News & Events

News

Yooralla's Pandemic Plan

Yooralla has a robust plan in the event of a pandemic occurring in Victoria. Health and safety of clients and staff is our first priority and proactive actions are being taken and monitored constantly.

For more information on the current situation in Victoria, please visit the DHS website link http://www.health.vic.gov.au/ideas/diseases/swine-influenza.

For information on specific actions being taken by Yooralla, please be in contact with your service manager.

Yooralla recommends you maintain a high level of personal hygiene, and if you experience flu-like symptoms please seek medical advice.

Please read Yooralla's Pandemic Plan. (Updated Friday 22 May, 2009)

Flu Updates:

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Yooralla on ABC National Radio's 'Perspective Program'

A glowing testament to Yooralla's Early Childhood Intervention service was heard on national radio recently.

Fergal Murphy, the father of a young girl who attends Yooralla services at Blackburn was so impressed with the support and service he received that he was motivated to tell Australia on ABC National Radio's "Perspective" program. You can read a transcript of his story on: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/perspective/stories/2007/2019368.htm

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Yooralla on ABC Television's 7:30 Report

Tracy and Gerard Zappelli are a couple who have had to fight very hard to be together. After meeting at Yooralla's Glenroy school in 1996, their relationship blossomed into romance and they decided to marry ten years later. Despite initial opposition from their families, Tracy and Gerard finally won them round. The next obstacle was the difficulty in finding residential accommodation for them to live together as they have very different carer support needs. Staff at Yooralla helped them to overcome this barrier and now Tracy and Gerard live together in a Yooralla house in Braybrook. Their story was featured on ABC's 7.30 Report in September. The programme and more indepth interviews can be seen on the ABC website by accessing the link http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2007/s2042963.htm

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Yooralla On You Tube

In an effort to reach new and younger audiences, Yooralla's famous television ad is now on YouTube - twice!
The first is the original, while the second features new images of Yooralla clients and workers.

To see the new look Yooralla ad now, go to www.youtube.com and search for Yooralla.

The new look Yooralla ad hits television screens across Victoria from Sunday 26 August.

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An Australian Story

An informative and entertaining DVD that chronicles the achievements, events, issues and happenings at Yooralla over the past year. To get your free copy, contact 1300 Yooralla, or email yooralla@yooralla.com.au

To receive a free copy, please call 1800 666 010.

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Victorian Facts and Figures on Disability (as at December 2006)

One in every five Victorians (992,000 people) has a disability and one in every 15 Victorians (6.5% of the population or 322,400 people) has a profound or severe core activity limitation - 277,500 Victorians require assistance with self-care, mobility, communication or coping with the activities of everyday life. (ABS 2003)

The following are the Victorian Government's own data:

4,343 Victorians are on the waiting list for disability services:

2,559 people are waiting for accommodation including 1606 people whose need is classified as urgent or high priority.
494 people are waiting for day services, including 477 whose need is classified as urgent or high priority.
1,290 are waiting for in-home support, including 1,207 whose need is classified as urgent or high priority.

For people classified as being in urgent need of supported accommodation, the average waiting time is nearly three years. Since 2000 there has been a 76% increase in the number of people classified as urgent on the supported accommodation waiting list. Around one in six (17%) of people waiting for accommodation in Victoria are cared for by family members aged 75 years and over.

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Events

Cricket Legends Lunch
TressCox Lawyers give Yooralla a sporting chance...

TressCox Lawyers pesents the 7th Annual Cricket Legends Luch with guest star John Buchanan

A fine sunny day greeted our guests at Yooralla's 9th Annual Cricket Legends Lunch held in the Member's Dining Room at the magnificent MCG.

Although the GFC (Global Financial Crisis) may have influenced the number of guests attending, we still had a very good roll-up of in excess of 250 guests. Yooralla's new CEO Sanjib Roy, attending the lunch for the first time, welcomed everyone and presented Peter Smith, Managing Partner of TressCox Lawyers, a small plaque as a token of thanks for the most generous support TressCox Lawyers have afforded the lunch as naming rights sponsor for the past seven events.

Paul Martell was brilliant in putting everyone in the right mood, after lunch Darren Lehmann entertained with his humorous stories of life "on the tour" with the Australian Cricket team. Live and silent auctions were well supported and the day ended as another successful event.

Looking forward to 2009 with further information regarding time and location available soon.

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Schools' Out On Stage! 2009

The 2009 production of Schools' Out On Stage will feature 9 fabulous choirs in concert at the Besen Centre in Burwood on Friday 8th May 2009 commencing at 7.00pm. Tickets are only $5.00 each.

Choirs participating this year are from:

Boroondara Park Primary School
SS Peter & Paul's Primary School
Mont Albert Primary School
Laburnum Primary School
Greythorn Primary School
St Charles Borromeo School
Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammar
Avila College
Mount Waverley Secondary College

Yooralla acknowledges the most generous financial support of Retravision and Salpac, without which, this annual musical event would not be possible.

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Yooralla's 5th Annual Golf Challenge

Southern Golf Club in Keysborough was again the venue for Yooralla’s Golf Challenge 2009. Recent rain helped present the golf course in great condition and a warm sunny day just made conditions ideal for a relaxed fun-filled day.

Final numbers amounted to 56 golfers vying in teams of four for the Yooralla Challenge Cup. The day started with a Putting Competition that received great support with the prize being a RICOH digital camera very kindly donated by our generous sponsor RICOH Business Centre, West Melbourne. John Kavanagh and Craig Hille successfully holed their putts and John was declared the winner after a “Putt-Off”. Thanks to all who participated in the new competition.

The teams Ambose event was won for the third time by Sam Godino and his team from Dallas Building, runners up were the RICOH No 5 team led by Phillip Prendergast, Sponsor principal, and third team RICOH No 5 led by Dorian Large. Nearest The Pin winners were Phillip Prendergast, Andrew Bonwick and Ian Keeling with the Long Drive prize going to Ian Berger.

Many thanks go to our wonderful sponsors:

RICOH Business Centre, West Melbourne
Health Super
Salpac
Drummond Golf, City Store

We were missing five teams that have supported the event from the start due to timing and other reasons; with these teams back in 2010 the event should begin to shape up as we strive to fill the field to capacity.

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