Celebrate International Day
for people with a disability with Breakaway Toowoomba
This year marks the 26th anniversary of International Day of People with Disability and Breakaway invites the Toowoomba community with the opportunity to challenge perceptions, educate others and help
normalise disability in everyday life. Breakaway Toowoomba invites the public to meet the new CEO, Carolina Williams and Breakaway staff at the Laurel Bank Park at 11am to 3pm, today, 3 December 2018.
Carolina stated that people are at the core of our business and the manner in which Breakaway Toowoomba operates. This person first principle applies not only to the participants we assist but to our valued members and employees. Breakaway strives to make excellence a lifestyle by providing quality service delivery. We strive to best practice in matching our staff well to the participants we serve. Breakaway builds on its proud history from 1986, known as Toowoomba and District Respite Care Association - Menukah Services, when a group of parents united to provide a respite service for families in Toowoomba and nearby regions.
This basic service was run by parents who volunteered their time. Funding then became available from the Commonwealth Department of Health and Housing for staff wages and rental of the premises. Shortly after, the Department of Health responded by providing the resources to purchase a house at 294 West Street where centre-based day respite was provided.
Jupiter’s Casino Community Benefit Fund enabled us to build a house at Highfields for the purpose of offering opportunities to people with disabilities to visit the guesthouse for short-term stays. The stays at the guesthouse by the family members, (generally a week at a time) provided the parent/carer with an opportunity to have a break from their on-going caring role.
After an extensive search Breakaway Toowoomba purchased the current office space at 27 Mort Street in October 2008. Breakaway Toowoomba had been looking to move to accommodate its organic growth and expansion following recent strategic level planning. The Mort Street location maintains easy routes to the buzzing Toowoomba CBD and provides Breakaway Toowoomba with 154 square metres of high quality modern office accommodation.
With the community’s rapidly growing need for the services provided by Breakaway Toowoomba, a second Guesthouse. ‘Breakaway on Bridge’ was officially opened on Friday 6th March 2015 by the Hon, Ian Macfarlane MP, Federal Minister for Industry and Science and member of Groom. B.O.B. (as it is affectionately known) has 5 beds for clients and 2 for staff, as well as a large room for day respite.
The CEO is supported by a Board of four members at present and members interested in serving on the Board are welcome to apply before the next AGM on 11 December 2018 at
6pm at Breakaway on Bridge.
Breakaway Toowoomba provides Support Co-ordination and
Plan Management under the NDIS. Support co-ordination is a capacity building support to implement all supports in a participant’s plan, including informal, mainstream, community and funded supports. Contact Stefannie Kehl to determine how the funds in your NDIS Plan will be spent and to do the work on your behalf to connect with service providers.
Breakaway Toowoomba can also manage your NDIS funding for supports on the participant’s behalf.