Geelong’s Kids Plus Foundation to provide a voice for more children thanks to the WDEA Works Foundation

3 October 2019

The WDEA Works Foundation is delighted to support Geelong’s Kids Plus Foundation with a $8995.00 grant as part of the WDEA Works Foundation latest round of grants.

The WDEA Works Foundation grant has been used by The Kids Plus Foundation to purchase the ‘Accent 1400’, a speech generator device with extensive vocabulary options.

The Kids Plus Foundation works with infants, children and young people with complex neurological disabilities. Many cannot communicate without high-tech augmentative and assisted communication (AAC) devices. The purchase of this device makes a huge difference to many of the children who utilised the Kids Plus Foundation’s services. The device will be used in clinic and also loaned to families. Before a family can purchase a communication device, extensive trialling and testing is required to ensure the device is an appropriate fit. The Kids Plus Foundation is building a small collection of specialist high-tech assistive communication devices to trial with clients, alleviating delays in assessment and assisting in diagnosis.

Geelong WDEA Works Site Manager Carol Randall was involved in the cheque presentation and said “We have been lucky enough to see the device first-hand, the therapists at the Kids Plus Foundation are incredibly knowledgeable, well-trained and passionate about the devices benefits. We are thrilled the Kids Plus Foundation was a WDEA Works Foundation grant winner; knowing that this device will significantly improve the quality of life for many children and their families. Jenna (a Kids Plus Foundation therapist) told us a story of how one of their clients, a 3-year-old boy, used a device (like the one funded) to communicate his first words and to tell his mum for the first time ever “I Love you”. Stories like this help you to comprehend the emotional, developmental and mental impact of the devices.”

Presentation Photo L-R – Carol Randall (WDEA Works Geelong Site Manager), Denise Hayden (WDEA Works Employment Consultant), Jenna O’Brien (Kids Plus Foundation Speech Pathologist), Shaun Cannon (Kids Plus Foundation Chief Executive Officer)

The WDEA Works Foundation was established in 2004, aiming to make positive changes in its communities, particularly for disadvantaged people. The Foundation grants are offered to organisations that aim to increase employment and social inclusion opportunities for people living with a disability or disadvantage. Since 2004, The WDEA Works Foundation has allocated almost $900,000 to a wide range of projects across regional Victoria. It is currently funded solely via WDEA Works profits generated by its operation as an employment and disability service.

WDEA Works is a not-for-profit community agency that provides disability and mainstream employment assistance, recruitment and training services and disability services. Across twenty-nine sites in Victoria and one in South Australia WDEA Works offers programs including; Disability Employment Services, Jobactive, Employer Recruitment Services, Australian Disability Enterprises, Work for the Dole, Socialisers and NDIS Support Services.

WDEA Works Geelong specialises in Disability Employment Services (DES) helping people with a disability, injury or health conditions find and keep a job. We make sure our clients are ready for work by building skills and addressing barriers to employment. WDEA Works has been operating in Geelong since August 2018 and has offices in Geelong (Malop Street), Corio, Belmont, Drysdale, Torquay and Newcomb.