Youngcare

Youngcare
Founded 2005
Founders David Conry, Nick Bonifant, Matthew Lawson, Simon Lockyer
Location
  • Australia
Key people
 Shevaune Conry
Mission Providing choice, hope and dignity for young people with high care needs
Website http://youngcare.com.au

Youngcare is an Australian non-government organisation founded in 2005 to assist people between the ages of 18 to 65 with high care needs.[1] Youngcare's programs and projects focus on supporting young people with a disability by providing greater choice in housing and care options.[2] Currently, there are over 7,000 young people with high care needs living in residential aged care facilities.[3] Common types of disability of those supported by Youngcare include Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) or an acquired brain injury.

Mission

Youngcare believe that every young person deserves to live a young life, regardless of their care needs. To ensure every young Australian is living their lives to the full, Youngcare provides accommodation, grants, undertakes research and offers support and information via the Youngcare Connect phone service.[4]

History

Youngcare inspiration Shevaune Conry and founders David Conry, Nick Bonifant, Matt Lawson and Simon Lockyer

Founded in 2005, Youngcare was born out of a woman's battle to find relevant and dignified care.[5] Youngcare’s inspiration, Shevaune Conry, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1998 aged 26.[6] By age 33, her husband and Youngcare founder, David Conry, could no longer provide the care that Shevaune needed on a 24-hour basis. After searching for an age-appropriate care provider, Shevaune was forced to move into aged care.[2] It was this experience of the disability system that drove David, with co-founders Nick Bonifant, Matthew Lawson and Simon Lockyer, to create Youngcare and provide choice to young people who require full-time care.[7] Shevaune died in August 2012 at age 40.[8]

Projects

Apartments

The first major project completed by Youngcare was a building of 14 individual apartments for people with significant physical disabilities. This project was in response to the number of people with disability living in residential aged care due to the lack of alternative housing options.[9]

With community and corporate support, the Youngcare Apartments in Sinnamon Park opened its doors in 2007.[10] Along with housing young people with high care needs, the aim of the apartments was to provide a replicable model of care as an alternative to institutionalised care. This model of care is supported and enhanced through research conducted in partnership with Griffith University.[11]

Youngcare Apartments Sinnamon Park

In 2012, the second Youngcare Apartments were opened on the Gold Coast, housing seven residents in separate units.[12] Work is currently underway for further apartments in Western Sydney,[13] as well as a share house in Wooloowin, Brisbane,[14] and a joint partnership with MS Queensland in Albany Creek, Brisbane.[15]

At Home Care Grants

The Youngcare At Home Care Grants program began in 2009 and provides grants between $2000 and $10,000 for young people with high care needs that are deemed to be at high risk of entering an aged care facility.[16][17][18] Youngcare has facilitated over $1,000,000 of funding, with successful applications for items such as essential home modifications, equipment and in-home support.[19] By 2013 the Youngcare At Home Care Grants program had grown to include application rounds for Queensland, New South Wales and Victorian Residents.[20] The program is constantly oversubscribed, with $1,902,000 of applications received in the 2012-2013 Financial Year.[19]

Youngcare Connect

The Youngcare Connect phone line aims to connect young people with high care needs and their families and carers to relevant support from the Government and the wider health care services sector.[21] Information provided can include appropriate accommodation options, respite, local service providers, funding options, and social and recreational support.[22][23]

Research

Youngcare has a knowledge partnership with Griffith University to develop the appropriate care and support for people with high care needs.[24][25]

References

  1. ↑ "Community Partnerships : Suncorp : Youngcare : Australia". Suncorp. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  2. 1 2 "Speech by Robert Cavallucci, Member for Brisbane Central" (PDF) (pdf). Government of Queensland. 2012-08-23. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  3. ↑ National Agreement Performance Information 2009-10 (PDF). Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision. December 2010. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  4. ↑ "Youngcare Ltd". Activities. Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  5. ↑ "Helping to get young people out of aged care". Youngcare. 2013-09-26. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  6. ↑ "60 Minutes: The long goodbye on MSN Video". Video.au.msn.com. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  7. ↑ "David Conry — Australia Day QLD". Government of Queensland. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  8. ↑ Tony Moore (2012-02-29). "Tributes for Youngcare founder". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  9. ↑ "YOUNGCARE was established in 2005, inspired by David and Shevaune Conry's search for relevant and dignified care for young people with high needs". The Courier-Mail. 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  10. ↑ "Jindalee". Youngcare. 2007-12-08. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  11. ↑ "Evaluation of 'Youngcare', A purpose built accommodation option for younger people with high support and high health needs: Towards a framework for best-practice". Griffith University. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  12. ↑ "Gold Coast". Youngcare. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  13. ↑ Simon McInnes. "$1.5 million to youngcare in auburn | Liberal Party of Australia | NSW Division". New South Wales division of the Liberal Party. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  14. ↑ Amy Remeikis (2013-01-17). "Queensland government donates land to Youngcare charity". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  15. ↑ "Land gift boosts disability housing". Government of Queensland. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  16. ↑ "SCC CommunityHub - Funding - Youngcare At Home Care Grants". Community.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  17. ↑ "Youngcare At Home Care Grants New South Wales". Pro Bono Australia. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  18. ↑ Information booklet. YoungCare. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  19. 1 2 "Home Care Grants". Youngcare. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  20. ↑ "GIO Youngcare At Home Care Grants NSW Scott's Story". YouTube. 2014-01-02. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  21. ↑ "Organisations". Government of Queensland. 2014-03-12. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  22. ↑ Marshall, Candice (2010-07-07). "Youngcare calls community to arms". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  23. ↑ "Youngcare Connect". YouTube. 2013-08-16. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  24. ↑
  25. ↑
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