities. Secondly the Network will be providing information sessions to groups, businesses and associations on how they can include more people with a disability in their activities.

· Community Mobilisation – One of the key aims of Better Together is to develop a network of committed members of our Caboolture community who share our vision and are interested in donating their time, energy and connections to ensuring inclusion for people with a disability. Better Together will provide skill development and support to these community members.

· Community Connecting– At any one time Better Together is able to support 20 adults with a disability achieve their goal of participating in the Caboolture Community. The Network will assist the individual to identify this goal, work with the community group, venue or event to welcome the individual, match formal or informal support arrangements to achieve this goal and monitor this arrangement.

· Volunteering and Employment – Many adults with a disability express a desire to contribute to our community through some form of paid or unpaid work. Better Together will seek out these opportunities and once again match supports to ensure that these arrangements are sustained. Better Together has a memorandum of Understanding with the Caboolture Community Cooperative. Through the COOP, individuals will have the opportunity to gain employment or establish business opportunities they may be interested in.

· Skill Development – Better Together can assist you to identify what skills you wish to develop and link you into community opportunities that will assist you to develop those skills. Community Connectors can assist you to achieve your goals by teaching you new skills, providing you with opportunities to practice new skills, and encouragement and motivation to maintain the new skill.

· Friendship Support – Better Together values the role of friendships in the lives of adults with a disability. When friendships develop, Better Together can assist you to organise activities to do together and help with transport arrangements.

When you join the Better Together you will automatically be added to the mailing list of the Newsletter. In each Newsletter their will be information about opportunities to meet up with other members of network for social gatherings. All members of the Network will be supported to attend any Network activities. As well the Newsletter will give you ideas and opportunities that you may like to follow up in your own time.

At any one time, the Network can assist 20 people to achieve a specific goal around community participation. These individuals will be provided with an Individual Support Agreement for a set time period, around their particular goal. This is an extremely flexible approach. This allows each person's Individual Support Agreement to look quite different from those of any other person. It is a very person-centred approach as opposed to a service-centred approach.

For example a support agreement for a person supported by Better Togethermay look like this:

· 2 hours of support each Tuesday evening to attend a pottery class

· 2 hours once a month to attend a Rotary Service Club Meeting

· 2 hours once a month to go dancing with a friend

Another example of a support plan may include:

· Assistance to become a volunteer at the Urban Country Music Festival

· 2 hours of support once a month to attend the volunteer training

· 4 hours of support on the night of the Festival