Staff Spotlight

Leanne Taylor

Launch Youth, Senior Worker

[Editor's note: The Launch Youth Senior Worker is the manager of the facility who oversees the case management of all residents, and the supervision of all staff. They have more direct reports than any other manager in Pathways.]

I am the proud (albeit protective) single parent of my four children: Jayme, Jonathen, Angel and Richmond and two grandchildren Stella and Logan.

I came to work for Pathways during a difficult time of transition in my personal life in which I was under pressure to find work within a 30-day deadline. As I knew the then Senior Worker responsible for Launch, she encouraged me to apply to the CEO at the time (Stuart Smith) for the possibility of casual work.  I waited for a call and just prior to the 30 days being almost up, Stuart called me in for an interview with him. I was hired by Stuart on the spot and later my contract was signed with my first shift being on June 30, 2016.

In late 2016, Launch was suddenly lacking a manager, and our newly appointed CEO, Aldo Antolli, noticed I had shown leadership and was volunteering time at Launch above my usual duties. After a meeting with him in which he reviewed my resume and lengthy experience in our sector, he promoted me to acting Senior Worker, whereby soon after I was appointed as permanent Senior Worker in early 2017 in charge of Launch Youth. I case manage all the residents and manage the many staff. I have also been acting in the role of Coordination of Supports for the boys coming into the shelter that are eligible for NDIS funding as well as setting up their supports and services to utilise the allocated funding.

I love my job. I am so blessed to work for Pathways and so excited for the future of this fast-growing and ever-expanding (well, it seems that way to me) organisation. I love my co-workers and am very grateful for the wonderfully supportive relationship I have with my CEO and senior colleagues. We truly are a united team and this unity makes the occasional difficulties of my work seem small.

The project I am working on for 2020 is for Pathways Tasmania to become accredited as a full-service NDIS provider. This service would support all our clients and residents across all our areas, including the work we are doing at Kingsholme. This is across the funding modules for:  1)  the Coordination of Supports (Case Management);  2) Behavioural Support (intense support for psycho-social, learning and development disabilities as well as greater therapeutic care for trauma-related issues);  3) Accommodation Support including respite services and;  4) Individual Supports whereby trained Pathways staff offer one on one individualised support for our clients.