Positive Behaviour Support in Dubbo: Meet PBS Practitioner Candice Golding

Positive Behaviour Support in Dubbo, NSW

Positive Behaviour Support in Dubbo just got easier to access! Ability Consultants is a registered NDIS provider in Dubbo, Central West NSW, where we support NDIS participants and their families. Our goal is to create more freedom and social connection for people with disability, and we do this through person-centred Positive Behaviour Support.

Bringing more practitioners to regional areas is so important to us, and I’m so happy to introduce Candice Golding, behaviour support practitioner in Dubbo. Candice brings to our team her community experience focussed on social justice, disabilities, child and adolescent therapy and mental health.

Meet Candice Golding, Behaviour Support Practitioner in Dubbo

Candice, we’re excited that you’ve joined our Central West team in NSW! Tell us about you?

I’m a busy mum of two girls, four dogs, one cat, two fish and Penny the horse. As a child and young adult my family and I moved quite a lot but for the last 25 years I have called the Central West and Dubbo my home.

When I’m not supporting my amazing participants within Ability Consultants, you can find me out enjoying the lovely days riding and spending time with horses.

I am extremely passionate about human rights and mental health and ensuring that everyone gets the opportunity to have their voices noticed, acknowledged and valued no matter their background or story.

You’ve worked in community settings and mental health for over twenty years — what would say is the most important factor when it comes to supporting individuals who are wanting a better quality of life?

People want to be supported by authentic humans with kind hearts, people who will not judge their stories and the paths they have had to walk.

Actually showing you care and you are there to support them for the right reasons, and most of all staying the course with them.

In my experience it can be overwhelming at times, people are let down or slip through the gaps and get lost in a system. Helping them find other services available is also very important to build rapport.

You worked as a counsellor for quite some time, can you tell us how your experience in counselling has helped you in your Positive Behaviour Support?

Originally, I fell into Positive Behaviour Support quite unexpectedly which was very eye opening. Challenges in previous roles left me feeling quite unsupported, and I had considered just moving on from this work... then I found Ability Consultants. I am learning to love what I do and I feel safe and supported to learn and grow.

I find that through my counselling background I am able to build real connections and support people to feel safe and respected quite quickly, using tools I have in “my kit”. I have real empathy for people's journeys.

I have previously sat alongside those in horrific crises and walked with them until recovery, so as a behaviour support practitioner, I appreciate that we also meet our families and people we support in some of their darkest days. I find it a real privilege to be able to share my skills in situations that are otherwise difficult and confronting for participants and their families.

Life in Dubbo, Central West NSW

Dubbo is a major town in Central West NSW and is a common stop for travellers on a road trip through NSW. Can you tell us your favourite accessible recreation area or tourist destination in Dubbo?

Let's face it, Dubbo is loved for the Western Plains Zoo, it’s such a great place to go and spend your weekend with family and loved ones, and is also fully accessible for everyone to enjoy.

Western Plains Zoo is the type of zoo where you can drive around to each exhibit in the park and the zoo circuit includes accessible parking and accessible toilets. You can also hire an all-terrain wheelchair.

At Western Plains Zoo you have the chance to see up to 5000 animals such as lions, elephants, tigers, cheetahs, takhi, giraffes, zebras, kangaroos, koalas and more. If you're feeling up to a zoo adventure, what's even more exciting is that the zoo offers great food and coffee 365 days a year as well!!

Tell us what you love most about living in Dubbo!

When I was growing up, my family and I moved around so much, I felt like I never had time to settle, so when I moved to Dubbo almost 22 years ago and found my place to call home, it felt nice to be part of a community. The lifestyle is easy, there is plenty to do without the hustle of the city, and the job opportunities and growth within the area are very exciting as well.

About Positive Behaviour Support in Dubbo

Tell us about Positive Behaviour Support — what exactly is it and how can it improve a person’s quality of life?

For me, in short, it is such a special gift to give to others: the ability to communicate their needs.

Educating people to understand each other and provide support within the client’s community that can improve their quality of life is very satisfying in this role. Positive Behaviour Support can also help a person with a disability identify their barriers to leading a rewarding life, and often help them deliver a message in a positive way, when they may have been using less positive ways of communicating.

Can you share an example of how you’ve seen Positive Behaviour Support make a difference in a person’s life?

I have worked with a person who had a complex diagnosis. Over a long period of time, their needs were not being met which was understandably frustrating for them, and led to behaviours of concern, which meant her supporters were not consistent, as she was seen as a risk.

Being labelled like this was so traumatic and undignified for this person, that when I began assessing and recommending strategies for staff and family, the person did not think it would work, as nothing had worked in the past.

Working with her team to educate and build their confidence ensured they were able to see the person, not the disability or the behaviour.

It was an inspiration to then see family and support teams engaging successfully and to watch my client’s smile start to show. It was inspirational that my client was finally becoming part of her community in a positive way and was able to do the things we take for granted each day.

Where do you provide Positive Behaviour Support in Dubbo?

I cover communities such as Dubbo, Orange, Wellington, Gilgandra, Narromine and little communities in between.

For us in the Central West team, where there's will, there's a way! We can also connect with clients and stakeholders online, which can be more efficient in some instances.

As their behaviour support practitioner, what can a client expect from you and your support?

They can expect someone who cares and someone who will walk with them through this new journey. You will see transparency and dedication so that you feel confident that our time together will lead to positive outcomes. I hope to build long lasting relationships that help people continue to reach their goals.

How to get started with Positive Behaviour Support in Dubbo

What’s the next step for someone if they’re interested in getting started with Positive Behaviour Support in Dubbo?

The first step is to complete our referral form, so we can assess if we are the right fit for you and to ensure we have basic information for your Service Agreement. Here is a link to our online referral form. Once we’ve finished the initial paperwork, if you’re in or around Dubbo, I’ll be in touch!

What if someone’s not ready, but they want to know more about Positive Behaviour Support, such as how it can help — what should they do?

We have a few articles and videos that may help, such as:

• Q&A with Hayley Gray, NDIS Provider in Mudgee
  
• What is Positive Behaviour Support?
• What is a Positive Behaviour Support Plan?
• Which funding can I use for Positive Behaviour Support?

You might also like to listen to Hayley Gray's interview with Jess McGuire, ABC Western Plains radio:

If you live in the Central West and would like to know more about Positive Behaviour Support, your NDIS Plan or funding, you’re also welcome to get in touch online or call our team on 1300 694 625.

About Ability Consultants

Ability Consultants is an NDIS Provider in Central West NSW. We also support individuals throughout Australia in NSW, QLD, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia.

Click here to learn more about us.