ID: Group of people sitting around a table with colouring in pages.
At My Ability Pathway, wellbeing is something we talk about often, but it is also something we need to make time for intentionally. In the disability sector, so much of the work is centred on supporting others – often through complex, emotional and physically demanding days. For frontline team members in particular, the rhythm of care can mean giving a lot of yourself, day after day.
Recently, we held our Wellbeing Together event at MAP HQ. It was planned around the time of R U OK? Day, but with a slightly different focus. While awareness days can be important reminders to check in, we wanted to create something that felt practical, gentle and ongoing – a space where people could pause, connect and be reminded that wellbeing is not a one-day conversation.
A simple morning with a meaningful purpose
The morning itself was simple, but in many ways that was what made it meaningful. Around the room were small wellbeing stations designed to give people different ways to slow down. Some team members sat together colouring in, enjoying the quiet focus and conversation that can come from doing something with your hands. Others took time to reflect, sitting with prompts that invited them to notice what was happening in their internal world. There was also a massage chair for a much-needed neck and back massage, along with good food, drinks and time to talk.
Nothing about it was complicated. And perhaps that was the point. Sometimes wellbeing begins with permission – permission to step away from the pace of the day, to sit beside someone you may not usually work with, to take a breath, or to notice that you are carrying more than you realised.
Bringing people together
Wellbeing Together was primarily created for our team, while also being open to clients. It gave us an opportunity to come together in a way that was relaxed and human, away from tasks, rosters, emails and routines. It was also a chance to bridge the perceived gap that can sometimes exist between frontline and administration teams.
In an organisation like MAP, every role contributes to the same purpose. Some people provide direct support in homes and communities. Others coordinate services, manage systems, communicate with families and stakeholders, or help keep the organisation moving behind the scenes. Events like this remind us that we are not separate groups doing separate work – we are one team, supporting people in different but connected ways.
Checking in with ourselves and each other
For people working in the disability sector, wellbeing cannot be an afterthought. Supporting people with significant disabilities can be deeply rewarding, but it can also be exhausting. The emotional labour, the responsibility, the unpredictability and the physical demands can add up quietly over time.
That is why checking in matters – not just with the people around us, but with ourselves. Am I actually doing okay? What do I need right now? Who can I talk to if I am not coping? These questions are not signs of weakness. They are part of staying well enough to keep showing up with care, patience and compassion.
Local support, close to home
We also used the event as an opportunity to connect our team with local wellbeing resources. Lifeline has recently opened at the Barossa Community Centre on Second Street in Nuriootpa, making support more accessible within our community. While Lifeline is well known for suicide prevention, its services extend beyond crisis support. They offer free, confidential counselling, unlimited support sessions, mental health and emotional wellbeing support, and a safe space to talk through life’s challenges – big or small.
You do not need to be in crisis to reach out. Support can be for stress, anxiety, grief, relationship challenges, work pressures or the everyday weight of life. Knowing where to turn before things become overwhelming is an important part of looking after ourselves and each other.
We also encourage our male team members to explore Good Better Best Men, a volunteer-run organisation offering open men’s groups and workshops focused on connection, wellbeing and supporting one another. Sometimes the hardest step is starting the conversation, and community spaces like these can make that step feel a little easier.
More than a moment
Wellbeing Together was never about replacing formal supports or suggesting that one morning could meet every need. It was about reminding our team that support exists, that connection matters, and that caring for yourself is part of caring well for others.
Our hope is that events like this help create a culture where wellbeing is not only spoken about when things are difficult, but woven into the everyday. A culture where people feel safe to say they need a moment, where reaching out is encouraged, and where no one feels they have to carry things alone.
