Julie begins:
Springboardnz grew out of a growing awareness that while parents
could often identify the problems, they didn't know where to go or
who to see for the right kind of help. Our brochures say that
Springboardnz is a referral company for learning or behavior
problems, but the reality is that people come to us with a very
wide range of problems.
Listening to Lives
The first thing we do is listen. We need to hear exactly what
the changes are that our clients want to see for their children and
in their own lives. It is a real privilege to be allowed this
insight; every story is so different and has its own pathway to
take. Often, the longer we listen, the more other issues emerge.
The child with a learning disorder may be being bullied at school,
or grieving her parents' marriage break up. Lives begin to open
up.
The next stage is to think about what kinds of support will
work; small groups, people coming into their home, a mentor,
hands-on learning or maybe a series of workshops? Do they prefer a
holistic approach or a highly trained specialist instead?
Pinpointing Providers
We meet clients wherever they are comfy - their own homes or
places we consult from, like Parents Inc in Greenlane. We aim to
produce a tailored support plan. There are many providers to choose
from but our task is to find the one who will work for that
particular individual. We also consider how well the services will
fit with what they've told us about their budget or lifestyle.
The only way to find out is for us to get on the phone and talk
to potential providers. We explore exactly what each offers, what
they charge, and if they have a waiting list. Even if they are not
the answer, they nearly always tell us about someone else who may
be. We often feel like detectives! One link leads us to the next,
and so our database grows.
The Other Side
Occasionally, we remember why we love doing what we do. We have
both experienced what it's like to be on the 'other side'. You
know? That ghastly place where everyone else's lives seem to run
smoothly and your own feels immensely complex, with no-one able to
help. Memories and lessons from these times go deep for both of
us.
My first hand experience began when one of my daughters suffered
a head injury. Sylvia was twelve years old. My laid back little
socialite disappeared and left behind a girl who couldn't sleep,
had a permanent headache and flew into frightening rages. Troubles
rarely come singly, and on top of this, I was recovering from a
back operation and battling erratic ACC payments that left us
scrabbling to cover bills. Then my parents had a terrible car
accident that left them in hospital for long months.
No sooner did I return to my job as a Resource Teacher for
students with Learning & Behaviour problems than my swollen leg
turned out to be caused not by a blood clot but by… child number
four who was on his way to join his three teenage siblings - ready
or not!
Over the next seven years I often felt pushed to the limit.
Sylvia was not coping at school and was deeply unhappy.
Finding Help That Fits
My work as a Resource Teacher made me aware of the many services
available, but now, as a parent, I was to find out how important it
was to find the right people for our daughter.
We had a crash course in neurologists, psychologists, psycho
neurologists, doctors and specialists of all kinds, not forgetting
a wide range of alternative practitioners. I learnt that second to
the actual skills the specialists possessed, was their ability to
connect to our girl. We had to find people who worked in a way she
liked, otherwise it was a waste of everyone's time. Thankfully, the
services that did work for us saved our sanity: they gave us hope,
help and a life to look forward to.
I bring that hard earned knowledge and skill into my work with
clients at Springboardnz. I truly know what's at stake for
them.
Buried Problems Mean Deferred Solutions
Debbie picks up the thread:
Springboardnz means so much to me personally because my life has
taught me the importance of talking about things and trying to
bring about changes in your life, no matter how small. As a child
of a Holocaust refugee, I was brought up in the 1950s when almost
everyone was 'starting again' and 'forgetting the past'. But in the
end, the terrible events in Europe had terrible consequences within
many survivor families out here. I know from my own family that if
problems aren't talked about, they go underground, disguise
themselves and often become something much worse.
In 2003, I edited a book called Mixed Blessings, a
collection of memories and favourite family recipes from other
children of Holocaust survivors. One of the most rewarding things
about this book was the many comments I received from people with
apparently very different backgrounds to mine. These individuals
had, however, suffered some trauma in their childhood. Our book
spoke to them: they recognized the silences and the toxic results
of the unspoken problem on their family dynamics. It seems to be
something many people have to deal with.
I believe the first step is to acknowledge the problem and then to
believe that change can happen. This is one of the most important
ideas that motivates me to commit wholeheartedly to our
business.
A Guide to Secondary Schools
As well as their referral service, Debbie and Julie wrote a book
described as "an easy read book on how NZ secondary schools
actually work" to share their knowledge and experience with as
wide an audience as possible. What You Need to Know Before Your
Child Starts Secondary School offers practical advice and
support on topics from choosing a suitable secondary school through
how the assessment systems work and on to issues like pastoral care
and support for special needs. Julie says she loves the book
because it can change peoples' ability to support their children
effectively in the complex world of secondary school.
A Meaningful Life
"Do we make a huge amount of money?" asks Debbie. "That's
another matter! However, I was hugely inspired by Supriya Rathod's article
for Professionelle, called 'Spiritual Journeys'. I especially
loved her quotation: "Money is incidental to doing what you are
meant to do." That about sums us up… as yet the money is
"incidental" but certainly we both feel we are doing what we are
meant to be doing, and that's hard to beat."
Julie echoes this theme of Springboardnz bringing meaning to her
life:
I see life as a journey of self awareness and a
process of change. Everything that happens is an opportunity to
grow and know yourself a little more.
I know that it is the little things that really
matter - good intent, a smile, a genuine interest in the life of
another. It's important to be willing to walk alongside another, to
offer practical support and to really listen to their story. I hope
this is what we achieve in Springboardnz.
Acknowledgement
Debbie Knowles and Julie Mulcahy
are the consultants for Springboardnz, a referral agency. Springboardnz
offers personal consultations in the Auckland region and consults
by email throughout New Zealand. After an initial interview,
clients receive a personalised plan detailing the relevant services
available to them. We personally contact all recommended services
and set up appointments on request.