Aspire4Life’s 2022 Conference: The Wrap-Up
Aptly themed “Inspiring Connections”, the 2022 conference was held on June 2 and 3, with all 200 team members travelling to the Gold Coast for the occasion. And the excitement in the air was palpable.
“Over the last couple of years, we’ve managed to conduct some road trips to have face to face sessions with staff,” explains Michelle Marchant, the National Manager for Assessment Services.
“These were limited in number of attendees and subject to constant change, so it was difficult to truly get excited about seeing each other again – the conference, however, we could look forward to.”
And happily, the full agenda of the conference went off without a hitch – to rave reviews from all who attended. Here are the highlights of the 2022 Aspire4Life conference.
Client interviews
At Aspire4Life, our role is to build the capacity, independence and connectedness of each individual who accesses our services. That’s why it was so important to hear from those we serve, ensuring that we have done our part to improve their lives. To kick off the conference on a positive note, we interviewed three clients and two carers who have accessed support through Aspire4Life and My Aged Care, asking them to describe the benefits of the support and encouragement they receive.
They also beautifully articulated the barriers and concerns they have faced along the way. “It was the perfect way to start the conference, just wonderful to receive their thoughts on their individual journeys through My Aged Care system and services,” said Kristy Butler, Regional Lead for Aspire4Life.
Motivational speakers
A conference is nothing without a couple of speakers to share their wisdom and inspire those on our team to continue doing what they do so well.
Aspire4Life had two: Wellness Coach James Carson, and Gold Medal Olympian Nat Cook.
Nat, who is a mum, author, professional beach volleyballer and recipient of an Order of Australia medal, delivered an incredible speech on how to achieve dreams with dedication and true belief. “And James paired it with a presentation on how to truly take care of ourselves on that journey – an important message for everyone to remember,” adds Michelle.
Sunrise Corroboree
The corroboree – a celebration dance was held on the beach at sunrise to open the second day of the conference. The corroboree is designed to bring “mguru” – good sprits for everyone – by paying respect to Mother Earth for the sunrise, sunsets and the beautiful land that is a part of us. As the conference was held during National Reconciliation Action Week, this was a way to pay respect to the traditional custodians of the land and reflect on Aspire4Life’s commitment to a future with reconciliation and renewal at the heart of all that we do.
Until next time
With a presentation from General Manager Michael Scurrah on Aspire4Life as a company, the team left feeling inspired about our journey for the next few years, the importance of our values, and our commitments.
Paired with leadership reflective sessions and networking opportunities, the conference confirmed that there’s much to be excited about in the future. “We’re very keen to see how the changes will work and how our working life and team will evolve,” Michelle shares. “It was a great way to understand that Aspire4Life is a continually changing company, keeping up with the changes in the assessment space and eager to support people to remain independent and connected in their chosen community.” The Aspire4Life team works with people in multiple regions across Australia. Find out more here.