Beyond the Divide

Sue Jakes is a registered psychologist. Nadine Delaney is a mental health social worker.Together, they are the co-founders of Nature Based Therapies Australia – an organisation providing professional development opportunities to practitioners in the nature-based therapies sector.In this final episode of the series, Beyond the Divide draws on their experience and explores how evidence-based therapies, with nature as the co-facilitator, can assist and support clients from a diverse background to regain a renewed sense of self.

In this special spring episode of Beyond the Divide, Rachel Baigent shares some deep personal reflections about growing up with a younger brother with Down syndrome.The CEO of Witmore Limited, a disability service provider in Singleton, shares her perspective of what individuals with disability have to offer their communities.A driving focus of Rachel's work is how service delivery can be improved to achieve her hope for a sense of belonging and fulfilment for all individuals living with disability.

Singleton’s own Tony Ovington shares his personal experiences about overcoming challenges following a traumatic workplace accident and how his strengths help him to not only support others but thrive while living life in rural NSW. An insightful final episode of season one of the Beyond the Divide podcast!

From doing everything she could to hide her disability to becoming an unstoppable force despite it – Eileen King’s story is not one to miss. In this week’s Beyond the Divide episode, the Singleton resident shares vibrant stories from her life as she slowly lost her vision.

Aimee Parker from Singleton Neighbourhood Centre reflects on the complex social issues her clients face and shares advice about for people from all walks of life, particularly disadvantaged and stereotyped youth.

A youth worker in Singleton with a background in teaching, Mat Fox offers his life lessons in accepting and including people from all walks of life in this week’s Beyond the Divide episode. With experience gained from his work and through his close relationship with his late brother who had Down Syndrome, Mat’s insights highlight the power behind respecting others.

In this episode, Kristen Millar and Harry discuss the advantages of disability support work and how being anadvocate for people living with a disability can be rewarding and enlightening. Kristen shares how being a parent and sibling of someone with a disability has shaped her life and encouraged her as a disability support worker.

In this episode, Singleton primary school teacher Jo Tonon shares her insights about her work and personal experiences as a parent with a child on the autism spectrum, offers advice to new teachers, her younger self, and shares perspectives on the debate around supported vs mainstream education settings.

Welcome to the first episode of Beyond the Divide. In this episode, host Harry Kirkwood sits down with Singleton Council’s Disaster Risk Reduction Officer Jess Whyte to talk about the importance of being prepared for an emergency and what factors in when you live with a disability.