2022 Allevia Annual Report

Contents 

Allevia’s Vision 2 

Rising Above the Challenges 4 

The Board of Directors 6 

The Year that Was 8 

A New Vision (Big Hairy Goal) 11 

Quite an Achievement 16 

Allevia’s Services 24 

Home and Living Supports and Services 27 

Support Coordination 30 

Social Impact 32 

Operatiinal Performance 34 

Hungry, Humble, and Smart 35 

The Finances 40 

| 1

Allevia’s Vision 

“No person with a disability 

living in crisis by 2030.” 

• The unexpected support needs of a child are 

never a career-ending experience for a parent.” 

• Diversity and difference are not a disability.” 

• The impact of accidents and illness does not 

mean family life is materially changed forever.” 

• Family relationships survive crisis and complexity 

with invisible support that doesn’t dominate or 

impose.” 

• Our community embraces all people regardless 

of ability, valuing their contribution, respecting 

their rights, and extending a hand of friendship.” 

The Three Pillars 

of Strategic Planning 

Strategic pillars are the backbone of our content strategy; 

top level priorities driven by the core business strategy 

and objectives our business wants to achieve. They are 

not the goal, but the method of achieving the goal. 

2 | Allevia Annual Report

Service Quality 

Allevia measures, reflects, learns, and evolves based on its experience and feedback. Allevia 

develops its capacity and capability to provide innovative, stainable, and viable supports. 

Allevia’s workers are ideal team players who are Hungry, Humble and Smart. Allevia seeks to 

influence public policy for the benefit of the community. 

Impact 

Allevia’s new enhanced services increase the opportunity for choice and control for the people 

in our community. Allevia listens and researches the needs of our community so that we can 

maximizes the community benefit of our services. The community knows about its choices and 

opportunities. Allevia seeks grants to fund its impact. 

Circles Of Support 

People who make up a circle of support around a person with a disability, build their resilience, 

independence and capability preventing crisis and foster self-reliance. Informal circles of support 

have opportunities to participate in activities and join networks that will strengthen and inform 

their support role. The people in a circle of support receive timely assistance to protect their 

rights, including their right to purse their own goals without disadvantage to the person at the 

centre of their circle. 

| 3

Rising Above The Challenges 

From The Chair of Allevia’s Board of Directors, Ben McKeown, MBA, BME(Hons), GAICD (Chair) 

The Covid pandemic continued to play a 

major role in Allevia’s operations during the 

2022 financial year. However, through the 

implementation of effective Covid protocols 

and an extensive vaccination programme, 

the organisation has learnt to live with the 

effects of the virus and continues to support 

each person to rise above life’s challenges. 

A highlight during the year was the adoption 

of an inspiring ‘Big Hairy Audacious Goal’, or 

BHAG 1 for short, after extensive discussion 

by the board and management team. The 

new Allevia BHAG is reflected in our newly 

adopted vision of no person with disability 

in our community living in crisis by 2030. 

This is a hugely aspirational goal, as 

befits a BHAG, but whilst challenging to 

achieve, the board and management team 

believe that it will provide a constant 

point of reference – the organisation’s 

‘Southern Cross’, helping everyone within 

the organisation to focus on the bigger 

picture. Evolving from this BHAG, the 

pillars of Allevia’s strategy 2 have been 

refined to enable the organisation focus on 

the commitments implied by adopting the 

BHAG, with the three pillars of strategy 

now comprising the delivery of Service 

Quality, the commitment to having a broad 

Impact, and the importance of Circles of 

Support. 

Consistent with the previous two years, 

the team’s response to the Covid crisis has 

been exemplary. This time a majority of 

team members and clients were impacted 

by the omicron wave, however crisis was 

averted, again by the team going above 

4 | Allevia Annual Report 

and beyond the call of duty as was the 

case last year. 

The resilience developed by the Allevia 

team over the past couple of years continues 

to be demonstrated in the organisation’s 

performance. Allevia ended the 2022 financial 

year with a modest financial surplus, carried 

out the renovation of the Gleeson property 

and received a commendable midterm 

NDIS audit result with no significant nonconformities 

raised. 

Allevia’s Board of Directors acknowledges 

the financial support received from the 

Federal and State Governments to offset 

the significant additional cost to Allevia 

of sustaining continuity of services 

throughout the pandemic. The unforeseen 

and unfunded cost of the pandemic had the 

potential to significantly impact on Allevia 

and all other disability service providers 

across the nation. Financial support in all its 

manifestations was welcomed after strong 

advocacy from our disability peak bodies 

including the National Disability Services 

(NDS), and the disability community. From 

supply of Personal Protective Equipment 

(PPE), free vaccinations, rapid testing kits 

and compensation for both loss of income 

during extended isolation periods and 

the significant cost of sustaining intense 

workforce demands, this assistance made a 

substantial difference to Allevia’s ability to 

continue providing the supports required 

by our clients. 

It is my role, as chairman, to reflect on the 

continuing dedication and commitment of 

the entire Allevia team from our CEO Philip

Petrie to our frontline workforce, and to 

thank every one of them on behalf of the 

board, the people and community Allevia 

supports, and all the stakeholders of Allevia 

for their continued and wholehearted 

commitment to the Allevia cause. 

It is also important to recognise the ongoing 

service and commitment of my colleagues 

serving as directors on the board. Each is 

serving in a voluntary capacity and bring the 

benefit of their experience to Allevia. 

Adding to our existing diverse and talented 

board team, on 24 February 2022, we 

welcomed Christine McQueen to the board. 

Christine brings a wealth of experience 

in clinical governance within the health, 

disability, training, and community services 

sectors. We are delighted that she has 

agreed to contribute her experience to the 

organisation. 

strategy and meeting the aspirations of 

the BHAG adopted during the year. 

Finally, I would like to thank all the people 

we support, their informal supports and all 

our supportive external stakeholders for 

their continuing belief in, and support of, 

the organisation. At its most fundamental, 

an organisation such as Allevia is the sum 

of each and every person, both internal and 

external, and both recipient and contributor. 

Such an organisation can only be successful 

if there is ongoing commitment, trust and 

generosity by every person involved. 

The change of government during the 

year is bringing an operating environment 

that appears to be evolving for the better 

for Allevia and for the NDIS in general. 

Whilst change is still underway, it is our 

hope that we are entering a period of 

relative stability, which will enable the 

team to move on from crisis management 

to focus on implementing the Allevia 

1 The term was first coined in the 1994 book “Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies by James C. Collins, Jerry I. Porras” 

2 Strategic pillars are the backbone of your content strategy; top level priorities driven by the core business strategy and objectives your 

business wants to achieve. They are not the goal, but the method of achieving the goal | 5

Mahesh Enjeti 

BSc (Hons), PGDM (MBA), 

GAICD, FIML, FAMI 

Karen Gray 

BDipSM, BMath, DipEd, 

GAICD (Deputy Chair) 

Katie Choi 

Bec, LLB, LLM, GAICD, 

FGIA, FCIS 

Philip Petrie 

Allevia’s CEO, M.Ed.Stud., 

B.Nursing, RN, JP, MAICD, MFIA 

Ben McKeown 

The Chair of Allevia’s Board 

of DirectorsMBA, BME 

(Hons), GAICD (Chair) 


Justin James 

MBA, GCSIP, ISEP, MAICD 

Lyndel Spence 

BI.G.S (Hons) PhD, MAICD 

David Sarkis 

BEc, GAICD 

Christine Macqueen 

LLM, BA, MAICD 

| 7

The Year That Was 

From Allevia’s CEO Philip Petrie (M.Ed.Stud., B.Nursing, RN, JP, MAICD, MFIA) 

In the previous Annual Report, we optimistically declared that next year we would not need 

to dwell on the pandemic for a third year. Unfortunately, CoVID-19 is still a very real and 

persistent part of our lives, and the last year has seen the virus remind us consistently that it 

is here to stay. 

From December 2021 through 

to March 2022, we saw the 

emergence of a variant which 

got through our defences and 

many of us, those we support 

and many of our dedicated 

workforce, succumbed to the 

virus. 

Having everyone vaccinated 

and with strong protective 

practices in place, we can 

confidently report that almost 

all of us experienced only mild 

symptoms, we avoided any 

need for hospitalisation, and 

no long-COVID is apparent. 

Once again, we thank our 

support teams, participants, 

and families in working with 

us to minimize the impact of 

COVID-19. COVID presented 

many difficulties we had 

never faced before the most 

significant included the impact 

of the many changing health 

rules on isolating, workforce 

vaccination compliance, 

mandated use of infection 

control masks and supply 

and use of all other personal 

protective equipment. 

Allevia and our many 

partner organisations were 

supported both financially and 

practically by the Federal and 

State Governments, and by a 

myriad of professionals in the 

public health agencies and the 

National Disability Insurance 

Agency (NDIA). 

The flow of information, 

consistency of up-dates, 

recognition, and resolution 

to gaps both financial and 

operational by the Federal and 

State authorities, has been 

a lifeline to frontline service 

delivery. 


As a provider and as a sector we have faced many COVID related difficulties which we have 

now converted into ideas for improvement that will benefit us all for many years to come. 

This Annual Report will showcase many of these improvements. 

‘‘Once again, we 

thank our support 

teams, participants, 

and families for 

working with us to 

minimize the impact 

of COVID-19.’’ 

Sustaining Our Workforce During Crisis 

A key issue for Allevia throughout this 

reporting period has been workforce 

availability. The impact of the December to 

March COVID outbreak in 2022, where the 

isolation rules were strictly applied, reduced 

staffing in all disability services to critically 

low levels. 

Allevia thankfully, was able to provide 

continuity of service to all participants that 

required essential supports, but not without 

all staff pushing the boundaries of exhaustion. 

Many other providers were not as fortunate. 

Post COVID workforce shortages persisted 

across the sector in the following months. 

As we prepare this report it is pleasing to 

confirm the combined effort of many in 

the recruitment arena is finally seeing our 

workforce return to post COVID numbers. 

It is a testament to the commitment of 

everyone in the Allevia community that 

our Supported Independent Living (SIL) and 

Individual Living Options (ILO) participants, 

and our workforce, achieve total vaccination 

with most also taking up the offer to receive 

their 4th dose. We collectively believe that 

vaccination is an important part of our 

responsibility as employers and citizens. 

| 9

100% 

of participants in SIL 

& ILO supported to be 

fully Vaccinated 

100% 

of Workforce 

meeting Vaccination 

requirements for 

Disability Workers 


A New Vision 

As David Whyte, the poet suggests, 

After the COVID outbreaks early in 2022, 

the team was feeling exhausted. Based on the 

wholeheartedness premise, the Executive 

Team spent time looking for ‘the antidote to 

our exhaustion’ – something we could all get 

behind and be wholehearted about. After 

milling around several ideas, we all reached a 

consensus that what we needed was Daniel’s 

suggestion of a Big Hairy Audacious Goal 

(BHAG)! 

Our BHAG needed to be inspiring, 

audacious, somewhat daunting, and not 

necessarily easily achievable. It needed 

to be worthy of our attention, focus, and 

effort. In May 2022 we went to the Allevia 

team, including the Board of Directors with 

our BHAG proposal. 

“No person with a disability 

living in crisis by 2030.” 

This goal emerged from our discussions 

on what was Allevia’s purpose. We 

acknowledged crisis is inevitable at 

some point in our lives. As we have all 

experienced over the past few years, 

crisis is not only personal, it can also be 

something we experience at the same time, 

like the catastrophic bush fires, floods, a 

pandemic, and the current housing crisis. 

The new vision came with underpinning 

important statements that give specific 

focus to our intentions: 

“The unexpected support needs of a child 

are never a career-ending experience for a 

parent.” 

“Diversity and difference are not a 

disability.” 

“The impact of accidents and illness does 

not mean family life is materially changed 

forever.” 

“Family relationships survive crisis and 

complexity with invisible support that 

doesn’t dominate or impose.” 

“Our community embraces all people 

regardless of ability, valuing their 

contribution, respecting their rights, and 

extending a hand of friendship.” 

(David Whyte, Crossing the Unknown Sea: Work as a Pilgrimage of Identity, 132) 

BHAGs are meant to excite and energize people. 

The test of a true BHAG is how it answers questions like: 

• does it stimulate forward progress 

• does it create momentum 

• does it get people going 

• does it get people’s juices flowing 

• do they find it stimulating and exciting or adventurous & 

• are they willing to throw their creative talents and human 

energies into it? 

| 11

Rising above the crisis 

Supporting people living in crisis is in our DNA – 

Over our forty-four years when people in crisis came 

to us for support we responded. This resulted in 

Allevia gaining a profile as a provider of choice in 

times of crisis. 

Many of the people to whom we provided a service 

in the past, today can tell a story about how Allevia 

supported them to rise above the crisis they were 

living in, develop coping strategies, build resilience 

and in some cases, gain or regain the confidence to 

actively seek a valued role in their community, some 

for the first time. 

Unanimous support for Allevia’s BHAG 

Allevia’s new vision was adopted with unanimous support. Since then, everything we have 

done has been discussed and planned with our BHAG front of mind. With the shift in our 

vision, the strategic plan was revised, and we made the changes needed to align the original 

plan with our new vision 

Having an audacious goal has indeed inspired us. It is focusing our thinking and decision 

making on what is important, and it has given us a new lease on life following what has been 

an all-consuming three years dealing with what seemed like constant crisis. 

Allevia’s BHAG and the underpinning principles have changed the way we look at the world. 

We have gained a different perspective on how we design and plan for existing and new 

services and how we look for ways to prevent, manage and support recovery from the 

inevitable crisis that occurs. 


Allevia, An Agent of Change 

With a strong leadership team around me, 

I have sought every opportunity to be an 

agent of change in our communities where so 

many people with disability continue to find 

themselves in preventable crisis. As the NSW 

Divisional Committee Chair for the sector’s 

peak organisation, National Disability Services 

(NDS), and as a Director on the National NDS 

Board, I was privileged to have an active 

role in developing and rolling-out an election 

campaign (‘Teamwork Works’ and ‘Defend 

our NDIS’) which ultimately contributed to a 

spotlight on the concerns raised by people 

with a disability, their advocates, and the 

disability support sector. 

As providers we were and remain concerned 

about the complexity and inconstancies that 

we face in the NDIS environment and our 

ongoing ability to serve NDIS recipients in a 

manner that meets our values and vision. 

Working alongside some amazingly 

inspirational and talented people, all 

passionate about the value of Australia’s 

unique National Disability Insurance 

(NDIS) system, we now have a mandated 

commitment from the new Federal NDIS 

Minister, Bill Shorten. He has facilitated the 

rolling out of a reform agenda to revitalise 

the original intent of the NDIS and make it 

work better for everyone. 

NSW (like all States 

and Territories) has 

become a desert 

when it comes to 

disability support 

outside the NDIS. 

The Battle is Not Over 

Ahead of the NSW State Government 

election in March 2023, our State-based 

NDS colleagues, NSW advocacy groups, 

and the broader NSW disability community, 

have accepted the challenge of raising the 

NSW voting public’s awareness of the issues 

people with a disability will still face in 2023 

in NSW. 

NSW (like all States and Territories) has 

become a desert when it comes to disability 

support outside the NDIS. 

Federal Minister for Disability, Bill Shorten 

describes the NDIS as an oasis in the desert. 

Eligibility for NDIS funding is for children and 

adults who cannot be supported sufficiently 

by the general service system. This means 

many are left without the supports they 

need placing them at a high risk of longterm 

crisis. 

Since its inception everyone has looked to 

the NDIS as the only lifeline for all people with 

a disability, this misconception has resulted 

in the eroding of direction and action on 

non-NDIS services. 

Much needed non-NDIS services that are 

the responsibility of State and Territory 

| 13

governments - funding and managing public 

hospitals, regulating, and licensing private 

hospitals, providing oversight of local health 

networks, delivering public communitybased 

and primary health services, and 

delivering preventive services such as, 

but not limited to, cancer screening and 

immunisation. Importantly State governments 

are responsible for ensuring all other State 

funded and managed services are available, 

accessible, and appropriate for all people 

with or without NDIS funding. 

NSW can do better and must do better. 

The challenge is to get every candidate for 

the 2023 State election in NSW, to commit 

to improving (or in some case reinstating) 

the non-NDIS support services for all people 

who have a disability in this State. 

Making a Positive Difference is a Team Effort 

I want to express my sincere appreciation 

to everyone in the Allevia team for 

your passionate application of your 

skills, experience, and knowledge, your 

commitment to Allevia’s values and vision, 

and determination to push through all 

the challenges this past year has sent our 

way. Your effort and commitment make 

a significant, positive lasting change in 

people’s lives and contributes to the breaking 

down of negative social perceptions of the 

people we support. Your commitment to 

social change has extended to supporting 

me to take a very active role in the broader 

disability sector, advocating for the best 

possible support network for people in the 

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). 

Whilst we do not always get it right, we are 

a group who are keen to learn and grow and 

striving to always do better. 

A special mention goes to the Allevia Board 

of Directors. You all make the experience 

of governing and leading our organisation 

fulfilling and meaningful. This may sound 

like it is a given and certainly this is the way 

Boards and CEOs should work together. 

Such a harmonious relationship however, 

is not always easy to build. Each Director 

volunteers their time and skill to ensuring 

that we have the means to achieve our vision 

and to fulfill our purpose. For the support 

you give me and the team I thank each of 

you on behalf of everyone we support in the 

community, 

At Allevia, no matter who we are working 

with or in what situation we find ourselves, 

we live to see people with disability rising 

above life’s challenges and not living in crisis, 

leading active lives, and contributing to the 

community. In 2021 and 2022 I believe we 

have taken giant steps to achieving that 

vision and I am excited about our work into 

the foreseeable future. 


Allevia exists to see people 

with disability rising above life’s 

challenges, leading active lives, 

and contributing to the community. 

| 15

Quite An Achievement From Chief Operating Officer, Daniel Carter 

I broke my 2022 New Year’s resolution on my return from leave in January, which was not to 

be talking about COVID-19. We hoped we were triumphant over the pandemic and could get 

back to the normality of life before Covid. 

It was a vain hope! 

Allevia was again successful 

in managing COVID-19 

across our services which is 

quite an achievement given 

the levels of community 

transmission this year. We 

have kept everyone safe and 

although some of us have now 

experienced COVID-19, we 

have conquered it together. 

Once again, I’d like to thank our 

support teams, participants, 

and families for working with 

us to minimize the impact of 

COVID-19. 

“Teamwork Works” 

and “Defend our NDIS” campaign. 

Alongside many NDIS 

participants, their families, and 

their service providers, Allevia 

rallied to raise our concerns 

about the actions of the NDIA 

over the previous 24 months. 

The negative impact on 

the people Allevia supports 

because their NDIS funding was 

cut, required us to speak up 

together. 

Allevia like other registered 

service providers spoke of our 

struggle to deliver quality 

service with decreasing 

funding and ever-increasing 

compliance requirements. 

The initiative was 

coordinated by National 

Disability Services (NDS), our 

industry peak body and has 

ultimately succeeded to raise 

awareness and community 

concern. Consequently, the 

new Minister for the National 

Disability Insurance Scheme, 

Mr. Bill Shorten has brought 

forward a review into the NDIS 

which has now commenced. 

SERVICE QUALITY 

(Strategic Plan Pillar 1) 

Allevia seeks to influence public policy for the 

benefit of the community 


It is pleasing to report that Allevia has been invited to provided direct feedback about the 

ways the NDIA can re-establish trust with participants and providers in the sector. Allevia’s 

team is looking forward to working together to ensure the NDIS delivers on the promise of 

choice and control for all people with a disability. 

This training has 

proven invaluable 

as we strive always 

to use proactive 

strategies 

Workforce Development 

Allevia has continued with significant 

workforce development throughout 2021- 

2022 with both online and face to face 

training, despite the lockdowns. The new 

Mealtime Management Standards 3 have 

required training and implementation. 

Allevia staff have undertaken 

unprecedented amounts of behaviour 

support training delivered by Mindtree 

Collective. This training has proven invaluable 

as we strive always to use proactive 

strategies with the least restrictive options 

for keeping people with complex barriers to 

a good life, safe. 

Gaining & retaining ideal team players 

Recruitment has been a sector wide 

challenge, however Allevia has made 

significant headway again in 2022, attracting 

ideal team players who are ‘Hungry, Humble 

and Smart’ 4 . The teams across the organisation 

welcome all new staff who have joined us 

this year and thank you for your commitment 

to our vision moving forward. 

Keeping Teams connected and informed 

The introduction of new technology was 

a focus in 2021-2022 in our efforts to stay 

connected to our workforce in the field. The 

3 Amendments to the NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicators introduce, from November 2021, included new standards relating 

to mealtime management and severe dysphagia management. This amendment was in response to the findings and recommendations of 

Professor Julian Trollor and Dr Carmela Salomon’s 2019 report: 

4 The Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and Cultivate the Three Essential Virtues Hardcover (2016), by Patrick Lencioni 

| 17

distribution of information was critical during the pandemic with the constant changes to 

COVID restrictions and health rulings. In all households where we provide SIL services, Allevia 

has upgraded to the National Broadband Network with wi-fi, alongside a new cloud-based 

phone system. 

iPads with remote management have also been introduced to support the increase in apps 

in everyday use. Each team now has access to colour multifunction printers and scanners to 

support creative planning of person-centred active support and reporting. 

Travelling In Style 

Comfortable, accessible, 

and reliable transportation 

is a must for people with 

complex barries to accessing 

public transport. Getting 

from A to B in Sydney traffic 

whether you are transporting 

one person or four takes 

skill, patience and the aid of 

any safety gadgetry that is 

available. 

This year Allevia has 

commenced the replacement 

of our motor vehicle fleet 

that is dedicated to the 

transportation of the people 

Allevia supports. 

Allevia has partnered with 

Street Fleet to lease new Kia 

Carnivals to replace our aging 

vehicles used by our SIL 

teams to transport people. 

These vehicles come with 

the latest safety and driver 

assistance technology while 

being remarkably spacious 

and fuel efficient. 

Passengers and drivers alike 

have let us know what they 

think of the new vehicles. 

The feedback is that they 

are very comfortable and our 

drivers say they are easy to 

drive making going out to 

community activities and 

medical appointments in city 

traffic much more tolerable. 

With such a big financial 

investment for Allevia, it is 

reassuring to receive such 

positive feedback. 



Allevia develops its capacity and capability to 

provide innovative, stainable, and viable supports. 


Allevia’s SDA Housing Rejuvenated 

Allevia continues to invest in the refurbishment 

of the three SDA Basic properties leased to 

the organisation at the time of transition to the 

NDIS. Owned by the NSW State Government, 

but leased to Allevia, the responsibility for 

the ongoing repair and maintenance is shared. 

However, modernisation of their housing stock to 

contemporary standards is not a high priority of 

State Governments. So Allevia has committed 

financially to the remodelling and refurbishment 

with limited contributions from the landlord. 

Commenced in 2020-2021 but delayed by 

COVID, this year has seen major renovations 

completed at the Condell Park and Wentworthville 

properties with planning for the Chipping Norton 

property underway. 

The transformations have been extremely 

satisfying, each home presenting their own unique 

challenges. We aimed to update each boldly, 

while also improving accessibility and liveability. 

Improvements included new bathrooms, 

kitchens, new lighting, general painting, floor 

and window coverings, and thermal insulation. 

Victor Fahd and his team at VCorp have worked 

collaboratively with Todd Hilton, Allevia’s 

Facilities Manager, and myself to realise these 

transformations. With affordable housing in 

the Sydney Metropolitan area at an all-time 

low, Allevia is persuing all avenues to meet the 

housing needs of the current cohort of people 

we support and for those who will be seeking 

housing in the coming year. 

Before 

After 

Before 

After 

Images 1-3 from top: Condell Park transformation 

complete / Images 4-7: Wentworthville home has a 

renewed warmth and charm 

| 19

COMMITMENT 

TO CONTINUOUS 

IMPROVEMENT 

Allevia is set to continue its history of 

review, renewal, and action. With a quality 

tool kit which includes but is not limited to: 

• A formal Continuous Quality Improvement 

Committee, 

• Quarterly ‘All Teams’ meetings using 

technology to gain direct worker input, 

• Review and revision of our strategic 

framework, 

• Systems to collect, sort and report on 

critical data to identify gaps and track trends 

e.g., Tendable. 


Emerging Issue for Disability Service Provision 

An emerging issue in the media in 2021-2022 

was the level of concern about the quality of NDIS 

service provision based on findings published from 

the Disability Royal Commission into Abuse and 

Neglect. 

Delivery of quality services is a primary focus 

for Allevia. The industry is currently debating the 

value of registered vs. unregistered providers and 

associated costs to maintain registration with the 

NDIS Commission. Allevia is proud to be listed as a 

registered NDIS Provider, and each year invests into 

its operations to improve the quality of our service 

delivery in our existing and potential new services. 

Allevia believes the role of registered providers is 

critical to safeguard people with a disability in the 

communities we serve and to ensure people have 

real choice and control. 

As a registered NDIS provider, Allevia must meet 

the NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicators 

whilst also ensuring compliance is assessed through 

an independent audit and certification process. 

This certification process is comprehensive and 

comes at a significant cost. It involves an independent 

review of our policies and procedures against the 

standards, visits to our services, as well as a review of 

employee and client files. Auditors also conduct private 

interviews with employees and clients independently 

so they can provide direct feedback. 

This robust process is enshrined in the NDIS Act 

to give participants, families, and the community a 

high degree of confidence in the quality they can 

expect from a registered NDIS provider. 

Allevia’s mid-term Registration audit conducted 

by DNV-GL (auditors) formally recommended to the 

NDIS Commission that Allevia met all the standards 

and regulations. 

| 21

Emergency Plan & Disaster Recovery Plan 

Following several reports of the serious 

consequence of failure to provide continuity 

of support to very vulnerable people during 

the pandemic, all registered providers 

were required to review their emergency 

management to ensure we were compliant 

with new regulations. 

From the 5 November 2021, there was a 

new emergency and disaster management 

NDIS Practice Standard in effect which set 

expectations on what providers should 

have in place to prepare, prevent, manage, 

and respond to emergency and disaster 

situations. A review of Allevia’s related 

policies, procedures, and practises against 

these new regulations found only minor 

adjustments and inclusions were needed. 

Mealtime Management 

Unrelated to the pandemic, the NDIS 

Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS 

Commission) also published new compliance 

requirements for Mealtime management. 

The commission is committed to a series 

of activities in response to the findings of 

the 2019 “Scoping Review” 5 . The review’s 

recommendations included providing 

guidance and ensuring compliance in relation 

to NDIS providers and workers safely 

delivering quality mealtime supports and 

services. On review, Allevia’s existing system 

was not found wanting, again needing only 

minor changes. 

4 The Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and Cultivate the Three 

Essential Virtues Hardcover (2016), by Patrick Lencioni 

5 ‘Scoping review of causes and contributors to deaths of people 

with disability in Australia’. Department of Developmental Disability 

Neuropsychiatry UNSW August 19th2019 


I would like to recognise the hard work 

contributed by all, across the Allevia team 

during 2021-2022. Delivering 24/7 services in 

a COVID-19 environment, for the third year in 

a row, has tested the commitment of us all. 

I commend the four employees featured in 

this Annual Report who have demonstrated 

the three essential virtues of an Ideal Team 

Player’ despite the difficulties they faced in 

their day-to-day work. Ideal team players, 

as Lencioni 4 describes them, are Hungry, 

Humble and (emotionally) Smart 

I express my personal appreciation for team 

efforts that have ensured service continuity 

was maximised while acknowledging the level 

of exhaustion was real. I hope that next year, 

COVID will be a distant memory to us all. 

| 23

Allevia’s Services 

While 2021-2022 has presented challenges, we have still managed to 

achieve positive momentum in all service areas. 

SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY 

PARTICIPATION 

One Village -Investing in the Future 

The demand for services in the 

Canterbury-Bankstown LGA in 2021-2022 

has demonstrated the need for further 

investment into our centre-based and 

community activities. Allevia is planning the 

redevelopment and expansion of our current 

centre in the Bankstown Airport precinct 

to accommodate growth in training and 

skill development services. Allevia is also 

exploring options for new centres elsewhere 

in the LGA so watch this space! 

Our thanks go to Cathy Levo who was 

acting Elevate Team Leader while Cassie 

Nguyen was on extended maternity leave. 

Cathy jumped into the role head-on from 

2020 through to May 2022, working tirelessly 

with Victor Batac (the One Village Manager) 

to keep the doors open with maximum 

adherence to COVID health regulations. The 

team maintained each person’s engagement 

as close to their planned services as possible, 

and creatively delivered support reducing 

the impact of COVID on so many people 

isolated in their homes or attending the 

centre in reduced numbers. 


Allevia welcomed Kimberley Smith (Kim) in 

May 2022 as our new full-time One Village 

Service Coordinator. Kim joins Victor in 

leading our growing support team. Kim 

has been a positive influence on the team 

bringing a fresh pair of eyes to the planning 

and design of activities and session planning. 

Kim’s appointment has renewed the team’s 

energy and commitment after the long 

COVID induced contraction of services. The 

renewed focus is on continuously improved 

services and making changes as and when 

needed to adapt to new demands and 

support needs. 

One Village’s Individual & Group Supports 

Are Making a Difference 

‘Good for Gabriel and good for Mum’ 

Gabriel is delighted with the many new 

experiences he is enjoying since he started 

receiving individualised support from 

Allevia’s One Village team of dedicated 

Support Workers. 

Interacting with other children, experiencing 

new environments, adapting to more people 

in his world have been a challenge for Gabriel. 

Much to everyone’s delight, Gabriel is 

adjusting to other people supporting him 

other than mum, giving mum, a single parent, 

much needed time to rest and attend to 

tasks that can’t be achieved when Gabriel is 

needing her support. 

Gabriel at 7 years of age has complex 

disabilities that create significant barriers for 

Gabriel and his mother Katia to live a normal 

life. Gabriel’s mum provides his home-based 

schooling and was his only playmate and 

carer up-until she engaged Allevia’s One 

Village team using his NDIS funding. 

The One Village team has been a lifeline 

for Katia. The team have supported Gabriel 

to access activities in the community and 

interact with other children. There have 

been incidents. Gabriel is learning how to 

navigate through these issues with support 

from Allevia’s team working closely with 

his mother and newly appointed Behaviour 

Support Clinician funded from his NDIS 

package. 

Katia and Gabriel now have time apart and 

when reunited Gabriel can say that he missed 

his mother very much. 

Visits to Flip-Out have provided many 

hours of enjoyment in the company of other 

children Gabriel’s age, helping him to adapt 

to more people in his world. 

| 25

School Leaver Employment Supports and Support in Employment 

The annual survey, expos and project work 

have clearly indicated that there is unmet 

need in our local area for school leavers 

transitioning to adult life. Gaining employment 

that is of interest to each young person and 

suits their abilities and life situations is rarely 

easy. For those school leavers who are NDIS 

recipients, there are two post school areas 

of NDIS funding they many receive in their 

plan budget to navigate the complexities of 

life after school. 

Allevia has recently expanded our NDIS 

registration to include School Leaver 

Employment Supports (SLES). This adds to 

our existing registered employment related 

service, Supports in Employment. SLES is 

an emerging NDIS individually funded service 

replacing the more traditional Transition 

to Work school leaver programs of the 

past. Increased flexibility, individualised codesign 

and significant focus on workplace 

experience, SLES offers school leavers the 

opportunity to develop skills that will ensure 

they are job ready while being able to 

explore their passions and interests at the 

same time. 

Thomas gets a job - Thomas Keeps a Job 

Getting the right job or any job can be 

a challenge for any of us at the best of 

times. For Thomas the task had additional 

difficulties particularly during a pandemic! 

This was Thomas’ first venture into 

employment. So many new things to learn, 

relationships to build, new routines and many 

new challenges. 

Thomas has achieved his employment goal! 

Thomas’s determination and willingness to 

learn, individualised support from his Support 

in Employment Allevia team, a supportive 

employer, encouragement and support from 

his family and Support Coordinator, and most 

importantly Thomas’ cheerful disposition, 

assisted him to rise above the challenges. 

Thomas focused on 

his task and later 

enjoyed his break with 

co-workers 


Home and Living Supports and Services 

Supporting People to Live Their Best Life 

Allevia is privileged to support adults with 

significant barriers to living their best life, 

have a home they can call their own and an 

active life in their community. Supported 

Independent Living (SIL) continues to be 

the dominate service Allevia provides of 

the NDIS Home and Living Support Services 

group. Called many other names over the 

organisation’s forty-four-year history 

including Group Homes, Accommodation 

Services and Living Services, Allevia has 

always strived to achieve the highest 

standard of person-centred support. 

The most progressive legislation in modern 

times, the National Disability Insurance 

Scheme, founded on the human rights of 

people with a disability, with person centred 

active support central to its design, has not 

resolved many of the barriers and funding 

complexities of supporting adults needing 

24/7 individualised support outside of the 

family home. 

Allevia continues to work with individuals, 

their informal and formal support network 

(their Circle of Support), industry peak 

bodies, and other relevant stakeholders 

to co-design the NDIS Home and Living 

Supports and Services to better reflect the 

original aspiration of the NDIS, enable financial 

sustainability and provide real choice and 

control. 

However, the impact of the changes in 

the design of SIL funding, service delivery 

and shift in responsibilities for people who 

have been receiving support for many years, 

has been significant. Feedback to Allevia 

from families indicates the engagement 

now requires a level of knowledge and 

commitment of time that wasn’t expected in 

the past. For most they are willing and able 

to take on these additional responsibilities, 

but it hasn’t always gone smoothly. 

Families tell us that there is an expectation 

that they will be familiar with terms and 

concepts they have never needed to know 

about before e.g., funding levels, rosters of 

care, intensity of supports needs, irregular 

supports, SDA funding, knowing what to 

ask for in relation to capacity building 

therapy services in particular funding for the 

development of Behavioural Support Plans 

and the implications of not getting it right. 

With the chosen providers often not 

included in the NDIS planning meetings 

other than to provide a written report, some 

families, even with the support of a quality 

Support Coordinator feel ill equipped for the 

responsibilities and decision making in not 

only the major decisions, but the ongoing 

daily decisions that can impact on their 

person. 

Allevia continues to provide as much 

information and support as possible to the 

individuals we support and their informal 

network, and has formalised our commitment 

in our Strategic Pillar focused on Circles of 

Support. 

| 27

‘‘Knowing peoples’ history 

is so important. Allevia takes 

very good care of him. If we 

weren’t happy with his support, 

he would not be there.’’ 

Left: Naguib with two very important people in his circle of support. 

Life is changing For Naguib 

Naguib has been supported by Allevia for 

over 23 years and he has lived in his current 

home for 21 years with the same people for 

much of that time. According to Naguib’s 

nieces, Samar, and Sabah, Naguib, now 61 

years of age, has a real sense of personal 

ownership of his home. 

Naguib has limited verbal communication 

but people who know him are left in no 

doubt about how he is feeling. Samar and 

Sabah say they can tell when he is happy 

and feeling good. ‘If he is happy, he is calm’. 

When he is not happy, he uses a gesture, his 

nieces assume he learnt in his early life back 

in Lebanon or in institutional care. 

Naguib’s need for the support of his family 

and formal providers increased dramatically 

following a motor vehicle accident in 

Beirut at age 13 adding to existing impaired 

cognitive development possibly associated 

with autism. In 1995 when Naguib and Almaza 

his sister, returned to Australia, Almaza 

assumed responsibility for Naguib’s care and 

has been his main substitute decision maker 

ever since. 

Naguib is fortunate to have his sister 

Almaza and his nieces Samar and Sabah in 

his circle of support. The two sisters, each 

with their own family responsibilities, have 

needed to support Almaza, their mother, 


more and more in recent years. The increased 

complexity of the information needed to 

make decisions in relation to the management 

of Naguib’s NDIS plan, increased involvement 

in the management of his emerging health 

concerns and day-to-day decisions, have 

become overwhelming for Naguib’s sister, 

his only remaining immediate family member. 

Naguib is now at a new crossroad that needs 

his circle of support to help him decide what 

to do. Naguib’s mobility has deteriorated 

substantially in recent years, now requiring 

the use of a wheelchair for most of the day. 

Even extensive modifications to his current 

home may be insufficient to maintain his 

engagement in the household activities that 

are so important to his routines and sense of 

satisfaction gained from completing chores 

and tasks independently. 

Almaza, Samar and Sabah say they would 

not hesitate to find another SIL provider 

if they felt Naguib was not getting the 

support he needed or was unhappy. Naguib 

and his family together with his Support 

Coordinator, Allevia’s COO Daniel Carter and 

CEO Philip Petrie, who has known Naguib 

since he started with Allevia so many years 

ago, are exploring all the options for Naguib’s 

future.

John and his mum Anna, missed being together for Christmas dinner 

John has a great sense of humour, a 

wonderful smile, and a quick and agile brain. 

John tells his mum ‘how it is’. He will ‘spill the 

beans’ on any support staff who change his 

routine, don’t do what they said they would 

do, are distracted when John feels they 

should be focused on him or step out of line 

in anyway. He is a great self-advocate and 

will speak up for others as well. 

John’s home has recently been renovated and 

refurbished to John and mum’s delight. Anne 

supported John to buy new furniture for his 

part of the home. He is making his mum proud 

looking after the new pieces of furniture just 

like mum would expect him to do. 

For the first time in twenty-two years 

John and Anna, his mum, were not able to be 

together for Christmas. John who lives in 

his own home in Condell Park with his house 

mates, were in isolation, as COVID finally 

penetrated all the preventative measures. 

Isolation away from mum and changes in 

routine and support staff, were triggers for 

John’s anxiety. Phone contact with mum, 

Christmas dinner and good cheer with his 

co-residents and support staff, were never 

going to replace Christmas at the family 

home with mum. It was very hard on Anna 

as well. Anna’s coping strategy was to cook 

and clean. Johns was to pace, talk to himself, 

and seek staff attention in the early hours of 

Christmas morning. 

For over ten years John has lived in his 

current home sharing support with coresidents. 

John can make many simple dayto-to-day 

decisions and choices but he 

needs his mum and or his Allevia support 

team to guide him with decisions that are 

abstract or have any level of complexity. 

Anne said it’s been very hard to ensure 

John has a good life due to the complexities 

of John’s autism. No matter how good the 

support workers are and what strategies are 

put in place to assist staff understand John, 

I am still his most important interpreter of 

what John’s behaviours are communicating 

to us. Thankfully at Allevia I am listened too. 

‘‘I know John is in good 

hands and all the staff know 

that I will speak up if I am 

not happy, but I know when 

I do, things will get done.‘‘ 

| 29

Support Coordination 

Getting things done 

Allevia has invested in the expansion to 

a fourth full-time Support Coordination 

position. This investment in talent and 

skills recognises the important role Support 

Coordination plays in assisting NDIS recipients 

source the NDIS services they need. 

Allevia’s Support Coordinators provide 

Level 2 Coordination of Supports and Level 

3 Specialist Support Coordination services 

across the Sydney Metropolitan area. Gania 

Mansour, Allevia’s Support Coordination 

Manager has been hands-on with the team, 

ensuring their clients are: 

• heard 

• supported to find all the service options 

that are available 

• able to make informed decisions based on 

up-to date information 

• get the supports they have decided on in 

a timely manner 

• have follow up on any issues that arise 

• and supported to prepare for future 

planning with the NDIS. 

The team has met the challenges of working 

from home and have now returned to the 

office and most importantly have returned to 

in-person meetings with their clients. After 

18 months with Allevia, Therese Petrie has 

stepped down from her Support Coordinator 

role. Therese joined the Allevia team in 

2020 to bolstering the team’s resources 

when demand was seriously greater than 

our capacity to deliver. As Therese moves 

on from her role at Allevia, she continues to 

support clients in the Illawarra, ensuring the 

sector will continue to benefit from her skills 

and experience. 

Gania has a passionate commitment to 

Allevia’s BHAG and its associated action 

to enhance service capacity, increasing 

Allevia’s positive impact on our community 

and people’s choice and control (Pillar 1). 

Accordingly, Gania has secured the existing 

team members in full-time roles and 

welcomed a new team member Kathleen 

Vakaravia-Sloan. Kathleen has a background 

in disability and mental health and the team 

is excited to have her join us on our journey. 

DIARY OF A SUPPORT COORDINATOR 

Persistence Pays Off 

A young lady who requires a significant 

amount of support within her Voluntary Outof-Home 

Care (VOOHC) placement, was not 

allocated her reasonable and necessary 1:1/2:1 

funding and instead received 1:3 funding in 

her NDIS plan. Her Allevia Support Coordinator 

recognised that the reduced level of support 

could put her and others at a high level of risk 

of harm, so an S100 form was immediately 

submitted to the NDIA Home and Living team. 

Submitting this form required her Support 

Coordinator to liaise with all members of 

the support team including her Occupational 

Therapist, Behaviour Support Practitioner, her 

SIL provider and her Social Community and 

Civic Participation provider. Along with the 

S100 form, a complaint was submitted to the 

NDIS to support the escalation of this crisis. 

Teamwork and the persistence of Allevia’s 


Support Coordinators, meant the outcome 

for the participant was positive and a new 

NDIS plan has been approved with the correct 

funding. 

Allevia Provides Continuity of Support 

Allevia supports a gentleman who lives 

alone. He does not have any family or friends 

here in Australia and relies heavily on his 

support team. This gentleman also chooses 

not to engage with technology due to his 

anxiety, therefore, doesn’t communicate via 

phones or computers. His Physiotherapist 

went to visit him for a session and found that 

he had collapsed on the floor. Due to injury, 

he was taken straight to the Hospital where 

he received treatment and rehabilitation. 

His original Allevia Support Coordinator was 

on leave during this crisis, so her colleague 

stepped in to support him. 

The support needing coordination was 

complex and time sensitive as there were 

discharge timeframes that needed to be met. 

Support included ordering an emergency 

alarm for him to wear to prevent or minimise 

the impact of a crisis should another injury 

occur. Once his original Allevia Support 

Coordinator returned from leave, a thorough 

handover was provided so his support 

and engagement could continue without 

interruption. 

Support Through a Crisis 

A young man was communicating to his 

family and support team that he was not 

happy in his living environment where he 

and his co-residents were supported by a 

24/7 SIL team. His negative behaviours and 

incidents had increased, and he had gained 

a concerning amount of weight. Of grave 

concern for all in his circle of support was 

that his unhappiness would trigger the reemergence 

of self-harm and harm to others 

as well as a serious decline in his physical 

health. Frequent, honest, and very focused 

meetings were held with his Allevia Support 

Coordinator and his support team to discuss 

what the most appropriate strategies might 

be to support him through his crisis. Through 

teamwork and determination, a new living 

option was identified where his support 

needs could be provided. Since moving in he 

appears to be thriving. He has lost weight and 

his friendly, happy character has returned. 

| 31

Social Impact 

Our Strengths and Opportunities 

Allevia’s Impact 

Allevia's Impact 

1.5 

1 

0.5 

0 

Culture Life Economi Life Educational 

Life 

Personal 

Wellbeing 

Political Life Recreational 

and Leisure 

life 

Social life 

Spiritural or 

religious life 

Your 

Enviroment 

Allevia’s 2021 whole of service survey asked 

respondents to rate the impact Allevia’s 

supports and services had on nine quality 

indicators of their life. While our respondent 

numbers were very low, the design of the 

survey meant every response we received 

provided insight and as a collective they 

indicated trends. 



Allevia measures, reflects, learns, and evolves 

based on its experience and feedback. 

Personal wellbeing rated highest amongst 

all respondents. With Allevia’s strong and 

focused support during COVID and the 

avoidance of any major health issues or 

significant outbreaks uppermost in people’s 

minds, a positive outcome was to be 

expected. 

The positive impact of support on peoples’ 

Social Life, Your, (their) environment and 

Political life, in such a disruptive external 

environment, while encouraging for us as a 

provider, was not a strong enough indicator to 

lessen our focus on supporting engagement 

in all these aspects at every opportunity. 

The respondents across the board indicated 

that our supports in all other areas: 

Culture life (language, cultural inclusion etc.) 

Economic Life (employment) 

Educational Life (life & employment skills) 

Social life and Spiritual or Religious Life and 

Recreational and Leisure Life need our 

attention in future planning to gain and 

sustain continuous improvement. 

The 2022 survey will provide more 

feedback. We will be working to increasing 

the respondent rates so our insight to our 

strengths and opportunity for improvement 

is clearer. With more respondents we 

will be able to determine the impact by 

services group, giving us additional data 

for our ongoing planning. 

Left: The Allevia Expo team of Catherine Dickson, Paul 

Temby and Tia Ru promoting Allevia’s services and 

collecting feedback on what people are looking for.

Innovation 

Student Placement - My Allevia story 

Josie O. Arda 

Health Promotion, Practice 1 (400784) & 2 (400785) 

Western Sydney University 

My journey with Allevia has been 

enlightening and empowering. My 

supervisor has been supportive, sharing 

her experience, and empathy from the 

beginning of my placement throughout. 

Allevia values collaborative action 

provides a highly encouraging, secure 

learning environment which allows for 

trust and personal growth to foster. The 

team strives to identify the individuals’ 

strengths and priorities and to develop 

interest- based, specifically tailored 

programs for optimising the individual’s 

quality of life. Allevia is more than a 

skill developing workplace experience 

with genuine passion to accommodate 

individuals’ specific needs and aspirations. 

Allevia’s’ workplace culture promotes 

diversity, creativity and uniqueness and 

offers a perfect starting point for people 

who would like the support of a companion 

on their pathway to their goals. Allevia has 

given me motivation to promote equity 

and wellbeing and its importance in building 

healthier and happier communities. 

The process of making an idea or invention 

into a good or service that creates value 

and/or for which customers will pay’ 

During the year Allevia hosted two 

university students who assisted us research 

ideas and opportunities for new and enhanced 

service offerings and to review Allevia’s 

market position. Supervised and supported 

by our GM of Innovation and Social Impact, 

Catherine Dickson, each student successfully 

completed their project objectives and 

provided Allevia valuable information to 

inform our planning and service design 

The projects included: 

School Leaver Employment Supports- 

Nnaemeka Egbo 

• Provide recommendations on what 

Allevia needs to competitive delivering 

SLES for our community 

Programs of Support - Josie O. Arda 

• Researched what interest-based time 

limited programs of support would 

be of interest and meet the culturally 

diverse influences in our community 

IMPACT 


| 33

Operational Performance 

Employee Type 

22% 22% 

54% 54% 

29% 29% 

Employee Gender 

Employee Gender 

Demographics 

Demographics 

Fulltime Employees Part Time Employees Casual 

54% 

54% 

Employee Type 

51% 

51% 

Fulltime 

Employees 

Part Time 

Employees 

Casual 

Our Workforce Demographics 

Allevia workers provided an estimated 

104,605 direct service hours this year. We 

have undertaken 28 recruitment rounds through 

JobAdder 6 to maintain the required level of 

employees with a demonstrated alignment to 

Allevia’s vision and values. Applicants were 

also selected based on their skills, knowledge, 

experience, and qualifications to perform in the 

roles Allevia has been commissioned to deliver 

by NDIS and other self-funded and grant funded 

participants. 

Male 

Male 

Female 

Female 

43% 

Online eLearning Modules 

Completed by 

30 June 2022 

100% 

31% 

44% 

43% 

Mealtime Management and 

Dysphagia Training 

NDIS Supporting Effective 

Communication Module 

NDIS Supporting Safe and 

Enjoyable Meals 

NDIS Workers Orientation 

Module 

Our staff are our greatest asset. 

At Allevia we are committed to the continual 

development of our workforce’s capabilities. 

This year our teams quickly adjusting to a 

blended learning involving interactive video 

conferencing in the workplace, remote learning 

of online courses through Webcare Community 

and NDIS essential modules including Mealtime 

Management and Dysphagia training. Practical 

training video recordings were developed inhouse 

to introduced both existing workers 

and new workers at commencement of their 

employment to new applications like Tendable. 

In some cases where restrictions had been 

lifted for short intervals, we were able to come 

together face -face in small groups. 

Mealtime Management and 

Dysphagia Training 

NDIS Supporting Effective 

Communication Module 

NDIS Supporting Safe and 

Enjoyable Meals 

NDIS Workers Orientation 

Module 

6 JobAdder is a candidate sourcing tool. 

7 https://www.kisaphone.com.au 


Hungry, Humble, and Smart 

Ideal Team Player - Interview with Debbie Faith 

I started working at Allevia in 2000. Before 

that I was looking after DOCS children and 

youths, one I am still working with today. 

She is now 34 years old. I was privileged 

to be there for the birth of her first child. I 

completed my Cert 4 in Disability Work on 

the 4th of July 2007 and since then many 

in house training programs including PART 

training and Person-centred Active Support. 

I use my training every day. 



Allevia’s workers are ideal team players who are 

Hungry, Humble and Smart. 

One of my proudest achievements was to 

successfully assist two men to move out 

from shared living into a place on their own. 

While it was their achievement, it was an 

achievement for me as well because I had the 

privilege to support them grow, learn to make 

decisions for themselves, make choices and 

not just about the big issues but about the 

many choices we make every day. Individual 

Living Options (ILO) is considered new and 

innovative but the two men I have supported 

have been experiencing that independence 

for more than four years, one for six years. 

We have had our trials and tribulations. 

While they both wanted their independence, 

they had to adjust to the complexity of 

being on their own. The introduction of KISA 7 

phones changed their lives in so many ways. 

These phones don’t use phone numbers, 

rather have pictures of their support team 

and emergency call numbers on the back. 

For one gentleman who is profoundly deaf, 

his phone flashes when someone calls him. 

At first there was a bit of overuse of this new 

technology. However, with lots of support 

and skill development, they both learnt to 

leave a message and accept that people can 

be busy. Having that reassurance that they 

could contact someone greatly reduced 

both men’s anxiety about living on their own. 

Working in a DOCS managed housing that 

had been outsourced to Allevia gave me a 

unique understanding of the importance of 

reporting and documentation. It was during 

| 35

these heady early days that I was appointed 

as a Team Leader with responsibilities that 

I was doing instinctively such as leading 

the team of workers, supporting the team 

to learn and grow, offering support when 

problems arose, stepping up when it was 

needed. 

I got a cat for the young people I was 

supporting because I felt they needed 

something to love, be their responsibility. 

The ginger cat ‘Marmalade’ would pace with 

one young lady until she felt comfortable 

to come inside. As an animal lover I knew 

the benefits of having a pet that gives 

unconditional love. 

Debbie is clearly passionate about her 

work. At 65 Debbie has not even considered 

retiring as she still loves what she is doing 

and while ever her health, which is currently 

good, is sustained she cannot think of any 

reason why she should stop doing what she 

loves. 

“I am a team player because I have always 

been there. I have been flexible and prepared 

to take on change. I enjoy my work and I 

think that reflects how I go about the tasks 

of each day and it has a positive influence on 

the people I support.” 

Ideal Team Player 

Interview with Paul Temby 

In the past few years my working life has 

changed direction. After leaving my formal 

career at TNT / Fedex as an internal sales 

representative on good terms, I wanted to 

take a ‘mid-life break’. I decided to travel a 

bit. I did go back to sales for a short time, but 

COVID intervened. Then after a few months 

on the dole a good friend suggested I might 

be good at, and enjoy being a disability 

support worker. 

I decided to follow through with my friend’s 

suggestion and started at TAFE doing Cert 3 

Individual Support Work. The Head Teacher 

was inspiring and passed on her passion 

and commitment on the rights of people 

with a disability. A placement with another 

disability service provider convinced me 

that I was ready for a new career. 

It was three months after my successful 

interview with Allevia in July 2021 before I 

was finally able to start in my new position 

in October 2021. Once I recovered from 

COVID and a fractured wrist I was delighted 

to find that Allevia was still wanting me to 

take up the position they had offered me 

three months earlier. 

I really value this new job. 

I like working with people and I enjoy the 

challenge of the job. Some days things go 

sideways but I always try to stay calm, and 

I keep the person I am supporting front of 

mind. I am committed firstly to the person 

and then to Allevia. 


Many skills from my past work are important 

in my new role like customer service, 

teamwork, and working collaboratively with

all the internal departments. I had to be on my 

feet mentally, to cope with constant change 

and when problems presented, I needed 

to respond. I had to support customers, 

educate them on how the systems worked, 

advocate for them internally and intervene 

for them when things weren’t working. I am 

applying all these skills in my new role. 

I can personally see myself doing this work 

for the foreseeable future. While retirement 

is a long way off, now that I have delved into 

this line of work, I can’t see myself doing 

anything else. 

I am ‘experience hungry’ 

which means I am open to new opportunities. 

I am also a details person, which I think is an 

advantage in my new role where the reporting 

and recording of important information 

accurately is essential to be of benefit to 

the people I support. 

I would like to think my work has been 

recognised because I respect and value the 

people we support. I have had a great 

mentor in Debbie my Team Leader, and 

others in the ILO and Elevate teams. I have 

had the wonderful opportunity to work 

across the teams and enjoy the experience 

and the teamwork it takes to deliver a great 

service. 

“I have learnt the importance of connecting 

with each person, respecting, and valuing 

them. Trust is hard to earn but easy to lose.” 


Interview with Lisa Baker 

I started in 2004. I didn’t know anything 

about disability. I was working in Home 

Care. It was a long way from home, so I 

applied at Allevia and was interviewed. I 

started the next day. For the first three 

months I asked myself what I was doing 

here. My mother had memory loss but this 

was very different. I had never dealt with 

challenging behaviours before. 

For many years now I have taken the guys 

on train trips, and they pick which shopping 

centre we go to. They do everything 

everyone else does, like getting their hair 

cut, buying new clothes and shoes and have 

lunch in the food court. I take out three 

gentlemen who have complex behaviours. 

Because I have developed routines with each 

of them, I can do it on my own, but I do have 

to be very aware of the environment around 

me. I have learnt to be aware of triggers 

and pre-empt a negative reaction. I scan the 

environment before we get to a potential 

trigger. 

On one occasion one gentleman’s 

behaviours were triggered when I reminded 

him the food he wanted was not suitable 

because it could be a choking risk. He 

promptly took of his shoes and threw them 

across the food court. 

I often discretely dismantle the food 

chosen, cut finely the bits that could be a 

risk and then put it back together. I check 

all their food choices to make sure it is 

not a risk. I strongly believe in supported 

decision making even when the options are 

unpopular e.g., meal recommendations in the 

Mealtime Management Plans. I am very aware 

of my responsibility to support people to 

understand the need for caution with food 

preparation and choices.

I am good at following plans and understand 

the value of having them. I talk to my team 

and try to ensure that they also understand 

what needs to be done and the importance 

of following plans. When working with 

such vulnerable people with very limited 

or complex verbal comminution, the plans 

provide essential insight and knowledge of 

what is important to them, and any potential 

risk of harm. They describe the signs to look 

for when something could be negatively 

impacting on them. Plans help the team have 

a consistent approach and a way to get to 

know them well enough so that they can 

pick up when something is wrong. 

I like Tendable 8 because it makes people 

accountable and think about what they need 

to do to keep people and the environment 

safe. It needs a few more tweaks for doing 

the motor vehicle inspections and webster 

pack checks to make the approach time 

effective, but as a tool to assist tracking and 

check all the things we need to complete in 

our day-to-day work, I think it will be very 

helpful. 

I like having an impact on the quality of 

people’s life. I love being with them when 

they are excited and really enjoying the 

activity they are doing. I am never bored. I 

relate to them as an equal. I have a quiet life 

at home, so I really enjoy coming to work 

and the interaction with the guys. 

“If I see that things can be improved, I 

will speak up especially if the new tool or 

process doesn’t improve the work outcome 

or make a task easier.” 

8 Cloud-based quality reporting system for daily service provision. 



Interview with Isabella Eid 

I’ve been working with Allevia since Feb 

2021. I know my calling in life and passion 

is to be there for other people and make a 

difference in their life, even if it would be 

for one day. I love working face to face with 

people, getting to see people grow, learn, 

and make me laugh. It is what makes every 

shift so enjoyable. I have built a rapport 

with each person, getting to know them 

and how situations will affect each of them 

differently. The saying “If you do what you 

love, you’ll never work a day in your life” is 

the way I feel with my position in Allevia and 

the difference I’m making. 

Having been a youth worker in a previously 

position has allowed me to build resilience 

and maintain a sound mind when put in 

situations where I must think on my feet. 

I realised during COVID lockdowns that 

everything had become so routine. As 

workers we were distracted from our role of 

supporting people to achieve their goals and 

reach their potential. We were working so 

hard all the time on keeping people COVID 

free that we could only achieve the absolute 

essentials. The weather this year also hasn’t 

helped, making it difficult to support people 

to get out and be part of their community 

and engage in their life. Our meetings where 

new staff and older staff share ideas on 

what we should do to support people to 

engage in their home life as well as social and 

recreational activities are really important. It 

is better already now we can walk along the 

beach on the weekend, actually go shopping 

again and support people to pick their own 

healthier food options. 

Seeing people change or do things 

differently is what makes coming back 

every shift worthwhile. Recently I supported 

a gentleman at his 40th birthday party with 

his family. His sister was so happy with 

how the day went and my support of her 

brother that she emailed my supervisor 

complimenting me on the care I took with 

my work. To have my work acknowledged 

by the family like that is the sort of thing 

that just makes everything worthwhile. 

I don’t set out to be an example for other 

workers. I have always just let everyone 

know that I will say something if I believe the 

people we support are not getting the quality 

of service they should. I am committed to 

following the strategies in people’s plans, and 

vigorously convey to my fellow workers the 

importance of adhering to the strategies the 

specialists have recommended in people’s 

plans. 

I do what I do because I want to be there 

for others, I want to make a difference 

and make life enjoyable for each person I 

support. When I come to work, I am here 

to dance with the people I support, talk to 

them, and make them smile, take them out 

of the house and do something they enjoy. 

“I’ve learnt these skills and gained this 

knowledge from the life I’ve lived. My 

understanding has come from dealing with 

teenagers, raising babies and children but 

most of all having a heart that just wants 

to make a difference, that wants others to 

enjoy life and to live it to the fullest.” 

| 39

The Finances 

To realise its vision and to fulfil its purpose, Allevia has established and maintains a strong 

fiscal base for its operations through sound budgetary planning and oversight, strong 

organisational structures, and enhancement of its operational practices. The year saw the 

organisation achieve a surplus despite the ongoing turbulence in the NDIS marketplace and 

the CoVID-19 pandemic. 

2021-2022 

$ 

2020-2021 

$ 

Revenue from continuing operations 9,646,822 9,490,521 

Other Revenue 31,673 4,841 

Total Income 9,678,495 9,495,362 

Client expenses (238,373) (171,991) 

Employment expenses (7,609,373) (7,873,399) 

Depreciation expenses (161,324) (333,518) 

Occupancy expenses (352,110) (165,212) 

Finance Costs (11,822) (40,789) 

General & administrative expenses (1,155,400) (968,244) 

Total Expenses (9,528,808) (9,517,153) 

Net Surplus/(deficit) 149,687 (21,791 

Total Assets 2,985,742 2,977,497 

Total Liabilities 7% 

1,538,968 1,680,410 

3% 7% 

Net Assets 1,446,774 1,297,087 

Revenue Contributors 

Revenue Contributors 

7% 

3% 7% 

83% 

83% 

Grants Income Client Fees NDIS Income Other Income 

Grants Income Client Fees NDIS Income Other Income 

The Annual Financial Report of Allevia Limited (ABN 78 554 047 325) for the year ending 30 June, 2022, can 

be obtained by: calling the Head Office on (02) 9773 8894 / emailing allevia@allevia.org.au

In the spirit of reconciliation Allevia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of 

country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea, and community. 

We pay our respects to elders past and present and extend that respect to all 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. 

Allevia recognises all people with a 

lived experience of trauma, 

neurodiversity, mental ill health, and 

substance use or addiction, and their 

families, carers, and supporters. This 

recognition extends to the clinical and 

non-clinical workforces that support 

people with lived experience. 

Allevia strongly supports equality for 

all. We embrace diversity and 

condemn any kind of discrimination, be 

it on the basis of race, religion, 

ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender 

identity or disability. 

Registered Office 

Hangar 618, 33 Tower Road 

Bankstown Aerodrome 

NSW 2200 

PO Box 260 

Revesby North NSW 2212 

Allevia Limited 

fax: (02) 9773 9706 

phone: (02) 9773 8894 

email: allevia@allevia.org.au 

web: www.allevia.org.au 

facebook: The Allevia Group 

ABN 78 554 047 325 

ACN 624 741 840 

NDIS Provider: 4050002641 

Auditor: 

Grant Thornton Audit Pty Ltd 

Designed and printed by

www.allevia.org.au

2022 Allevia Annual Report

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?