Connect 12

2021 has certainly had its disruptions and challenges. I know that staff and families alike are looking forward to a much-needed break. As we head into summer and the festive season it feels timely to reflect on the important things which persisted despite the challenging year we have had – and perhaps the most important of these – our community.

The Champion Centre has always been a supportive community, made up of current and past families, staff and supporters. This year we were excited to welcome 40 new families to our programmes. In total, 235 families were enrolled in our service. It was with a tinge of sadness but much pride and anticipation we also said farewell to 48 children and their families who made their transition to school. It's a privilege to join children and families each week.

At the Centre we love being able to celebrate all children's successes however big or small, such as achieving milestones, learning new skills, making connections with others and simply having fun through play. We also feel privileged to be here during the tougher times. After all, this is what community is about – supporting one another. So, THANK-YOU to everyone in our Champion Centre community: to our families; to our highly skilled and dedicated staff; and to our wonderful supporters who help make sure we have the funds to continue to do what we need to do. Together we navigated 2021!

We wish you and your loved ones a safe and relaxing holiday and we look forward to seeing you next year. Meri Kirihimete,

Wendy and Lauren

Clement's story

'The most important thing is hope', an impactful statement, as we settled down for a chat with Champion Centre graduate, Clement and his mother, Susanna. A huge reminder of the privilege to walk alongside our young champions and their families.

Susanna recently updated her contact details after receiving our 'Connect' newsletter, so we jumped at the chance to invite her and Clement for a visit, and thank them in person for their generous donation. Now 25 years old, a few years have passed since he last attended the Centre, and the beam on Clement's face as he arrived, said it all! When Susanna toured the building, it evoked powerful and heart-warming memories of their time here. Clement was also excited, when he checked our 'Whānau Tree,' finding some of his original team are still with us. "Margaret," he announced, pointing to her photo. Clearly, she hasn't changed a bit!

The journey for Clement and his parents began with a difficult birth, and a possible diagnosis of Global Developmental Delay, which in turn, led to a referral to the Champion Centre, at 15 months old. As new parents, this path was filled with confusion, bewilderment, and a fear of what things may look like for Clement, tomorrow, and into the future. But from Day 1 at the Centre, Susanna's family was met with reassurance, compassion, and a willingness to do whatever they could. Not much has changed here over the years.

Susanna is emotional, as she recalls a team of dedicated professionals, she was extremely grateful for. "They were all phenomenal!" she exclaims. "Clement just loved his music sessions with Julie Wylie, and really liked the computer work with Hilary. Then there was tactile play with Margi, and speech with Jan, and Jackie, she was so gentle and kind–he loved it all." As a few tears well up, Clement's mum tells us his weekly early intervention routine was "one anchor we came to rely on." She remembers back to those early days, "through the encouragement of the team, we learned what to do, and then we built on that, one day at a time." From the first weeks and through the coming years, the family connected with other Centre parents and were often humbled by the friendship and positivity that completely enveloped them. They were parents, uplifting each other, and they 'clicked.' We spoke of the 'Transition to School' programme and, at 6 years of age, our part in Clement's journey coming to an end. With a few more happy tears, Susanna spoke fondly of the attachment formed with staff, parents, and children, alike. "At the Centre we felt we belonged; it was a protected environment. The thought of leaving all that behind was like sitting at the end of a springboard ready to leap into the unknown." "We will be forever grateful to everyone; Margaret, who made the leap so much easier, and Jan who fought tirelessly to secure funding for teacher aide hours. We were fortunate we felt such love, acceptance, and inclusivity, moving from one organisation to another."

From those first years, fuelled by 'hope', Clement's mum proudly fills in the gap since he graduated from the Centre. Cathedral Grammar, Canterbury Christian College and Middleton Grange School take Clement to age 21, and from there he is now involved in a variety of daily activities at A J Day Options Trust. Alongside some fun day trips, and learning some useful life skills, Clement works at the Trust, and highlights the chance to stop for 'coffee and biscuits,' which is obviously a bit of a treat! It's a full-on household, with Susanna working full-time, as a Teacher Aide at Christ's College, Dad, Dong, running his iconic city food outlet; and Clement's younger brother, who's busy studying Law and Criminal Justice. Clement is keen to chat to us about how things are going and it's just terrific to see him expressing such fond memories, as he checks out the music room.

Before promising to come and visit us again, Susanna states, emphatically, "More people need to know about this beautiful place." And we couldn't agree more!

Learning through technology

Technology Assisted Learning (TAL) helps to improve the capabilities of many children with disabilities and developmental challenges. Our small team of specialists tailor technology tools to develop programmes to meet individual needs and interests. Our Technology Assisted Learning programme has demonstrated efficacy in increasing a child's self reliance and sense of independence, which helps to alleviate barriers to communication and learning.

​This vital and successful programme attracts no government funding support and is delivered each year through the generosity of our community.

You can help us to provide our Technology Assisted Learning programme. through your donation. Fraser's story illustrates how one of our Champion Centre graduates was first introduced to the Technology Assisted Learning programme, and the significant impact it had.

Fraser's Story

No one was entirely sure what 4 yr old Fraser could see and hear. They knew there was nothing structurally wrong with his eyes, but he did not seem to be using them to discover and learn about his world, and because his disability meant he could not tell others what he understood they had to be detectives to work out how to connect with Fraser and encourage him to engage with the world around him.

When Fraser first started in the Technology Assisted Learning programme, one thing the team did know was that he loved to watch a video called 'Hooray for Fish' on his iPad at home. So the team decided to use this to try to enter Fraser's world. They downloaded the video, cut it up into segments and put each segment into a different PowerPoint slide. Then they set up the transitions into the slide show so that Fraser would have to touch the screen to make the next slide come up. He watched the first part of the video as usual, with avid attention, but then it stopped! He showed his surprise, then his mother gently took his hand and touched it to the screen, so the video started again. After a few goes, he 'got it'. He could make the next section of the video come up by touching the screen. He learned the beginnings of cause and effect. A huge positive milestone for Fraser!

From there, Fraser moved on to using other programmes with clear moving figures on a black background. He learned how to touch a screen that was empty in order to make a picture he liked appear, and increase his ability to track images that move across the screen. he then began to follow the pictures in a book his mother read to him. Over time, Fraser's team and family learned more and more about what he could process and how to extend his abilities.

Little by little, Fraser learned that his eyes gave him the information he wanted and actively began to seek out information on the computer, either by touching the screen or pressing a large switch that is the first step towards using a computer mouse.