PERSONAL development, health and grooming will be at the forefront of a local disability support service’s female clientele’s mindset in the upcoming future to help boost their self-image.

Trinity Disability Support Service Case Manager Danielle Pennington received a $2,489 grant from The Zonta Club of Paradise Point recently to conduct a self-development workshop aimed at empowering women with a disability.

Around 20 ladies from the northern end of the Gold Coast will participate in 12 three-hour personal development sessions facilitated by women focusing on building self-esteem and confidence.

Some of the topics covered will include: health, nutrition and exercise, dental health, relationships, domestic violence, personal care, beauty and hygiene.

Trinity Assistant Manager Christine Martens said this course was important to help provide life skills to women with an intellectual disability.

“Our clients present really well in the community but they don’t have the capacity to retain the information around these topic areas in the mainstream community,” she said.

“The facilitators will present the material in hands-on ways through activities and demonstrations to empower the client which will then have a flow-on effect into their daily lives.”

Danielle will coordinate the group workshop kicking off next month, with a support worker, and the women will meet fortnightly for the next six months at various community service centres.

The course content will then be passed to the women’s case workers who can reinforce the key messages and re-visit what the women learnt throughout the program. 

Danielle looked forward to the upcoming workshops and said many of Trinity’s female clients were eager to sign up for a place in the program.

“This program will help raise the status of a very vulnerable group of women,” she said.

“We will be educating the women on some very important issues that impact greatly on their lives.

“As a result of the women attending the course they will have developed personally, learnt new skills and increase their self-esteem and confidence.”

Each course participant will also receive a certificate on completion and a development plan to identify their goals and needs which can be followed up by their case manager.

Trinity client Penny Watson was instrumental in Trinity obtaining the grant by speaking to The Zonta Club of Paradise Point about her everyday life and sharing her life experiences on behalf of the Trinity female clients.

Penny is an active member of the community and regularly attends the Southport Lawn Bowls Club and Endeavour Toast Masters. 

“I keep myself healthy and very active by going to Tafe, I also do my own shopping and banking,” she said.