Big things happening at our Brookvale Hub

March 11, 2025

You can’t help but feel the growing excitement at Brookvale Disability Support Hub this year. As new programs are being created and revamped, the atmosphere is one of enthusiasm and possibility. There has been an increasing focus on engaging participants with the community through a new dog walking service, a library volunteering program and a revamped film and photography program that saw participants interview a renowned Japanese artist recently. “I’m so excited about our programs,” says Day Services Manager Tarsha Saint.

After managing a successful pet program at her last place of work, Tarsha has always been keen to launch a dog walking service at Brookvale. “There is so much value in giving participants the opportunity to care for something else, in this case an animal,” says Tarsha. “Our Paws for a Cause program gets them exercising and out into the community, they get to meet other people and earn money while doing it.” Dog owners simply contact CatholicCare via Mad Paws, an agency that connects dog walkers with dog owners. “On the day, we drive the participant to pick up the dog, and while they are out and about, they share photos with the owner. This builds their communication skills, which is great,” says Tarsha.

One of Brookvale’s staff members recently brought in her dog for a participant to practice with before they get their first client. “They went to Balmoral, and it was interesting because lots of people came up and asked whether they offer a dog walking service. There does seem to be a lot of interest, so we’re understandably excited to get started,” Tarsha says.

Brookvale’s reading skills program has recently been revamped to include engagement with the local library. “Our Books & Beyond program had previously been based in the centre, and I thought, ‘How could we make this more community based?” Tarsha explains. She contacted Northern Beaches Council who put her in touch with Manly Library’s Engagement Officer. “For the last four months we have been volunteering at Manly Library. They have a bunch of little kids who come in the morning for reading and they leave a mess. Our participants pick up all the books and put them in alphabetical order. Any of the books that are damaged, they collect and give to the librarians for repair or replacement.” After a morning of volunteering at the library, they enjoy lunch together before going to another section of the library for reading, comprehension and writing skills. The program is individually tailored to the participant and their literacy level. “All the feedback so far has been terrific, they are loving the different elements of the program … it has been so successful,” Tarsha says.

The Tarooki Creative Arts program has also seen a surge in popularity and is now open five days a week. “We’ve had to bring another art teacher on board to meet the demand,” Tarsha says. “We’ve recently participated in the Jubilee Art Competition which was really fabulous. Our next project is creating items for a Mother’s Day Stall. We have chosen seven artworks that we are going to print on cards to sell as a way for the participants to earn income. One of our art teachers is also organising little succulent pots for the participants to paint and sell at the Mother’s Day stall,” Tarsha says. One of the goals for the year is to create more opportunities for participants to earn money through their art. “If the participants want to buy a coffee, we want them to have the money to do that,” Tarsha says. “My hope is that we will eventually run regular market stalls.”

Another development at Brookvale has been the merging of the film and photography programs into a program called Beyond the Lens. The participants recently filmed an interview with internationally acclaimed Japanese artist, Kentaro Yoshida whose designs have been showcased by brands including Canon, Google, Converse, General Pants Co, Levi’s, Billabong, CommBank, Optus, Lexus and NRMA. “They took turns asking Kentaro questions and filming the interview,” explains Tarsha. “They had three cameras going at different angles and it was really fantastic to see.” Not only did this project give participants the opportunity to develop filming skills, but it was also an incredibly inspiring experience and an opportunity to connect with someone who is well established in the art community. As the year goes on, there are big plans for Beyond the Lens participants to further develop their community connections through photography and film competitions.

Our Move, Inspire & Express (dance program) and Music in Motion (music program) are also thriving, and there are a few places still available in the music program. The music program runs out of the Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo. “The participants create music videos and one of the goals for this year is to form a band,” Tarsha says.

Participants at Brookvale have loved being involved in the process of creating, revamping and naming the new programs. Indeed, creative juices have been flowing rapidly among staff and participants and the enthusiasm is infectious!

For more information about programs at our Brookvale Disability Hub:
P: 1800 324 924
E: info@catholiccaredbb.org.au
W: www.catholiccaredbb.org.au/disability-ndis/brookvale