Community stories: 28 June 2023
Tableland Community Link Association (TCL) in North QLD provides person-centred support for people with disabilities and/or mental illness to have opportunities that increase their connection and sense of belonging within their community.
They used a $15,000 ANZ Seeds of Renewal grant to build an enclosed verandah extension at ‘The Grove’ activities centre, which is used on a daily basis by their clients. The extension has added extra cooling, further weather protection and increased the capacity of the centre, which has allowed TCL to increase the number of participants in the activities they hold for clients each weekday.
‘The Grove’ hosts daily activities for clients like chair yoga, craft classes, bingo, games and karaoke items, and has a full industrial kitchen for cooking classes and many more activities. The Atherton Tablelands community, and in particular Atherton, is expanding rapidly and the increase in clients has followed this trend. Through the expansion of the back verandah ,more outdoor activities are now possible and more clients can visit and participate at the centre.
Carrie de Brueys, Services Manager of ‘The Grove’, said, “This activity centre is the only one of its kind in Atherton and on the Atherton Tablelands. Clients must travel almost one and a half hours to Cairns to have access to similar facilities – so expanding our capacity has been critical.
“For people with a disability or mental illness, a sense of community and belonging is very important in their day-to-day routines, as it creates a sense of independence and stability. It enables clients to interact with like-minded people, whilst also feeling safe and comfortable. It also allows them to have a sense of independence in a community environment.”
This renovation project aligns with one of the ANZ Seeds of Renewal grant program criteria under the theme of ‘Improving Housing Access’. For organisations that offer housing support and services for people living with a disability, funding is available to improve disability access to community facilities.
