As kids head back to school for 2022, Multicap farewells 77 children across five locations who spent their school holidays having a blast as part of the Avegates School Holiday Program.
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Launched in late 2019, the program is designed for children with disability aged 5-17 and aims to be fun and engaging, while also supporting social interaction, communication, life and independence skills – recognising that each child is at different stages in their life.
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Avegates Programming Manager Claire Merifield-Whan said the program has been well received by parents requiring specialised care for their children over the school holiday.
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“The response from families has been amazing and each school holidays the number of children attending is growing,” Claire said.
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“It shows there is a need for a program like this that is fun, engaging and supports young people with disability and their families.”
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“Our greatest challenge for growth has been staffing, but we are now employing Teacher Aides from the special schools which has made the experience even more comfortable for the children who notice a familiar face amongst the carers.”
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Now in its third year, the program is constantly changing and evolving to improve the experience for children requiring high needs support.
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Kim, a parent of one of Avegates’ newest customers, said her daughter’s care was well managed and considered by the Avegates carers.
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“To provide context, Caitlin is 15 years old and has Prader-Willi Syndrome, a condition which requires special management of eating due to constant struggles of hunger,” Kim said.
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“Caitlin loves playing outside in the playground and the carers came up with ideas for eating that made it easy for Caitlin.
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“I’m thankful for their great care and the information sharing that really benefited my daughter. It gave me peace of mind and the ability to attend to daily living requirements knowing she was in good care. We’re already looking forward to attending the program during the next school holidays,” she said.
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Joshua’s Dad said the program is great for his entire family.
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“It’s comforting to know that when I pick Josh up at the end of the day, he is excited and has obviously had a fun day. The program is tailored to Joshua’s needs and has good variety of activities, so I know Joshua is well cared for while giving the rest of my family great respite.
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Last year, Multicap’s Avegates were grateful recipients of a Stronger Communities Program Grant last year which enabled a variety of equipment including balls, musical equipment and soft play equipment to be purchased.
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“The floor mats were a game changer for our wheelchair customers and they are happier when they have options to be comfortable when requiring time out of their chairs,” Claire said.
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The Avegates School Holiday Program was a finalist in the Outstanding Organisation in Disability Services category in the 2021 HESTA Excellence Awards.
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The program runs each school holidays operating out of schools in Caboolture, Geebung, Logan City, Kuraby and Toowoomba.
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You can read more about the program by clicking here.
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