It is with great delight we announce that Rachael Bowen, National Director of Speech Therapy, is a finalist in this year’s Westfield Chatswood Local Heroes Program. Your vote from across Australia can help Giant Steps win $20,000!

Rachael’s work over the last 17 years has had a profound impact on hundreds of individuals on the autism spectrum and their families across Sydney and Melbourne.

Please help us win by voting for Rachael before Monday 11 September.

We moved from our home country in Malaysia and called Australia our new home 8 years ago. Newly arrived in a foreign country with two small children, little did we know what was ahead of us.

Aiden was our second child, and we knew things were not quite right from the beginning. He wasn’t speaking, there were no proper words, no calling for mummy or daddy and no eye contact. Aiden seemed happy to be in his own little world.

At 3 years old, Aiden was officially diagnosed with autism and global development delay. We received this diagnosis with mixed emotions as after researching and googling ‘non-verbal’ the thing that kept popping up most frequently was autism. Although we were somewhat expecting the diagnosis, it was also accompanied by many other feelings, especially worry for the future.

Aiden was able to start speech therapy and the therapist told us about a wonderful school that was doing amazing things for some of their other clients – a school called Giant Steps. Arriving for a visit, I remember vividly that we were greeted not by one person but by a whole team of amazing staff. I was astonished by the dedication and support that each and every person in this school provided to ensure a safe and wonderful space for autistic children to strive and learn in the best way they could.

We are so grateful to live in Australia and be a part of Giant Steps, a place where Aiden can be himself, be safe and reach milestones that may seem small to others but are so big to us. In recent times, Aiden has been able to progress with toileting and has started to use utensils – to us, these are astonishing achievements. We have no family or support network here, but the support we receive from Giant Steps is simply incredible. There is always someone to talk to about the challenges we are facing and there is always help.

Aiden is still non-verbal and requires substantial support in all aspects of his life. Emotional challenges and being safe in the community are two things that really worry us, as does the thought of long-term support for Aiden when we as parents can’t look after him. With the help and encouragement Aiden and our family receive from Giant Steps, we have so many more dreams for Aiden to keep achieving new milestones.

Family life can be very challenging in so many areas and one of the hardest things is managing sibling expectations. It is really hard to find the right balance and give the same support to each child when one has special needs and requires so much more help. It meant a lot to us this year, that we could participate in the Tower One Stair Challenge together as a family. I had previously volunteered at this event but never climbed the stairs myself. Surprisingly, it wasn’t as bad as I thought but I was still amazed by the people who ran up multiple times. It was great to be a part of the community and we were proud the whole family made it to the top.

We have been at Giant Steps for just over 4 years now and Aiden is always looking forward to school with a big smile on his face. We know, as he heads off each day, he is going to a safe and happy place.

Joan Chew

In 2016, Giant Steps embarked on a partnership with the Parramatta Eels, providing a cadetship for under 21 players seeking full-time employment. The idea was to provide an opportunity for young players to learn about working in the disability field, an area that’s not typically sought out by this demographic. 8 years later, the partnership has gone from strength to strength with a number of players achieving their dreams to play professional rugby league.

This includes Reed Mahoney, Ray Stone, Oregon Kaufusi, Stefano Utoikamanu, Sean Keppie and Dean Matterson, who are playing for Parramatta and other clubs. Players have certainly developed their skills as part of this program and there are also those who have found their calling at Giant Steps and in the wider disability sector, going on to develop their skills and careers off the field.

It’s important to have a balance in the workforce and these young, fit athletes bring a different approach to supporting students. There is a great sense of fun, playfulness, as well as sporting skills in the mix and as a result, many students, families and staff are now Parramatta Eels fans!

As a charity partner, Giant Steps is also very appreciative of the support we receive from the Club with fundraising, autism awareness, opportunities for students and their families to attend games, and the introduction to new supporters. Recently, the Parramatta Eels connected us with Taubmans, one of their official sponsors. After learning about the work we do here at Giant Steps, Taubmans organised a huge community project – setting out to paint 7 spaces across school and adult services that were in desperate need of some TLC. The wonderful team from Taubmans collaborated with Parramatta Eels players, staff and volunteers to complete the project. Check out the final result in this short video.

This week’s Breakfast Fundraiser, hosted by parents Idit Teperman and Rachael Gorski, focused on sharing a deeper understanding of life with a child on the autism spectrum.

Mia Wald recounted what it’s like to have a sibling escape from home and go missing for hours or worry about seizures and anxiety that impact and limit family life, how as a sibling it’s the accumulation of small things you constantly miss out on.

Yet through this same lens, Mia also spoke about the hope she now has for her brother’s life. The small and big wins she feels really proud of, managing self-care tasks, participating in work experience and playing basketball with friends like any other 18-year-old. This is all possible with the intensive support of Giant Steps Melbourne, the unwavering kindness and expertise of the staff and the focus on independence to help her brother try things she never thought he could manage.

Across the morning, a panel of parents, siblings, and carers all shared personally about the sacrifice and challenges autism brings. Thank you to everyone who told a small part of their story and to all the guests who embraced the unique, positive impact Giant Steps Melbourne continues to have on our students, adult participants and families.

Thank you to everyone who has generously supported our recent fundraising events across Sydney and Melbourne. Scaling the stairs to the top of Tower One, nailing epic running courses, recalling random trivia facts, getting lost in Barbie Land, cheering on boxers and gathering for Brunch and Breakfast. Special thanks to One International Towers for supporting our stair challenge event once again.

Giant Steps Australia is a registered charity and donations are tax deductible.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT