BUSHkids Annual Report 2018-2019

Events

And then there was one …

Inglewood Family Health Support Worker Sue Clarke and Maintenance and Safety Coordinator Brett Wall both joined our organisation within months of each other almost 30 years ago, as ‘Bushies’ was beginning its colossal transformation from coastal short-stay residential care Homes to delivering services direct to kids and families across Queensland. Sue called in to Brisbane Office to reminisce with Brett through the pages of our history book BUSHIES, and excerpts from her letter to CEO Carlton Meyn are reproduced below. Thank-you, Sue; god bless.

10

“Thanks for an amazing experience and learning over the years. My life has been blessed and enriched with the families I have met ... I still get people who see me to fill me in on their progress 25 years after working with them ... If I had one regret it would be that I would have loved to teach and mentor others in how to appreciate the special qualities of our families we work with: I believe if we can change the way our mums and dads look at things, how to grow their self-respect and self- confidence, we have a much better chance at changing their children’s outlook. “Thanks also for my ‘firsts’ of which I will not be able to write all: • first setting up this pilot position in the Inglewood area; • first to set up Warwick, Stanthorpe, Texas and surrounds; • first to restart Stanthorpe (three times) and Warwick (twice); • first time eKindy facilitator setting up the Yelarbon and Karara pods — you knew me better than I knew myself when you chose me for this wonderful role ... “I’m so sad not to achieve my goal of at least 30 years with BUSHkids, but my priorities had to change. One little ad in The Stanthorpe Border Post all those years ago …”

Sue was one of the first four ‘Family Aides’ to be employed by the RQBCHS across regional Queensland when our organisation began the process of ‘the big change’ to reorientate towards direct services to local communities. Seen here with colleagues outside our former Redcliffe Home in December 1990, Sue commenced on 28 May that year and has served in Inglewood and across the Southern Downs since then.

A N N UA L R E P O R T

2 0 1 8 – 2 0 1 9