2014 Yearbook

2 14 A LOOK INSIDE CONTENTS 2014 YEARBOOK 4 WELCOME 6 JAMILA ARASTE 8 KEN SPINK 10 SANDRA DUREY 12 TIM BETTINGTON 16 TUAN LE 19 A LOOK INSIDE 20 CEO REPORT 22 PRESIDENT’S REPORT 23 FINANCIALS 27 VISION, PURPOSE, VALUES 27 THANK YOU New Horizons | 2014 Yearbook Page 3 1. Download the free Aurasma app on WELCOME your iPhone, iPad or Android device. 2. MEET SOME OF THE AMAZING PEOPLE WHO ARE THE Launch Aurasma, open the menu HEARTBEAT OF NEW HORIZONS ... and search for New Horizons FOLLOW IF 2013 WAS ALL ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON be choosing just five people from a team of almost a entered the booth, we let them settle for their photo, then 3. IN THE OUTSIDE WORLD, THEN 2014 HAS BEEN thousand. Ultimately, though, we’re sure everyone will before they could suspect anything, we played back the Click Follow on our channel feel proud to be represented by the final selection – a video messages their clients had recorded. ABOUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE INSIDE. group whose passion and commitment reflects the values we all share. Let’s just say there were plenty of moving stories and After a year of analysing the National Disability Insurance heartfelt thanks ... along with some tears of gratitude and Scheme and other sector reforms to understand what the In typical fashion, we wanted to take the 2014 Year Book joy. outside changes would mean for us, our attention this one step further. So we decided to throw in a little surprise 4. year turned to thinking about what the changes would for good measure. All up, it was a visual demonstration of the value of the Tap this icon on your screen require of us. work our people do and the contribution they make to All we told the final five was that we were developing a improve the lives of others. And with the better part of this year spent looking deep series of staff profiles. Nothing too painful. inside the workings of our business – more on what we The 2014 Year Book is our way of saying thank you to all found later – it dawned on us that the 2014 Year Book Enter the Wellbeing Booth. the amazing staff who give our heart its beat... was the ideal opportunity to maintain our internal focus. 5. The staffers were brought along to a Sydney studio under You can read their inspirational stories and watch their Hover your phone over any page where you see this symbol Where our Year Book would normally feature stories of the guise that they’d be participating in a quick interview videos by following the instructions opposite. the people we support – our valued customers – it really and having their picture taken. only tells half the story. So this year we thought we’d turn the page to showcase the stories of the people providing Little did they know that a week earlier, we’d secretly OR the support – our inspirational team. gathered together some of their clients to sit in the same Identifying people who make an outstanding contribution booth at the same studio to tell us about the service they 6. You can watch the videos at Watch what happens! youtube.com/newhorizonsau WATCH VIDEO to our customers and epitomise what New Horizons receive and record a message of thanks for their worker. stands for wasn’t difficult. The hard part would prove to Fast forward a week later. After each staff member New Horizons | 2014 Yearbook Page 4 New Horizons | 2014 Yearbook Page 5 JAMILA ARASTE SUPPORT WORKER WITHOUT JAMILA’S JAMILA ARASTE HAD NO FORMAL EDUCATION During one break from tending to victims, Jamila and a “Each time I saw her, I listened and she cried,” Jamila GROWING UP IN STRIFE TORN IRAN. friend grabbed a rare moment of relaxation in a garden explains. “I asked her how long she wanted to cry? I out the back. Suddenly, a screaming sound cut the air. reminded her she was free and had her life in her own EMPOWERMENT AND She was the oldest of ten children of a Khurdish family Instinctively, Jamila ducked for cover. When she looked hands, she could be what she wanted to be.” in the mountain city of Mahabad. Beautiful scenery, up after the blast, Jamila saw her friend’s lifeless body ENCOURAGEMENT, I masking a hand-to-mouth existence in a troubled nation. only metres away, shattered by shrapnel. In a state of Months later, the woman’s life has turned around. She severe shock, she was hospitalised and sedated for days lives independently in a three bedroom apartment, has Jamila’s role was to look after her sister and brother. afterwards. a driver’s licence, is improving her English and plans to WOULDN’T BE HERE.” But each day as she took her siblings to play in the study at TAFE. streets, she would detour to the local school, sit outside At the age of 35 and after an arranged marriage to a the classroom and listen intensely as the children were Khurdish soldier, Jamila escaped to Turkey. With her “She cried when she passed her driving test,” Jamila taught to read and write. On the way home, Jamila would husband, she applied through the United Nations for recalls. “It was the first time she’d achieved anything for collect discarded newspapers from the streets to practice refugee status. But it was a tortuous process. After herself in 23 years. She doesn’t cry nearly as much now. reading. five long years and many rejections, they were finally She’s determined to achieve her new life.” acknowledged as refugees and leapt at the chance of At age ten, she started working at home, making clothes coming to Australia. Things have changed for Jamila too. She’s educated, for the rich, educated women of the city. From time to respected, and dresses immaculately every day, all signs time, she would try on the outfits she made. That was Even then, there were massive challenges in her personal of how far she’s come from her dressmaking childhood. until her mother ordered an end to the fantasy, instructing life. Jamila’s marriage broke down amid huge acrimony. Jamila to wear traditional outfits because only educated On her own, she raised two daughters, studied day and people wore western clothes. night to earn qualifications in counselling, hypnotherapy and neuro-linguistic programming. All the time, Jamila was developing a social conscience, becoming a political activist and community worker. Through her education and experiences, Jamila – who’s now a Support Worker – has developed a deep She protested against the rule of the Shah, worked understanding of her customers. against the regime of Ayatollah Khomeini and provided emergency support for the community during the One 43-year-old woman from Afghanistan spoke very devastation of the Iran-Iraq War. Without medical training, little and was largely dependent on others when she Jamila joined the Red Crescent organisation and cared first met Jamila. She also had suffered in an abusive WATCH VIDEO for casualties at a nearby mosque, stitching wounds and relationship, hadn’t worked in years and was living with helping wherever she could. one of her four children. New Horizons | 2014 Yearbook Page 6 New Horizons | 2014 Yearbook Page 7 KEN SPINK SUPPORT WORKER THANK YOU KEN. KEN RUGBY LEAGUE CHAMPION NIGEL VAGANA as training in case management and emergency tenpin bowling and a music group – where Ken’s PLAYED HIS FINAL GAME FOR THE CRONULLA response. clients are teaching him to play guitar. REALLY SUPPORTS YOU. SHARKS, TOOK OFF HIS BOOTS, SIGNED THEM But Rugby League beckoned again and he took on the The key to Ken’s approach is getting the group to know AND HANDED THEM TO KEN SPINK. Head Trainer role at the Sharks for a couple of years. each other, work together and socialise. HE’S A GOOD BLOKE TO It was 2006 and Ken was the Sharks head trainer, a With a change at the top, Ken moved on and, to “I support them to gain confidence with these things, BE WITH.” crucial member of the team. stretch his horizons, spent two years travelling – first in then it develops into having fun with their mates,” Ken Asia, where he continues to regularly visit the Chang explains. “For example, when we’re planning a BBQ, I Ken treasures those boots. Mai region of Thailand, and then in Europe. take them along to the supermarket, but they decide what they want to cook and buy it for themselves – just “Nigel is a fabulous role model,” Ken says of the Again, he learnt valuable lessons that have remained like others do.” former player. “I had massive admiration for him with him during his time at New Horizons. and players like Brett Kimmorley, David Peachey and Over time, Ken’s clients develop friendships and Jason Stevens for their professionalism. It rubbed off “Thailand has shown me that you don’t need material gradually start to invite each other to social events and on me and has stayed with me to this day. The whole wealth to get on with life and enjoy it. Life is what you become more assured members of the community. philosophy of team work is a key to what I’m doing make of it. I try to bring that philosophy to the group I now.” work with,” he says. Some are now taking on part-time jobs, including one who’s a driver for The Hope Shop. Ken was born in Balmain, but moved north to play Ken started as a Support Worker with New Horizons Rugby League.

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