About ARC
Supporting the Cairns community for 46 years.
As Cairns’ largest independent local provider of services to people with disability, ARC has been a proud member of the Far North community since 1976.
At ARC, we focus on our participant’s individual needs and aspirations and how we can help achieve them. We work collaboratively with our participants, their support networks and the community to facilitate a range of opportunities that promote active participation for all.
ARC’s services are delivered in line with our values of:
- Collaboration
- Commitment
- Creativity
- Diversity
- Empowerment
- Flexibility
- Respect
- Fun
Our services include:
- Short Term Accommodation
- Direct Support
- Supported Independent Living
- Programs
- Coordination of Supports
- Plan Management
- Inclusive Education Resource Centre.
ARC’s key funding bodies are the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and the Specialist Disability Support in Schools Program.
From the Chair
Liz Brown
Chair, ARC Disability Services Inc.
Meetings attended: Board – 11, Finance Committee - 2, Strategic - 1
I am delighted to share with you the achievements of ARC Disability Services Inc. over the past year. ARC has continued to deliver more services to people living with a disability in the Cairns region, increasing our participant numbers and to do so we have welcomed more team members.
The opening of ARC51 at Edmonton has been a significant milestone for ARC allowing for enormous improvements to the depth and breadth of services and the ability to better serve the needs of the people of South Cairns, now and into the future.
We are entering a time of significant reform and opportunity for positive change in the Disability sector with the findings of the Royal Commission released in September and the review of the NDIA underway. ARC remains committed, as we have always been, to ensure that our services are safe and of the highest quality. We welcome these opportunities that will drive positive change for all people living with a disability across Australia.
We have reflected on the strategy we set ourselves in 2022:
ARC will Innovate, Influence and Improve. ARC will achieve this by Investing in our future; engaging in our community; and Inspiring a quality workforce, to enable our vision that people with a disability are empowered to reach their full potential, goals and aspirations.
Over the last year, the Board has undertaken significant work to strengthen the governance of the organisation by undergoing review with the Australian Institute of Company Directors and driving a robust plan of work. This will result in a more strategic focus on governance and risk management. At the same time ARC has embarked on an exciting piece of work to ensure our operations and practice remain best practice and innovative, while holding firm to our values and commitment to community.
The Board would like to recognise and acknowledge our CEO Ben Keast for his continued outstanding leadership of ARC. Increasingly Ben’s expertise and knowledge is being sought out and recognised nationally, as he is asked to speak at various events and participate in sector reform & development activities across Australia. Ben was also asked to participate in a working group with the NDIA in re-modelling the Supported Independent Living framework. This work allows ARC to positively influence & shape the future direction of the disability sector.
The Board would also like to thank the Management Team for their exceptional dedication to making a difference, working with our team to ensure the people we work with remain at the centre of all we do.
I would like to thank my colleagues on the Board for the expertise, commitment and energy to continually improve that they bring to ARC. I look forward to what we can achieve in the year ahead.
Meet the Board
ARC is governed by a Board of Management which oversees the strategic operations of the organisation. The Board of Management is elected from the members of the organisation at the Annual General Meeting with Board Members being elected for a two year term.
Beth Rolton
Deputy Chair
Meetings attended:
Board – 8
Strategic – 1
Graham Caldwell
Treasurer
Meetings attended:
Board – 9
Finance Committee – 2
Strategic – 1
Lorraine Carroll
Secretary
Meetings attended:
Board – 8
Finance Committee – 2
Strategic – 1
Antoinette Cole
Member
Meetings attended:
Board – 9
Strategic – 1
Peter Aitken
Member
Meetings attended:
Board – 10
PVRG - 4
Michael Koczyrkewycz
Member
Meetings attended:
Board – 8
PVRG - 4
From the CEO
Benjamin Keast
CEO, ARC Disability Services Inc.
What another incredible year for ARC! I am always proud of the work that ARC achieves and the impact the organisation has to those we support; and those within our community. The past year is no different.
ARC was able to open our new satellite site ‘ARC51’ in Cairns’ Southern Corridor which was completed in time to celebrate International Day of People with Disability on the 3rd of December. This building was supported by the Community Infrastructure Investment Partnership (CIIP) through the State Department, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning under the Queensland Government's Unite and Recover plan. Throughout the first 6 months of 2023 we have seen the site come alive as ARC’s place-based programs start to evolve, the operational team move in and a number of external community groups have been able to use the space for training, development and connections.
ARC’s Participant Voice Representative Group (PVRG) has started to establish themselves and, Chaired by ARC’s Chief Services Officer, have worked to ensure opportunities for engagement and inclusion have been provided to parents, carers, family members and all members of the disability community via a range of functions and events. Enshrined within ARC’s Constitution to ensure the voice of the participant is at the core of all organisational decisions, this group reports regularly to ARC’s Board via the PVRG Board Representatives. This group will continue to expand and influence ARC’s work into the future and I know are always looking for new members.
ARC’s team has grown to over 400 within the Cairns region, with 85% of these team members being Disability Support Workers. ARC has remained committed to ensuring professional development and training opportunities have been made available for all. Hosting our second annual Disability Support Worker Conference in May 2023, as well as our organisational Staff Development Day in November 2022, ARC’s Commitment to continuous development continues to ensure our teams are the best they can be. In 2023/2024 ARC will be introducing a new Training and Coaching role to further support bespoke support needs for team members new to the industry. It is worth also noting that this year ARC has hit a unique milestone. The Senior Leadership Team within ARC has between them 100 years of experience working within the organisation. This commitment to ARC and organisational memory which is held within the team continues to support ARC move forward in a constantly changing sector. I would like to say THANK YOU to all team members associated within ARC. It is through everyone’s commitment to their roles and those ARC supports that have ensured ARC is the amazing organisation we see today!
With the Disability Royal Commission concluding in September 2023 and the NDIA Review Panel providing their final report in October 2023, ARC’s Leadership Team and Board have been working to identify improvements and anticipate how we can best support the organisation to move forward from what is anticipated within these reports. Intensive work has been undertaken on key reports from the Disability Royal Commission and has encouraged ARC to critically reflect on our practices and look for improvements. ARC remains open to feedback and would encourage anyone who has an idea, suggestion or general feedback to get in contact via our feedback@arcinc.org.au inbox.
ARC’s Strategic Plan with pillars of Innovate, Influence and Improve have continued to guide us in our actions and achievements. To support ARC in ensuring solid foundations to support the organisation as we continue to mature, ARC welcomed Richard Nelson to our Senior Leadership Team. In the role of Innovation and Strategy Officer, Richard has been working with all service areas to identify areas of innovation and areas to improve. This ongoing project will further support ARC’s service areas to evolve with the changing landscape of the disability services sector, particularly as the Government and Agency respond to the recommendations within the Disability Royal Commission and the NDIA Review.
As part of ARC’s commitment to collaboration within the sector and community, ARC has remained at the forefront of supporting the FNQ Disability Provider Network, the Cairns Disability Network and the FNQ Coordination of Supports Network. It is through these networks and forums that ARC is able to look for opportunities of sector collaboration and advocacy in the improvements of service quality. The Sector will have shared challenges into the future, particularly in relation to ensuring the Workforce of tomorrow will be available and capable. It is through the investment in these networks and connections that ARC will be able to support a regional response to these challenges.
I would like to thank ARC’s Volunteer Board for all their efforts over the past 12 months. The time and professional expertise they commit to ensuring ARC has a robust governance structure and strategic plan has ensured ARC’s success to date and is well positioned into the future.
It is most important to also acknowledge and say THANK YOU to everyone who is part of ARC’s community and choose ARC to be their provider of services. This is the purpose of ARC and the reason the organisation remains committed to continued improvements in services. Engaging a service to provide support requires a level of trust, and at ARC we acknowledge this privilege and will always strive to provide more than just support.
Please enjoy reading our 12 months in review, and as always, you are welcome to reach out to me directly at ceo@arcinc.org.au.
Until next year…
Strategic Plan
ARC’s Strategic Plan is active from 2022 through 2025.
The plan has 3 pillars that define our commitment to innovate, influence and improve by investing in our future, engaging in our community and inspiring a quality workforce. Our vision is one where those with a disability are empowered to reach their full potential, goals and aspirations.
Innovate
1.1 ARC will create new service options for people with disabilities and their families
1.2 ARC will invest in broadening the organisational footprint
1.3 ARC will transform our engagement and introduce research strategies to develop new and improve existing opportunities
Influence
2.1 ARC will advocate at all levels to ensure the voices of people with disabilities are heard
2.2 ARC will lead, engage and participate in opportunities, to contribute to a community of constant improvement
2.3 ARC will invest in positively influencing the sector and the people we support
Improve
3.1 ARC will facilitate a culture that ensures strong and effective governance and continual quality improvement
3.2 ARC will invest in efficient and quality systems to support future innovation and responsiveness
3.3 ARC will inspire an organisation of continuous learning, creating opportunities for everyone to evolve and be the best they can
From the
Chief Finance Officer
Executive Summary on Financial Highlights
Seranie Eecen
CFO, ARC Disability Services Inc.
During the 2023 financial year ARC has yet again experienced exponential growth. While successfully navigating this growth, ARC remained focused on continuing to provide quality support services.
ARC has heavily invested in new facilities and launched new programs to support the continuing growth of the organisation. Despite this rapid growth, we have been able to maintain a strong financial position. This is credit to the careful financial management of our Board of Management and Finance Team.
Financial Position 2023
Net assets increased 22.5% to $15.8 million.
Cash reserves are reduced due to significant capital investment into the organisation's infrastructure.
Non-current assets increased from 3 million to 5.9 million with the completion of construction and setup costs of ARC51 in November 2022.
Total liabilities at the end of the financial year decreased from 3.9 million to 2.1 million.
Employee benefits and provisions account for the majority of liabilities.
As a result of the reduction in liabilities, the current ratio has increased from 3.37:1 to 6:1.
ARC continues to have a strong Balance Sheet.
Forecast 2024
The financial impact of the findings of the Royal Commission and the NDIS review remains unknown at this stage.
The NDIS and service providers are facing viability issues, which will be challenging in the coming year.
ARC Plan Management
ARC Plan Management currently provides financial intermediary service to 188 NDIS participants as far west as Alice Springs and south as Brisbane.
The last 12 months has seen some significant changes:
- August 2022: Implementation of a new Plan Management platform – MYP
- January 2023: Additional staff member welcomed – Our team is now made up of 2 personnel
- March 2023: Relocation of Plan Management to its own office – now located at Aumuller Street, Portsmith
We look forward to continuing to provide a high level of plan management to our existing participants and welcoming new plan management participants.
Financial Performance 2023
$29 million
Total revenue for the year
$27.1 million
Increase in NDIS revenue by 17%
13%
Increase in Federal Grants
$26.2 million
Total expenses for the year
16.5%
Increase in Operational costs
9.8%
Operating surplus including capital grants
A brief overview of the last 12 months is as follows:
17,543
Total number of service provider invoices processed
$14,958,718.09
Total value of service provider invoices paid
$21,614,056.72
Total value of ARC Plan Management bookings in 2023
Last 6 years vs Budget
From the
Chief Services Officer
Natasha Rivett
CSO, ARC Disability Services Inc.
2022/23 has been another challenging and successful year for us, as we continue to provide support and services to over 230 participants across all our direct support services, including Supported Independent Living services, Direct Supports, Holiday House and Short Term Accommodation supports. We are happy to share the year’s stories of adventure and success. I would also like to briefly highlight our achievements in the establishment and growth of our Participant Voice Representative Group, parent and carer engagement, the revamp of our intake service and the successes of our Coordination of Supports (COS) team.
Participant Voice Representative Group:
ARC is proud to have established the PVRG this year. The PVRG aims to represent the genuine views and ideas of the participants we support, while also improving communication within our organisation, contributing to strategic planning, upholding fairness and respect and fostering a culture of openness and transparency. The PVRG has grown from its initial meeting with two participant representatives to six, demonstrating the increasing engagement and involvement of our community. Throughout the year, the PVRG held 7 meetings, where they critically examined our strategic plan, influenced parent carer engagement and emphasised the importance of all-inclusive events. As a result, we successfully held an additional 7 events, further enhancing our commitment to inclusivity and community building.
Parent & Carer Engagement:
Our dedication to parent and carer engagement remained unwavering throughout the year. We continued to host the Parent and Carer Morning Tea every fortnight, providing families with a platform to connect, share experiences and support each other. This initiative has been invaluable in creating a sense of belonging and fostering a supportive community. Additionally, ARC supported individuals and their families who faced difficulties navigating their NDIA experience by utilising discretionary funds to assist with assessments, unfunded equipment and support in working through the NDIA process.
Intake Service Revamp:
In our pursuit of better participant engagement, we underwent a revamp of our intake service. The focus was on streamlining the referral process and enhancing the overall participant experience. As a result, our Intake Officer received a significant number of referrals. Due to our commitment to maintaining high quality, we faced challenges in accepting all referrals and requests. We made concerted efforts to meet the needs of the Cairns community whenever possible. Our dedication to quality and participant satisfaction remains steadfast.
ARC Coordination of Supports (COS) Team:
Our Coordination of Supports (COS) team has flourished in its Aumuller St office, actively supporting over 250 individuals within this service. The COS Team works alongside various stakeholders in the region and is an active member of the FNQ Coordination of Supports community of practice. They have celebrated many successful outcomes with the participants they support, ranging from young individuals with disabilities moving out of aged care to successful Administrative Appeals Tribunal outcomes.
Read more from the COS Team Leader, Chloe-Ann Fitzgerald later in this report.
ARC remains committed to supporting participants in achieving their goals and living their best lives. The establishment and growth of the PVRG have been instrumental in working towards the improvement of our communication process, strategic planning and fostering a culture of openness and transparency within our organisation. Our parent carer engagement initiatives, including the regular morning tea, have successfully connected families and provided them with the support they need. ARC has remained committed to maintaining high quality, influencing the sector in best practice and meeting the needs of the Cairns community.
We extend our gratitude to all our participants for choosing ARC as their provider of choice, their stakeholders, our dedicated staff and our Board of Management for their unwavering support and commitment to our mission and values. We look forward to another successful year ahead.
Thank you.
Meet the PVRG
Lisa McFarlane
ARC Participant
Doug Robins
ARC Participant
Tim Hayes
ARC Parent
Sue Forbes
ARC Parent
Vicki Portegys
ARC Parent
From the
Chief Operations Officer
Sarah Dart
COO, ARC Disability Services Inc.
The end of the financial year saw the end of our current three-year strategic plan of Ability, Reputation and Culture with the Corporate and Human Resources teams putting an emphasis on staff milestones, professional development, embracing mission values throughout all aspects and applications, maximising permanent positions security and planning forward for future
employee needs.
Our group of employee volunteer representatives contributed to re-igniting the Employee Representative Group – this is a collective of employees who value the future of ARC and wish to be involved in supporting their colleagues to have a voice. In order to provide opportunities to support and connect with their colleagues, some great events were held in 2022/2023 including a Trivia Night, Barefoot Bowls and Music Bingo as well as securing discount locals cards for a reduced rate for ARC staff. A big thank you to the ERG members for their efforts throughout the year.
Tjapukai was the location for two big events this year, with our Staff Development Day held in November 2022 as well as the second annual Cairns Disability Support Worker Conference in June 2023. Both events provided opportunities to connect, learn and share with peers while topic experts and specialists presented professional learnings aimed at refreshing and upskilling the frontline workers in the amazing job that they do in providing person-centred supports to participants. Without you, ARC could not make a difference! As the organisation develops, we aim to continually invest in these opportunities to come together as a team and as a community.
Another area during this period that ARC continues to invest in is the opportunity for students to undertake workplace experience within the industry. Along with two Social Work students, and a school-based student experiencing business administration, ARC supported 18 Certificate III in Disability/Individual Support students to gain their 120 hours of industry experience. This is over 2,000 hours of workplace supervision and support provided to our future disability working champions.Behind the scenes, corporate and operation team members have been busy upgrading our Records Management system as well as making some technology improvements by migrating our telephones to VoIP so that our direct extension numbers follow us wherever our desk may be for the day. With three of our ARC sites now becoming home to the corporate and operational teams, as well as our Coordinators and Facilitators regularly in participant-based locations, we have had to maximise the technology available to ensure we remain connected and accessible throughout our workdays. The worldwide health pandemic of COVID-19 that started back in March 2020 for us was not fun, however, it did challenge us to review how well we can provide services to our participants and employees when our support could not simply wait or stop.
The team also represented ARC and the industry by contributing to the Human Services Skills Organisation – Working Group: Work Placement Visual Learning Resources (June 2022).
We also saw access to support increase with utilisation of ARC’s Employee Assistance Program and increased participation in Employee Representative Group events. Some great industrial relations improvements also were introduced during this year including paid Domestic Leave in February 2023 and updates to the Sexual Harassment Act, Anti-discrimination Act and Equal Remuneration Provisions throughout this period.
Last but not least, without our valued hard-working employees, ARC couldn’t make a difference.
Thank you!
Status 2022/2023
Gender 2022/2023
Years of Service
Employee Representative Group
The Employee Representative Group (ERG) is a collective of employees who value the future of ARC, and wish to be involved in supporting their colleagues to have a voice. The role of the ERG varies, but predominately is to receive information from, and give information to colleagues and management on areas that make ARC an Employer of Choice and to support staff health and well-being. Representatives for 2023:
Gordon Will
Support Worker
Ben Carter
Support Worker
Katherine Caplick
HR Officer
Melissa Davis
Support Worker
Leo Farinacci
Support Worker
Ella Bond
COS Coordinator
Hayden Adcock
Support Worker
Terry Bigeni
SIL Coordinator
Miriama Chvostikova
Support Worker
Direct Services
Nicole Brown
Direct Services Team Leader, ARC Disability Services Inc.
ARC’s Direct Supports works with dedication and steadfast commitment to providing personalised 1:1 in-home and community access supports. Our team of 7 Direct Support Coordinators has positively impacted the lives of approximately 200 individuals over the past year.
Each month, over 10,000 hours of support is coordinated to support our participants to achieve their chosen goals. Together with each participant and their stakeholders, the team collaborate to create individualised person-centred plans that empower and support each Individual. From exploring the local area to venturing farther afield, our participants embrace a world of possibilities and endless opportunities. We invite you to step into the lives of Naomi and Angelee as we highlight their journeys of growth, connection and the extraordinary power of personalised support.
Highlights
Naomi
Naomi is 17 and lives with her family in Fishery Falls. Naomi loves her two pet birds Ken and Bobby, creating new outfits for her Barbie dolls, music, dancing and movies.
Naomi is slowly transitioning from high school and now attends just two days per week. On Wednesdays Naomi comes to the ARC Inclusive Education Resource Centre to volunteer with her support worker - her role is to check resources that have been out on loan. She assists by cleaning the resources and checking all the pieces are present and in working order – she uses ‘proloquo2go’ on her iPad to help her count and communicate with others. During her support Naomi also goes to the library to practice writing her name, helps Mum by going to the post office in Gordonvale to collect the mail and enjoys lunch out at her favourite restaurant.
Naomi is very sociable and enjoys attending ARC51 on Fridays where she is making new friends and trying new activities.
Angelee
As a Christmas gift, Angelee’s mum surprised her with tickets to see a Harry Styles Concert in the Gold Coast.
Angelee was supported by one of her support workers and her mum on this exciting adventure. When Angelee first arrived to the concert she was set behind a large crowd and didn’t have a good view, luckily her support worker spoke to the security guard and they were moved to the front row to allow Angelee to have a perfect view. Angelee has now seen Harry live three times and she loves listening to her favorite song Sweet Creature. Angelee gave the concert and her experience a 10 out of 10 and she can’t wait to see Harry again!
Supported Independent Living
Renee Bell
Supported Independent Living Team Leader, ARC Disability Services Inc.
Within Supported Independent Living Services, we value every moment as an opportunity to support and engage Participants in meaningful activities and with social interactions. We believe that having fun is essential for well-being and involves positive emotions and engagement. Activities are individualised according to the specific needs and goals of each person.
This year we have provided support to 52 participants across 26 different living arrangements. Our teams of Disability Support Staff work alongside participants to create a supportive and safe environment, and to instill a sense of community and belonging. As we celebrate an amazing year, let's look at some positive moments that made us proud, inspired and grateful - we look forward to many more in the coming year.
Highlights
Quinn
This year has been a busy year!
I have gone to see my family several times, have gone to a few local attractions, kept working my job, spending time with my friends… and I got a new tattoo!
Mitchell
This year I have been enjoying going to the Traffic Light Party at Gilligan's Nightclub.
They host a speed dating night where I can talk to the girls and meet people. Single people wear a green shirt like in the photo so other people know I'm single. We talk about our hobbies, we talk about where we would like to go for holidays and what our favourite pets are. My favourite pet would be a cheeky talking bird that could swear. When the speed-dating finishes we give phone numbers to the host Trinity then we wait if we get a match. I then get dropped off home by my support worker. Going out meeting new people makes me feel good.
Sam
I would like to talk about when I went out to a Zumba Class.
We had a guest instructor from Brisbane showing us different styles of Zumba moves. I was excited as it was such a good event that Zumba put on, and to my surprise I got to go up on stage and dance beside the instructor. I felt happy to achieve this and very proud of myself.Another experience I would like to share is about my singing therapy. I get to sing my favourite songs: So, What by Pink, and Diamonds by Rihanna. I am very happy to have this opportunity to sing my songs and will be singing and performing these songs in a concert. This is a huge achievement, and it makes me feel that I am important and valued. I'm ecstatic and happy. Thank you for letting me share my stories.
Rhys
Hi, I’m Rhys.
I love keeping active within the community. With the help of my support workers, I enjoy visiting my friends and family. I also keep fit and strong by going to the gym and eating healthy burgers. This year I have really liked collecting cans from around the community and am currently saving for a holiday one day – maybe to the Gold Coast! I love writing, and my big achievement this year was being supported by my coordinator to get a job that I love.
Deanna
My sister gifted me this puzzle and I have enjoyed working on it with my Support Workers.
I really enjoy doing puzzles. I have also started working on another one that my sister gave me. This year I was also able to attend the Cairns Show. I took time to plan what I wanted to see, but I especially loved all the animals and dogs.
Hugh
One of my favourite parts of my week is checking out what new movies are on each weekend, and the new comfy seats at the cinema make it even better!
Once I have paid, and got my change, I find my seat, kick back and enjoy!
Nelda
This year I was able to move into Supported Independent Living with ARC.
I have some great housemates and I enjoy spending time with them, learning new skills and building my independence. Moving out of home was a big step for me, but I am very glad I gave it a go!
Shayne
I really like attending the different events that happen in Cairns and the surrounding areas.
Going out and being social with my friends and being active in the community is something that is really important to me and something that I really enjoy.
Karen, Kate & Deb’s Getaway
Karen, Kate and Deb all enjoyed a couple of mini getaway holidays this year.
The ladies recently enjoyed a long weekend at an Air B&B in Trinity Beach – right on the beach!They were able to take Mia (Kate’s pet dog) to the accommodation and go for daily walks on the beach. The ladies enjoyed an outing at the rain forestation in Kuranda where they tried to spot a hippo but were only able to see crocodiles. Karen, Kate and Deb are already looking forward to their next getaway.
Daisy
I love keeping an eye on what art exhibits are happening in Cairns, my support workers help me look at what is happening and check with me if I want to attend.
I like to pack a picnic lunch and head into the art gallery! It really inspires my own work which I do at home with my special creation bags. Going to the op shops to purchase supplies to make them is something I really like to do.
Delphine
Hi, my name is Delphine.
This year I have been working on my cooking skills and exploration skills! I really enjoy spending time in the kitchen with some help from my support workers and making dinners in the evenings and special treats for friends and family.
I’ve also had the privilege of exploring some amazing places on my days off during the week. One of my favourites was the butterfly sanctuary!
Michael
Hi, my name is Michael.
This year, I have been working on my culinary skills and knowledge of different food types as I have moved to a gluten free diet. I have also engaged with a dietician to assist me with the transition and have enjoyed learning about what is good food to fuel my body. In this photo, I assisted one of my support workers to cook apricot chicken for our dinner – it was delicious!
Kate
Hi, my name is Kate and I live in a SIL arrangement supported by ARC.
Last year my life changed when I was given my dog, Mia, from my family. Mia is a Moodle and is always happy to see me, my housemates and all of our support team. Mia loves to go for walks – especially along the beach and I was lucky enough to take her on holiday with us a month ago to an Air B&B that I stayed at with my housemates on one of Cairns Northern Beaches. I’ve learnt that there’s a lot involved to caring for a dog and I enjoy meal prepping for Mia, practicing her puppy training, taking her to the groomers and daily cuddles and playtime.
Short Term Accommodation
Michele Townson
Holiday House and Short Term Accommodation Coordinator, ARC Disability Services Inc.
Our main focus for this past year has been to empower our Holiday House guests to become more independent and grow their social skills. At the ARC Holiday House, we have supported them to achieve these goals by assisting to build their daily living skills within the house through encouragement to become involved with meal preparation and general household tasks. Many participants have enjoyed coming together to plan and prepare special meals. Many enjoy making their own meal choices and prepare their meals independently.
Holiday House staff have also empowered our guests to build their social skills on outings in the community for this purpose. Many friendships have developed both among our guests and other participants they have had the opportunity to meet when accessing the community and engaging in social outings. Holiday House guests have enjoyed outings to the Port Douglas Habitat, the Cairns Wildlife Dome and the aquarium to name a few.The ARC Discos have also become a favourite amongst our guests, enjoying the opportunity to dress up and dance the night away with friends. We have seen some who book overnight stays just to attend the ARC Discos.Additionally we visited ARC’s special events by participating and attending rugby games and having the opportunity to access sail boats at the Sailability event.
Throughout the year, the Holiday House was closed for a total of 8 nights due to the Christmas/New Year break. There was a total of 1,293 overnights stays booked, of these, 771 stays were actioned by male participants and 522 stays were actioned by female participants. Additionally, there was a total of 60 overnight 1:1 stays booked at the Holiday House Flat.
Short Term Accommodation as at June 2023
1,293
Overnight stays at the Holiday House
60
1:1 overnight stays at the Holiday House flat
Coordination
of Supports
Chloe-Ann Fitzgerald
Coordination of Supports Team Leader, ARC Disability Services Inc.
The Coordination of Supports (COS) team have been busy this past 12 months! The team has welcomed 2 new team members and now consists of 9 coordinators, who support over 270 participants in Far North Queensland totalling over 1,100 hours per month. The CoS team have supported over 8 individuals secure Specialised Disability Accommodation (SDA) funding in the past 12
months and a further 20 individuals with independent living funding.
The COS team invested some time into getting to know their local region, including community centres, PCYCs and local organisations to provide more mainstream options to the individuals we support. The CoS team continue to work with stakeholders across the region to empower the individuals we support to meet their goals.
Coordination of Supports as at June 2023
270
Coordination of Supports participants
1,100+
Hours of support coordinated per month
8
Individuals supported to secure SDA funding
20
Individuals supported to secure independent living funding
Inclusive Education
Resource Centre
Melissa and Wendy take great pride in running both our centre base and mobile service for ARC’s Inclusive Education Resource Centre (IERC). The IERC supports over 50 local and regional schools and support over 450 teachers and are always striving to meet the ever-changing needs of its borrowers.
This past 12 months have seen the improving of the appearance and descriptions on the centre’s online catalogue making it easier to search and view resources online. Additionally updating resources and catalogue categories to align with the current curriculum. An example was creating sensory kits to accommodate the sensory regulation, new language and science kits.
Melissa learnt how to drive the mobile bus and began assisting Wendy with delivery of resources and our bus trips went up from 10 trips per term to 11 trips per term. 3 new playgroups became members along with community groups, allied health professionals and families. The centre also offers opportunities for individuals to volunteer and assist with keeping resources clean, checked and ready packed to be loaned. There are many items that require sorting each day and all help is appreciated. The team thanks all its helpers for their support throughout the year.
IERC Data as at June 2023
497
Overnight stays at the Holiday House
51
Total schools visited
454
Total teachers supported
1,400
Average resources loaned per term
The IERC is funded under the Specialist Disability Support in Schools Program via the Queensland State Department of Education.
Programs
Sheridan Lawton
General Manager Programs and Health Facilitator RN, ARC Disability Services Inc.
Another year of fun and achievements with a new strategic plan to guide us. The programs team worked throughout the year to align with the strategic plan by innovating, influencing and improving. Programs also continued to grow and evolve with many key outcomes both for participants and the organisation.
Throughout the year we have innovated with the opening of ARC51 and various events; influenced with the success of the ARC Creatives’ short film alongside art exhibition and theatre performance; and improved with the introduction of new café equipment and menu updates along with the additional wheelchair accessible bus at ARC51.
The stand out for programs was our long awaited new south-side site which has been a number of years in the making. Now, programs has capacity again here and it is super exciting to be able to offer services in Cairns' southern corridor. Exciting times are ahead with new options and activities at all times of day and week currently in planning and development.
Our award winning filmmakers won more awards and the real highlight of the year was the premiere of the ARC Creatives’ film The Do’s and Don’ts of Getting Married finally released in Cairns for everyone to see. It was an exciting red carpet affair. Programs is appreciative of its many partnerships and collaborations. Through these, participants have access to mainstream opportunities, locations and are supported by industry professionals. Over the year these have continued, grown and new ones have been established. For example our new collaborations have been with Queensland Cricket, Bunnings and Edgehill Bowls club.
Program Data as at June 23
153
Total sessions offered per week
61
Total different programs available per week
4
No. locations available
172
No. individual participants attending
Highlights
Innovate
Within programs, ARC’s strategic pillar of ‘innovate’ breaks down into a few key ideas: providing new service options, broadening our footprint and developing new opportunities & improving existing ones.
The opening of ARC51 in 2023 instantly created new program opportunities for our south-side community. The modern facility is complete with a large hall, commercial kitchen, domestic kitchen complete with hydraulic adjustable benchtops, personal care room with ceiling hoist, computer room, BBQ area, creative art space and another 4 additional programs spaces. We are so excited to watch this space as it grows and develops.
Our collaborations with community organisations, clubs and businesses allows our programs to extend our footprint to not just ARC sites but to the wider community. We continue to appreciate and nurture our long standing collaborations with the likes of Brothers Leagues All Abilities Rugby, Sailability and The Woodworkers Guild - to name a few. Over the year we have also made some new collaborations with the likes of FNQ Cricket, Bunnings Warehouse and Edge Hill Bowls Club.
Influence
The programs team are always looking for opportunities to take part in community events, showcasing not only what our brilliant ARC participants can achieve and be a part of, but what can be possible for all people living with a disability.
In September, ARC ran a stall at the annual Father’s Day Carnival on Collins markets held at the Tanks Art Centre. Our participants assisted with some fun stations that the kids could do with dad, including a ‘dress up dad’ station, a ‘make an animal habitat’ station, a drumming workshop and a story reading by 2 of our very own storywriters.
Through our amazing collaborations with the Tanks Arts Centre, the December/January Art Exhibition featured our very own Peter Forsey’s collection of pencil drawings inspired by Queensland's animals and architecture.
This years’ Tropical Arts Shakespeare performance was Cleo and Tony, the story of Anthony and Cleopatra. Our Monday afternoon drama group rehearsed for weeks to deliver another stellar performance over 3 nights of shows.
ARC marched in the annual Cairns Festival parade. For the festival’s 60th anniversary, the ARC crew sparkled in diamonds.
This year we took part in a number of fund raising events including Epilepsy Action Australia Purple Day, R U OK? Day and the Cancer Council Biggest Morning Tea. We dressed up, had fun and raised money for some worthy causes.
Improve
The programs team are always looking at ways to make ARC programs more exciting, upgrade our resources and create more opportunities for our participants. This year one of the areas we improved was our café space.
The café program provides opportunities for participants to learn and develop valuable workplace and independence skills such as meal preparation, safe food handling and storage, communication and money handling. As a result, our café equipment and processes got an upgrade.
Our new coffee machine allows participants to work on their barista skills, including making lattes, soy milk cappuccinos, long blacks and everything in between. The new oven and stove top allow the café team to cook scrumptious dishes to perfection. An upgrade to the cash register and EFTPOS machine makes our technology more relevant to what you might typically encounter at the local cafés and outlets. Additionally, updates to both main menu items and daily specials has created opportunities for participants to prepare dishes that incorporate a wide variety of preparation and cooking skills.
ARC Creatives Film Premiere
Karen Jackson
Creative Arts Coordinator
After a year of travelling the world’s film festival circuit, winning and being nominated for numerous national awards and screening at top tier Academy Award Qualifying Film Festivals across the globe, our ARC Creatives’ short film, The Do's and Don'ts of Getting Married, finally had its red carpet Cairns premiere at The Tanks Arts Centre as part of the Cairns Understory Film Festival 2022.
In conjunction with ARC Disability Services, Understory Film Festival presented the ARC Creatives’ two award-winning short films, along with the world premiere of their Behind the Scenes Making of The Do’s & Don’ts of Getting Married Documentary Short to a full house and standing ovations.
The ARC Creatives’ cast (Lisa McFarlane, Hayden Keable, Sonya Doust, Andrew Barton, Joy Nomani and Aaron Lee) along with filmmaking crew - Karen Jackson (Director) and Glenn Saggers (Director of Photography), also hit the stage for a Q&A to enlighten audiences on their collaborative process from script to screen. The group shared meaningful and funny stories of the ups and downs of their filmmaking journey, and what exciting projects lay ahead for them.
Our Year in Events
The Do's and Don’ts of Getting Married Film Premiere
25 November 2022
The ARC Creatives’ award-winning short film was received with applause and a standing ovation at the red carpeted premiere held at Tanks Art Centre as part of the Understory Film Festival. It was a much anticipated local debut screening as the film had previously been under wraps due to being part of the film festival circuit nation-wide. Over 300 people attended the event and not only saw the film but also a behind the scenes film by Aaron Lee and a Q&A panel with the ARC Creatives.
Christmas Disco
1 December 2022
Each year ARC hosts a Christmas Disco for all ARC participants, staff, friends and family. It’s an opportunity celebrate the year and to eat, drink, dance and be merry. December 2022 was no exception – watch the video below for a snapshot into the night’s celebrations.
ARC51 Opening
3 December 2022
We opened the doors to ARC51 in December, and kicked off services from the new Southside location in January. ARC51 fosters the continuous growth we have seen at ARC over the years. The purpose built community services hub doubles as home base for some of our corporate team who help to deliver ARC services. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Queensland Government’s Community Infrastructure Investment Partnership program for their grant of $1 million towards the development of ARC51.
Dateability
March 2023
This year, ARC and CBB collaborated to bring the Dateability and Mates Before Dates workshops to Far North Queensland. Two groups of participants attended the sessions over a few weekends throughout the month of March. It was a fantastic opportunity to learn about relationships and cyber safety, what to expect, how to set boundaries and how to stay safe.
Wheelbarrow Race
12-14 May 2023
In May, the ARC Angels & ARC Devils ran for disability in the Great Wheelbarrow Race 2023. The Great Wheelbarrow Race is a fundraising opportunity for various organisations, charities and individuals. ARC was grateful to be elected as a sponsored organisation by the ARC Angels & ARC Devils teams, with all funds raised allocated towards services at ARC51.
Biggest Morning Tea
22 May 2023
Across ARC’s Programs locations there were many donning yellow and participating in fundraising activities for Cancer Council Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea. This year was our 7th year holding a Biggest Morning Tea, and we look forward to sharing more cuppas and cakes for a cause next year.
Disability Support Worker Conference
14 June 2023
June saw ARC host our second annual Disability Support Worker Conference for the region. Running the same agenda over two days to maximise opportunities for professional development, we were able to welcome over 300 individuals at the conference. With such an epic turnout, we are already planning what next year’s conference will entail.
Shakespeare at the Tanks
15 June 2023
ARC’s annual collaboration with Tropical Arts bought Cleo & Tony to the Tanks Art Centre as part of the annual ‘Shakespeare at the Tanks’. This was an amazing show with a twist on Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra. The hard work put into rehearsals paid off with the shows running smoothly and entertaining 500+ people who bought tickets.
All-abilities Rugby
Throughout the year the All-Abilities Rugby Team enjoyed many highlights, including a meet and greet with George Burgess and taking to the field for their game against Mossman at Stan Williams Park.
Read the 'Brothers Cairns All-Abilities program goes from strength to strength' article
All-Inclusive Events
This year, the PVRG highlighted a gap in the community for all-inclusive events where participants are welcome to bring a support person, formal or informal, and get together to socialise, learn and have fun. Additionally, the PVRG pulled focus to parents and carers of people with disability and that it would be great for this group to be able to meet, connect and take time for themselves. As a result, ARC hosted events including Line Dancing, Paint & Sip, Friday Fun Night, A Day at The Ballet, Sailability Day and a Limberlost Nursery Gardening Workshop. We have received fantastic feedback from the events throughout the year and look forward to offering more next year.
Acknowledgements
One of ARC’s values is collaboration, which allows us to grow, connect and explore new possibilities.
Whether it has been through volunteering, collaborating or supporting, we thank the organisations that have contributed to ARC over the past year.
We would like to acknowledge the Queensland Government’s Community Infrastructure Investment Partnership program for their grant of $1 million towards the development of ARC51.
Additionally we would like to thank all of ARC’s staff, parents, carers, volunteers and placement students who worked with us in 2022-2023.
