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Stepping Stones For Life |
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Office: 02 6248 0282 Email: st_marg_uc_act@bigpond.com Office hours: Tues, Weds, and Fridays, 9.30am to 12.30 |
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St Margaret’s Uniting Church Hackett ACT |
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Stepping Stones is also involved with some people who have made the move to a level of independence. A number of those live in houses at Ainslie, Cook and Hackett. The most recent of these, the Hackett property known as Ross Walker Lodge, is located behind St Margaret’s on church property and was constructed with Federal and Territory Government support under the Social Housing Initiative of the Nation Building - Economic Stimulus Plan. A part time Stepping Stones Facilitator assists the Ross Walker Lodge residents to obtain required outside support and to develop and sustain appropriate activities. A further part-time person is involved with the settlement of residents in the privately owned Cook property, including coordination with their families and advocacy regarding required services. The house at Ainslie was purpose built by Housing ACT to accommodate three women with higher needs whose families were working actively with Stepping Stones to plan for the future. An approach known as 'Family Governance', was employed to empower the individuals and their families, giving them much greater independence, dignity and control over their lives than is normally the case in more institutionalised models.
Flexibility to meet the varying needs and wishes of the person with a disability and their family is paramount. While Stepping Stones does not continue to work as actively planning with families after goals of Accommodation, Support and Alternative Family have been achieved, it maintains a wider circle of support and friendship for those involved.
A number of activities are run by Stepping Stones, not only for families, but also for a wider group of people who are ageing or living with a disability. These include an exercise class, run in conjunction with the YMCA; a music therapy group; an art and craft group; and a Story Circle for people who wish to explore their writing talents. Other informal events and activities are held from time to time and a 'Service of Thanksgiving' and celebration is held annually.
Stepping Stones For Life is administered by a Management Committee which operates under the oversight of St Margaret’s Uniting Church. It is also part of UnitingCare NSW.ACT’s network of activities which attempt to improve the quality of living of the vulnerable in the wider community. Stepping Stones started formally in 2003 with seed funding provided by UnitingCare Bequests Committee. Since 2005, grants and more recently Service Funding Agreements from the ACT Government Community Services Directorate have provided greater certainty and stability in employing staff. In that same time period Stepping Stones has received considerable help and encouragement from Disability ACT and Carers ACT.
The generosity of St Margaret's Church Council, and the congregation, both financially and in kind, has given Stepping Stones a "home" where all involved in it can meet and interact and support each other. Support from the wider community has been appreciated and is always welcome. People wishing to further advance the work of Stepping Stones For Life and the Ross Walker Lodge can do so in two ways; by joining the team of volunteer helpers or by making a tax deductible donation to help fund activities. There is another way too, of course; by remembering Stepping Stones in your prayers.
For more information please contact:
Stepping Stones For Life St Margaret's Uniting Church PO Box 7036 WATSON ACT Ph 6262 5662 |
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Stepping Stones For Life is a name given to a range of support activities which commenced in 2001 as an initiative of St Margaret’s Uniting Church in Hackett. Stepping Stones exists to assist people who are ageing, people living with a disability and especially families in which ageing parents are caring for an adult family member with a disability.
Stepping Stones is a non-sectarian, not-for-profit, small Non-Government Organisation (NGO). With the support of the ACT Community Services Directorate, Stepping Stones employs several part time professional staff known as SSFL Family Facilitators who work closely with families to support and advocate on their behalf. A major role is to work with designated families to help them plan and implement long term arrangements for the time when the parents are unable to continue providing the care which they have been giving for as many as 30, 40 or 50 years. |
