There is sometimes discussion around what it means to be truly Australian. What is the essence that makes us who we are as a nation?

Most of us hold the value of a “fair go for all” as being somewhere near the mark. At House With No Steps we are committed to that vision, especially to the goal of a fair go for all people with disabilities.

Let me tell you a bit of Kathryn’s story and how, with your help, House With No Steps has helped her to
receive a fair go.

When Kathryn was at school she got picked on and bullied because she was different. Kathryn is partially deaf and has epilepsy. Kathryn and her family were hoping that the bullying would subside when she entered high school – but it didn’t - it got a lot worse.

Kathryn’s confidence and self worth were on a downward spiral. It was during Year 9 that Kathryn’s parents decided to withdraw her from school all together so as to remove her from the negative environment.

Kathryn worked with her family in their fruit and vegetable shop until they went out of business. It was
evident that, without a solid education, Kathryn needed to gain some work experience to help her get a job in the future. Her hearing problems, epilepsy and very low self esteem would have made it difficult for her to find work in mainstream employment.

Fortunately, she was introduced to House With No Steps in Alstonville. It was there that Kathryn was provided with valuable work experience and a positive environment in which she felt accepted, was able to learn and see a future for herself.

Kathryn developed the courage to start thinking about some goals and what she ultimately wanted to do with her life. She made a “wish list” of career choices in which managing a café was number 3 from the top of that list. And that is exactly what Kathryn is doing - she runs the canteen at Summerland House.

Kathryn started working at Summerland House in 1993. “It’s like a home away from home”, she says. “I love my job, I love working with people. it’s a nice environment to come to work and I’m always learning new skills.”

Top of Kathryn’s “wish list” is to be a Sign Language Interpreter so that she can interpret the day tours at Summerland House for people who are deaf. We encourage her to reach for all her dreams.

House With No Steps even had a hand in Kathryn meeting the man of her dreams! Kathryn met her husband, Russell, in the Summerland House Packing Shed. They were married at the United Church Alstonville and had their wedding reception at Summerland House 11 years ago.

This festive season let’s celebrate what has been achieved and how many Australians have pulled together to give people with disabilities the fair go they deserve. However, areas of unmet need still remain in our community. We need the funding to reach out to more people with disabilities. Families and carers continue to carry a heavy burden of care, often with minimal access to support and respite services. Help us continue to be there for those who need us most this festive season.

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