Cherylann has been receiving in home services from Interchange Australia since 2020, mostly just to assist with maintaining her gardens, while she continued to grow and harvest some delicious fresh produce. Cherylann has a large family with two brothers and two sisters. She lives at home with her husband, she has a son and a stepdaughter as well as a dog and loves to spend time doing things with her family, they often help with making things like Chutney and other delicious foods.

I spend my days surrounded by good people who I call my friends at Springett House. While my disability might limit me from being able to travel long distances I still get the chance to experience new things and discover places through Interchange Australia’s wonderful Day Options programs.

A very warm welcome to Karlie joining us at our Narellan Day Options campus! Karlie lives at home with her parents and sister and owns two very cute rabbits named Hamish and Harry.

With aspirations to become a sound technician, Matty Lucas is taking all the right steps to make this dream become reality. Matty joined Interchange Australia in August 2022 after learning about how the Music, Drama and Radio programs available could help him on his journey of producing sound and music for both theatre and radio.

Our friend from Wales “Isaac” or Zac as his friends call him who has recently joined the crew at Interchange Australia Day Options, Band and Drama programs.

Zac is a familiar, friendly face here at Interchange; we have welcomed Zac to so many music and drama events over the years where he has come along to support his best mate Paul!

At Interchange Australia, we offer two drama groups one as part of our Day Options Program called “show stoppers” this is held on a weekly basis across all locations and is an introduction into the world of stage plays and drama games. Show Stoppers is a super fun group where you can really get a feel for what drama groups are all about, and then we have the “Stage Fright Players” with classes held on a weekly basis in Bowral.

In a world where you can be anything, stay positive and be kind!
Sean is a living example of this statement with his positive “I will give anything a go” attitude, he offers encouragement to everyone around him to get involved as well and enjoy the moment. Sean is incredibly social, polite and kind to others, making friends everywhere he goes and embracing life with a smile.

Interchange Australia’s Day Options programs are developed around four key components; Life & Learning, Education, Health & Wellness and Socialising & Leisure.

One of these programs ‘Garden Gurus’ is designed to teach participants about sustainable living, and planning menus in ‘Cheftastics’ using what is grown and harvested from the garden in their meals for healthier eating.

In Australia we have been supporting International Day of People with Disability since 1996, held on December 3rd each year. The day is aimed to promote and raise awareness, understanding and acceptance by recognising the achievements of people with disability around the world.

For the past eighteen months life as we knew it has changed dramatically, and right now in NSW we are currently in the hardest lockdown we have experienced to date!

To most of us feeling isolated is new, we have been living our lives able to go wherever we want, whenever we want, hanging out with friends and family, going out for dinner, travelling if we want to, even simple things like going shopping and much more.

Ryan is a 30 year old man who has a moderate intellectual disability, epilepsy and an endocrine condition which affects his bone /muscle development. Ryan has been with Interchange Australia for over 10 years, he currently attends day Options 5 days a week, Respite 5 times a month and also has morning and afternoon support 5 days a week. Ryan really enjoys gardening, pruning, and absolutely loves getting outside to water the new vegetable garden beds every day that everyone has created at Travis house. In fact I caught him outside yesterday doing just that!

Magenta has been a participant of Interchange Australia’s Day Options Program since 2016, and during that time we’ve loved getting to know her and being able to support her in a range of ways. Magenta is non-verbal, and so in the past it has been difficult for her to communicate what she needs. Over the past few months she has come a really long way…

The very first time I saw Michelle was when she jumped in from the crowd at a live performance by Interchange Australia band the Hidden Wonders and started rocking out to an ACDC classic with the band, she belonged there and I knew that we had to invite her to join!

Join us as Kate shares her story about her passion for gardening, flowers and the beauty of being out amongst Mother Nature in her tranquil glory. Her choice of career path comes as no surprise.

Like so many others, Vinnie’s family are marvelled at the progress he has made since joining Interchange Australia’s day options program.

Vinnie attends the full array of Interchange Australia’s Day Options programs and is loving every moment learning with such wonderful enthusiasm!

Mary-Anne is a lady with Cerebral Palsy who commenced with Interchange Australia early 2014.

Prior to becoming a client of Interchange Australia Mary-Anne worked at Welby Garden Centre four days per week, Mary-Anne rarely socialised outside of work aside from with her family and lived a very solitary life.

Since joining Interchange Australia, Kirsty has continued to make the most of life and it’s not just her purple tops that sparkle, she does as well!
Kirsty has had a strong interest in cooking from an early age when she used to help her mother Debbie cook in the kitchen at her home and work. Kirsty has enjoyed building her skills in the kitchen throughout our Day Options program Cheftastics where she has been enjoying learning about all aspects of cookery from menu planning, budgeting, shopping, and food preparation and cooking as well as serving and enjoying a delicious meal with her friends.