A few members of the Strong & Capable Community headed out for a round of mini golf and pizza as a good excuse to get together and have some fun!
The course was travel themed and took us all around the world, and nine holes was just long enough for us to see some real putting talent!
No mini golf tournament is complete without giving out some awards:
Photo captions from left to right, Members enjoying pizza before the game, Clair taking a putt, Graeson & team taking a break between holes.
Get togethers like this enable meaningful social connections and this is what we are so passionate about!
Want to attend the next Community Catch Up and be part of our growing community? Then make sure you are signed up to the Co-op and keep an eye on our Event Calendar.
Its FREE to be a Friend of the Co-op, check out what it means to be part of our community.
There is so much you can get involved in around Adelaide.
Use this list to help plan your Peer Mentoring activities!
Whatever you are into, I’m sure you’ll find something fun to do.
Check the venues & events where the SA Companion Card is accepted
Looking for someone who shares your interests? Make sure you are signed up to our Peer Mentoring Program.
If you need help enquiring or booking into activities please reach out.
What did we miss? We love hearing from you so please share your own tips to find things to do.
Join us in celebrating how Peer Mentoring can positively impact the lives of people with disability and how collectively we can make a difference.
This launch party will showcase the program, giving you a glimpse into the exciting opportunities ahead. Join us as we embark on this journey together and create a community dedicated to growth, learning, and empowerment.
THE DETAILS:
📅 Date: Thursday April 4th, 4:30 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 Location: Hard Days Night, 301 Wright Street, Adelaide SA 5000
💲 Cost: From $10 per person.
🎫 Bookings required: via Eventbrite.
Bookings end Monday 25 March 2024.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
🌟 Strong & Capable freebies and info – because who doesn’t like free stuff?!
🤝 Networking opportunities with like-minded professionals, mentors and mentees
🎨 Interactive activities including board games, human bingo, an instax camera
photos and more!
🍽️ Delicious food provided by Whoopi Goldburger,
🍺 Drinks available from the bar
🌈 Sensory friendly spaces available
🏆 Prizes available on the night!
👗 Wear whatever makes you happy… !
If you have any questions or concerns, please send them to hello@strongandcapable.com.au and we’ll listen and adapt to be as inclusive as we can possibly be.
Not yet a member, join up now!
Are you over 18, and a person with lived experience of disability, or care for someone with a disability? Are you passionate about mentorship and want to help shape the future of our peer mentoring programs? Here’s your chance with Strong & Capable!
Complete our survey on Peer Mentoring and go into the draw to WIN a $50 gift card! Your valuable insights could make a big difference!
🔗 Survey Link: https://forms.gle/fcyTSnYXAWyGCPDE6
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to have your voice heard and win a reward at the same time. Spread the word and tag your friends who might be interested and let’s make mentoring even better together!
**Gift card will be drawn at random on 15/03/2024 and winner will be notified via email.**
If you need support to complete the survey, please contact us on 0477 339 948 or via email hello@strongandcapable.com.au.
Icebreaker games are great for helping you get to know new people.
They’re fun activities that make it easier to talk to strangers.
These games make it less awkward to start conversations with people you don’t know. By doing these activities, everyone feels more comfortable and open.
Icebreakers also help you find things you have in common with others, which leads to interesting conversations. These games are especially good in groups because they create a sense of connection.
Overall, icebreaker games are like a friendly starting point that makes it easier for strangers to connect and become friends.
At our end of year celebration on 13 December we tried out the game to help our community get to know each other better, it was a hit!
Download the questions: what do we have in common?
Let us know how it works for you?
Boosting social and community participation for people with disabilities in SA.
The Strong & Capable Cooperative are excited to announce they’ve have received funding and support from the Julia Farr MS McLeod Benevolent Fund to develop a 1 on 1 peer mentoring program that connects people with disability by shared interests to help more people ‘find their fun’.
Strong & Capable are a cooperative of people with lived experience with disability that have come together to take control of their lives by navigating life with disability and the NDIS.
They strongly believe that we’re all entitled to a good life, and that we all have passions and interests that should be shared and enjoyed. By participating in peer mentoring we can address the gap for finding meaningful social and community engagement.
The funds cover the development of the program through to April 2025. With the first task to recruit a Program Coordinator. They’re looking for an enthusiastic person with lived experience with disability to support the members of our growing community to lead a life of their choosing.
The program is open to people aged over 18 years living with disability in South Australia.
If your interested in becoming a participant or a mentor or you’d like to be engaged in the planning phase, please get in contact.
More information:
Program Coordinator Job Opportunity
Julia Farr M S McLeod Benevolent Fund
Enquiries:
Clair Crowley
Clair.crowley@strongandcapable.com.au
0477 339 948
Our Peer Mentoring Program Coordinator, Clair caught up with Leanne to learn how she found the experience. Here’s what Leanne had to say:
Clair: How were you feeling about participating in the Peer Mentoring activity?
Leanne: I was really looking forward to getting out and about and joining the rest of the world – I’ve been in a bit of a rut. A bit nervous about meeting someone new, but feeling quite happy that we were going to do something that we BOTH wanted to do.
Clair: How long had it been since you had visited a community market & what had been stopping you from going?
Leanne: I didn’t realise I had stopped going to things like the market. It’s not as much fun on your own, and almost felt like a task without the company of someone else who wanted to be there.
Clair: How did you feel while you were participating in the activity?
Leanne: It had been a while since I had been to something like this – so I felt a bit awkward. It was great to have the distraction of someone to turn to and talk about the things for sale, and someone to point out things I hadn’t noticed. I didn’t feel quite so conspicuous, or like I was standing out – as you can when you are on your own. I felt more confident and it was so good to join the community.
Clair: Do you feel like this is something you want to do again, has it inspired you to find a regular way to build this activity into your routine or even try something new?
Leanne: I love the idea of trying new things as a bit of an experiment. I have realised that I need to schedule more fun into my life!
It’s not part of my routine yet, but has reminded me how good it is to get out and explore and interrupt the cycle of staying home (it’s a trap!)
Clair: Anything else you’d like to add?
Leanne: I’m really glad that I gave it a go, and I felt great afterwards. It gave me the chance to join in conversations about what we did over the weekend. Usually I don’t have much to add.
The planning ahead part was a positive experience too, something to look forward to.
Peer Mentoring Program Coordinator Comment
If you or someone you know might be interested in participating in the Peer Mentoring Program, don’t hesitate to reach out.
We’re all guilty of sticking to the routine. It works, its familiar, you’re comfortable with it.
A few weeks ago the Strong & Capable community got together to try something new. Taking into account our community needs & interests, this was the plan we came up with;
We had a really fun afternoon, and discovered who was the Pool Shark amongst us, who loves to grab a bargain at the markets and who enjoys being in the fresh air!
So here are a few reasons why getting out of your comfort zone can be good for you:
1. New skills: Stepping out of your comfort zone challenges you to learn new skills, adapt to different situations. It can help you discover hidden talents and interests you might not have realized you had.
2. Build strength: Facing unfamiliar or uncomfortable situations can help build your mental and emotional strength.
3. Increased Confidence: Successfully navigating new territory can boost your self-confidence and self-esteem which will give you confidence in your ability to handle new challenges and situations.
4. Broadened Horizons: Going beyond your comfort zone exposes you to new people, cultures, ideas, and opportunities.
5. Improved Problem-Solving: Adapting to unfamiliar situations can improve your problem-solving skills. You’ll learn to come up with creative solutions when your usual strategies don’t apply.
6. Break from Routine: Leaving your comfort zone provides a break from daily life. It can be refreshing and prevent boredom, but can also build anticipation and excitement.
7. Face your Fears: Facing your fears and anxieties head-on can help reduce their power over you.
8. Increased Adaptability: Adapting to new environments and experiences teaches you to be more flexible and adaptable, which is a valuable skill in a constantly changing world.
9. Achievement and Satisfaction: Successfully tackling challenges outside your comfort zone can bring a great sense of achievement and satisfaction. It can encourage you to take on even greater challenges in the future.
Getting out of your comfort zone doesn’t mean you should constantly put yourself in high-stress situations. It’s about finding a healthy balance between the familiar and the unfamiliar. Small steps outside your comfort zone are often the best way to get the benefits.
Not everyone will achieve all these benefits, but we hope we’ve listed enough for you to find something that appeals to you.
Let us know if we can support you to try something new, we can connect you to people with shared interests as part of our Peer Mentoring Program, where we create social participation opportunities for people with disabilities.
Fun should be for everyone.
We had a great time at the Carers SA Expo learning about what many of you like to do for fun!
We had activities from board games, crafting, dancing, movies & music through to dressing up as a Viking and everything in between.
We hope the game ignited a craving to find more ways to bring these activities into your regular routine. And that’s exactly how our Peer Mentoring Program can assist you and the ones you care for – by providing a way to participate in social & community activities that you find fun.
Our 1 on 1 Peer Mentoring Program is designed to help people with disabilities ‘Find their fun’! We connect people by shared interests, with a member of our lived experience community, with the aim to access mainstream activities and services.
Plus if you have a skill or interest to share with others, we’d love to hear from you, we’re always on the look out for Mentors.
Get in touch to learn more.
It’s time to dig out the Christmas decorations and start planning to have some fun this festive season.
Here’s our favourite ways to celebrate:
• Shop at the community markets
• Join in the Christmas carols
• Watch a Christmas parade
• Make some crafts
• Eat some good food
• Be dazzled by Christmas light displays
Christmas activities can get busy and book out quickly, so it pays to be organised, including checking out the transport or parking options to make sure it stays a fun activity!
1. Get to the parades early so you can get a good spot, & don’t forget something a cushion or rug to sit on and some chalk to draw on the road.
2. For the carols, make sure you bring a jacket as it can get cold, plus take something to sit on.
3. Christmas crafts & workshops are a wonderful way to join in the Christmas fun, meet new people and make something special.
4. Share a meal with someone you care about or join in a community cooking class.
5. Community markets are a great spot to purchase something nice for yourself or a loved one, make sure you write a list of who you would like to buy presents for.
6. It can be nice to walk about the streets where the Christmas light displays are, if you drive you may be hurried along, plus the display homes can often give out candy cane lollies!
1. Pick an activity or two from the calendar.
2. Make plans to join in the activity & let us know if our peer mentoring program can help make this happen.
Tell us how you’d like to celebrate Christmas this year & we’ll see how we can support you.
If we missed an activity, we’d love to hear how you like to celebrate? Send an email to hello@strongandcapable.com.au
Photo credit: City of Adelaide
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