Issue 4 - April 2020

Illustration by DAQ: Politico Magazine: 19/03/2020 - Coronavirus will change the world permanently: Here's how.

Hello to you all.

I hope you've been well and are coping as best you can with the current COVID-19 pandemic through which we are all living.

The Nest team's plans for the year have been thrown, as you can understand, but as an online tool, Nest is still available for you to check out and find your new home. Your plans might be slightly delayed, but living in isolation with the same people for the last while may have made you more determined to find your new home!?

In early March, the Nest team headed to the sunny Gold Coast (although it actually wasn't that sunny when we were there) for our Match Up event. We had a number of participants and providers pull out at the last minute as a result of COVID-19, which is of course totally understandable, but we were excited to be in QLD for our first official event and look forward to visiting again soon. 

We have unfortunately had to postpone a number of our Match-Up events planned for April, May, June and July since, which is a shame, but of course, beyond our control. We've optimistically locked in some new dates, so are hoping to see you all in the not too distant future. You can check out the current planned dates here.

Unfortunately our development work on the Nest site has also been delayed as a result of COVID-19. We will let you know as soon as it has been completed but it's now looking like a late May-mid June completion.

We thought you might be interested in a resource on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Quality and Safeguards Commission website which provides Coronavirus (COVID-19) information, updates and resources for NDIS participants. Check it out here. The page contains links to updates, training, alerts, and resources for NDIS participants and providers. This information is to inform and support NDIS providers to continue to deliver quality and safe supports and services to NDIS participants during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also check out the NI News section below which details what NI is doing to bust boredom for people with disability during COVID-19 isolation. 

Take care everyone and we will see you soon. 

Team Nest

While we wouldn't actually be able to interview or film you at the moment, we can still plan to do so when restrictions are lessened. Did you find a new home for yourself or someone you support by using the Nest site? If yes, we want to hear from you! For anyone that is happy to be involved, we will provide a $100 gift voucher of your choice for your time and you could be the face of Nest in publications and possibly even a video! Want to be a movie star? Let us know! Email us on info@gonest.com.au or call us on 1300 547 905. Support Coordinators are welcome too! 

Boredom Busters: A new opportunity for accommodation customers and staff

During the COVID-19 pandemic, supported accommodation customers will be spending more time at home for many reasons - all of them aiming to maintain their health and well being. However, we know that everyone being at home, all the time, poses a new challenge….. cabin fever!

In an attempt to combat cabin fever, Northcott Innovation (NI) collaborated with Northcott Therapy for an initiative called Boredom Busters.

Boredom Busters has seen therapists devise a range of fun, engaging and entertaining activities in which accommodation customers can participate using every day household items from the comfort and safety of their own home.

Boredom Busters are designed to match the skills and capabilities of accommodation customers. These remotely delivered activities have also been crafted to meet current COVID-19 social distancing guidelines. NI pulled them together really quickly , so please don’t judge our below par professional videography!

What are Boredom Buster activities?
Activities are wild and wonderful with few limits to creativity. Supported accommodation customers (or anyone!) will be able to join in for:

1. Sam's super easy yet delicious no bake chocolate cake
2. Ashleigh's 'News of the day' using Key Word Sign
3. Erin's fabulous coconut balls

How do you access the Boredom Busters?
You can access all of the Boredom Buster videos from the NI YouTube channel. However, if you don’t have access to the web, NI is happy to send you a copy of Boredom Busters on a DVD. Simply shoot us an email at info@northcottinnovation.com.au with your name and full address and we will mail you a copy.

Have an idea for a great Boredom Buster?
If you have a great idea for an activity, let us know! Email the NI team at: ideas@northcottinnovation.com.au

How can you find out more?
For more information about Boredom Busters please reach out to the NI team at info@northcottinnovation.com.au

Large open-planned home in quiet cul-de-sac

Anglicare SA currently has a room available in this lovely open-plan Supported Independent Living (SIL) property in Northgate, South Australia.

All bedrooms are large enough for double beds and feature built-in wardrobes and the bathroom offers both a shower and a bath.

There is a quiet lounge with open plan living space adjacent to the kitchen which overlooks a large paved courtyard with plenty of space for outdoor entertainment.

Other property features include:

• Air conditioning
• Heating
• Undercover access from parking to property
• Large shared laundry with access to courtyard and clothesline

Check out the property in detail on Nest.

Horizon SDA - a passion project established by 3 years of research and hard work

Horizon SDA Care is Specialised Disability Accommodation provider based on the Sunshine Coast.

Our parent company has always been about win – win situations, and we believe that the best way to get what you want, is to help others get what they want.

When Director Michael Knights was introduced to the NDIS and Specialised Disability Accommodation, it resonated with him instantly.

Michael saw it as a great opportunity to work with participants and their families, many of whom have dedicated their entire life to care for their family members with disability.

With 30 years’ experience in real estate and building development, Mike has seen first-hand how much the NDIS and SDA was needed and decided to go all in. The result is a unique SDA model that is leading the way in the NDIS SDA sector.

Horizon’s motto is “your choice, your terms, at your pace” – and it’s how we guide the entire business. Our participants always come first.

We are passionate about honouring the intent of the NDIS – ensuring that we offer accommodation in which participants are excited to live! We custom build the home for each individual family on request - they can choose who they want to live with and where they want to live.

Our homes are boutique and unique, not cookie cutter one-size-fits-all. We are all about offering a place to truly call home. Michael is a property nerd and he’s really enjoyed coming up with clever ways to make sure our homes are masterpieces; full of the right spaces and technology to make living there easy. We are not fans of large group homes. We aren’t huge; we are boutique like a family and so are our homes.

It’s been challenging pioneering a new industry – the truth is we are all new to SDA and to make sure that we meet expectations, we work closely with all kinds of providers wherever we can. Our best outcomes happen when we are working with support coordinators and their teams to bring it all together on the participant's terms - it’s all about the participants at the end of the day. We all need each other to work in collaboration.

One of our recent new SDA homes was a full house with SDA participants within weeks of the grand opening. We met with several providers from four different companies on our opening day. We worked through a game plan together, matching participants who needed the highest physical support level.

The SDA Bargara Beach house is a very spacious split-use duplex; one unit is for high physical support, the other for improved liveability. Working in this way, everybody wins and we have four incredibly happy participants moving in.

Horizon SDA manage the rental compliance and accommodation service for all involved.
We leave the care side to the SIL and support coordinators - they're the experts in that space! However, we work closely with them to ensure that everything runs as smoothly as possible.

We take a participant-first approach. Like any business; we have investors but we like to build a house around a participant’s needs wherever we can. This works best when we collaborate with care providers.

We can also help by providing materials to work with and attract participants. It’s a circle of life programme - collaborating we all achieve more. All our investors are educated and ready to pay it forward to support the system and participants. We have several financial models on offer. This is an industry first.  

For many participants this is their first real home. We want to give it the heart it deserves.

If we could change one thing in the disability housing industry, it would be breaking down communication barriers. We want to fill the gap in the system and bring everyone together. Our unique business model is in demand, however the size and complexity of the NDIS is lacking the resources the sector needs.

We would love the opportunity to share our knowledge with all care sectors and all the other boutique providers across NDIS networks.

We are making progress through our community engagement and education programmes but we still need help to spread the word. This will enable us to reach the participants who dream of their own home and provide relief to their families.  Please feel free to reach out to us!

At Horizon Property Alliance and Horizon SDA Care, we custom build and cater for SIL, improved liveability, fully accessible, robust and the high physical support categories in SDA housing. 

Please note this next sections is a paid advertisement. 

The NDIS is providing increased funding options to support people with disability to live more inclusively - in a regular house, on a regular street and in a welcoming community.

The new NDIS Individual Living Options (ILOs) open up a range of exciting possibilities, including:

1. Hosts - host families and individuals
2. Co-residents - housemates who live with you and support you
3. Living together with a supporting friend
4. Living together, sharing NDIS participants 
5. Living together, supporting families 
6. Friendly neighbours 

My Supports is a recognised leader in NDIS Individual Living Options (ILOs) and can assist you to get an ILO in your plan and implemented - guiding you all the way.

Want to learn more? - click here

Want to have a chat on the options?
Email terry.mader@mysupports.com.au 

My Supports provides ILO support in NSW, Victoria, QLD, WA and SA.

The Nest team has shifted our plans for the next few months, but you can still register for many of our events which are now scheduled simply later in the year.

Tuesday 4 August: Newcastle Nest Match Up: Central Leagues Club, 8 Bula St, Charlestown

Wednesday 19 August: Central Coast Nest Match Up, Gosford RSL, 26 Central Coast Highway, West Gosford

Tuesday 1 September: Brisbane Nest Match Up: Virginia Golf Club, Elliott Road, Banyo

Thursday 3 September: Sunshine Coast Nest Match Up, Maroochy Surf Club, 36 Alexandra Parade, Maroochydore

Hi Nana,

I was about to embark on my search for a new home before COVID-19 hit. Now I'm not sure if I should start looking. What do you think?

Kindest regards,

Stumped by COVID

------------------------

Oh pet, now is the perfect time for you to start looking for a new independent home! For so many reasons!

Firstly, you've likely got waaayy more time on your hands. I don't know about you darl, but I'm starting to get super duper bored of jigsaw puzzles and board games!

​Secondly, you are probably getting kind of really 'over' the people that you live with! If you were considering moving before isolation, you must be desperate to do so now!

Thirdly, we know that many of our providers currently have more time on their hands too, so they are busy making use of that time and updating/loading their properties on to Nest... as I type sweetpea!

Soooo.. Now is definitely the time for you to jump on Nest, have a good squiz at what is currently out there and create a profile so that you can continue to get notified when anything new that matches your needs and wants and funding gets loaded to the site. 

Don't hold back darl, jump on Nest today!

Toodle oo until next time.

Nana

Got a question for Nana Nest? Email her at: info@gonest.com.au

Keen to advertise to a targeted audience? You can advertise in our next EDM and will soon be able to advertise on the Nest site. Contact Madeleine today at: madeleine@northcottinnovation.com.au or (02) 9890 0554 to chat about our introductory advertising options.