MONTHS ago, Kathyanne Bishop would have barely left her home.
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Thanks to Intereach’s AbilityLinks program however, she’s started her own craft program at the Tolland Community Centre.
Whether it’s making greeting cards, photo frames or beading, Ms Bishop is passionate about craft.
It’s something she enjoys sharing with others and she credited Intereach with giving her the confidence to go out, share her skills and contribute to the community.
“Without their backing, I wouldn’t have done this on my own,” she said. “It gave me the confidence to teach some skills.”
“Without AbilityLinks I would be doing this on my own at home.
“It’s extremely hard to get something started on your own.”
Backing from Intereach has included sourcing materials for the craft group, and help to promote the group.
For Ms Bishop the chance to plan and organise an event in Tolland’s community centre has a made a genuine difference for her and brought activity to the recently renovated building.
“It means there is something happening in the suburb, Tolland residents have to go to Glenfield, Ashmont or into town (for community activities),” she said.
Ms Bishop said her goal was to grow the craft group to a point where other people could share their skills or pick up a new one, helping to ensure
Intereach’s AbilityLinks program is designed to bring people who have a disability into the community.
After operating for a few months already, the program was officially launched on Saturday with community groups and organisations hosting a fair in the Victory Memorial Gardens.
“It’s to support people with a disability to achieve their goals and dreams which links them into the community,” the program’s co-ordinator Kellie Clarke said.
Encouraging and educating people to be more accepting and socially inclusive is another aim of the program with five linkers in Wagga to support people who need to make connections.
It’s not always starting a craft group and Ms Clarke said staff or ‘linkers’ had helped people into employment, service and sporting clubs as well as to start their own interest groups as Ms Bishop had.
