BUSHkids Annual Report 2022-23

Our people We recognise that BUSHkids’ most valuable assets are our people, with so many inspiring and dedicated staff and volunteers all driven by our vision that “all Queensland children achieve their potential regardless of where they live.”

People and Culture

Lunchbox Learning (LBL) sessions BUSHkids continues to provide Professional Development opportunities for staff through LBL as a way to support individual growth and quality service delivery for children and families, and the communities we work with. This year, we began a new LBL format intended to build depth of knowledge to help with day-to-day work; and making sessions more interactive. Team members have opportunities to suggest topics to make the sessions more meaningful and practical to their work or interests, and LBL staff presentations and attendance are actively encouraged. This year, BUSHkids provided a varied range of LBL topics and presenters, including: • Documentation Record-keeping Best Practice Trans-Disciplinary Practice • Fine Motor Development • Telepractice • Developmental, Individual-Differences, and Relationship-Based (DIR) Floor Time Model • Mental Health First Aid presentation and practice opportunity to have those difficult conversations around mental health, self- harm and suicidality with guest presenter Dayle Osborne from The University of Queensland, who provided practical exercises to assist with skill development for working with people with a mental illness • Difficult Conversations • Birdie’s Tree presentation by Dr Andrea Baldwin on the program supporting the mental health and social/emotional well- being of expectant and new parents, babies and young children, their families and communities, through natural disasters and disruptive events. • Grief and Loss education by presenter

BUSHkids recognises, celebrates and raises awareness for diversity and inclusiveness though our Awareness Calendar Program. BUSHkids’ Awareness Calendar is a proactive way to identify and highlight focus events to celebrate diversity, giving interested staff the opportunity to get involved in their local centre, share their stories and lived experience of diversity. BUSHkids has the privilege to work with and for people from diverse backgrounds and actively works to ensure inclusiveness and respect are a natural part of how we work with children, families, and the community, to build a sense of belonging for all.

In the wake of the pandemic — and to deepen our understanding of the challenges our teams are facing and hear about their great work with kids and families — we embarked upon a series of regional visits. These visits provided the opportunity for the CEO and Director Clinical Services and Strategy to meet with individual team members, shadow some of the work undertaken by our people, talk directly with families we support and share BUSHkids’ vision and direction. These sessions have been inspiring and have provided fantastic insights that will help shape BUSHkids into the future.

Awareness Calendar highlights have included National Reconciliation Week, RUOK? Day, Week, International Volunteer Day (FoBk Warwick, below) and International Women’s Day (Bundaberg, under). NAIDOC Week, Disability Action

Visit date (*planned)

Individual meetings

Group meetings

Location

3 4 3 5 3 3 8

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

07 Mar

Stanthorpe

08 Mar

Warwick

18-20 Apr

Dalby

11

23-26 May

Bundaberg

27-30 Jun

Gympie

27-28 Jul

Emerald

21-22 Aug

Mount Isa

28-30 Aug

Rockhampton

27-29 Nov

*Gladstone

5

1

*Planned meetings after the deadline for this Annual Report.

04-06 Dec

*Caloundra

11

1

12-14 Dec

*Hervey Bay

10

1

2024 Feb

*Maroochydore

20

1

Feb

*Kingaroy & Inglewood

3

1

Elham Day from Hummingbird House, exploring common themes around grief and how it can be related to personally, professionally and across community.

Feb

*Agnes Water

2

1

*Planned meetings for early 2024; details TBC.

Mar

*Brisbane

26

1

2024

*Cunnamulla

TBA

1

All 2023 LBL sessions were well received and we look forward to providing other topics of interest for our 2024 series.

2024

*Cherbourg

TBA

1

TOTAL (PLANNED )

117

17

20

Annual Report 2022–23