Chief Executive Officer Update - February

Hi there, 

Welcome to the first edition of News@Yooralla for 2023.

It's already shaping up to be another big year for Yooralla.

It was an inspiring way to start the year with attending the significant turning of the sod ceremony that took place at our Ventilator Accommodation Support Service (VASS) in Thornbury in January, as we marked the beginning of construction on the VASS Food Forest.

The Food Forest was the vision of a former VASS resident, providing access for residents to an outdoor environment that would enrich their lives, offer privacy, promote independence and increase social connections. This project has been a long time in the making and it’s been a pleasure to partner with a like-minded organisation such as Global Gardens of Peace on this project that will greatly benefit the residents at VASS. We are grateful to the many individual Yooralla donors who contributed to the appeal for funds for this incredibly inspiring project.

We are also seeking expressions of interest from the Yooralla community to join our Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP), as we work to deliver a better experience for our clients. We know the best way to do this is to listen to people with lived experience of disability who have first-hand experience of services.

As part of the LEAP team, members will share their knowledge and experiences so that we can better understand our clients’ needs and wants and help improve Yooralla’s services and organisational culture. You can read more about LEAP and complete your expression of interest online.

Stay safe and well.

Terry Symonds
Chief Executive Officer