Better Together employee staff to be lifestyle coaches, not just support workers. Our Lifestyle Coaches work one on one with you to create and develop practical strategies to work towards the goals set out in your Individual Support Plan.
During the getting to know you stage of our service your lifestyle coach will ask questions along the way, learning about you and discovering the unique ways we can best assist you in achieving your goals, empowering you to make your own informed choices and decisions.
Better Together’s goal is to work towards creating your independence through developing your skills and creating valued roles and relationships in your local community, aiming towards leading those who are capable towards an independent life free of paid services.
Ways Better Together and Lifestyle coaching can give you a “Better Life”.
Community Information
Better Together provides different forms of Community Information. Firstly, Better Together puts out an occasional Newsletter that provides members and friends of Better Together with information about the networks and activities happening within the Caboolture Region and how Better Together is working within the community to increase participation and valued roles of people with a disability and/or mental health issues in these activities. People can also access information via our Better Together Facebook Page, make contact with the Better Together office over the phone or make an appointment to meet with a representative of Better Together. Better Together also keeps community information in the Better Together office and at Lagoon Creek Café and Function Room. Our knowledge of what is happening in the community, and our broad networks, can be of great value to the support planning process.
Secondly, Better Together will be providing information sessions to groups, businesses and associations on how they can include more people with a disability and/or mental health issue in their activities. Better Together also has a website, bettertogether.net.au, which provides information to businesses, government, clubs and venues on how to increase and maximise inclusiveness of all people.
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 giving their time, energy and connections to ensuring inclusion and valued roles and relationships for people with a disability. Better Together will provide skill development and support to these community members.
Community Connecting for Valued Roles and Relationships
Better Together is able to support people with a disability and/or mental health issue to achieve their goal of having meaningful valued roles and relationships within the social, civic and economic life of Caboolture Community. Better Together will assist the individual to identify their needs for and desired roles and relationships, work directly with the person within their community, match formal or informal supports to achieve goals and aspirations and monitor supports given.
Volunteering and Employment
Many people with a disability and/or mental health issue express a desire to contribute to our community through some form of paid or unpaid work. We know that meaningful employment is, for many people, essential for optimum well-being, self-esteem, confidence and a sense of belonging and inclusion. Employment not only allows an individual a chance to feel valued by making a contribution, it allows greater access to networks and relationships and in essence the potential for a more hopeful future. 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 Workers Cooperative. Through the CO-OP, individuals will have the opportunity to gain employment or establish business opportunities they may be interested in. Better Together is also highly active in working alongside the Caboolture Community Work Cooperative in operating the social enterprise – Lagoon Creek Cafe and Conference Room.
Skill Development
Better Together can assist individuals to identify what skills you wish to develop and link you into community opportunities that will assist you to develop those skills. Our staff 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 people with a disability and/or mental health issue. When friendships develop, Better Together can assist you to organise activities to do together and help plan arrangements for social outings and occasions.