Forming Konnections ensures bright future
13 October 2009
Karingal is growing faster than ever before with the launch of our newest service - Konnections - across the bay on the Mornington Peninsula.
Disability Opportunities Victoria (DOV), which has offered disability services to people living on the Mornington Peninsula since 1964, successfully amalgamated with Karingal on October 5 to form the organisation’s newest branch.
After consultation with clients, staff and stakeholders, it was decided “Konnections” was the name which best reflected the new era of the service.
Karingal has been assisting DOV by putting in place a senior manager as stand-in Chief Executive Officer since April 2008.
DOV had been experiencing financial hardship, leading to a voluntary liquidation process.
Karingal’s involvement has allowed a comprehensive due diligence process and seamless changeover with the transfer of DOV’s assets and liabilities to Karingal.
While it has been a long road to get to this point, Karingal is pleased to be in a position to assist people with disabilities in regions outside Geelong.
Our input and formation of Konnections has ensured financial security and therefore the future of critical services to people with disabilities, their families and carers for years to come.
I want to reassure Konnections’ 150 clients and their families that Karingal will continue to provide the services they have already been receiving, including respite, day programs, training as well as transport and advocacy.
With a reputation as one of the best providers of disability services in Victoria and established quality systems and processes, we hope that Karingal’s input will only serve to expand and diversify services going forward.
This is already occurring with our recent successful tender to provide shared supported accommodation in Hastings for people with ageing carers.
Over time, we also hope to be able to provide supported employment options for people with disabilities and we will strive to achieve this goal.
Our expansion across to the Mornington Peninsula has provided an exciting opportunity for Karingal to fulfil our strategy to further grow disability services, fast-becoming a multi-regional provider.
We will also welcome two of DOV’s former committee of management members, Barry Smith and David Cornell, for two and one-year terms respectively, on Karingal’s Board of Directors.
We hope this will give Konnections’ clients and the Mornington Peninsula community a voice, allowing continuity and assisting in a smooth transition.
We welcome our Mornington Peninsula clients and more than 90 staff members to the Karingal community and look forward to a prosperous future together.