Unisson Disability, is a not-for-profit organisation working in the disability sector. Their vision is a world where everyone is welcome.
This week is International Women’s Week, and we would like to tell you a little bit about the founder of Unisson Disability, which last year opened a hub in Lane Cove.
Dr Lorna Hodgkinson
Unisson Disability was founded by educator Dr Lorna Hodgkinson.
Born in 1887, Lorna Hodgkinson’s education and career was remarkable for her era. In 1903 she began working as student teacher in Perth and, after identifying a need within the community, she went on to establish a class for children with intellectual disabilities.
Moving to Sydney in 1915, Lorna continued to teach in the public school system and in 1917 she began educating girls with intellectual disabilities who were wards of the State.
Wishing to continue her own education with a view to increasing her capacity to assist people with disability, Lorna was granted paid leave by the education department in 1920 to study at Harvard University, where she received a Master of Education degree in 1921 and a Doctor of Education degree in 1922. Her doctoral thesis was titled “A State Program for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Atypical Children in Public School Systems” and she became the first woman to receive a Doctor of Education degree at Harvard.
Now a highly qualified educator and educational psychologist, Lorna firmly believed that people with intellectual disabilities should be supported to live meaningful lives and not be confined to hospitals for the mentally ill. Her views were in conflict with government policy at the time and as a result, the government of the day went so far as to discredit her both professionally and personally.
Despite the criticism and the lack of government support, Lorna forged ahead privately. Initially, she rented a house in Sydney’s north for a few students and subsequently purchased land at Gore Hill to expand her residential school. The Sunshine Institute, as it was known, grew to accommodate an increasing number of private clients and Lorna established her reputation as a true visionary and leader in the field of disability education and support, which was documented through interviews on radio and in newspapers.
Before her death in 1951, Lorna converted her institution to a not-for-profit organisation with a board of trustees, enabling her to bequeath her estate for the benefit of those she worked lifelong to understand and assist. By then supporting around 60 residential clients, the Sunshine Institute was renamed the Lorna Hodgkinson Sunshine Home. The organisation continued to grow, staying true to Lorna’s vision and inclusive philosophy of supporting and caring for people as individuals.
From the late 1970s Sunshine began to look for ways to move away from institutional living, and over the next 20 years, purchased a number of units and freestanding homes to support group living within a community environment. In the early 2000s, the Gore Hill site was sold to further fund this process. Sunshine’s services expanded across Sydney and up to the Central Coast and Hunter regions, and today we support hundreds of adults with disability to live meaningful lives and build connections within their communities.
Unisson Disability
In 2017, Sunshine was rebranded to Unisson Disability, which more accurately reflects thier role in supporting people with disability through an inclusive approach which values and respects everybody equally.
Today, Unisson is a thriving, modern organisation supporting hundreds of people with disability; a community where every person is welcomed; with a predominantly female workforce which is diverse and dynamic; offering pathways and opportunities that complement women’s working requirements over the course of their careers, particularly while raising young families.
Lane Cove Hub
Last year Unisson Disability opened a new hub in Lane Cove dedicated to supporting people with disability to achieve their social and skill-focused goals.
The newly renovated hub specialises in fostering individual growth for clients, with daily activities taking place in-centre and the wider community. The in-centre programs are facilitated by Lane Cove’s team of Direct Support Professionals (DSP’s). The open-plan space caters to activities including arts and crafts, jewellery making, movie days and culinary classes in the hub’s brand-new kitchen.
Clients can also enjoy multi-sensory experiences in the hub’s large state-of-the-art sensory room, assisting with sensory processing challenges including balance, movement abilities and fine and gross motor skills.
The programs also encompass community-based excursions and day trips including regular BBQ’s and picnics at local reserves and parks, bush walking, pub and café visits, sports days, swimming and trips to the local bowling alley.
Lane Cove Hub Team Leader, Josh Le Lay says the new hub is a multi-functional space allowing for each person’s goals to be supported, all while celebrating inclusivity.
“The hub allows clients to try an activity or hobby they haven’t before, in a welcoming and safe space. With the hub’s open floor plan, we can integrate specific activities into our daily programs to ensure each person is getting the most out of their time with us” he said.
Unisson’s Lane Cove Hub is currently accepting new clients and is located close to public transport and cafés with onsite parking.
Unisson Disability Lane Cove Hub Contact Details
Website: https://www.unissondisability.org.au/
Phone: 1300 266 222
Email:[email protected]
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/unissondisability/
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