On a Wednesday afternoon in the StGiles Launceston headquarters, the faint ring of a bike bell can be heard among a murmur of excitement. Mother Naomi Harvey watches on as her 12-year-old son Connor rides a bike for the very first time.
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There are tears in her eyes, but a big smile on her face. This is a moment she thought might never come.
Born at 28 weeks with cerebral palsy, Connor has been waiting a long time to be able to ride a bike unassisted.
The breakthrough came thanks to TADTas - a volunteer organisation providing technical aids to a range of people living with a disability, free of charge.
Through its Freedom Wheels program, volunteers make bikes for children who are unable to ride standard designs, with the help of therapists from StGiles.
Ms Harvey said seeing her son ride around like he had been doing it all his life, was a moment she would never forget.
"Riding a bike is a big part of a childhood, but for many with a disability it is often out of reach," she said.
"It is one of the barriers that comes with cerebral palsy. We had a little cry. It was a very big moment."
The ability to help facilitate life changing moments for children like Connor was just one of the things that attracted Andrew Billing to StGiles.
The organisation's new chief executive, Mr Billing has taken over the role previously filled by Ian Wright, who recently retired.
About six weeks into the job, Mr Billing said it was clear the caring culture that StGiles was built on, remained front and centre.
"If you think of an of an organisation that has been around for 80 years, adaptability has to be something that StGiles is famous for," he said.
"There is decades of service to the Tasmanian community that has come about because of StGiles' capacity to see a need and fill a need.
"To be adaptable to the funding environments and work well with governments and clients. All of those capacities are still very much present in the organisation.
"As a new CEO, that's what's been really impressive to me in the first few weeks. You see the foundations of which the organisation has been built."
Like many disability health and support organisations, StGiles has spent the past few years navigating the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
This includes adapting its service delivery to suit the changing funding environment.
When the final stage of the NDIS is rolled out from July 1, about 10,600 Tasmanians are expected to be enrolled in the scheme.
StGiles physiotherapy, speech pathology, occupational therapy, mobility and assistive technology services are provided to more than 6000 Tasmanians, statewide.
Describing it is as a "once in a generation shift", Mr Billing said it was important people understood the NDIS had impacted StGiles, but it would not stop them from continuing what they are known for.
"For StGiles and many organisations like it ... yes things are changing. But we are still able to deliver the same sorts of things that we used to," he said.
"I want to make sure that those we serve are aware of that.
"There are some changes to the way we will deliver our services. Perhaps there are some things we can't deliver to as much volume as we did before.
"But, the things we are famous for and the care that we are famous for, is still very much front and centre in what we are doing."
Mr Billing said he was no stranger to navigating businesses through significant changes.
Before joining StGiles he was the chief executive of Devonport-based business and employment provider The O Group.
He then started his own consultancy business in 2015, before taking on the role as interim general manager at Baptcare.
Mr Billing said his understanding of changing funding models and the challenges it can bring to an organisation like StGiles, was one of his biggest assets coming into job.
"It's one of the reasons I believe I was successful in the role," he said.
"One of the things I bring into the role, is that understanding of the funding environment shifts and what it means for service delivery.
"What it can mean for who we serve and how we organise ourself from a financial, governance and service perspective.
"That's the reason for my optimism. I have that experience."
For the Harvey family, StGiles has become somewhat of a second home, and the staff like part of the family.
After moving to Tasmania five years ago, Ms Harvey said navigating a new health system had its challenges.
With StGiles now coordinating the bulk of Connor's ongoing treatment, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy and referrals for surgical assessment, she said a huge weight had been lifted.
"They are like a little one-stop shop," she said.
"If they don't have it, they will find someone who does.
"We are there every week and they see firsthand in person, what Connor needs, and if he isn't getting what he needs, they find a solution.
"They are always going above and beyond, which can be very rare in disability support."
While StGiles has successfully transitioned to an NDIS model, Mr Billing said the scheme only formed part of the organisation's broader story.
The rest, he said, was in the their ability to adapt, grow and continue to be innovative. A big part of this will be the StGiles Future Foundation.
The foundation is not designed to replace existing fundraising appeals relied on by StGiles to meet shortfalls.
Instead, it will provide a focused destination for bequests or significant allocations.
Mr Billing said any donation or bequest made to the foundation would be set aside in an effort to "future proof" StGiles' ability to be innovative and creative.
"The StGiles future fund is not about making StGiles sustainable in the future. We will do that through business and through service delivery," Mr Billing explained.
"It is about making sure we have access to some funds that will allow us to continue to innovate and provide additional value, that people might not be able to get through individual funding arrangements."
Mt Billing said StGiles remained well positioned and excited about the future.
"Innovation and adding additional value to what we are paid to do - that's the legacy of the StGiles of the past that I think is the beacon for our future," he said.
"So kudos to those who have come before. They have set up the organisation well.
"It's a really good opportunity now for myself, and others in the organisation, to build on the platform we've been given."
- For more information on services provided by StGiles, visit their website.
Jessica Willard
Being a health reporter to me is about more than just reporting the problems. It's about asking why they are happening in the first place and what needs to change to fix it.
Being a health reporter to me is about more than just reporting the problems. It's about asking why they are happening in the first place and what needs to change to fix it.
