Support Coordination/Psychosocial Recovery Coaching Team

Michelle

Support Coordinator Team Leader/Senior Support Coordinator

Michelle has been in the disability sector for over 6 years starting out as a support worker and then managing the Barwon region for Autism Spectrum Australia. Michelle has a Diploma of Counselling & a Diploma of Community Service. Michelle has extensive experience with participants with Autism as well as complex family dynamics and mental health. Michelle has a passion for empowering participants to achieve their goals and takes enjoyment in always celebrating the ‘little wins’.

Alana

Support Coordinator (MATERNITY LEAVE)

Alana completed her Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) at RMIT University, and has 8 years experience in the disability and mental health sector. Alana has experience working with adults who present with complex behaviours, ASD, trauma, mental illness and intellectual disability. Alana is passionate about working with people to understand who they are, supporting them to reach their goals, and empowering them to live their best life. Outside of work, Alana loves cooking, doing home renovations, travelling and watching movies.

**Alana is currently on leave and will be returning Sept 2023**

Amanda

Support Coordinator

Amanda values honesty, integrity as well as being sincere and genuine. In her spare time, Amanda enjoys horse riding, going to the gym, hiking, walking, socializing and reading. An interesting fact about Amanda is that she can speak some very basic Maltese. Amanda is excited to join the Support Coordination team as she has always shared a passion to assist people from all walks of life.

Amanda

Support Coordinator/Psychosocial Recovery Coach (MILDURA)

Amanda has a Bachelor of Social Science (Counselling) and is currently completing her Bachelor of Disability Developmental Education. Amanda also has lived experience with disability and mental health and has a particular passion supporting participants to living their best lives. In her spare time, Amanda spends time with her children helping them engage in the community. She has previous experience as a Support Coordinator as well as working in other roles within Community Services. Amanda is a strong believer of choice and control and helping individuals understand the best way to engage with their plans to achieve the goals they choose. This includes building capacity to explore new and exciting adventures participants may not have thought of before. Amanda loves supporting families to build capacity within the family network to support the participant. Due to lived experience, Amanda is particularly passionate about the Early Years space as well as those experiencing challenging behaviours.

Anna

Support Coordinator

Anna has extensive knowledge and experience in the disability sector (16 years) as well as Department of Justice. She has primarily worked in the role of providing support and assistance to each person so that they may achieve / reach their personal goals – whether it be in employment, education, health & welfare, housing, registering with Centrelink and other government departments, referring to medical and other professional providers. Anna loves being able to contribute, guide, support and work alongside each one of her participants. Anna is also a Justice of the Peace and provides her services within the Geelong community when required.

Bruce

Support Coordinator (COLAC)

Bruce has been working in the disability sector for over 35 years, with job experience in Outreach, Residential Care and Independent Support Houses. During this time he has worked with complex and extreme behaviours. Bruce enjoys assisting people with disabilities achieve goals they once deemed out of reach. Bruce is an avide online gamer and likes to travel to relax.

Cassie

Support Coordinator

Cassie has a background and qualifications in AOD and Mental Health, as well as recently completing a Diploma of Community Services. She has lived experience with complex disabilities and understands the challenges that families face when managing family life alongside a disability. Cassie enjoys the beach, live music and reading. She is also a mum to 10 incredible children and loves the chaos that comes with a big family.

Chris

Support Coordinator

Chris worked in many areas of Banking & Finance for over 13 years. In 2012 he underwent a below knee amputation and the experience led him to both volunteering and working in Disability Advocacy. Chris also has several years experience as a Disability Support Worker. He is a strong believer in empowering people with disability to live their best life possible and passionate about making the NDIS work best to support them. Outside of work Chris enjoys MMA, camping, cooking and movies.

Deidre

Support Coordinator

Deirdre is passionate about working with participants to achieve their goals to be able to live their best life. Deirdre has extensive NDIS & disability sector knowledge and has been providing Support Coordination for 7 years. She also worked as a Case Manager/Team Leader in Out of Home Care/Therapeutic Foster Care and Disability – working primarily with young people in Foster Care and adults in various care situations. Deirdre holds a Bachelor of Social Work and draws on her training in disability and carer experience to support individuals, their families/carers from a person-centred and strength based perspective.

Elizabeth

Support Coordinator

Liz has completed a Diploma of Community Services and is currently studying a Bachelor of Social Work at Deakin University. She is passionate about supporting NDIS participants on their journey of achieving their goals and having positive outcomes. Liz is committed to support and assist participants to become more independent and confident in their own abilities through
building capacity and encouraging empowerment. Liz is a strong believer of respect, equality and having an inclusive society for all. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, camping and being outside in nature.

Jen

Support Coordinator

Hi, I’m Jen and I’m a Kiwi import. I am a qualified Nanny (Cert.), Primary School Teacher (Dip.Tch), and Social Worker (BSW). Most recently I worked in a space which encompassed child, couple and family counselling, restorative justice, safety planning, contributing to the community family violence prevention and monitoring team, delivering education courses such as Boundaries for Women, Parenting and Parenting Through Separation, plus some traditional social work tasks like supporting people with Government agency advocacy. Outside of work I Iove exploring my new hometown, reading, checking out the beaches and meeting new people.

Jodie

Senior Support Coordinator/Specialist Support Coordinator

Jodie has extensive experience in community services working for over 15 years in a variety of roles and completing work related courses including; a double diploma in Community Services; Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs. Jodie’s previous employment has included working as Case Manager for a disability employment service assisting job seekers with complex needs, working in the community teaching refugees conversational English, and more recently, working for the NDIS developing and implementing participant plans. Jodie has exceptional knowledge of the supports available in Geelong and is an avid networker. She is passionate about supporting participants to be valued members of society and to have meaningful lives. She believes it is critical to enable participants to be educated and informed in order to bring their NDIS plan to life and det the most out of the supports available.

Kiera

Support Coordinator

Kiera has a Bachelor of Health Science (Health Promotion) and a Masters of Public Health (Epidemiology). She also has a background in support work and finance. From her time as a support worker, Kiera has become passionate about empowering people to achieve their goals and get the most out of life. She has recently moved from Adelaide to Geelong and is excited to be working at AYS in a role that brings together her range of skills. When she is not working, Kiera is a complete theatre nerd and has been involved in 14 shows since 2015.

Matt

Support Coordinator (MILDURA)

Matt has lived experience in disability and autism and had previously been a Disability Support Worker for nearly 3 years.Matt believes in empowerment and supporting participants is essential in assisting them live their best lives. Out of work, Matt enjoys watching sport such as footy, going fishing and travelling.

Natalie

Support Coordinator (SUNSHINE COAST)

Natalie has over 10 years experience working in the disability employment sector. Natalie has also worked as an Educational Disability Support Worker within an adult classroom environment. Natalie has a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Psychology and is passionate about providing a holistic approach to wellness and mental health.

Nicola

Support Coordinator (COLAC)

Nicola is a part of our talented Colac team. Nicola will share her experiences soon. Stay tuned.

Rachael

Support Coordinator/Peer Mentor

Rachael has completed a Diploma in Community Services. She values empathy, respect and honesty. Rachael enjoys drawing and painting, yoga, plants and going to the beach. Her niche skill is that she can recite 25 points of Pi. She is passionate about supporting and empowering participants to live their lives to their fullest potential.

Sarah

Support Coordinator (COLAC)

Sarah has recently completed a Bachelor in Human and Community Services, and has previously completed a Dual Diploma in Community Services (Case Management) and Counseling. Sarah has real life experience in lived disability and is now looking forward to being able to support her participants to achieve their goals and live their best life. Throughout her work experiences, Sarah has worked with a range of diverse groups including children, adults, family violence and teenage mothers, to name a few. Sarah is excited to bring her skills and experience to her role as a Support Coordinator.

Susan

Senior Support Coordinator/Psychosocial Recovery Coach (COLAC)

Susan holds an Advanced Diploma in Disability and has worked for 25 years in the disability field. Susan’s passion lies in supporting people to live their good life. This passion has led her to many different roles and experiences which include support worker, House supervisor, managing an ADE, Planner – for service providers and DHHS, Assistant Manager/Acting Manager of A Disability Service Provider, managing a Support Coordination Team and Support Coordinator. Susan has extensive experience supporting people to achieve amazing life goals, such as finding a home of their own, attending university, getting a job, connecting to their culture and community, going on an independent holiday and of course helping them to make choices about who supports them and how that support looks.

Trish

Support Coordinator (Mildura)

Trish cannot wait to share her experiences with you soon.

Vanessa

Support Coordinator

Vanessa has 30 years experience in the disability sector, starting out as a volunteer on holiday programs and camps whilst in high school. Vanessa is drive to improve outcomes for all people living with a disability. She holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Disability Studies) and has held various roles spanning across Case Management, Respite Management, Support Worker, and Team Leader before joining AYS. Vanessa reloated to Geelong in 2020 and hasn’t looked back. She loves the beach and often pinches herself at how lucky she is to live so close to many beautiful beaches.