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Young woman opens the door to a safer, brighter future
With regular shifts at a busy North Coast pub, a car, a recently acquired driver’s licence and a can-do attitude 20-year-old Sandy* is well set up for a great beginning to her working career. But, not so long ago, Sandy’s family life was threatening to overshadow her...
Finding a place to call home opens doors for teen
19-year-old Saphire is thinking about the future of her younger siblings, a brother aged 16 and a sister, 13. “I hope they can finish TAFE and school and get good jobs. And get their license!” For Saphire, planning the future for her family is no abstract exercise. ...
Young mum finds new direction
Mary Felton is DAISI’s newest reception and admin trainee. DAISI is a Ballina based charity that works with people experiencing disadvantage, particularly those with disabilities people who are ageing, and their families and carers. . “Even in the short time she’s...
Challenge and drive sees Alicia shine
Alicia had worked part-time for an Australian Disability Enterprise for five years since her two daughters were old enough to go to school, but the 39-year-old from Lismore always believed she was capable of more. When she met Social Futures Local Area Coordinator...
Social Futures COVID-19 Update – April 1, 2021
Social Futures is carefully following news and updates about COVID-19. The safety of our participants, customers and staff continues to be our number one priority. We are continuously reviewing the situation and seeking the most up to date guidance from NSW Health...
When your wildest dreams come true
When Brad Parker was young, he loved toys. But now 26, it’s not the Tonka truck variety he is into. His dream is to work for the council driving the trucks, rollers and graders, which for Brad, is no mean feat. Brad was born with low muscle tone, which can affect not...
Different on the Outside, same on the Inside
Social Futures is challenging stereotypes about disability in Central Coast schools. ‘Different on the Outside, Same on the Inside’ is a free program for primary school aged children aimed at breaking down misconceptions and social barriers and encouraging awareness...
Sports Ability
Sports Ability is a fun, interactive and free program being delivered to schools in Northern NSW. Paralympian David (DJ) Johnson engages young people with his achievements as an elite athlete and stories from the Sydney 2000 Olympics, speaks about bullying and...
Anita – I’m telling my story because more people need to know
Life took a dramatic turn in 2015, when 53-year-old Byron Bay woman, Anita Carden, went hiking in New Zealand with her husband. “We were walking back from a glacier. Easy. A really easy walk. And I rolled an ankle. That’s all. I didn’t sprain it,” Anita said. “I...
Green shoots for Michael as the drought breaks
The recent drought-breaking rain across central New South Wales has brought smiles at long last to the faces of long-suffering landholders and residents, among them Michael Beh. “One of my hobbies is photography and since I started getting support from the National...
Chesney flies the coop
For parents, Ross and Sandy Bailey the NDIS provided great relief when their 19-year-old son, Chesney had his first National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan approved four years ago. Chesney, who grew up 50 kilometres outside of Forbes on his parent’s farm, has...
Dirty Laundry Day Project 2020
Today is White Ribbon Day. It is a day for difficult conversations. A day to talk about domestic and family violence, which is sadly inherent in our communities. We know that this kind of violence thrives in secrecy, so it is important to shed a light on it. To remove...
Rob’s come along in leaps and bounds
At 67, Broken Hill man Rob Lindsay has lived with an intellectual difficulty all his life. “There just weren’t assessments for that sort of thing when Rob was younger”, said his sister Joan. “At school, he didn’t keep up, that’s just the way it was. When he left...
Website survey – 2021 – promotional terms of entry
Fill out our survey for your chance to win one of 6 prizes sharing $300 in shopping vouchers! Our survey takes 2-3 mins and by answering all our questions you are automatically entered into the draw. Follow this link here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2SW2K3W to...
Jack’s Story: Gazing into a new future
Jack Pellizzer is in his last year of high school in Broken Hill. He likes school and, like most 18-year-old boys, he also likes music and movies. But until recently it was difficult for him to tell people what he liked and wanted. Jack has a number of undiagnosed...
Supporting regional transport solutions
There are lots of people working hard to improve transport options for our communities. Social Futures convene transport working groups throughout the Northern Rivers as a part of our Transport Development Project. The groups bring together public, private and...
Back to school vouchers for children affected by bushfires
Students affected by the 2019/20 fire season have been getting a little help with their school expenses thanks to a grant from the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal. Social Futures, along with the Northern Rivers Community Foundation (NRCF), worked through 35...
Elise moves into a home of her own
Moving into your own home is a special milestone but for Elise Miller, it holds extra significance. Elise has finally had the birthday party she's dreamed of for so long, with friends, family and other supporters celebrating in her new purpose-built home. The sociable...
NDIS opens up a whole new life for Tasel
FOR many of us, 2020 may turn out to be a year we’d rather forget. But for Maclean woman Jacques Sears, things have never been better. Ms Sears, also known as Tasel, is deaf, but with the help of the National Disability Insurance Scheme her life has changed for the...
How our local services stayed connected through COVID-19
While individuals and households were adjusting to the new reality of social isolation as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, human service organisations were scrambling to figure out how best to keep supporting our most vulnerable community members despite physical distancing...
Madeleine lands her dream job
Madeleine Thompson dreamed of becoming a nurse when she was still in primary school. Now she’s living the dream, having recently secured a permanent role as an Assistant in Nursing at St Joseph’s Nursing Home in the northern NSW town of Lismore. “I’m really enjoying...
Grounds for Celebration
From forever volunteering to paid employment at a coffee shop? That’s grounds for celebration! Sharon Hammond has a wonderful story. From working in volunteer roles all her life, she has finally secured paid employment in a position where she is valued, liked and...
Tackling bullying one class at a time
Schools are looking toward an inclusive future thanks to awareness program, ‘Different on the Outside but the Same on the Inside’. Many of us saw the distraught video of nine year old Quaden Bayles and our hearts wrenched seeing the effect of bullying upon a young...
Northern Rivers transport guides
If you are looking for information about transport options in the Northern Rivers including bus routes, community and medical transport, taxi, coach and other services that operate in your area, visit goingplaces.org.au and download the transport guide for your...