Emma's recent therapy intensive in New York marked another important milestone in her journey. Born with a complex brain disorder, she continues to make remarkable progress through determination, consistency and specialised therapy. Alongside hard work in the clinic, Emma and her family created lasting memories together, returning home with something far more valuable than souvenirs - progress. Every step forward is worth celebrating.

Image description: Áine(they/them) seated at the front of a room full of Manawanui staff with Simon assisting her, seated at her side holding a microphone. At our recent Team Day, we were joined by Áine Kelly-Costello(they/them), a Manawanui customer. They shared their perspective on disability support and the role of Individualised Funding hosts. Their kōrero was thoughtful, grounded in lived experience, and offered valuable insights for our team. Tēnā koutou. Nō Aerana, nō

Michelle overcomes her fear of individualised funding For years the thought of individualised funding scared Michelle Smith. In August last year, she finally decided to take the plunge. She shares her journey with In Touch Magazine. When I was first approached by my needs assessor Kelly about individualised funding nearly four years ago, I immediately said no. The thought of it scared me. I had spoken to people about it in the past, but the idea of employing staff, dealing w