A local disability support service hopes to establish a community care facility on Burnett Heads Road which would pass on life skills like gardening, woodworking and repairs.
Caring Hearts Disability Support Services has lodged a Material Change of Use for a community care centre over a residential property at 362 Burnett Heads Road, Qunaba.
The proposed development would support the Caring Heart’s clients who require assistance or support with daily living needs.
“The use would provide clients with valuable life skills that would be translated to their everyday living,” the application said.
“The proposed development meets a community need to assist those with special needs to be able to learn practical life skills that would ultimately contribute to a better quality of life and to promote a strong sense of community.”
Caring Hearts Disability Support Services is co-owned and managed by husband and wife team Jaydene and Russell White.
Russell said, if approved, the facility would be a place where they could take clients to learn new skills from arts and crafts and landscaping to woodworking and small engine repair.
“It is trying to work with them and trying to show them and teach them different things about what they can do,” Russell said.
“It’s a two-acre block so it’s a big block where they can get out and do these activities.”
He said Caring Hearts had already seen the benefit of similar programs, including through its lawn mowing program.
“We see young guys go out and mow lawns, they love showing people and telling people what they can do.
“It gives them a very good ownership and self-worth.
“They just feel like they are like everyone else and so they should be.
“We’re trying to instil into these guys that they can go home and help with their families and learn as much as they can from it.”
With four support houses and eight child safety houses in the region already, Russell said the proposed Burnett Heads facility would further extend the business’ offerings and help to realise his wife Jaydene’s dreams.
The company started when Jaydene was working part time in the disability sector and was moved to provide greater support by the story of one client who had Huntington’s disease.
“That developed all this and grew Jay into the business,” Russell said.
The development application is now with Bundaberg Regional Council for assessment.
