industry
in conversation :
Geoff Blackwood , CEO , Barkuma
Tell us about Barkuma . Barkuma was established 50 years ago by a group of ten parents looking to develop services in Adelaide ’ s north . We started out with 20 clients and have grown to now work alongside more than 700 people living with a disability in South Australia each year . Essentially we provide assistance to adults with intellectual and other disabilities to maintain an independent , happy and healthy lifestyle in the community and at home . We like to think that we are here to help people put their lives together the way that they want to .
What are some of the programs and services you provide ? Our largest service offering involves helping people who want to be active members of the community through meaningful employment , be it open employment in the community or supported employment at one of Barkuma ’ s SAPAC sites . We also offer school transition options , called Better Pathways , which includes supporting a person coming out of high school and into the workforce or further study . We also offer our Support and Family Education ( SAFE ) program which partners skilled workers with parents who have a cognitive impairment and children aged under five . Many people don ’ t know that Barkuma is also a registered training organisation helping people build a career in the disability support sector . We are also gearing up to support people through the NDIS .
How long have you worked at Barkuma and how did you come to this role ? I have worked with Barkuma for just over three years . I grew up in Adelaide ’ s north where we continue to have a strong footprint , so I ’ ve always known about Barkuma . When I was growing up I had friends with brothers and sisters that were clients of Barkuma . In 1968 when I was just six years old I was part of a Barkuma Christmas fundraiser , I got to play the role of one of the Three Wise Men . I also did a placement with Barkuma in high school and again when I was at uni . I was working for a great organisation called Barossa Enterprises when I was approached to apply for the Barkuma role and after my interview I was offered the job . When I started it was like walking into a place I already knew .
What are the most rewarding parts of your job ? I absolutely love the position of my office actually , I ’ m right in the middle of the action and I can hear clients , laughing , making friends and talking about what they are learning and how they will put it into practice in their own life . I really like it when we ’ ve listened to the client and we ’ ve got it right , they are achieving their goals . Working with the Barkuma board is also very rewarding , they are fantastic mentors and there is a great synergy between them and the executive team , a real zest for the work that we do .
Barkuma is celebrating 50 years in 2017 . How are you celebrating this achievement and what have been the main changes to the way you operate during this time ? 50 years of Barkuma is a really exciting achievement . To us , it means we are doing many things right . We ’ ve been through many eras , changes of government and the way funding is delivered and now we are standing strong with the implementation of the NDIS . On February 24 we held a fantastic anniversary event with over 300 people in attendance , including some of our founders as well as many current and past clients and supporters . The way we connect with people has changed , people used to have to find us and now it is imperative that we are letting people know that we are here and we can
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