Have you ever wondered what it takes to turn a spark of inspiration into a beacon of hope for others? Desley Delic and Megan Hancock sit at my warm table, sharing the heartfelt origin of Lightbulb Skills, a testament to their determination to help individuals with additional needs learn life and independence skills. Their stories, steeped in personal family experiences, will touch you as they discuss the transformation of challenges into opportunities for growth and social connection within their workshops.
As we gather around, you will feel the genuine passion Desley and Megan have for their transition from their careers in education and human resources into the empowering realm of Lightbulb Skills. Their anecdotes are rich with victories—imagine the pride in achieving independent living for the first time. This episode is not just about the skills; it's a celebration of each participant's personal triumph and the fulfilment that comes from witnessing such empowerment.
Links:
Lightbulb Skills
Book quote, Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett
Warm thanks to:
Sponsor: Females Over Forty-five Fitness in Victoria Park
Sound Engineering: Damon Sutton
Music: William A Spence
... and all our generous and inspiring guests around the warm table this season!
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My Warm Table, translated into Italian is Tavola Calda. These were the words my Papa used to describe a table of good friends, good food and good conversation. I always aim to create a tavola calda in my life and I hope this podcast encourages you to do so too!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
We don't pretend that we're therapists, so we're not
getting into the therapy space.
It's almost like runningalongside therapists.
We're people developers, andI'm a parent of a person in the
space and we're very pragmaticand we just tell you you know
the stuff that your mum wouldhave tried to teach you, and we
just hope that hearing it in adifferent voice amongst your
(00:25):
cohort, so that you're allasking questions together and
all very comfortable saying thewrong thing.
Very safe space, very safespace, and so that's where we
look for our lightbulb moment.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Thanks for joining me , sonia Nolan, around the warm
table, or the tavola calda as myItalian papa used to call, a
welcoming table of acceptance,positivity and curiosity.
Thank you to be sponsored byFemales Over 45 Fitness, with a
studio in Victoria Park and alsoonline all over Australia.
(01:08):
So now please take a seat andjoin us for Season 3 as we
explore Stories of Hope.
I have a wonderful story ofhope and inspiration to share
with you today.
Around the warm table.
Often I get friends telling meabout amazing and interesting
people they know who are doingfabulous things and who would be
(01:28):
great to have around the warmtable.
One name that came up a fewtimes was Desley Delick, a
fellow rowing mum from our son'sschool.
I didn't really know Desley,but our sons were rowing
together but not in the sameyear group.
But I'd heard nothing but goodthings about the Delics.
So I've had Desley on myever-increasing talent list for
(01:51):
an opportunity to chat, and thisseason, with the theme of hope,
I knew it was finally the righttime to reach out and I'm so
delighted that Desley said yesto come and join me.
But also an added bonus is thatshe's brought her business
partner, megan Hancock, with her, and I've got them both around
the warm table today At 6am.
(02:13):
Each day you'll find Desley andMegan walking their dogs at the
local park where they met.
It was during these walks thatthe two women realised they had
a lot more in common.
They both had family memberswho needed extra support and
they wanted to help them fulfiltheir full potential.
They knew that there must beother families in the same boat,
(02:33):
so together they decided to dosomething about it and started
their dream business.
Lightbulb Skills is the name ofthis dream business, and
together they turn a light onand teach important life and
independence skills for peoplewho need more support.
Usually they would be preparingfor a day of workshops and fun
(02:54):
to bring hope to families allover Perth, but today I'm so
excited to chat to them and findout more about light bulb
skills.
Welcome, desley and Megan.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
Thank you, sonia.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
I'd like you to take me back to the light bulb moment
and I'm going to just, you know, just use the pun completely
throughout this entire podcast.
It's there for a reason it'sthere for a reason exactly.
I want you to take me back tothat light bulb moment when you
two met and you realised thatyou could pull your superpowers
and experiences to createsomething to help other families
(03:27):
.
Tell me about that time andmoment.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
Well, megan and I were walking and Megan was
sharing a frustration yeah,frustration, that's right, we've
had her son was going todevelop more friendships and,
more importantly, sort of find apartner.
Develop more friendships and,more importantly, sort of find a
partner.
And I'm on the dating scene andI thought, well, I suggested we
(03:50):
could do some speed dating.
But Megan, being the voice ofreason, pointed out that it
isn't always easy to deal withthe fallout of energies and
emotions around when you aredoing speed dating, particularly
for people like, well, alldifferent types of people, for a
myriad of reasons.
So we decided that if we didsome actual workshops to help
(04:14):
each other or to help thesepeople, then there would be a
common interest and more likelyto generate some friendships.
Because I know you tell adifferent story.
That was my epiphany, that wasthe point that I remember.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you .
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Megan.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
I can see your thinking yeah, quite a bit.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Well, I guess because we had so many layered
conversations over the timebefore we got to.
Let's do this kind of thing, andso you know my experience of it
was more the concern aboutgetting my son to a point where
he's able to thrive on his ownoutside of the family home, so
(04:53):
more living independently.
And Desley said to me, well,what can't he do?
And I'm like, well, he can'teven make a meal for himself yet
.
And so we kind of went well, wecan help with that, you know.
And decided that we could runour cooking workshops.
It was running side by sidewith your dating experience.
We were talking a lot about thesocial isolation that people
(05:13):
like my son and some of his peeror cohort, I suppose or peers
experience, and so we oftentalked about the whole dating
thing.
Yeah, we did.
And so we often talked aboutthe whole dating thing.
Yeah, we did, and I was, and amstill, cautious about going
down dating, but we thought wecan do a lot in terms of helping
people develop socialconnections, and so, with our
(05:34):
workshops, one of the key thingsthat we try to achieve is to
always have that socialconnection within the workshop
and then try and even extend itoutside of the workshop and then
try and even extend it outsideof the workshop environment.
And so our social skillsprogram, or workshops that we
run, was actually our compromiseon the skill building and the
(05:55):
dating outcome.
And, you know, maybe notfocusing the compromise was not
focusing so much on the romanticentanglements or establishing
romantic relationships, but justdeveloping social relationships
, Friendships and buildingfriendships, yeah, so important.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
So I want to go back to all the workshops in a moment
, because that is, I guess,where Lightbulb Skills has
evolved to.
But just going back to your own, I guess your personal stories,
can you tell me a little bitabout?
You know the wonderful familymembers who've inspired this
dream business for you.
I think I should go first.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
I think you should too, and because again, it was
another really lovelysynchronicity that we found.
So I have a now 24-year-old sonwho has cerebral palsy and some
other associated intellectualdisability and things like that.
He's an extremely capableperson but he just takes a whole
(06:52):
lot longer to develop theskills that other people might
just have intuitively, or thattransferability of skills just
doesn't happen as easily for him.
And so Desley really understoodwhere I came from, because one
of her family she's grown upwith a family member who has
some similar and yet differentchallenges, because in our
(07:16):
cohort you can have the samediagnosis and still have quite
different challenges present inyour life through that.
So we just kept on going ohyeah, we kind of get that.
You know, it's sort of therewas that deep understanding.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Very much so yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
And, having grown up with it, you can also understand
the challenges that thefamilies face.
Yes, siblings and parents.
Yeah, that's it.
And how to support that personwithout prioritising everything
about them, them being thecentral part, because families
don't run that well when youhave just one person at the
focus of the family and everyoneelse has.
(07:51):
You know, everybody else hastheir needs that need to be
addressed as well.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
I also came from it from the point that Uncle Graham
is much older, obviously, thanMorrison, and so I'm now seeing
the repercussions of not beingtaught all of those things.
And as much as he does now liveindependently, he eats Lean
Cuisine for dinner every night,and I feel that there's some
(08:15):
real gaps in the market, orthere was, that would have
certainly helped him to be in aslightly different place to
where we are now.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
More choice.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
Yeah, healthier options, yeah, yeah, all those
things.
So I feel that it was a realempathy we had together for
going on the same journey invery different sort of ways.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
So where were you at then, I guess, as mums and you
know friends walking dogs in theparks, where were you at in
your own careers?
That actually was the catalystmoment for you guys to say do
you know what I'm going to stopwhat else I'm doing or start
something new?
What was happening in yourworld then, because you are a
(08:59):
registered teacher, is thatright, I am, that's right.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
I became a teacher in 2018.
I had an epiphany then as towhether or not I would renew my
lease for a jewellery store thatI had in Subiaco.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
You were selling diamonds.
I was selling diamonds whichwas very exciting, my other best
friend.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
Yeah, it was very exciting, and I had a career in
diamonds as such, among otherthings, and I did think do I
want to do this for the rest ofmy life?
And as fun as that was and asromantic as it was, I thought I
had more to give.
So I went back to uni andbecame a primary school teacher.
I thoroughly enjoyed doing that, but I also recognised that I
(09:41):
was able to develop a rapportquite quickly with people that
were struggling students thatwere struggling for a whole
myriad of reasons and so Ithought I can give more at this
stage of my life to more than 30people students every year.
And so I.
And then, when Megan and I werechatting, I liked the idea of
(10:02):
incorporating sort of my pastbusiness life.
I liked the idea ofincorporating sort of my past
business life into being able tohelp people, and certainly both
of us, because of the journeysthat we've been on, recognise
the real need for it.
And then you did some moreadult education.
I did.
Yeah, yeah, that's right.
So I did some further learningand we are continually growing.
Last weekend, Megan is anamazing partner.
(10:25):
We continually listen to ourclients and develop ourselves.
I went back and did some morescripted learning around
teaching adults and then Megan.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
So I had a career in human resources and I worked in
organisational change anddevelopment, so I've been for a
long time working on thedevelopment of other people.
It's where I find I get themost kind of pleasure.
I suppose I chose to leavethose roles in about 2018, I
(11:03):
think it was and I began to helpother people in the NDIS space
who needed to recruit their ownsupport workers, and so I would
work for the participantthemselves so self-managing or
plan-managed people and I wouldhelp them choose the people that
(11:23):
they wanted to work with, and Isuppose that gave me a really
nice introduction to what theneeds are of people in our space
who we now use a lot of thatinformation that I learned from
those people to inform the workthat we do, and so, yeah, that
was my kind of background, aswell as having had a son, or
(11:47):
have a son who is an NDISparticipant.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Ah, so there's so many different puzzle pieces
which are really coming togetherweren't they, yeah, which is
really serendipitous, yeah, butyeah, just so wonderful.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
But it is a really lovely collaboration of all of
the skills and life experiencesthat brought us here so both
professionally and personally.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
And the best things are, aren't they?
Speaker 1 (12:09):
Yeah, I think so.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
The best things are when it just sort of like the
describe it like thekaleidoscope you know, sort of
finally coming into focus withall the beautiful colours and
all the you know, finally makinga vision that is so clear and
you're ready for it.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
It's a beautiful analogy because I feel that
that's what our work is about,like it's.
My friends often comment on theridiculous amount of hours that
we work, but I don't even feellike I work at all.
It fills my cup.
It's so enjoyable working withso many beautiful people and
having a really supportivepartner in Megan.
We really bounce off of eachother and it yeah, it is.
(12:45):
It's fulfilling and that's whatI've.
That's how I want to sort ofsee out my career and give back
to the community?
Speaker 3 (12:51):
Yeah, absolutely, and make a real difference to
families, like the impact youmust have through Lightbulb
Skills is quite phenomenal.
Are you measuring your impact?
Speaker 1 (12:59):
Well, we get some really, really nice feedback.
I'm not going to lie.
Sometimes, like, one of us willget a text or an email from
somebody, we just like do ascreenshot and send it straight
to the other person.
It's like, oh my God, look whatthey said.
This is great, we're doing this.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
We are, we are really it's having an impact.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Yeah, what are you?
Speaker 3 (13:16):
hearing from family.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
Well, last week we got a photo one of our
participants who'd made friedrice for the first time,
independently, independentlythat's right yeah, at home We've
got another person who took anUber for the first time and we
went through, taught through thesteps and the importance of
(13:37):
safety, checking the vehicleyou're going into and all things
like that.
And now she independentlycatches Ubers by herself, which
has allowed for so much moreautonomy.
And how old are yourparticipants?
Who that one?
Uh, so she is 35.
Another lady, who's 26, hasmoved out of home, which is just
(13:58):
amazing.
She's done all of our coursesand now uses the skills that
she's developed with us, uh,puts them into play in a home.
She does have support workerscome into her home, but she has
actually moved out of home andthat was one of her goals.
So, really, really lovely, a19-year-old.
She had her first sleepoveraway from home, never done it
(14:20):
before, and was able to have herfirst night away from home.
Oh, there was our first blacktie event.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Oh yes, when we got nominated for the Disability
Support Award last year and alot of our participants had told
us that they missed out ongoing to their school balls, or
they just wanted to get dressedup and do something, go to a
really fancy place, so we got totake them to the Crown, into
the ballroom and had a reallybeautiful black tie event.
We hired the limo.
Speaker 4 (14:47):
So it was the first time for a lot of them in a
limousine as well.
They loved it, so that was afirst for all of us.
Yeah, it really was.
There's so many First weekendaway, remember, so she is 32,
never been away from home for aweekend, had done a sleepover,
but certainly not consecutivenights going to an unfamiliar
(15:08):
environment, and she was reallyhappy to do that.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Probably a first for us was we got our first employee
from one of our workshops.
Oh, so one of the people whocame along and then you saw
potential there Yep, he's areally fabulously capable
47-year-old man who enjoyed thecooking workshop, and as we got
to know him through the cookingworkshop, he sort of disclosed
(15:31):
to us that there was a lot ofelements in his life that he
wasn't happy with.
One of them, most especially,was not having regular work, and
so we thought we can fix that.
We call him the kitchen fairy.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
And when he does come to our workshops, we, as an
employee, we let all the otherparticipants know that we've got
a fairy in the kitchen and hehelps us.
I'm sure he likes to be calledthat, or he just flitters around
and does everything, gets stuffdone.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
That's fabulous so we also have had our firsts.
We've had a lot of firstexperiences with our
participants as well, so it'svery reciprocal in that way.
Speaker 4 (16:13):
We had our 50-year-old woman who was able
to take her family to mini golffor the very first time.
She'd never done an outing withher family and we took her to
Holy Molly so she got theopportunity to experience it and
then she was able to replicateit.
She had severe anxiety and orhas, and she was unfamiliar with
it.
Because of that, she was ableto share that with her family.
(16:35):
There's so many things.
It fills our cuff.
So, part of going to ourparticipating in our workshops,
you then get the opportunity toshowcase your skills at one of
at going what's it called?
Let's Get Away, let's Get Away.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
I can't even speak.
Oh yes, it's a weekend awaythat you have, isn't it?
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
So let's Get Away.
People get to showcase theirskills at let's Get Away by
doing that.
She got then exposed to a newrecipe which we made together,
and then she went home andreplicated that and proudly sent
us a photo.
How fabulous.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
But there was also, like last week, on the cooking
theme, there was the girl's mumwho sent you the photo.
It was her birthday and herdaughter, who'd come to one of
our workshops, had made her achocolate cake completely
independently and she wrote onthere.
I should find it off my phone.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
It was the best gift she's ever been given, so that's
nice.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
And then, not to mention, reuben with the fruit
salad.
So one of our gorgeous,gorgeous boys he's a more young
man who's come to a couple ofour workshops now.
His mum had taken a photo ofhim, a couple of photos of him
in the process of making hisfruit salad for the very first
time on his own, and that wasjust that.
One really brought tears toyour eyes, didn't it?
(17:54):
Yeah, it did.
He's got a lot of challenges infront of that he lives with, so
to see him do that and do itwith such pride, and shortly
after that his mum sent us amessage and honestly, we could
talk.
Speaker 4 (18:06):
There's so many of them, it really does fill our
cup.
But shortly after that, whenthe first round of let's Get
Social, our first workshopseries, concluded, she sent us a
photo of him sitting in frontof the computer, which is not
something he ordinarily does,and he was on the Lightbulb
Skills website wanting toregister for another program.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
See what comes up next.
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
That's wonderful, that's wonderful.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Oh, so much impact and so it's all life skills.
So I want to go back to thisbecause I do want to unpick all
of the workshops in a littleminute, because it's just so
exciting, what you're doing isso important.
But I just want to find alittle bit more history about
when did you start?
When did Lightbulb Skillsactually start as a business?
Speaker 4 (18:49):
Megan might know the date, but it's pretty much two
years ago.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
Our first workshop was April.
The first cooking workshop wasApril 2022.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
I must have heard of you immediately after that,
because you've probably been onmy list since not so long.
After that we did run a pilotwith some of Morrison's closer
friends after that, becauseyou've probably been on my list
since not so long after that.
Not so long after that, yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
We did run a pilot with some of Morrison's closer
friends in the October of 2021,and we did that to sort of have
a little trial about is what wethink we want to offer the right
thing for our participants, andso we got so much wonderful
feedback from those familiesfrom the participants, but also
(19:27):
from their parents and, I'm notgoing to lie, that's really the
most valuable feedback that wegot, because it really set us on
a clear path.
It's not just what I think orwhat I want for my son, but what
you know a broader audience areneeding, and then we've just
heard time and time again thatfeedback being reinforced.
(19:49):
So we both felt prettyconfident that we're on the
right track yeah.
And we started with the cookingworkshop and then we followed it
up with the, so the cookingworkshop's called In the Kitchen
.
Then we moved to the socialskills workshop, which is called
let's Get Social, and then wedeveloped our third workshop,
(20:11):
called Around the House, whichis all the titles speak for
themselves.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Yeah, that's right.
Parents love the Around theHouse, don't they?
Speaker 1 (20:19):
Cleaning, changing sheets.
The most common feedback we getabout Around the House is oh, I
should send my husband, or theygo.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
my neurotypical child could do really well with this.
It's like uh-huh, because whywould we expect anything else?
Well, that's right.
I think everything that youoffer, I think everybody could
come and learn something.
Yeah, yeah, wonderful.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Yeah.
And then to give people theopportunity of showcasing the
skills they've developed inthose three workshops we
designed.
Let's Get Away, which is ourgoing away.
So it's a little bit of respitebut a whole lot of showcasing
your talents.
And then we designed On theRoad, which is a new one that
(20:59):
Desley's really doing well at,so they can get their keys for
life if they want to.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
That's right, but they can learn how to be a good
passenger as well as a gooddriver and a good pedestrian.
Perfect, is that right?
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
So I went back and became a keys for life
instructor.
Oh, did you.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
Yeah, I did.
What haven't you done?
Speaker 4 (21:14):
Yeah, I know she's amazing right.
Our participants want what ourclients want, and they were
asking for that.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
And so I thought, well, we can do that.
Yeah, it's a real door.
So what we do is aboutdeveloping independence, and
that on the road, when so manyof our cohort would like to have
and are capable.
They go through a functionalcapacity assessment with their
OT and establish that they'recapable of becoming drivers.
It will take longer, butthey're capable.
And then they've got to go andsit their learner's permit,
(21:50):
which is sitting in front of acomputer with very tricky kind
of questions that you have tounderstand the question to be
able to demonstrate that youknow the answer.
Sometimes it's just an overloadfor people and they might not
get it their first or second orthird time.
By then.
You start to doubt.
Question yeah, your confidenceis knocked.
You question whether or notthis is actually something that
(22:12):
I should be doing, whereas goingthrough on the road with Desley
and doing the learning but alsothe interactive activities that
support that learning and thenbeing able to work out how to
read the questions and answerthem correctly, it just sets
people up for success and thenthey can see whether or not
they're going to be capabledrivers when they actually start
(22:33):
doing the lessons.
Yes, but the door opener is onthe road you can't.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
It's just so tricky for a lot of our cohort to get
there without that extra supportand I think that's something
that we can take for grantedpretty easily, that you know
there are so many steppingstones and when you can skip
past them pretty easily withoutthinking about them.
You don't necessarily break themdown to actually see what all
the steps are.
And that's what you ladies aremasters of, because you've
(23:02):
actually seen it and you withyour education background and
you with your wonderful peopleskills, Megan, to actually
identify, you know who's rightfor the program and also who the
right support people are.
Speaker 4 (23:13):
Yeah, you know you're breaking down those steps and
making them so achievable,Accessible, yeah, yeah yeah, and
that is why I think thateveryone continually comes back
all the time, because and we'venow started a lightbulb
community through chat groups Alot of these people were
socially isolated and nowthey're not.
(23:33):
They communicate so frequently.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Oh, they're less so, yeah, less so, it's obviously
yeah we're working on it aren'twe.
Speaker 4 (23:40):
Yeah, that's right.
Yeah, less so, and it's just away of communicating what are
you doing today?
And they've got friends An 18thbirthday last week.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
Yeah, that was another lovely highlight.
Speaker 4 (23:48):
Yeah, she invited so many of the lightbulb community
to her birthday and was able tocelebrate, whereas if she didn't
have all of those new friends,it might have been a smaller
gathering.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
Family and friends, rather than her own friends as
well.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
Yeah, oh, that's special, that's really special.
So, with your let's Get Social,I want to talk about the let's
Get Social and you've also got alet's Get Social Ladies for
over 30s, oh, yes.
Tell me about that.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
Well, I love that group, probably because I can
relate to them a bit more in myage, I don't know the Friday
night group is a lot of fun, butit's high energy what?
Speaker 3 (24:27):
other stuff do you do ?
What do you do for the let'sGet Social?
Speaker 4 (24:30):
So we start with some learning.
We start with actually theopportunity for everybody to
catch up.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
We recognise that they need 15 minutes to meet and
greet each other because weweren't able to Become familiar
again.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
Well, no more.
they're excited to see eachother and they want to Catch up
with what's been going on.
Yeah, exactly, have those realsocial interactions.
So all of the programs we do,we really reflect and then
refine and improve them so thatwe can change it, and so for
that reason we've paired it back.
We start 15 minutes earlierwith the anticipation of then
(25:05):
setting sitting up in aclassroom inverted commas,
environment to do some learning,and the learning is around how
to plan a social event, amongmany other things.
Often we reflect on sometopical situations that might
have happened during the week orsomething, and we all discuss
those.
So it's a learning opportunityfor everybody.
And then we've developed aprogram of how they, of how to,
(25:29):
yeah, the steps involved inorganising an event.
And then we go out and do somesocial activities and the bounce
is popular.
We hide a water slide, we gosomething that they really love,
and every week we include goingto a bar, getting a meal,
practicing ordering at a bar,ordering a meal sorry at a
(25:51):
restaurant and then going to abar and having a drink.
Social engagement inage-appropriate activities
Fantastic.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
So what are the ages that you actually?
Speaker 4 (26:04):
mainly the people that come to Lightbulb Skills
workshops.
Well, it's quite varied.
In let's Get Social, we've gota couple of 16-year-olds and
they obviously don't do the bathscenario they don't do the bath
.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
We'll be very clear on that, yeah that's right.
Speaker 4 (26:15):
But then it's sort of from 18 to about 35.
But with all of our othercooking workshops we've got sort
of typically school leavers andup to 65.
We've got a 65-year-old man andhe is loving it.
He wants to keep coming back.
We're in the process ofestablishing a let's Get Social
(26:35):
for Mature People, because hereally wants those social
interactions, like our youngercohort does, and it's not really
appropriate for him to come andjoin that group.
Yeah, so for more mature peoplethey are.
Yeah, but we have found thatthe more mature ladies want to
go out during the day, which iswhere Ladies let's Get Social
(26:57):
came about.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
Okay, so you were saying that's one of your
favourites.
Is that what you take?
To shopping Cuts of tea.
I mean, that's what.
I'd be wanting for let's GetSocial Ladies.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
We ask them to tell us what they'd like to do and
then we work with them to helpthem learn the skills that they
have to put it all together forthemselves.
So in the last, let's GetSocial Ladies.
We went to a pottery paintingopportunity.
We went to that communityweaving activity at the
(27:29):
Fremantle Arts Centre, and soyou all go and just do a little
bit of weaving yourselves, andthen we went and had lunch.
So the activities are very muchabout what the participants
want to do themselves, ratherthan us saying, oh, we're going
bowling today and we're allgoing to have fun.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
That's right, you're going to like this.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
And a lot of service providers in our space do do it
that way because obviously it'sa lot easier to manage
logistically and so forth.
But with that ladies group it'sa smaller group and we just
work the other way.
Customer tells us what theywant us to do and then we'll
work to help them develop theskills so that eventually they
can do it themselves or at leastbe a lot closer to doing it for
(28:10):
themselves and by being able tounderstand the steps they also
have then more ownership, sowhen their support worker is
involved the support worker isdoing what the participant is
directing rather than the otherway around, which so often
happens.
And I guess our ultimate goalwith all of our workshops is we
want to be building independenceso that people become less
(28:32):
reliant upon NDIS and moreindependent, less reliant upon
the help of support workers andfamily members, so then they
ultimately have more choice andcontrol over what they do and
how they do it and when they doit, just like we do.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
I love that.
It's so important.
And listening to your clientsyeah, listening to your clients
is just gold, because they knowwhat skills they need to learn.
Is it money skills?
Is it budgeting?
Is it planning?
Is it you know how to um, howto dress up to go out one
(29:08):
evening?
Yeah, whatever it is, they'reall so important and, like
you've said, so individual,aren't they?
Speaker 4 (29:14):
yeah, absolutely the very first, let's get social.
We went to, we went to dinnerand we didn't actually factor in
how long it takes for everybodyto order food, because they
weren't used to doing thatindependently and we were giving
them that autonomy to do that?
Speaker 1 (29:29):
Yeah, we just put menus in front of them.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
Yeah, exactly what would you like?
Speaker 3 (29:32):
And they're like hmm, well, sometimes it's hard to
even decode some of these menus,correct?
Speaker 1 (29:37):
What's aioli.
What's evo yeah.
Not to mention nowadays, we'vegot the QR codes on tables
everywhere so you've, got to beable to be technology savvy, to
be able to figure out the QRcoding and scrolling through the
menu.
Exactly, and where are thedrinks?
Speaker 3 (29:54):
Takes a lot of practice yeah.
Speaker 4 (29:55):
One of our support workers, who's been with us for
a while, said to me the otherday she goes look how good they
are at ordering.
Now, like everybody knows howto do it, and it's that practice
and belief that they can do it,and the explicit instruction
around this is what you do.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
That's the teacher in you, just coming out.
You said explicit instruction.
Just love the layers.
We do lots of explicitinstruction.
Speaker 4 (30:19):
But that's what it is .
They need that explicitinstruction, little bits of step
by step.
This is how you do it, this ishow you break it down.
They're very capable oflearning and, but you've got to
have the patience and um to doit slowly, and lots of practice.
They get there and know how toteach it.
Speaker 3 (30:37):
Thank you, I think that's so important, desley.
I mean, people can be mastersof a craft, but if they don't
know how to then impart thatknowledge, you know, that's
where things break down.
So often so having your skillsin this is really, you know, so
important, so important.
Yes, it is Well done, Desley.
I really enjoy it.
Speaker 4 (30:53):
It comes naturally to me.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
I can see, I can see the enthusiasm and excitement in
this, which is just wonderful.
Speaker 4 (30:59):
I'd like to share a story with you Please to share a
story with you that I receiveda random phone call one day from
one of our participants who wasdoing Ladies, let's Get Social,
and she called to let me knowthat, despite her daughter being
in second year law at uni andthree of her children still at
high school, she made the firstphone call she'd ever made to
(31:22):
her school after following theprogram that we had taught her.
So the steps to make a phonecall so planning an event, as we
would call it also involvesbooking a restaurant or making a
phone call, and she would getanxiety around doing that.
So we came up with a formula ofdocumenting it and we make it
quite simple Pre-planning thephone call.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
Yeah, that's right.
What information you need tohave?
Speaker 4 (31:46):
So she said.
But she called me and said Ijust want you to know I've made
my very first phone call to mychild's school and I did what
you taught me to do and I wasable to do it.
How amazing.
We love what we do.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
I can tell, and it's so important.
What you're doing is soimportant and, like I said,
bringing hope to so many peopleand families so that they know
that they can do the next step.
They're empowered.
Speaker 1 (32:13):
And it's all about working to what your capacity is
.
So obviously we have peoplewith very varied levels of
capacity, and that's okay,because if everybody's just
taking small steps and hopefullyoften or many times.
Then everybody's justdeveloping and it doesn't matter
(32:35):
you know what that end gamelooks like, because everyone's
going to have a difference there.
Speaker 4 (32:41):
But yeah, just chipping away all the time a
little bit by a little bit, andsometimes I say to people you've
shown up, showing up is enough.
Like you're here, you actuallymade it Because they do have
anxiety and it is reallydifficult.
And one of our participants forlet's Get Social is not
comfortable to leave the houseat all and I've said to him you
(33:04):
don't need to contribute to thegroup conversations, you don't
need to send out group textmessages, but I ask that you
show up.
And that, for him, is his goal.
And the first round of let'sGet Social when he came, he was
permitted to not attend on twooccasions.
That was a deal he had with hismum.
He could select two eveningsthat he didn't need to come, and
then the last few workshopseries.
(33:26):
He has come to all of them andthat is.
He shows up.
So that is so.
Everyone's goal is quitedifferent and it's what they
making them grow?
Speaker 3 (33:39):
Yeah, very much so.
And look, showing up is alwaysthe first step in everything I
say that when I go to the gym.
Well, at least I show up firststep in everything.
Speaker 4 (33:45):
I say that when I go to the gym.
Well, at least I show up.
Yeah, exactly, I'm here.
Correct, I'm here.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
It's the first start for anything and it's empowering
people that what they're doingis enough.
Speaker 4 (33:53):
It's like that was tough at some time it was yeah,
and you've achieved it.
Well done you, and sets them upfor success that night, as
opposed to feeling, oh, I'm lateor whatever it may be, you're
here.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
Yeah, yeah, no, that's wonderful.
So how does the program evolve?
Is it through listening to yourclients and actually making
sure that you're tailoring whatthey want?
Is that the evolution oflightbulb skills?
Speaker 1 (34:16):
Yeah, that's 100% where we start, but then we
always put an overlay in ontothat of what skills are we
actually developing here?
Because there is a lot ofservice providers in our space
that don't necessarily developskills.
And so, as a parent of an NDISparticipant, that concerns me
(34:39):
that people are eithermaintaining or further
entrenching a level ofdependence, and we're all about
building independence, and sowe've had a level of dependence
and we're all about buildingindependence, and so we've had a
number of ideas thrown at usfrom participants about things
that we could do and we could,but if it's not building
(35:00):
independence, then we choose notto.
We leave that to some otherpeople in our space that do a
really good job of that andwe'll just stay in our lane.
That do a really good job ofthat and will just stay in our
lane and do a really good job ofbuilding skills.
Speaker 3 (35:11):
So that's your unique point of difference, if you
like, is that you're buildingthese skills?
Speaker 1 (35:16):
It is, but the thing that I quickly want to add is
that we don't pretend that we'retherapists.
Yes, that's important.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
So we're not getting into the therapy space.
Speaker 1 (35:25):
It's almost like running alongside therapists.
So we have a lot of peopleparticipants who will come and
tell us what is happening intheir therapy, or some of the
parents, or even some therapistswill come and meet with us and
say this is what we're doingwith this participant, can you
work alongside that?
This is how it would, and we'reabsolutely anything that's
going to work for thatparticipant to build those
(35:47):
skills.
We'll incorporate, no worriesat all.
But we're not therapists, no,we're people developers.
Yeah, and you know, I'm aparent of a person in the space.
So, yeah, I think that's areally important distinction.
We're very pragmatic, yeah, andwe just tell you you know the
stuff that your mum would havetried to teach you, and we just
hope that hearing it in adifferent voice amongst your
(36:10):
cohort, so that you're allasking questions together and
all very comfortable saying thewrong thing.
Very safe space, very safespace, and so that's where we
look for our lightbulb moment.
Yeah, I love it.
Speaker 3 (36:21):
So how did you come up with the business name?
Who came up with lightbulbmoments?
Whose lightbulb was that?
Speaker 1 (36:25):
Whose lightbulb was it?
Speaker 4 (36:32):
I bulb moments.
Whose light bulb was that?
Whose light bulb was it?
I don't actually know.
We workshopped I think it's forthose conversations walking at
the park.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
We workshopped a number of ideas and then it just
resonated with us and it reallywas all about that.
Not being therapists, we'rejust people, developers.
We're going to teach you stuffthat your mum has tried to teach
you and hope that this time itjust clicks.
Yeah, and I think clicks wasanother name that we tossed
around for a while.
We did, you know, just waitingfor that information to click.
Speaker 4 (36:52):
To click.
Also, we wanted a name thateveryone could relate to,
particularly our clients, andthat it was something, a word
that they were familiar with.
And it's pretty obvious.
You turn on a light bulb, thelight comes on you know, like
that's what we're doing.
Exactly, and that is, we arereally mindful of everything we
do to make sure that we do makeit appropriate, whether it be
(37:15):
the level of language, the waywe write things, the way we
present things.
We are really, we monitor ouraudience and how they can
perceive it and I think yeah,and I think that light bulb is
one of those things.
Speaker 3 (37:29):
Yeah, I love that.
I love that and I just want toshare with you.
As I was inviting you to come,desley and Megan, I was reading
a book.
I was reading this book calledthe Diary of a CEO, by Stephen
Bartlett, and this paragraphjumped out at me as I was
reading it because I wasthinking, you know, I'm going to
invite Desley.
(37:49):
And then this is what theparagraph said.
The book reads we talk aboutlight bulb moments, the moment
when we see the light and changehappens.
In fact, change is a gradualprocess, small steps that lead
to something bigger, a bit likethe invention of the light bulb
itself.
The light bulb was not inventedin a moment of inspiration.
Thomas Edison worked in amoment of inspiration.
Thomas Edison worked with ateam of 30 assistants and fellow
(38:12):
scientists through a slow webof experiments.
There were moments of triumphand of failure.
Each time something was learnt.
The learning was incorporatedinto the process which
eventually led to success.
Oh my gosh, I think we mightneed to quote that, exactly,
exactly what you just said nowwas exactly that, that there is
this lightbulb moment where the light goes
(38:33):
on but, what goes on in thebackground To make that happen.
It's so significant and we'realways reflective.
Speaker 4 (38:41):
I say to we speak to the parents, we ask the
participants, we ask our supportworkers what can we do better?
How can we do it better?
Because we really prideourselves on reflecting.
But I feel we are reallyoutcome focused in that we want
the best for our participants tobe able to achieve, to be able
(39:02):
to grow.
Speaker 1 (39:02):
And we're still learning.
Speaker 4 (39:03):
Very much.
Speaker 3 (39:04):
so yeah, we're only two years young.
Yeah, we are, we've done somuch in that time.
Yeah, so what's the future looklike for Lightbulb Skills?
What are you hoping to continuedeveloping Good?
Speaker 1 (39:16):
question yeah, really good question, because we
really love what we do and thattemptation to go Global.
Yeah, well, more expanding theworkshops that we offer.
But right now, our next sort ofiteration, the challenge that
we've got.
Well, one of the good thingsthat, well, I think it's a good
(39:36):
thing that we do is we like tomove to different community
areas so that the participantsthat join those workshops are
working within their owncommunity and therefore they've
got another opportunity toconnect and build a network
within their own community.
And therefore, they've gotanother opportunity to connect
and build a network within theircommunity and also like you
know, I might run into you atColes while we're doing our
grocery shop and have a littlechitter chat in aisle three.
(39:57):
Yes, that's what we want forour participants as well, so
just increasing their visibilityin that community space.
So the challenge that we've got, though, is, for some of our
programs, like let's Get Social,we run out of Mount Hawthorne.
Well, we've got people as faras Baldivis, kelmscott, coming
to Mount Hawthorne every Fridaynight, which is not great.
So now we need to divide andconquer, and we'll have a north
(40:21):
and a south, and so that way,hopefully because it's an awful
waste of your NDIS budget tospend in transport costs getting
from Baldivis to MountHawthorne- Makes sense.
yes, so we're now in the processof finding another venue where
we can run the same program.
So, to answer your question,it's all about running more
(40:44):
programs in more areas so thatwe can broaden our audience.
Speaker 4 (40:49):
The opportunity for people to participate in our
program.
But, also make it even moremeaningful for them, like you
said so they're connecting intheir own community, so learning
those skills where they'll beable to practice them every day.
Speaker 1 (41:01):
Yeah, and make more social connections while you're
doing that.
Speaker 4 (41:06):
It's been a common question to me why haven't we
grown quicker?
Why aren't we doing it here?
Why aren't we doing that?
And Megan and I are reallyconscious of staying in our lane
but also refining it, and wedon't want to replicate
ourselves without having aprogram that we're confident
achieves the outcomes that wewant to achieve.
So it has been a really busy,reflective couple of years, but
(41:31):
it's also been reallyenlightening and we've learnt so
much because we've grown somuch by listening and I feel
that we are now refining ourprograms to be able to replicate
them and then we're able tohelp more people in their
communities.
Speaker 3 (41:46):
Do you do anything in the regions?
Speaker 4 (41:48):
Oh, yes, we love to do that.
We have.
We've been down to Esperanceand so we ran some programs down
there, which was lots of funand really rewarding.
We've got a number ofconversations happening at the
moment for other regionalenvironments, and that is
something that we are definitelyworking towards.
We also recognise that we'retwo people that are really busy.
Speaker 3 (42:09):
I know, I know, as I asked that question, I thought I
just don't know how you woulddo that.
But, actually, let's think ofthe regions, yeah but we do.
Speaker 4 (42:16):
There is so much opportunity because there is
limited services there.
Yeah, that's right, and so wewould really like to continue to
develop in those environmentsand we're very open to that and
I do feel that is somewhere.
Like I said, we do have anumber of feelers out at the
moment about getting a program.
(42:36):
That's great for them and forus.
Speaker 3 (42:41):
I notice you also do an In the Kitchen with the
Thermomix.
Speaker 4 (42:44):
We do.
Yeah, that's right.
A Thermomix has always been apassion of mine.
I still use my Thermomix everyday, even though I've had it for
22 years.
Well, you were an early adapter.
I was, I was the 72nd person inWA to get the Thermomix.
Speaker 3 (42:58):
Oh my gosh, you know that Only you were not my lover.
Speaker 4 (43:01):
I remember my consultant telling me and I was
like oh wow.
And I was like oh wow, and Ireally do love the Thermomix,
but I really love how it hasdeveloped.
And so the Thermomix haschanged quite significantly and
the opportunities that itprovides for people to become
more independent in the kitchenis amazing, and so we do run
(43:22):
programs for that.
I also run programs where of anevening where we cook I do, you
do, I do, you do and peoplecook dinner for their family at
home and they love it.
And we do that through FaceTime, yeah, through FaceTime.
So, yeah, that is really funand the families love it because
they're cooking dinner and theparticipants do too.
(43:43):
So it's great Sense ofachievement, accomplishment.
Speaker 3 (43:46):
So once you maybe have graduated through the
current light bulb skillsofferings, you might be able to
find your way around a kitchenand cook a meal for your family.
You would be able to make yourbed and maybe even change your
sheets.
Definitely change your sheets,definitely change your sheets
and know how to clean up.
Put the washing machine on.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
Hang your clothes out properly.
Use the vacuum cleaner.
Speaker 3 (44:12):
Yeah, so that's the around the house one.
Yeah, excellent.
And then you'd be able topotentially get your driver's
licence, or at least the keys tolife, and know how to be a good
pedestrian passenger.
Lots of road safety, lots ofroad safety.
And you'd also know some moresocial skills knowing how to
connect with people, buildfriendships, go out and order a
(44:33):
meal at a restaurant and tocommunicate how to meet your
friends, because we had one ofour participants was telling us.
Speaker 4 (44:42):
one of our participants was telling us that
he really doesn't like it thathe organises a coffee and the
person doesn't turn up.
Oh yes, and he said how do we?
Do that.
Yeah, and that's actually howlet's Get Social originated, how
the idea sort of sparked,because we thought, well, you
need explicit instruction tomake sure that they know the
date and the time and the venueand how that all sort of plays
(45:04):
out and the RSVP, like checkingone last time.
Yeah, that's right, that allsort of plays out and the RSVP
like checking one last time.
Speaker 3 (45:08):
Yeah, that's right, Even texting in the morning.
Speaker 4 (45:09):
Yeah that's right.
Checking is still on today.
Speaker 3 (45:11):
I've just done that this morning.
You still on for one o'clockcoffee.
Speaker 4 (45:14):
That's right.
Well, we do, and we do that.
That's part of our program.
So people know they need torespond and the to be in there
yeah, so with our let's getsocial, each week we run three
or four programs throughdifferent activities and we
coach the participants, or aparticipant each week, to send
(45:39):
out the message on a group chatthrough a formula that has all
of the information.
So, like you said, when theygraduate then they've got.
They then can transfer thoseskills and to organize some
social gatherings themselves.
Speaker 3 (45:50):
Do you have a graduation?
Speaker 1 (45:53):
It's again a really good question.
We do and we don't.
One of the reasons why we don'tis because we have a really
high retention rate.
So people finish the workshopand then they want to register
for the next one.
So I guess that sort of takesthe graduation part out of it.
But what we do do with everyworkshop that is completed, we
(46:14):
go through a list with theparticipant one-on-one, and it's
kind of reflective learning.
We've got our I can statementswhich go through every single
skill that has been introducedthroughout the workshop series
and the participant gets to ratethemselves as either working
toward or having achieved thatparticular skill, and so that is
(46:38):
kind of the graduation, if youlike.
So they've got something wherethey can say I've invested this
much time in developing theseskills.
This is what I now can do.
This is where I need morefunding to support me being able
to develop the skills to beable to achieve those things.
Speaker 3 (46:55):
Right, and so people can use their NDIS funding to
come to your workshops.
Is that correct?
Speaker 1 (47:01):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (47:02):
Yes, that's definitely part of it.
And what sort of limitations dopeople have that they come to
these classes?
Speaker 1 (47:09):
And again it's a really good question, because
that's another area where we'rea little bit different.
You would have heard of theAutism Association, down
Syndrome, wa, all of that.
We don't sort of specialise inone diagnosis, we're open to
everybody, and so the peoplethat come to us have got all
sorts of different needs.
(47:31):
They yeah, they could havedifferent sort of levels of
anxiety disorders, or they couldhave chromosomal syndromes, or
they could have autism, or theycould have intellectual
disability, down syndrome, likewe have got people from every
different sort of space, so NDIS, participants of any kind Of
any kind?
Speaker 4 (47:51):
Yeah, yeah, they can.
However we do.
Typically, they have a goal ofbecoming more independent, so we
know that they're capable ofgrowing and that is what we make
sure that they do have thatcapacity to grow.
And how do you assess that?
Desley, megan, this is Megan'sstrength.
Speaker 3 (48:09):
How do?
Speaker 4 (48:10):
you assess that, Megan?
Speaker 1 (48:11):
Well, it's a lot of self-selection.
Speaker 4 (48:15):
I think, really.
Speaker 1 (48:17):
So we describe when somebody contacts us to say they
would like to register.
We have a conversation aboutwhat their goals are and how it
all fits into their plan, and wetalk about what their support
requirements are, and then wehave a frank conversation about
whether or not we think thatthey will be able to develop the
skills within our framework,because sometimes people still
(48:40):
might be in a therapy framework,you know, not ready to work
outside of therapy.
Yet we also use a one to fourusually, sometimes a one to
three support ratio, and so thatdefines very quickly for you if
you're not capable within a oneto three or one to four support
ratio, then your needs areprobably more significant than
(49:02):
what we can offer in ourworkshops.
Speaker 3 (49:04):
So what that means, just for people who may not be
familiar with it, it's you'vegot one support worker for three
clients or four participants.
That's correct, whereas I guesswith people who've got um more,
um more needs, they might havea one-on-one, a one-to-one,
that's right so you're workingwith a one-to-three or
one-to-four that's right so theyneed to be somewhat independent
and capable.
(49:25):
I see what you're saying, yeah.
Speaker 1 (49:27):
However, some of those people that can work in a
one to three or a one to fourratio successfully, they still
may choose to bring theirsupport worker with them,
because sometimes they'll have alevel of anxiety that would
otherwise preclude them fromparticipating, and so when they
bring their own support workerthey just have a higher level of
(49:47):
comfort, I suppose, and weoften find that people will
bring that support worker andthen the support worker will
just gradually drop off, whichis terrific, as the person sort
of feels more comfortable andestablishes themselves in the
group environment and so forth.
So we work pretty flexibly.
Speaker 4 (50:04):
It's all about, again , what the participant needs to
best access what we have tooffer, and we'll work with them,
however that best works andwhen they present in the
workshop, I see them as a personand we deal with what is in
front of us and they're verycapable.
It's quite incredible how wewent away one time and one of
(50:26):
our participants stood in frontof the bin and said, can you
open that for me?
And I was like you can openthat?
She's like oh, and she's justused to getting everything done
for her.
I was like sure, and now sheknows, and we teach them to make
, we'll make sure that they maketheir beds, whether they've
been to around the house or not.
When they come away we mighthelp them make their bed, but
they're practising those skills.
(50:47):
That it's part of life and weexpect them to be able to grow
and to do things and to want tolearn and that sort of thing.
So it's, in a way, it's notmilitary camp.
Speaker 2 (51:00):
No, it's really not.
Speaker 4 (51:02):
It's lots of fun absolutely.
Speaker 3 (51:04):
You don't measure the seam or anything.
Speaker 1 (51:07):
No, definitely not.
A nurse's corner is not justthe corners not required.
Speaker 4 (51:10):
Definitely not required.
Speaker 3 (51:11):
Good to know.
I've just had a friend whoseson has just gone to the Defence
Force Academy and he's got the30 centimetre rule and the
corners and everything and it'sjust like so.
It's not like that.
Speaker 1 (51:23):
No, it's not like that.
Speaker 4 (51:24):
Absolutely not like that.
Speaker 1 (51:29):
But the one thing I'd add to that, though, is people
come to that let's get awayknowing that that's the
expectation.
They actually really enjoydoing it.
Not once have we had somebodysay oh, I'm not going to make my
bed, no, they see each otherdoing it.
It's an activity we all.
Just first thing we do is getthere and sort out where we're
going to sleep and who's gotwhat bed, and let's put the
sheets on, and they actuallyenjoy it.
They enjoy that sense ofmastery.
Speaker 4 (51:51):
Yeah, and being more independent.
Yeah, with our let's Get Away,we start with they design the
menu for the weekend.
So we go to have a picnic andwhilst we're doing that, we chat
about what food we're going toeat and cook together on the
weekend.
And then we go and do theshopping together, yeah, and
then we go away and then we talkabout some how we're going to
(52:15):
live all together and how it'sgoing to work and what's house
rules.
Speaker 3 (52:18):
Yeah, how many do you normally take away with?
Speaker 4 (52:21):
you eight.
Yeah, like knock and wait issomething we've had to teach
people, because they say I'veknocked on the door and they
walk in.
Okay, you've got to knock andwait.
You know they're just what timeyou wake up in the morning.
Speaker 1 (52:34):
Yeah, is very important what time you can
actually start activities in themorning.
We had one gorgeous participantwho was right into her yoga and
she wanted to do 6.30 yogaevery morning and we're like, oh
, that's fine, but you can'twake up everybody else.
So we sort of talked around itand set the you know and we
(52:55):
don't, you know, sort of bereally bossy and say you can't
do that.
We explain why it's.
You know, you've got to thinkabout the other people in the
house and how can we actuallyachieve what you want but also
not interfere with what otherpeople's?
Speaker 2 (53:07):
needs are.
Speaker 1 (53:10):
Negotiate you want, but also not interfere with what
other people's needs are.
Negotiate that little thinganyway, of course.
First morning everybody in thehouse is awake at 6 30, except
for that girl, and she's stillin her room sound asleep.
Speaker 2 (53:19):
We're trying to wake her up.
Speaker 1 (53:20):
So we have little.
You know things not work out,yeah, but again it's all great
learning, yeah, and everybodywas a little dark on her for a
short time.
She learnt.
You know people are not happywhen you wake them up at 6.30 in
the morning, yeah, and that'swhen you're living with other
people.
Speaker 3 (53:35):
You've got to be respectful, you do, and it's
about I call it the rhythm of ahouse you know, rhythm of the
home because you know, and onhow old they are or what their
needs are at the time.
And I know we're in a differentrhythm now, where my son will
come home at 10 o'clock from thegym and he'll have a shower
(53:55):
with the music on and it's justlike, well, that's actually not
the rhythm of this house.
We're in bed, yeah, we don'tneed the music on.
So yeah, it is.
It's all the house rules.
All the house rules.
Speaker 1 (54:08):
You're always negotiating, yeah, and with the
way the NDIS looks like it'sheading, you know that sort of
shared services model isprobably going to become more
and more important.
So we recognise we need toupskill our people to be able to
live, you know, cohesively withother or happily with other,
harmoniously with other people,success with other or happily
with other, harmoniously withother people.
Speaker 4 (54:29):
Yeah, successfully is the word.
Living successfully with othersis our catch cry for Around the
House.
Speaker 1 (54:37):
Whether that's in the family home or outside of it
yeah, Because we do haveparticipants who come to Around
the House who actually, you know, don't have any intention of
leaving home in the next sort offive years, or if ever you know
don't have any intention ofleaving home in the next sort of
five years, or if ever you know, but they still, you know, can
do well to take moreindependence within the family
home.
Speaker 3 (54:57):
So our theme is hope around the warm table this
season and you definitely are astory of hope and I've loved
hearing about all the impactthat you've made and the changes
you've helped families you knowsort of experience in a really
positive way.
But Desley and Megan, what doeshope mean for each of you?
Desley, maybe you can go first.
Speaker 4 (55:18):
I think that hope is about looking forward, being
positive, and I feel that withLightbulb, we instill hope in
people, in that they have gotthe capacity to grow, and so
what we're doing is giving hopeto not only the participant, but
also to their families, thatthey can become more independent
, and that it's empowering themto become better.
Speaker 3 (55:45):
Fantastic.
What about you, megan?
Speaker 1 (55:47):
Oh, that one's hard to beat.
I'm sort of on your page that'svery normal yeah, um, I.
I think for me, hope is um, also, yeah, like quite aspirational,
and I feel that our cohort aretaught not to aspire.
(56:09):
It's okay to just be where youare.
You just are you, and we'll doeverything around you.
So for me, the hope and theaspiration, I suppose, is I hope
for participants and I wantthem to hope for themselves that
they can take more ownershipover their life and have more
(56:29):
independence and more choices,and I think it's a totally
reasonable expectation.
So I feel like it's a hope thatthey can deliver upon, and if
we can inspire a little bit ofthat hope in them, I feel like
we've done a really good job andif we can help them get there
even better.
Speaker 3 (56:48):
Oh, you, ladies, are hope in action.
That's wonderful.
Whatever you're doing, it's sosuccessful, and I'm just
delighted to have had you bothhere around the warm table.
So thank you so much forjoining me this morning and and
just keep those light bulbsturning on in all of those
beautiful minds that you'reworking with.
It's just truly a story of hope.
So thank you for coming aroundthe warm table with me, thank
(57:11):
you.
Speaker 1 (57:11):
Sonia, thank you, it's been lovely.
Thank you for the opportunity.
Speaker 5 (57:19):
Hi, I'm Kelly Riley, creator and head coach of
Females Over 45 Fitness, or FOFas we are fondly called.
Our studio is located inVictoria Park and we are also
online all across Australia.
At FOF, our members range inage from 45 through to 84 years
of age at the moment.
They're amazing examples ofhope.
(57:40):
Let's meet one of our membersnow and be inspired by her story
.
Speaker 2 (57:46):
Hi, my name is Heather and I'm in my 50s and in
menopause I joined Females Over45 Fitness to increase my
strength and fitness and with mychildren, now young adults, I
finally had time to prioritisemy health.
It's been great to besurrounded by other women at the
same stage of their lives.
I know that my health is apriority, especially because I
have epilepsy.
I was diagnosed as a child andhave learned to manage my
(58:08):
epilepsy so that I've beenblessed with three children, a
job as a nurse and have a great,supportive husband who I've
travelled the world with.
I haven't let epilepsy slow medown too much and I try to share
my story of hope and epilepsyto teach others about the
condition.
I had the pleasure of joiningSonia around the warm table and
sharing my story and first aidtips for epilepsy in season one,
(58:30):
so feel free to check out theback catalogue of my Warm Table
episodes and find out more.
Speaker 3 (58:38):
Thanks for joining us around the warm table.
My Warm Table is produced,hosted and edited by me, sonia
Nolan.
It's my way of amplifyingpositivity and curiosity in our
community.
I invite you to share thisconversation with family and
friends and follow my Warm Tablepodcast on Facebook, instagram
and LinkedIn.
Also, you can subscribe andfollow my Warm Table on Spotify
(59:02):
or Apple Podcasts, and maybeeven leave a review, because it
helps others to find us moreeasily.
We don't pretend that we're therapists, so we're not
getting into the therapy space.
It's almost like runningalongside therapists.
We're people developers, andI'm a parent of a person in the
space and we're very pragmaticand we just tell you you know
the stuff that your mum wouldhave tried to teach you, and we
just hope that hearing it in adifferent voice amongst your
(00:25):
cohort, so that you're allasking questions together and
all very comfortable saying thewrong thing.
Very safe space, very safespace, and so that's where we
look for our lightbulb moment.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Thanks for joining me , sonia Nolan, around the warm
table, or the tavola calda as myItalian papa used to call, a
welcoming table of acceptance,positivity and curiosity.
Thank you to be sponsored byFemales Over 45 Fitness, with a
studio in Victoria Park and alsoonline all over Australia.
(01:08):
So now please take a seat andjoin us for Season 3 as we
explore Stories of Hope.
I have a wonderful story ofhope and inspiration to share
with you today.
Around the warm table.
Often I get friends telling meabout amazing and interesting
people they know who are doingfabulous things and who would be
(01:28):
great to have around the warmtable.
One name that came up a fewtimes was Desley Delick, a
fellow rowing mum from our son'sschool.
I didn't really know Desley,but our sons were rowing
together but not in the sameyear group.
But I'd heard nothing but goodthings about the Delics.
So I've had Desley on myever-increasing talent list for
(01:51):
an opportunity to chat, and thisseason, with the theme of hope,
I knew it was finally the righttime to reach out and I'm so
delighted that Desley said yesto come and join me.
But also an added bonus is thatshe's brought her business
partner, megan Hancock, with her, and I've got them both around
the warm table today At 6am.
(02:13):
Each day you'll find Desley andMegan walking their dogs at the
local park where they met.
It was during these walks thatthe two women realised they had
a lot more in common.
They both had family memberswho needed extra support and
they wanted to help them fulfiltheir full potential.
They knew that there must beother families in the same boat,
(02:33):
so together they decided to dosomething about it and started
their dream business.
Lightbulb Skills is the name ofthis dream business, and
together they turn a light onand teach important life and
independence skills for peoplewho need more support.
Usually they would be preparingfor a day of workshops and fun
(02:54):
to bring hope to families allover Perth, but today I'm so
excited to chat to them and findout more about light bulb
skills.
Welcome, desley and Megan.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
Thank you, sonia.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
I'd like you to take me back to the light bulb moment
and I'm going to just, you know, just use the pun completely
throughout this entire podcast.
It's there for a reason it'sthere for a reason exactly.
I want you to take me back tothat light bulb moment when you
two met and you realised thatyou could pull your superpowers
and experiences to createsomething to help other families
(03:27):
.
Tell me about that time andmoment.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
Well, megan and I were walking and Megan was
sharing a frustration yeah,frustration, that's right, we've
had her son was going todevelop more friendships and,
more importantly, sort of find apartner.
Develop more friendships and,more importantly, sort of find a
partner.
And I'm on the dating scene andI thought, well, I suggested we
(03:50):
could do some speed dating.
But Megan, being the voice ofreason, pointed out that it
isn't always easy to deal withthe fallout of energies and
emotions around when you aredoing speed dating, particularly
for people like, well, alldifferent types of people, for a
myriad of reasons.
So we decided that if we didsome actual workshops to help
(04:14):
each other or to help thesepeople, then there would be a
common interest and more likelyto generate some friendships.
Because I know you tell adifferent story.
That was my epiphany, that wasthe point that I remember.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you .
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Megan.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
I can see your thinking yeah, quite a bit.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Well, I guess because we had so many layered
conversations over the timebefore we got to.
Let's do this kind of thing, andso you know my experience of it
was more the concern aboutgetting my son to a point where
he's able to thrive on his ownoutside of the family home, so
(04:53):
more living independently.
And Desley said to me, well,what can't he do?
And I'm like, well, he can'teven make a meal for himself yet
.
And so we kind of went well, wecan help with that, you know.
And decided that we could runour cooking workshops.
It was running side by sidewith your dating experience.
We were talking a lot about thesocial isolation that people
(05:13):
like my son and some of his peeror cohort, I suppose or peers
experience, and so we oftentalked about the whole dating
thing.
Yeah, we did.
And so we often talked aboutthe whole dating thing.
Yeah, we did, and I was, and amstill, cautious about going
down dating, but we thought wecan do a lot in terms of helping
people develop socialconnections, and so, with our
(05:34):
workshops, one of the key thingsthat we try to achieve is to
always have that socialconnection within the workshop
and then try and even extend itoutside of the workshop and then
try and even extend it outsideof the workshop environment.
And so our social skillsprogram, or workshops that we
run, was actually our compromiseon the skill building and the
(05:55):
dating outcome.
And, you know, maybe notfocusing the compromise was not
focusing so much on the romanticentanglements or establishing
romantic relationships, but justdeveloping social relationships
, Friendships and buildingfriendships, yeah, so important.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
So I want to go back to all the workshops in a moment
, because that is, I guess,where Lightbulb Skills has
evolved to.
But just going back to your own, I guess your personal stories,
can you tell me a little bitabout?
You know the wonderful familymembers who've inspired this
dream business for you.
I think I should go first.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
I think you should too, and because again, it was
another really lovelysynchronicity that we found.
So I have a now 24-year-old sonwho has cerebral palsy and some
other associated intellectualdisability and things like that.
He's an extremely capableperson but he just takes a whole
(06:52):
lot longer to develop theskills that other people might
just have intuitively, or thattransferability of skills just
doesn't happen as easily for him.
And so Desley really understoodwhere I came from, because one
of her family she's grown upwith a family member who has
some similar and yet differentchallenges, because in our
(07:16):
cohort you can have the samediagnosis and still have quite
different challenges present inyour life through that.
So we just kept on going ohyeah, we kind of get that.
You know, it's sort of therewas that deep understanding.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Very much so yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
And, having grown up with it, you can also understand
the challenges that thefamilies face.
Yes, siblings and parents.
Yeah, that's it.
And how to support that personwithout prioritising everything
about them, them being thecentral part, because families
don't run that well when youhave just one person at the
focus of the family and everyoneelse has.
(07:51):
You know, everybody else hastheir needs that need to be
addressed as well.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
I also came from it from the point that Uncle Graham
is much older, obviously, thanMorrison, and so I'm now seeing
the repercussions of not beingtaught all of those things.
And as much as he does now liveindependently, he eats Lean
Cuisine for dinner every night,and I feel that there's some
(08:15):
real gaps in the market, orthere was, that would have
certainly helped him to be in aslightly different place to
where we are now.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
More choice.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
Yeah, healthier options, yeah, yeah, all those
things.
So I feel that it was a realempathy we had together for
going on the same journey invery different sort of ways.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
So where were you at then, I guess, as mums and you
know friends walking dogs in theparks, where were you at in
your own careers?
That actually was the catalystmoment for you guys to say do
you know what I'm going to stopwhat else I'm doing or start
something new?
What was happening in yourworld then, because you are a
(08:59):
registered teacher, is thatright, I am, that's right.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
I became a teacher in 2018.
I had an epiphany then as towhether or not I would renew my
lease for a jewellery store thatI had in Subiaco.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
You were selling diamonds.
I was selling diamonds whichwas very exciting, my other best
friend.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
Yeah, it was very exciting, and I had a career in
diamonds as such, among otherthings, and I did think do I
want to do this for the rest ofmy life?
And as fun as that was and asromantic as it was, I thought I
had more to give.
So I went back to uni andbecame a primary school teacher.
I thoroughly enjoyed doing that, but I also recognised that I
(09:41):
was able to develop a rapportquite quickly with people that
were struggling students thatwere struggling for a whole
myriad of reasons and so Ithought I can give more at this
stage of my life to more than 30people students every year.
And so I.
And then, when Megan and I werechatting, I liked the idea of
(10:02):
incorporating sort of my pastbusiness life.
I liked the idea ofincorporating sort of my past
business life into being able tohelp people, and certainly both
of us, because of the journeysthat we've been on, recognise
the real need for it.
And then you did some moreadult education.
I did.
Yeah, yeah, that's right.
So I did some further learningand we are continually growing.
Last weekend, Megan is anamazing partner.
(10:25):
We continually listen to ourclients and develop ourselves.
I went back and did some morescripted learning around
teaching adults and then Megan.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
So I had a career in human resources and I worked in
organisational change anddevelopment, so I've been for a
long time working on thedevelopment of other people.
It's where I find I get themost kind of pleasure.
I suppose I chose to leavethose roles in about 2018, I
(11:03):
think it was and I began to helpother people in the NDIS space
who needed to recruit their ownsupport workers, and so I would
work for the participantthemselves so self-managing or
plan-managed people and I wouldhelp them choose the people that
(11:23):
they wanted to work with, and Isuppose that gave me a really
nice introduction to what theneeds are of people in our space
who we now use a lot of thatinformation that I learned from
those people to inform the workthat we do, and so, yeah, that
was my kind of background, aswell as having had a son, or
(11:47):
have a son who is an NDISparticipant.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Ah, so there's so many different puzzle pieces
which are really coming togetherweren't they, yeah, which is
really serendipitous, yeah, butyeah, just so wonderful.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
But it is a really lovely collaboration of all of
the skills and life experiencesthat brought us here so both
professionally and personally.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
And the best things are, aren't they?
Speaker 1 (12:09):
Yeah, I think so.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
The best things are when it just sort of like the
describe it like thekaleidoscope you know, sort of
finally coming into focus withall the beautiful colours and
all the you know, finally makinga vision that is so clear and
you're ready for it.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
It's a beautiful analogy because I feel that
that's what our work is about,like it's.
My friends often comment on theridiculous amount of hours that
we work, but I don't even feellike I work at all.
It fills my cup.
It's so enjoyable working withso many beautiful people and
having a really supportivepartner in Megan.
We really bounce off of eachother and it yeah, it is.
(12:45):
It's fulfilling and that's whatI've.
That's how I want to sort ofsee out my career and give back
to the community?
Speaker 3 (12:51):
Yeah, absolutely, and make a real difference to
families, like the impact youmust have through Lightbulb
Skills is quite phenomenal.
Are you measuring your impact?
Speaker 1 (12:59):
Well, we get some really, really nice feedback.
I'm not going to lie.
Sometimes, like, one of us willget a text or an email from
somebody, we just like do ascreenshot and send it straight
to the other person.
It's like, oh my God, look whatthey said.
This is great, we're doing this.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
We are, we are really it's having an impact.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Yeah, what are you?
Speaker 3 (13:16):
hearing from family.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
Well, last week we got a photo one of our
participants who'd made friedrice for the first time,
independently, independentlythat's right yeah, at home We've
got another person who took anUber for the first time and we
went through, taught through thesteps and the importance of
(13:37):
safety, checking the vehicleyou're going into and all things
like that.
And now she independentlycatches Ubers by herself, which
has allowed for so much moreautonomy.
And how old are yourparticipants?
Who that one?
Uh, so she is 35.
Another lady, who's 26, hasmoved out of home, which is just
(13:58):
amazing.
She's done all of our coursesand now uses the skills that
she's developed with us, uh,puts them into play in a home.
She does have support workerscome into her home, but she has
actually moved out of home andthat was one of her goals.
So, really, really lovely, a19-year-old.
She had her first sleepoveraway from home, never done it
(14:20):
before, and was able to have herfirst night away from home.
Oh, there was our first blacktie event.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Oh yes, when we got nominated for the Disability
Support Award last year and alot of our participants had told
us that they missed out ongoing to their school balls, or
they just wanted to get dressedup and do something, go to a
really fancy place, so we got totake them to the Crown, into
the ballroom and had a reallybeautiful black tie event.
We hired the limo.
Speaker 4 (14:47):
So it was the first time for a lot of them in a
limousine as well.
They loved it, so that was afirst for all of us.
Yeah, it really was.
There's so many First weekendaway, remember, so she is 32,
never been away from home for aweekend, had done a sleepover,
but certainly not consecutivenights going to an unfamiliar
(15:08):
environment, and she was reallyhappy to do that.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Probably a first for us was we got our first employee
from one of our workshops.
Oh, so one of the people whocame along and then you saw
potential there Yep, he's areally fabulously capable
47-year-old man who enjoyed thecooking workshop, and as we got
to know him through the cookingworkshop, he sort of disclosed
(15:31):
to us that there was a lot ofelements in his life that he
wasn't happy with.
One of them, most especially,was not having regular work, and
so we thought we can fix that.
We call him the kitchen fairy.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
And when he does come to our workshops, we, as an
employee, we let all the otherparticipants know that we've got
a fairy in the kitchen and hehelps us.
I'm sure he likes to be calledthat, or he just flitters around
and does everything, gets stuffdone.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
That's fabulous so we also have had our firsts.
We've had a lot of firstexperiences with our
participants as well, so it'svery reciprocal in that way.
Speaker 4 (16:13):
We had our 50-year-old woman who was able
to take her family to mini golffor the very first time.
She'd never done an outing withher family and we took her to
Holy Molly so she got theopportunity to experience it and
then she was able to replicateit.
She had severe anxiety and orhas, and she was unfamiliar with
it.
Because of that, she was ableto share that with her family.
(16:35):
There's so many things.
It fills our cuff.
So, part of going to ourparticipating in our workshops,
you then get the opportunity toshowcase your skills at one of
at going what's it called?
Let's Get Away, let's Get Away.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
I can't even speak.
Oh yes, it's a weekend awaythat you have, isn't it?
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
So let's Get Away.
People get to showcase theirskills at let's Get Away by
doing that.
She got then exposed to a newrecipe which we made together,
and then she went home andreplicated that and proudly sent
us a photo.
How fabulous.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
But there was also, like last week, on the cooking
theme, there was the girl's mumwho sent you the photo.
It was her birthday and herdaughter, who'd come to one of
our workshops, had made her achocolate cake completely
independently and she wrote onthere.
I should find it off my phone.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
It was the best gift she's ever been given, so that's
nice.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
And then, not to mention, reuben with the fruit
salad.
So one of our gorgeous,gorgeous boys he's a more young
man who's come to a couple ofour workshops now.
His mum had taken a photo ofhim, a couple of photos of him
in the process of making hisfruit salad for the very first
time on his own, and that wasjust that.
One really brought tears toyour eyes, didn't it?
(17:54):
Yeah, it did.
He's got a lot of challenges infront of that he lives with, so
to see him do that and do itwith such pride, and shortly
after that his mum sent us amessage and honestly, we could
talk.
Speaker 4 (18:06):
There's so many of them, it really does fill our
cup.
But shortly after that, whenthe first round of let's Get
Social, our first workshopseries, concluded, she sent us a
photo of him sitting in frontof the computer, which is not
something he ordinarily does,and he was on the Lightbulb
Skills website wanting toregister for another program.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
See what comes up next.
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
That's wonderful, that's wonderful.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Oh, so much impact and so it's all life skills.
So I want to go back to thisbecause I do want to unpick all
of the workshops in a littleminute, because it's just so
exciting, what you're doing isso important.
But I just want to find alittle bit more history about
when did you start?
When did Lightbulb Skillsactually start as a business?
Speaker 4 (18:49):
Megan might know the date, but it's pretty much two
years ago.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
Our first workshop was April.
The first cooking workshop wasApril 2022.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
I must have heard of you immediately after that,
because you've probably been onmy list since not so long.
After that we did run a pilotwith some of Morrison's closer
friends after that, becauseyou've probably been on my list
since not so long after that.
Not so long after that, yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
We did run a pilot with some of Morrison's closer
friends in the October of 2021,and we did that to sort of have
a little trial about is what wethink we want to offer the right
thing for our participants, andso we got so much wonderful
feedback from those familiesfrom the participants, but also
(19:27):
from their parents and, I'm notgoing to lie, that's really the
most valuable feedback that wegot, because it really set us on
a clear path.
It's not just what I think orwhat I want for my son, but what
you know a broader audience areneeding, and then we've just
heard time and time again thatfeedback being reinforced.
(19:49):
So we both felt prettyconfident that we're on the
right track yeah.
And we started with the cookingworkshop and then we followed it
up with the, so the cookingworkshop's called In the Kitchen
.
Then we moved to the socialskills workshop, which is called
let's Get Social, and then wedeveloped our third workshop,
(20:11):
called Around the House, whichis all the titles speak for
themselves.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Yeah, that's right.
Parents love the Around theHouse, don't they?
Speaker 1 (20:19):
Cleaning, changing sheets.
The most common feedback we getabout Around the House is oh, I
should send my husband, or theygo.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
my neurotypical child could do really well with this.
It's like uh-huh, because whywould we expect anything else?
Well, that's right.
I think everything that youoffer, I think everybody could
come and learn something.
Yeah, yeah, wonderful.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Yeah.
And then to give people theopportunity of showcasing the
skills they've developed inthose three workshops we
designed.
Let's Get Away, which is ourgoing away.
So it's a little bit of respitebut a whole lot of showcasing
your talents.
And then we designed On theRoad, which is a new one that
(20:59):
Desley's really doing well at,so they can get their keys for
life if they want to.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
That's right, but they can learn how to be a good
passenger as well as a gooddriver and a good pedestrian.
Perfect, is that right?
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
So I went back and became a keys for life
instructor.
Oh, did you.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
Yeah, I did.
What haven't you done?
Speaker 4 (21:14):
Yeah, I know she's amazing right.
Our participants want what ourclients want, and they were
asking for that.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
And so I thought, well, we can do that.
Yeah, it's a real door.
So what we do is aboutdeveloping independence, and
that on the road, when so manyof our cohort would like to have
and are capable.
They go through a functionalcapacity assessment with their
OT and establish that they'recapable of becoming drivers.
It will take longer, butthey're capable.
And then they've got to go andsit their learner's permit,
(21:50):
which is sitting in front of acomputer with very tricky kind
of questions that you have tounderstand the question to be
able to demonstrate that youknow the answer.
Sometimes it's just an overloadfor people and they might not
get it their first or second orthird time.
By then.
You start to doubt.
Question yeah, your confidenceis knocked.
You question whether or notthis is actually something that
(22:12):
I should be doing, whereas goingthrough on the road with Desley
and doing the learning but alsothe interactive activities that
support that learning and thenbeing able to work out how to
read the questions and answerthem correctly, it just sets
people up for success and thenthey can see whether or not
they're going to be capabledrivers when they actually start
(22:33):
doing the lessons.
Yes, but the door opener is onthe road you can't.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
It's just so tricky for a lot of our cohort to get
there without that extra supportand I think that's something
that we can take for grantedpretty easily, that you know
there are so many steppingstones and when you can skip
past them pretty easily withoutthinking about them.
You don't necessarily break themdown to actually see what all
the steps are.
And that's what you ladies aremasters of, because you've
(23:02):
actually seen it and you withyour education background and
you with your wonderful peopleskills, Megan, to actually
identify, you know who's rightfor the program and also who the
right support people are.
Speaker 4 (23:13):
Yeah, you know you're breaking down those steps and
making them so achievable,Accessible, yeah, yeah yeah, and
that is why I think thateveryone continually comes back
all the time, because and we'venow started a lightbulb
community through chat groups Alot of these people were
socially isolated and nowthey're not.
(23:33):
They communicate so frequently.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Oh, they're less so, yeah, less so, it's obviously
yeah we're working on it aren'twe.
Speaker 4 (23:40):
Yeah, that's right.
Yeah, less so, and it's just away of communicating what are
you doing today?
And they've got friends An 18thbirthday last week.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
Yeah, that was another lovely highlight.
Speaker 4 (23:48):
Yeah, she invited so many of the lightbulb community
to her birthday and was able tocelebrate, whereas if she didn't
have all of those new friends,it might have been a smaller
gathering.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
Family and friends, rather than her own friends as
well.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
Yeah, oh, that's special, that's really special.
So, with your let's Get Social,I want to talk about the let's
Get Social and you've also got alet's Get Social Ladies for
over 30s, oh, yes.
Tell me about that.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
Well, I love that group, probably because I can
relate to them a bit more in myage, I don't know the Friday
night group is a lot of fun, butit's high energy what?
Speaker 3 (24:27):
other stuff do you do ?
What do you do for the let'sGet Social?
Speaker 4 (24:30):
So we start with some learning.
We start with actually theopportunity for everybody to
catch up.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
We recognise that they need 15 minutes to meet and
greet each other because weweren't able to Become familiar
again.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
Well, no more.
they're excited to see eachother and they want to Catch up
with what's been going on.
Yeah, exactly, have those realsocial interactions.
So all of the programs we do,we really reflect and then
refine and improve them so thatwe can change it, and so for
that reason we've paired it back.
We start 15 minutes earlierwith the anticipation of then
(25:05):
setting sitting up in aclassroom inverted commas,
environment to do some learning,and the learning is around how
to plan a social event, amongmany other things.
Often we reflect on sometopical situations that might
have happened during the week orsomething, and we all discuss
those.
So it's a learning opportunityfor everybody.
And then we've developed aprogram of how they, of how to,
(25:29):
yeah, the steps involved inorganising an event.
And then we go out and do somesocial activities and the bounce
is popular.
We hide a water slide, we gosomething that they really love,
and every week we include goingto a bar, getting a meal,
practicing ordering at a bar,ordering a meal sorry at a
(25:51):
restaurant and then going to abar and having a drink.
Social engagement inage-appropriate activities
Fantastic.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
So what are the ages that you actually?
Speaker 4 (26:04):
mainly the people that come to Lightbulb Skills
workshops.
Well, it's quite varied.
In let's Get Social, we've gota couple of 16-year-olds and
they obviously don't do the bathscenario they don't do the bath
.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
We'll be very clear on that, yeah that's right.
Speaker 4 (26:15):
But then it's sort of from 18 to about 35.
But with all of our othercooking workshops we've got sort
of typically school leavers andup to 65.
We've got a 65-year-old man andhe is loving it.
He wants to keep coming back.
We're in the process ofestablishing a let's Get Social
(26:35):
for Mature People, because hereally wants those social
interactions, like our youngercohort does, and it's not really
appropriate for him to come andjoin that group.
Yeah, so for more mature peoplethey are.
Yeah, but we have found thatthe more mature ladies want to
go out during the day, which iswhere Ladies let's Get Social
(26:57):
came about.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
Okay, so you were saying that's one of your
favourites.
Is that what you take?
To shopping Cuts of tea.
I mean, that's what.
I'd be wanting for let's GetSocial Ladies.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
We ask them to tell us what they'd like to do and
then we work with them to helpthem learn the skills that they
have to put it all together forthemselves.
So in the last, let's GetSocial Ladies.
We went to a pottery paintingopportunity.
We went to that communityweaving activity at the
(27:29):
Fremantle Arts Centre, and soyou all go and just do a little
bit of weaving yourselves, andthen we went and had lunch.
So the activities are very muchabout what the participants
want to do themselves, ratherthan us saying, oh, we're going
bowling today and we're allgoing to have fun.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
That's right, you're going to like this.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
And a lot of service providers in our space do do it
that way because obviously it'sa lot easier to manage
logistically and so forth.
But with that ladies group it'sa smaller group and we just
work the other way.
Customer tells us what theywant us to do and then we'll
work to help them develop theskills so that eventually they
can do it themselves or at leastbe a lot closer to doing it for
(28:10):
themselves and by being able tounderstand the steps they also
have then more ownership, sowhen their support worker is
involved the support worker isdoing what the participant is
directing rather than the otherway around, which so often
happens.
And I guess our ultimate goalwith all of our workshops is we
want to be building independenceso that people become less
(28:32):
reliant upon NDIS and moreindependent, less reliant upon
the help of support workers andfamily members, so then they
ultimately have more choice andcontrol over what they do and
how they do it and when they doit, just like we do.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
I love that.
It's so important.
And listening to your clientsyeah, listening to your clients
is just gold, because they knowwhat skills they need to learn.
Is it money skills?
Is it budgeting?
Is it planning?
Is it you know how to um, howto dress up to go out one
(29:08):
evening?
Yeah, whatever it is, they'reall so important and, like
you've said, so individual,aren't they?
Speaker 4 (29:14):
yeah, absolutely the very first, let's get social.
We went to, we went to dinnerand we didn't actually factor in
how long it takes for everybodyto order food, because they
weren't used to doing thatindependently and we were giving
them that autonomy to do that?
Speaker 1 (29:29):
Yeah, we just put menus in front of them.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
Yeah, exactly what would you like?
Speaker 3 (29:32):
And they're like hmm, well, sometimes it's hard to
even decode some of these menus,correct?
Speaker 1 (29:37):
What's aioli.
What's evo yeah.
Not to mention nowadays, we'vegot the QR codes on tables
everywhere so you've, got to beable to be technology savvy, to
be able to figure out the QRcoding and scrolling through the
menu.
Exactly, and where are thedrinks?
Speaker 3 (29:54):
Takes a lot of practice yeah.
Speaker 4 (29:55):
One of our support workers, who's been with us for
a while, said to me the otherday she goes look how good they
are at ordering.
Now, like everybody knows howto do it, and it's that practice
and belief that they can do it,and the explicit instruction
around this is what you do.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
That's the teacher in you, just coming out.
You said explicit instruction.
Just love the layers.
We do lots of explicitinstruction.
Speaker 4 (30:19):
But that's what it is .
They need that explicitinstruction, little bits of step
by step.
This is how you do it, this ishow you break it down.
They're very capable oflearning and, but you've got to
have the patience and um to doit slowly, and lots of practice.
They get there and know how toteach it.
Speaker 3 (30:37):
Thank you, I think that's so important, desley.
I mean, people can be mastersof a craft, but if they don't
know how to then impart thatknowledge, you know, that's
where things break down.
So often so having your skillsin this is really, you know, so
important, so important.
Yes, it is Well done, Desley.
I really enjoy it.
Speaker 4 (30:53):
It comes naturally to me.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
I can see, I can see the enthusiasm and excitement in
this, which is just wonderful.
Speaker 4 (30:59):
I'd like to share a story with you Please to share a
story with you that I receiveda random phone call one day from
one of our participants who wasdoing Ladies, let's Get Social,
and she called to let me knowthat, despite her daughter being
in second year law at uni andthree of her children still at
high school, she made the firstphone call she'd ever made to
(31:22):
her school after following theprogram that we had taught her.
So the steps to make a phonecall so planning an event, as we
would call it also involvesbooking a restaurant or making a
phone call, and she would getanxiety around doing that.
So we came up with a formula ofdocumenting it and we make it
quite simple Pre-planning thephone call.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
Yeah, that's right.
What information you need tohave?
Speaker 4 (31:46):
So she said.
But she called me and said Ijust want you to know I've made
my very first phone call to mychild's school and I did what
you taught me to do and I wasable to do it.
How amazing.
We love what we do.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
I can tell, and it's so important.
What you're doing is soimportant and, like I said,
bringing hope to so many peopleand families so that they know
that they can do the next step.
They're empowered.
Speaker 1 (32:13):
And it's all about working to what your capacity is
.
So obviously we have peoplewith very varied levels of
capacity, and that's okay,because if everybody's just
taking small steps and hopefullyoften or many times.
Then everybody's justdeveloping and it doesn't matter
(32:35):
you know what that end gamelooks like, because everyone's
going to have a difference there.
Speaker 4 (32:41):
But yeah, just chipping away all the time a
little bit by a little bit, andsometimes I say to people you've
shown up, showing up is enough.
Like you're here, you actuallymade it Because they do have
anxiety and it is reallydifficult.
And one of our participants forlet's Get Social is not
comfortable to leave the houseat all and I've said to him you
(33:04):
don't need to contribute to thegroup conversations, you don't
need to send out group textmessages, but I ask that you
show up.
And that, for him, is his goal.
And the first round of let'sGet Social when he came, he was
permitted to not attend on twooccasions.
That was a deal he had with hismum.
He could select two eveningsthat he didn't need to come, and
then the last few workshopseries.
(33:26):
He has come to all of them andthat is.
He shows up.
So that is so.
Everyone's goal is quitedifferent and it's what they
making them grow?
Speaker 3 (33:39):
Yeah, very much so.
And look, showing up is alwaysthe first step in everything I
say that when I go to the gym.
Well, at least I show up firststep in everything.
Speaker 4 (33:45):
I say that when I go to the gym.
Well, at least I show up.
Yeah, exactly, I'm here.
Correct, I'm here.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
It's the first start for anything and it's empowering
people that what they're doingis enough.
Speaker 4 (33:53):
It's like that was tough at some time it was yeah,
and you've achieved it.
Well done you, and sets them upfor success that night, as
opposed to feeling, oh, I'm lateor whatever it may be, you're
here.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
Yeah, yeah, no, that's wonderful.
So how does the program evolve?
Is it through listening to yourclients and actually making
sure that you're tailoring whatthey want?
Is that the evolution oflightbulb skills?
Speaker 1 (34:16):
Yeah, that's 100% where we start, but then we
always put an overlay in ontothat of what skills are we
actually developing here?
Because there is a lot ofservice providers in our space
that don't necessarily developskills.
And so, as a parent of an NDISparticipant, that concerns me
(34:39):
that people are eithermaintaining or further
entrenching a level ofdependence, and we're all about
building independence, and sowe've had a level of dependence
and we're all about buildingindependence, and so we've had a
number of ideas thrown at usfrom participants about things
that we could do and we could,but if it's not building
(35:00):
independence, then we choose notto.
We leave that to some otherpeople in our space that do a
really good job of that andwe'll just stay in our lane.
That do a really good job ofthat and will just stay in our
lane and do a really good job ofbuilding skills.
Speaker 3 (35:11):
So that's your unique point of difference, if you
like, is that you're buildingthese skills?
Speaker 1 (35:16):
It is, but the thing that I quickly want to add is
that we don't pretend that we'retherapists.
Yes, that's important.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
So we're not getting into the therapy space.
Speaker 1 (35:25):
It's almost like running alongside therapists.
So we have a lot of peopleparticipants who will come and
tell us what is happening intheir therapy, or some of the
parents, or even some therapistswill come and meet with us and
say this is what we're doingwith this participant, can you
work alongside that?
This is how it would, and we'reabsolutely anything that's
going to work for thatparticipant to build those
(35:47):
skills.
We'll incorporate, no worriesat all.
But we're not therapists, no,we're people developers.
Yeah, and you know, I'm aparent of a person in the space.
So, yeah, I think that's areally important distinction.
We're very pragmatic, yeah, andwe just tell you you know the
stuff that your mum would havetried to teach you, and we just
hope that hearing it in adifferent voice amongst your
(36:10):
cohort, so that you're allasking questions together and
all very comfortable saying thewrong thing.
Very safe space, very safespace, and so that's where we
look for our lightbulb moment.
Yeah, I love it.
Speaker 3 (36:21):
So how did you come up with the business name?
Who came up with lightbulbmoments?
Whose lightbulb was that?
Speaker 1 (36:25):
Whose lightbulb was it?
Speaker 4 (36:32):
I bulb moments.
Whose light bulb was that?
Whose light bulb was it?
I don't actually know.
We workshopped I think it's forthose conversations walking at
the park.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
We workshopped a number of ideas and then it just
resonated with us and it reallywas all about that.
Not being therapists, we'rejust people, developers.
We're going to teach you stuffthat your mum has tried to teach
you and hope that this time itjust clicks.
Yeah, and I think clicks wasanother name that we tossed
around for a while.
We did, you know, just waitingfor that information to click.
Speaker 4 (36:52):
To click.
Also, we wanted a name thateveryone could relate to,
particularly our clients, andthat it was something, a word
that they were familiar with.
And it's pretty obvious.
You turn on a light bulb, thelight comes on you know, like
that's what we're doing.
Exactly, and that is, we arereally mindful of everything we
do to make sure that we do makeit appropriate, whether it be
(37:15):
the level of language, the waywe write things, the way we
present things.
We are really, we monitor ouraudience and how they can
perceive it and I think yeah,and I think that light bulb is
one of those things.
Speaker 3 (37:29):
Yeah, I love that.
I love that and I just want toshare with you.
As I was inviting you to come,desley and Megan, I was reading
a book.
I was reading this book calledthe Diary of a CEO, by Stephen
Bartlett, and this paragraphjumped out at me as I was
reading it because I wasthinking, you know, I'm going to
invite Desley.
(37:49):
And then this is what theparagraph said.
The book reads we talk aboutlight bulb moments, the moment
when we see the light and changehappens.
In fact, change is a gradualprocess, small steps that lead
to something bigger, a bit likethe invention of the light bulb
itself.
The light bulb was not inventedin a moment of inspiration.
Thomas Edison worked in amoment of inspiration.
Thomas Edison worked with ateam of 30 assistants and fellow
(38:12):
scientists through a slow webof experiments.
There were moments of triumphand of failure.
Each time something was learnt.
The learning was incorporatedinto the process which
eventually led to success.
Oh my gosh, I think we mightneed to quote that, exactly,
exactly what you just said nowwas exactly that, that there is
this lightbulb moment where the light goes
(38:33):
on but, what goes on in thebackground To make that happen.
It's so significant and we'realways reflective.
Speaker 4 (38:41):
I say to we speak to the parents, we ask the
participants, we ask our supportworkers what can we do better?
How can we do it better?
Because we really prideourselves on reflecting.
But I feel we are reallyoutcome focused in that we want
the best for our participants tobe able to achieve, to be able
(39:02):
to grow.
Speaker 1 (39:02):
And we're still learning.
Speaker 4 (39:03):
Very much.
Speaker 3 (39:04):
so yeah, we're only two years young.
Yeah, we are, we've done somuch in that time.
Yeah, so what's the future looklike for Lightbulb Skills?
What are you hoping to continuedeveloping Good?
Speaker 1 (39:16):
question yeah, really good question, because we
really love what we do and thattemptation to go Global.
Yeah, well, more expanding theworkshops that we offer.
But right now, our next sort ofiteration, the challenge that
we've got.
Well, one of the good thingsthat, well, I think it's a good
(39:36):
thing that we do is we like tomove to different community
areas so that the participantsthat join those workshops are
working within their owncommunity and therefore they've
got another opportunity toconnect and build a network
within their own community.
And therefore, they've gotanother opportunity to connect
and build a network within theircommunity and also like you
know, I might run into you atColes while we're doing our
grocery shop and have a littlechitter chat in aisle three.
(39:57):
Yes, that's what we want forour participants as well, so
just increasing their visibilityin that community space.
So the challenge that we've got, though, is, for some of our
programs, like let's Get Social,we run out of Mount Hawthorne.
Well, we've got people as faras Baldivis, kelmscott, coming
to Mount Hawthorne every Fridaynight, which is not great.
So now we need to divide andconquer, and we'll have a north
(40:21):
and a south, and so that way,hopefully because it's an awful
waste of your NDIS budget tospend in transport costs getting
from Baldivis to MountHawthorne- Makes sense.
yes, so we're now in the processof finding another venue where
we can run the same program.
So, to answer your question,it's all about running more
(40:44):
programs in more areas so thatwe can broaden our audience.
Speaker 4 (40:49):
The opportunity for people to participate in our
program.
But, also make it even moremeaningful for them, like you
said so they're connecting intheir own community, so learning
those skills where they'll beable to practice them every day.
Speaker 1 (41:01):
Yeah, and make more social connections while you're
doing that.
Speaker 4 (41:06):
It's been a common question to me why haven't we
grown quicker?
Why aren't we doing it here?
Why aren't we doing that?
And Megan and I are reallyconscious of staying in our lane
but also refining it, and wedon't want to replicate
ourselves without having aprogram that we're confident
achieves the outcomes that wewant to achieve.
So it has been a really busy,reflective couple of years, but
(41:31):
it's also been reallyenlightening and we've learnt so
much because we've grown somuch by listening and I feel
that we are now refining ourprograms to be able to replicate
them and then we're able tohelp more people in their
communities.
Speaker 3 (41:46):
Do you do anything in the regions?
Speaker 4 (41:48):
Oh, yes, we love to do that.
We have.
We've been down to Esperanceand so we ran some programs down
there, which was lots of funand really rewarding.
We've got a number ofconversations happening at the
moment for other regionalenvironments, and that is
something that we are definitelyworking towards.
We also recognise that we'retwo people that are really busy.
Speaker 3 (42:09):
I know, I know, as I asked that question, I thought I
just don't know how you woulddo that.
But, actually, let's think ofthe regions, yeah but we do.
Speaker 4 (42:16):
There is so much opportunity because there is
limited services there.
Yeah, that's right, and so wewould really like to continue to
develop in those environmentsand we're very open to that and
I do feel that is somewhere.
Like I said, we do have anumber of feelers out at the
moment about getting a program.
(42:36):
That's great for them and forus.
Speaker 3 (42:41):
I notice you also do an In the Kitchen with the
Thermomix.
Speaker 4 (42:44):
We do.
Yeah, that's right.
A Thermomix has always been apassion of mine.
I still use my Thermomix everyday, even though I've had it for
22 years.
Well, you were an early adapter.
I was, I was the 72nd person inWA to get the Thermomix.
Speaker 3 (42:58):
Oh my gosh, you know that Only you were not my lover.
Speaker 4 (43:01):
I remember my consultant telling me and I was
like oh wow.
And I was like oh wow, and Ireally do love the Thermomix,
but I really love how it hasdeveloped.
And so the Thermomix haschanged quite significantly and
the opportunities that itprovides for people to become
more independent in the kitchenis amazing, and so we do run
(43:22):
programs for that.
I also run programs where of anevening where we cook I do, you
do, I do, you do and peoplecook dinner for their family at
home and they love it.
And we do that through FaceTime, yeah, through FaceTime.
So, yeah, that is really funand the families love it because
they're cooking dinner and theparticipants do too.
(43:43):
So it's great Sense ofachievement, accomplishment.
Speaker 3 (43:46):
So once you maybe have graduated through the
current light bulb skillsofferings, you might be able to
find your way around a kitchenand cook a meal for your family.
You would be able to make yourbed and maybe even change your
sheets.
Definitely change your sheets,definitely change your sheets
and know how to clean up.
Put the washing machine on.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
Hang your clothes out properly.
Use the vacuum cleaner.
Speaker 3 (44:12):
Yeah, so that's the around the house one.
Yeah, excellent.
And then you'd be able topotentially get your driver's
licence, or at least the keys tolife, and know how to be a good
pedestrian passenger.
Lots of road safety, lots ofroad safety.
And you'd also know some moresocial skills knowing how to
connect with people, buildfriendships, go out and order a
(44:33):
meal at a restaurant and tocommunicate how to meet your
friends, because we had one ofour participants was telling us.
Speaker 4 (44:42):
one of our participants was telling us that
he really doesn't like it thathe organises a coffee and the
person doesn't turn up.
Oh yes, and he said how do we?
Do that.
Yeah, and that's actually howlet's Get Social originated, how
the idea sort of sparked,because we thought, well, you
need explicit instruction tomake sure that they know the
date and the time and the venueand how that all sort of plays
(45:04):
out and the RSVP, like checkingone last time.
Yeah, that's right, that allsort of plays out and the RSVP
like checking one last time.
Speaker 3 (45:08):
Yeah, that's right, Even texting in the morning.
Speaker 4 (45:09):
Yeah that's right.
Checking is still on today.
Speaker 3 (45:11):
I've just done that this morning.
You still on for one o'clockcoffee.
Speaker 4 (45:14):
That's right.
Well, we do, and we do that.
That's part of our program.
So people know they need torespond and the to be in there
yeah, so with our let's getsocial, each week we run three
or four programs throughdifferent activities and we
coach the participants, or aparticipant each week, to send
(45:39):
out the message on a group chatthrough a formula that has all
of the information.
So, like you said, when theygraduate then they've got.
They then can transfer thoseskills and to organize some
social gatherings themselves.
Speaker 3 (45:50):
Do you have a graduation?
Speaker 1 (45:53):
It's again a really good question.
We do and we don't.
One of the reasons why we don'tis because we have a really
high retention rate.
So people finish the workshopand then they want to register
for the next one.
So I guess that sort of takesthe graduation part out of it.
But what we do do with everyworkshop that is completed, we
(46:14):
go through a list with theparticipant one-on-one, and it's
kind of reflective learning.
We've got our I can statementswhich go through every single
skill that has been introducedthroughout the workshop series
and the participant gets to ratethemselves as either working
toward or having achieved thatparticular skill, and so that is
(46:38):
kind of the graduation, if youlike.
So they've got something wherethey can say I've invested this
much time in developing theseskills.
This is what I now can do.
This is where I need morefunding to support me being able
to develop the skills to beable to achieve those things.
Speaker 3 (46:55):
Right, and so people can use their NDIS funding to
come to your workshops.
Is that correct?
Speaker 1 (47:01):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (47:02):
Yes, that's definitely part of it.
And what sort of limitations dopeople have that they come to
these classes?
Speaker 1 (47:09):
And again it's a really good question, because
that's another area where we'rea little bit different.
You would have heard of theAutism Association, down
Syndrome, wa, all of that.
We don't sort of specialise inone diagnosis, we're open to
everybody, and so the peoplethat come to us have got all
sorts of different needs.
(47:31):
They yeah, they could havedifferent sort of levels of
anxiety disorders, or they couldhave chromosomal syndromes, or
they could have autism, or theycould have intellectual
disability, down syndrome, likewe have got people from every
different sort of space, so NDIS, participants of any kind Of
any kind?
Speaker 4 (47:51):
Yeah, yeah, they can.
However we do.
Typically, they have a goal ofbecoming more independent, so we
know that they're capable ofgrowing and that is what we make
sure that they do have thatcapacity to grow.
And how do you assess that?
Desley, megan, this is Megan'sstrength.
Speaker 3 (48:09):
How do?
Speaker 4 (48:10):
you assess that, Megan?
Speaker 1 (48:11):
Well, it's a lot of self-selection.
Speaker 4 (48:15):
I think, really.
Speaker 1 (48:17):
So we describe when somebody contacts us to say they
would like to register.
We have a conversation aboutwhat their goals are and how it
all fits into their plan, and wetalk about what their support
requirements are, and then wehave a frank conversation about
whether or not we think thatthey will be able to develop the
skills within our framework,because sometimes people still
(48:40):
might be in a therapy framework,you know, not ready to work
outside of therapy.
Yet we also use a one to fourusually, sometimes a one to
three support ratio, and so thatdefines very quickly for you if
you're not capable within a oneto three or one to four support
ratio, then your needs areprobably more significant than
(49:02):
what we can offer in ourworkshops.
Speaker 3 (49:04):
So what that means, just for people who may not be
familiar with it, it's you'vegot one support worker for three
clients or four participants.
That's correct, whereas I guesswith people who've got um more,
um more needs, they might havea one-on-one, a one-to-one,
that's right so you're workingwith a one-to-three or
one-to-four that's right so theyneed to be somewhat independent
and capable.
(49:25):
I see what you're saying, yeah.
Speaker 1 (49:27):
However, some of those people that can work in a
one to three or a one to fourratio successfully, they still
may choose to bring theirsupport worker with them,
because sometimes they'll have alevel of anxiety that would
otherwise preclude them fromparticipating, and so when they
bring their own support workerthey just have a higher level of
(49:47):
comfort, I suppose, and weoften find that people will
bring that support worker andthen the support worker will
just gradually drop off, whichis terrific, as the person sort
of feels more comfortable andestablishes themselves in the
group environment and so forth.
So we work pretty flexibly.
Speaker 4 (50:04):
It's all about, again , what the participant needs to
best access what we have tooffer, and we'll work with them,
however that best works andwhen they present in the
workshop, I see them as a personand we deal with what is in
front of us and they're verycapable.
It's quite incredible how wewent away one time and one of
(50:26):
our participants stood in frontof the bin and said, can you
open that for me?
And I was like you can openthat?
She's like oh, and she's justused to getting everything done
for her.
I was like sure, and now sheknows, and we teach them to make
, we'll make sure that they maketheir beds, whether they've
been to around the house or not.
When they come away we mighthelp them make their bed, but
they're practising those skills.
(50:47):
That it's part of life and weexpect them to be able to grow
and to do things and to want tolearn and that sort of thing.
So it's, in a way, it's notmilitary camp.
Speaker 2 (51:00):
No, it's really not.
Speaker 4 (51:02):
It's lots of fun absolutely.
Speaker 3 (51:04):
You don't measure the seam or anything.
Speaker 1 (51:07):
No, definitely not.
A nurse's corner is not justthe corners not required.
Speaker 4 (51:10):
Definitely not required.
Speaker 3 (51:11):
Good to know.
I've just had a friend whoseson has just gone to the Defence
Force Academy and he's got the30 centimetre rule and the
corners and everything and it'sjust like so.
It's not like that.
Speaker 1 (51:23):
No, it's not like that.
Speaker 4 (51:24):
Absolutely not like that.
Speaker 1 (51:29):
But the one thing I'd add to that, though, is people
come to that let's get awayknowing that that's the
expectation.
They actually really enjoydoing it.
Not once have we had somebodysay oh, I'm not going to make my
bed, no, they see each otherdoing it.
It's an activity we all.
Just first thing we do is getthere and sort out where we're
going to sleep and who's gotwhat bed, and let's put the
sheets on, and they actuallyenjoy it.
They enjoy that sense ofmastery.
Speaker 4 (51:51):
Yeah, and being more independent.
Yeah, with our let's Get Away,we start with they design the
menu for the weekend.
So we go to have a picnic andwhilst we're doing that, we chat
about what food we're going toeat and cook together on the
weekend.
And then we go and do theshopping together, yeah, and
then we go away and then we talkabout some how we're going to
(52:15):
live all together and how it'sgoing to work and what's house
rules.
Speaker 3 (52:18):
Yeah, how many do you normally take away with?
Speaker 4 (52:21):
you eight.
Yeah, like knock and wait issomething we've had to teach
people, because they say I'veknocked on the door and they
walk in.
Okay, you've got to knock andwait.
You know they're just what timeyou wake up in the morning.
Speaker 1 (52:34):
Yeah, is very important what time you can
actually start activities in themorning.
We had one gorgeous participantwho was right into her yoga and
she wanted to do 6.30 yogaevery morning and we're like, oh
, that's fine, but you can'twake up everybody else.
So we sort of talked around itand set the you know and we
(52:55):
don't, you know, sort of bereally bossy and say you can't
do that.
We explain why it's.
You know, you've got to thinkabout the other people in the
house and how can we actuallyachieve what you want but also
not interfere with what otherpeople's?
Speaker 2 (53:07):
needs are.
Speaker 1 (53:10):
Negotiate you want, but also not interfere with what
other people's needs are.
Negotiate that little thinganyway, of course.
First morning everybody in thehouse is awake at 6 30, except
for that girl, and she's stillin her room sound asleep.
Speaker 2 (53:19):
We're trying to wake her up.
Speaker 1 (53:20):
So we have little.
You know things not work out,yeah, but again it's all great
learning, yeah, and everybodywas a little dark on her for a
short time.
She learnt.
You know people are not happywhen you wake them up at 6.30 in
the morning, yeah, and that'swhen you're living with other
people.
Speaker 3 (53:35):
You've got to be respectful, you do, and it's
about I call it the rhythm of ahouse you know, rhythm of the
home because you know, and onhow old they are or what their
needs are at the time.
And I know we're in a differentrhythm now, where my son will
come home at 10 o'clock from thegym and he'll have a shower
(53:55):
with the music on and it's justlike, well, that's actually not
the rhythm of this house.
We're in bed, yeah, we don'tneed the music on.
So yeah, it is.
It's all the house rules.
All the house rules.
Speaker 1 (54:08):
You're always negotiating, yeah, and with the
way the NDIS looks like it'sheading, you know that sort of
shared services model isprobably going to become more
and more important.
So we recognise we need toupskill our people to be able to
live, you know, cohesively withother or happily with other,
harmoniously with other people,success with other or happily
with other, harmoniously withother people.
Speaker 4 (54:29):
Yeah, successfully is the word.
Living successfully with othersis our catch cry for Around the
House.
Speaker 1 (54:37):
Whether that's in the family home or outside of it
yeah, Because we do haveparticipants who come to Around
the House who actually, you know, don't have any intention of
leaving home in the next sort offive years, or if ever you know
don't have any intention ofleaving home in the next sort of
five years, or if ever you know, but they still, you know, can
do well to take moreindependence within the family
home.
Speaker 3 (54:57):
So our theme is hope around the warm table this
season and you definitely are astory of hope and I've loved
hearing about all the impactthat you've made and the changes
you've helped families you knowsort of experience in a really
positive way.
But Desley and Megan, what doeshope mean for each of you?
Desley, maybe you can go first.
Speaker 4 (55:18):
I think that hope is about looking forward, being
positive, and I feel that withLightbulb, we instill hope in
people, in that they have gotthe capacity to grow, and so
what we're doing is giving hopeto not only the participant, but
also to their families, thatthey can become more independent
, and that it's empowering themto become better.
Speaker 3 (55:45):
Fantastic.
What about you, megan?
Speaker 1 (55:47):
Oh, that one's hard to beat.
I'm sort of on your page that'svery normal yeah, um, I.
I think for me, hope is um, also, yeah, like quite aspirational,
and I feel that our cohort aretaught not to aspire.
(56:09):
It's okay to just be where youare.
You just are you, and we'll doeverything around you.
So for me, the hope and theaspiration, I suppose, is I hope
for participants and I wantthem to hope for themselves that
they can take more ownershipover their life and have more
(56:29):
independence and more choices,and I think it's a totally
reasonable expectation.
So I feel like it's a hope thatthey can deliver upon, and if
we can inspire a little bit ofthat hope in them, I feel like
we've done a really good job andif we can help them get there
even better.
Speaker 3 (56:48):
Oh, you, ladies, are hope in action.
That's wonderful.
Whatever you're doing, it's sosuccessful, and I'm just
delighted to have had you bothhere around the warm table.
So thank you so much forjoining me this morning and and
just keep those light bulbsturning on in all of those
beautiful minds that you'reworking with.
It's just truly a story of hope.
So thank you for coming aroundthe warm table with me, thank
(57:11):
you.
Speaker 1 (57:11):
Sonia, thank you, it's been lovely.
Thank you for the opportunity.
Speaker 5 (57:19):
Hi, I'm Kelly Riley, creator and head coach of
Females Over 45 Fitness, or FOFas we are fondly called.
Our studio is located inVictoria Park and we are also
online all across Australia.
At FOF, our members range inage from 45 through to 84 years
of age at the moment.
They're amazing examples ofhope.
(57:40):
Let's meet one of our membersnow and be inspired by her story
.
Speaker 2 (57:46):
Hi, my name is Heather and I'm in my 50s and in
menopause I joined Females Over45 Fitness to increase my
strength and fitness and with mychildren, now young adults, I
finally had time to prioritisemy health.
It's been great to besurrounded by other women at the
same stage of their lives.
I know that my health is apriority, especially because I
have epilepsy.
I was diagnosed as a child andhave learned to manage my
(58:08):
epilepsy so that I've beenblessed with three children, a
job as a nurse and have a great,supportive husband who I've
travelled the world with.
I haven't let epilepsy slow medown too much and I try to share
my story of hope and epilepsyto teach others about the
condition.
I had the pleasure of joiningSonia around the warm table and
sharing my story and first aidtips for epilepsy in season one,
(58:30):
so feel free to check out theback catalogue of my Warm Table
episodes and find out more.
Speaker 3 (58:38):
Thanks for joining us around the warm table.
My Warm Table is produced,hosted and edited by me, sonia
Nolan.
It's my way of amplifyingpositivity and curiosity in our
community.
I invite you to share thisconversation with family and
friends and follow my Warm Tablepodcast on Facebook, instagram
and LinkedIn.
Also, you can subscribe andfollow my Warm Table on Spotify
(59:02):
or Apple Podcasts, and maybeeven leave a review, because it
helps others to find us moreeasily.
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