Our NDIS Support Program

Connect Kids now offers support workers to help NDIS participants to access their community and achieve their goals. All profits from this business go back into supporting our children’s mentoring program.

what’s the NDIS Program all about?

Our NDIS support business compliments our mentoring and tutoring in endeavouring to end the cycle of disadvantage within our community.

We believe that all children deserve to live a happy, healthy, and fulfilled life. Through these three initiatives and our strong collaborations with other allied healthcare service providers, we give children a chance to achieve this where otherwise they may become the marginalised adults of the next generation.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you are struggling to apply for NDIS support or are struggling to find relevant services and supports once you have received funding.

Our Mission

Working in an inclusive and collaborative teams’ environment to ensure the best outcomes for clients. We only take on clients when we feel that we can genuinely add value to the client’s service proposition.

Our Vision

To be there for those families who need help to navigate the complexity that is the NDIS and ensure that we can direct them towards the best supports available.

Meet the Team

We are proud to have some of the best Support Workers on the Sunshine Coast as part of the Connect Kids team. Meet them for yourself!

  • Meet Paola, a dedicated support worker with a passion for psychology. Currently in her third year of study, Paola brings a wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience to her role. Paola has been working in the field of support work for the past couple of years, and has had experience with a diverse range of participants. Paola is adept at providing compassionate care and tailored support to those in need. Her commitment to understanding the intricacies of human behaviour allows her to approach each individual with empathy and insight, fostering meaningful connections and facilitating positive outcomes.

    Paola is a very enthusiastic and curious person, nothing gives her more excitement than meeting a new participant and getting to know them with time. Through her own journey, Paola has learnt everybody is diverse and beautiful in their own way, creating a free of judgement environment within conversations.

    A regular support day for Paola consists of various activities designed to reconnect with nature, and finding value in self-reflection. Paola may introduce journalling activities for participants as well as other activities to improve fine and gross motor skills; walking, exercising, arts and crafts etc,. depending on the needs of each person. With Paola you may explore hidden locations like waterfalls, walks and beaches on the coast, as well as rainy activities, like enjoying a day shopping, catching up on appointments, or cooking and baking.

    Despite her time being mainly dedicated to studying, in her spare time Paola has a variety of hobbies and interests: artsy activities (painting, drawing, crocheting, sewing, photography, fashion), exercise (mainly running, or hiking), and reading. Music is another great passion for Paola, working with sound through singing and mixing music. She is also a bit food lover! Coming from Italy, good food has always been integrated into her life, giving her a great opportunity to learn many cooking skills.

    After immigrating from Italy with her family as a young child, Paola learnt to value the importance of individuality and expressing oneself in the best way possible. She recognises the value of communication, patience and has a great sense of humour! That just about sums it up, Paola loves spending time in nature and in the sunshine.

  • Ella is a compassionate and dedicated support worker specializing in providing assistance to individuals living with disabilities, ranging from Autism and ADHD, to mental health support. With four years of hands-on experience, Ella has developed her skills in understanding the unique needs of each individual and providing creative support to help them thrive. Ella has gained invaluable experience and loves interacting with all individuals of diverse backgrounds and abilities as her clients.

    In addition to her career, Ella loves engaging in various hobbies and interests such as spending time outdoors, trying new things, sports, exploring nature trails and being active. Ella understands the importance of self-care and maintaining a balanced lifestyle. Ella has achieved Cert 2 in Health Support Services and Cert 3 in Assistant in Nursing. With a blend of empathy, expertise, and genuine care, Ella is dedicated to creating an environment where her clients can be themselves, thrive and lead fulfilling lives.

  • Rochelle is an animal lover and nature enthusiast, with a calm and understanding character, who's always up for an adventure and a good laugh.

    Rochelle holds qualifications in nutrition and kinesiology, and has a special interest in helping her clients to achieve their health goals by better understanding and supporting their bodies with good food and healthy habits. She has both personal and professional experience with a range of mental health conditions including trauma and c-ptsd, anxiety, depression, neurodivergencies, and epilepsy.

    In her spare time, Rochelle loves cooking and fermenting, gardening, hiking, dog training, and getting creative with a new project. Yes, she's a little hippie-lah-lah, but that's all part of her charm! Her current professional development includes learning Auslan and becoming a breathwork instructor. Rochelle is passionate about supporting her clients to thrive, and build confidence and autonomy over their lives.

  • My name is Chris, I’m 31 years old. I live in Caloundra with my wife and 2 kids aged 2 & 5.

    I work as a group fitness coach at Prodigy Strength & Fitness when I’m not with my support clients. I served in the Army for 10 years before moving to the Sunshine Coast.

    I love surfing and all things around the ocean as well as hiking and most things physically challenging. When providing supports I strive to engage the kids in physical activity of any kind and have had great success doing so in the past. Your goal is my goal and I hope to being to assist any way I can.

  • Holly Williams is a name that resonates with determination, resilience, and an unwavering passion for surfing. With a surfing journey that spans over 15 years, Holly's love for the ocean and riding waves began at the tender age of 3, when she first stood up on a board with her father by her side. By the time she turned 5, she fearlessly took charge of catching her own waves, marking the beginning of an extraordinary surfing career.

    Those who know Holly well can attest to her tenacious spirit and the nickname "Princess Warrior" bestowed upon her by her trainer. This moniker perfectly captures her ability to face challenges head-on, pushing boundaries and surpassing expectations. Holly is regarded as a role model, not only for her exceptional surfing skills but also for her humility, respect, and kindness toward others.

    One of Holly's standout personal strengths is her never-give-up attitude. She approaches every aspect of her life with an unwavering commitment to giving her all. An inspiring example of this can be seen in her journey through the 2021/22 qualifying series. Despite facing setbacks and not initially being on the radar for qualifying, Holly persevered. In a remarkable turn of events, she made it to the QS5000 final, securing her place in the 2022 Challenger series. Her remarkable comeback serves as a testament to her resilience, determination, and ability to rise above adversity.

    Beyond her surfing endeavours, Holly's life goals extend to making a meaningful impact outside of the sport. In the short term, she aims to expand her knowledge and expertise as a NDIS support worker and mentor with Connect Kids. Through this role, Holly provides valuable support and guidance to children facing various mental health challenges, including ADHD, anxiety, OCD, and autism. She has witnessed firsthand the struggles that many families endure daily, and her dedication to helping these young individuals become more independent and confident is unwavering.

    Looking ahead, Holly's medium-term goal involves pursuing a teaching degree with a specialization in primary school physical education. By combining her passion for surfing with her desire to inspire and educate young minds, she hopes to make a positive impact on the lives of future generations. Holly understands the importance of balance and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, both physically and mentally, which she aims to instil in her students.

  • Welcome to the whirlwind world of Taeyha, where friends affectionately call her T, Tae, or even T-bone. Taeyha's journey is a delightful blend of compassion, empathy, and a relentless pursuit of making people's lives better. Some say she puts the 'fun' in 'fundamental kindness'.

    Currently, Taeyha is diving headfirst into the academic arena, completing her third year of Bachelor of Education (Secondary)/ Bachelor of Arts at the University of the Sunshine Coast. With English and Geography as her chosen battlegrounds, she's on a mission to turn the next generations into grammar geeks and globe trotters.

    But wait, there's more to Taeyha than textbooks and lesson plans! When she's not busy enlightening young minds, you'll find her shredding the skateparks on her skateboard, carving majestic arcs in the snow on her snowboard, or capturing the beauty of life through the lens of her camera. She's the Picasso of the pavement and the Ansel Adams of the Alps!

    Taeyha's love for the ocean is so deep, that she's practically part mermaid. Live music is her jam, igniting a passion for rhythm and melody that rivals her love for a good old dance-off. Just don't challenge her to a dance battle unless you're prepared to lose!

    While she may be firmly planted in her hometown roots, Taeyha's spirit is as restless as a caffeine-fuelled hummingbird. Japan holds a special place in her heart as her favourite travel destination – she's even mastered the art of sushi rolling! But her wanderlust knows no bounds, and she's always plotting her next adventure to exotic locales across the globe.

    So, buckle up and join Taeyha on her rollercoaster ride of discovery, growth, and boundless enthusiasm. With a heart full of kindness and a spirit as adventurous as Indiana Jones, she's ready to conquer the world.

  • Meet Elissa (El) a 28 YR old boisterous young lady who prides herself on being a very open minded and an energetic person. Born and breed in Australia, youngest to a family of 6. She is a very dedicated Support Worker and brings a plethora of lived experiences from her colorful journey, amongst 4 years of different support roles under her belt. Through these years El has worked with a very diverse range of all participants including but not limited to both the physical and mental health sector. El is gifted at providing a warmhearted approach, tailoring support to all needs with a passion for Youth at risk. Her ability to easily adapt and understand each individual with great compassion aids her, building great rapport resulting in meaningful outcomes.

    El will give you the tools to lead a very happy and healthy life however that may look for each individual, instead of doing things for you. Empowering you to take back ownership on your life to unlock the potential and how you want to live it.

    El thrives off meeting new people and passionately creates a safe space for all thoughts and feelings to be heard free of any judgment.

    El is in Love with nature especially the sun, ocean and all animals so supports can be anything ranging from all outdoor activities like; snorkeling, SUPS, fishing, skating, nature hunts/walks, exploring waterfalls and searching for how to be involved in local community beach cleans and events. Rainy days don’t stop El so activities like enjoying sifting through the local op-shops, cooking, arts and crafts of all kinds, even thrifting can be on the cards along with daily rituals.

    El truly believes we can heal with kindness, connection, food from the earth and by being conscious of what we allow into our lives through our environment, bodies and minds. In El’s spare time she can usually be found out in the garden working on her green thumb, in the kitchen creating new meals, spending time with her pets; Dog and Snake or making clothes and jewelry even learning a new instrument. (El has just started playing the Harmonica)

  • Linda-Rose was born in New York City but spent most of her childhood growing up in Michigan.

    She studied Social Work at Uni, and after graduating she moved to England to do Youth Work where she met her husband.

    After getting married the two of them moved to Australia for an adventure in 2018 and eventually fell in love with the Sunshine Coast.

    Linda-Rose loves traveling, designing for her luxury fashion brand, creating art and music, and cuddling with her fur babies.

    Her biggest passion has always been supporting others in creating healthier and happier lives, whatever way she can.