Our Lightbulb Moment…
At 6am each day, you will find the two of us walking our dogs at the local park. This is where we met; and the social routine was always great for our dogs Midas & Jet. It has also allowed us to develop our friendship, and later, dream up a business together.
Our conversations began about our dogs, families, and what we cooked for dinner last night. But quickly, we learned that we had so much more in common; including that we both had family members requiring additional support.
We started discussing how it was a priority for both of us to ensure our family were not only able to reach their fullest potential but also able to feel they could live independently with confidence and success. We just had to figure out…HOW?
We also knew that our situation was not unique, and understood that there are countless parents, caregivers and supporters who feel the same way we do.
Our mutual challenge - how to overcome the constant struggle to find services that didn’t just feel like either “more therapy” or “more one on one support”. Because our families have experienced plenty of that!
What we felt was needed were opportunities for pragmatic learning, social interaction and confidence building at every turn. And so, we developed some learning ideas and solutions that we think are worth sharing.
That is how Lightbulb Skills came to be!
It’s nice to meet you.
Megan and Desley x
Importantly, we are not therapists, and what we offer is not therapy…
We are parents and carers who want to prepare our family members for independent living.
We are educators and we are people developers. And our commitment is to always include opportunities that broaden community engagement and provide a sense of belonging.
“Simply, we are looking to have some fun, learn skills together, and develop a Lightbulb Community.”
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Realising that her greatest reward comes from assisting others, Desley made a change in her career direction to become a classroom school teacher. With family members who require additional support and an affinity for her students with varying abilities, Desley has identified the critical role that patience and clear instruction play in developing the foundation for lifelong learning.
Desley’s most recent qualification, Certificate IV in Training and Assessment has reinforced her knowledge of instructing adults and how to achieve successful learning outcomes through planning, organisation and delivery of a group-based learning curriculum.
Desley is passionate about the opportunity to assist others in achieving their learning goals. She celebrates opportunities to utilise her knowledge, skillset and ability to create an inclusive learning environment for each unique participant.
With an empowerment-based teaching philosophy, Desley’s approach is focussed on the use of engaging demonstration and mindful explicit instruction, seeking to find as many opportunities as possible for her students to experience success.
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Remy has been working as a support worker for the past three years whilst studying Physiotherapy at Curtin University.
Remy enjoys working at Lightbulb as she loves supporting the participants in creating friendships and achieving their goals.
In her spare time Remy likes to cook, play with her dogs Missy & Milo and hang out with friends!
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For the past 9 years Jessie has been working in the disability sector. She has a passion for helping others and has loved being a part of the Lightbulb family for the past year; supporting others in creating friendships and learning life skills.
In her free time Jessie enjoys outdoor activities like walking her dog Bowie, camping and hiking. She also has a passion for swimming (having participated in the Rottnest swim multiple times) and loves hanging out with friends at the beach.
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For the past 5 years Will has been working as a support worker and absolutely loves it and finds it very rewarding! He studied Accounting and Sport Science at UWA and is currently completing a personal training course.
Will looks forward to meeting new people through Lightbulb as much as seeing familiar faces and likes supporting everyone to achieve their goals.
When not working, Will likes to spend time with family and friends and loves sport. He currently plays Cricket, Hockey and indoor Soccer and also enjoys attending games to watch the Fremantle Dockers.
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Growing up with a passion for helping others, Asha decided to pursue a career in Psychology which she currently studies at Curtin University. She credits support work with having introduced her to so many amazing individuals who inspire her every day!
Grateful for the opportunity to support others in recognising and achieving their goals, Asha believes in the importance of celebrating both significant milestones and small victories.
When she isn’t studying or working, you will find her at the beach, exploring new restaurants or hanging out with her dog Dexter.
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Abby is studying psychology and law at Curtin University. She has been a disability support worker for over a year and also works as a junior athletics coach and a receptionist.
Additionally, Abby volunteers weekly as a mentor to young girls in order to help them develop healthy mindsets and the skills deal with life challenges.
She is passionate about helping people to become the best version of themselves, believing that community engagement can play an important role in achieving this.
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Hi My name is Jack,
I’m new to the LightbulbSkills team and very eager for what is to come. I have had a passion for disability support work and helping others since I was 16 and have been participating on and off over the years while working full time.
I love Sport (especially basketball and football), going to the beach, hanging out with friends and cooking.
I really enjoyed the first social outing last year and can’t wait for many more in 2024!
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Daniel is passionate about making a difference in other people's lives and enjoys the rewarding nature of the job at lightbulb skills.
He is currently studying Occupational Therapy at Curtin University along with this he has been working as a support worker for the past 3 years.
His favourite part of working alongside people with disabilities is that every day is different and you can learn so much from the job.
Outside of this Daniel loves many different sports and is also completing an online course to become a personal trainer. He loves playing basketball, watching the footy, and he coaches rowing at Aquinas College.
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Simone is currently studying Paramedicine at ECU.
Her favourite part of working in a support role is seeing the positive progression of a client’s skills and development.
Simone is passionate about recognising an individual’s needs and making everyone feel included and confident within themselves.
Outside of work and study, Simone competes in calisthenics (dancing). She enjoys keeping active, being outdoors, going to the beach with mates, reading and watching the footy.
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Megan’s passion is to contribute to the development and assist in the building of skills in others.
Adding value by drawing upon her pragmatic, “can do” mindset, she works to empower others. Megan believes in personal choices and individually tailored approaches, always looking for opportunities to develop peoples confidence and sense of personal achievement.
With professional experience in human resources management, and having worked in large corporates, smaller companies and not for profits, Megan has learnt to tailor her services to meet the needs of others. Most recently, she has worked as an independent recruitment consultant, specialising in the recruitment of support workers for NDIS participants and their families.
In her spare time, Megan spends time with her family, her closest friends, and Midas her dog. Megan loves Pilates, The Beach, and Long Walks.. oh, and Chatting!
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Sonia knew she loved working with people when she first started with Lightbulb last year; getting to know her clients and helping them to achieve personal goals whilst also developing their love for individual passions. Sonia is always ready to bring compassion and care to everyone she works with, motivating them to get the best out of every moment!
Sonia is a Nursing Student, and also manages an aquatic facility. She loves interacting with people but in her quiet moments, Sonia enjoys swimming, reading, and plenty of quality time with friends.
Sonia also loves to share her passion for exploring the great outdoors and travelling and loves to connect with others through volunteering.
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We are very proud of Phil! He started by attending an In The Kitchen workshop in Manning and quickly showed us some skills he’d picked up from working in a Cafe previously. Because Phil was both organised for himself, and also super supportive of everyone else on the Workshop., we invited him to help us. He now works casually supporting In The Kitchen Workshops
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With a degree in Media & Communications and a Diploma in Photography I have always had a passion for all things marketing. I have had over 20+ years experience in the Media and Advertising industry, working in Perth, London and Melbourne. My skill set involves a little bit of everything from Graphic Design to social media content creation. Working with people and trying new things is what keeps me motivated!
Turn on your Lightbulb, today.
