1: Social connection through music for 7-16 year olds

After great success last term, Vanessa would like to continue her social connection group in Term 2, but with an additional emphasis on using music therapeutically.

This group aims to provide engaging and interactive activities for the group, while focusing on creating connections, exploring different social roles (such as leadership and participation), and attending to our mental health needs. 

Vanessa is a trained DRUMBEAT instructor and uses Djembe (African) drums as well as other instruments therapeutically to create social connections, discuss regulation and emotional needs, and connection. People who engage in music therapy always leave the sessions revived and energised!

This neuroaffirming group also aims to explore the strengths within each of us, and the wonderful things that we share within ourselves with others.

Suitable for ages 7 through to 16, providing they have sufficient attention to join in group tasks with minimal support for an hour period.

Attendees must not have noise aversions that may impact their involvement in music activities.

Dates: Each Monday of term. Commencing week 2, Monday 22th April, 3:45-4:45pm

Price: $150 per session. This can be partially or completely funded through Medicare, Private Health and NDIS funding; please speak to one of our staff to find out more.

Note: It is expected that you intend to commit to the full term to promote group cohesion and price stability. Fee Free cancellations made 7 days or more in advance will be limited to two sessions per term. Any cancellations exceeding this or short notice cancellations will incur a fee as per our cancellation policy.

What to bring: Please bring a water bottle and yourself! Unfortunately, siblings are unable to attend this group program

Parents required?: Parents are not required to attend these sessions. If you would like feedback on how your child is progressing, please arrive 5 minutes prior to the end of the session to speak with the Group Leader.

Location: 'Homebase' Clinic: 4/30 Forrest Ave, in Bunbury.

2: 'Girl's Puberty Group'

 When things change, it can be a little scary. Join Megan and the Stepping Stones Team this term to revise and explore these changes in a safe setting.

This group will focus on helping girls understand the changes that are happening to their body during puberty. This group will target a range of topics related to puberty, including:

-          Changes in their physical body

-          Changes in their emotions (eg. Understanding feelings of anger)

-          Sexuality

-          Understanding new thoughts/feelings

-          How to keep themselves safe

The above topics will be targeted through interactive games, stories, group discussions, and fun teachings and activities such as craft in a group setting with other girls going through similar situations.

Dates: Each Tuesday of term, commencing week 1, Tuesday 16th April, 3:45-4:45pm

Price: $150 per session. This can be partially or completely funded through Medicare, Private Health and NDIS funding; please speak to one of our staff to find out more.

Note: It is expected that you intend to commit to the full term to promote group cohesion and price stability. Fee Free cancellations made 7 days or more in advance will be limited to two sessions per term . Any cancellations exceeding this or short notice cancellations will occur a fee as per our cancellation policy.

Suitable for Ages: Middle to upper primary and high school school years. 

What to bring: Please bring a water bottle and yourself! Unfortunately, siblings are unable to attend this group program

Parents required?: Parents are not required to attend these sessions. If you would like feedback on how your child is progressing, please arrive 5 minutes prior to the end of the session to speak with the Group Leader.

Location: 'Homebase' Clinic: 4/30 Forrest Ave, in Bunbury.

3: Boxing & Fitness Club 

After such positive feedback from a one-off session this term, Stepping Stones has teamed up with Denning Boxing to run a full term group!  So join Bec and the team and enjoy social engagement, making conversation, building friendships, negotiating, as well as focusing on developing their strength, coordination, health and wellness through boxing and fitness activities.

This group is open to boys and girls interested in learning the basics of boxing in a safe and controlled environment.  Sessions will be run by a Denning Boxing Fitness instructor and will include cardio, bag work, pad work, partner drills and core strength.

Clients will develop a greater sense of self confidence and discipline, as well as body control, fitness, hand-eye coordination and total body strength.

Dates: Each Wednesday of term commencing week 1, Wednesday 17th April 3:45-4:45pm

Price: $150 per session. This can be partially or completely funded through Medicare, Private Health and NDIS funding; please speak to one of our staff to find out more.

Note: It is expected that you intend to commit to the full term to promote group cohesion and price stability. Fee Free cancellations made 7 days or more in advance will be limited to two sessions per term . Any cancellations exceeding this or short notice cancellations will occur a fee as per our cancellation policy.

Suitable for Ages: Upper Primary and Highschool 

What to bring: Water bottle and towel. Unfortunately, siblings are unable to attend this group program

Parents required?: Parents are not required to attend these sessions. If you would like feedback on how your child is progressing, please arrive 5 minutes prior to the end of the session to speak with the Group Leader.

Location: Denning Boxing Gym, Unit2/17 Mummery Cres, Bunbury

4: Yoga and Mindfulness Group 

This group is open to boys and girls interested in Yoga and Mindfulness.

Join Ali and the Stepping Stones Team as you enjoy social engagement, making conversation, building friendships, negotiating, planning, as well as focusing on developing their health and wellness through various activities.

Connect body, mind and breath in an engaging, fun, age-appropriate way. Help to foster social-emotional learning, reduce stress and anxiety. 

Research has shown that yoga and mindfulness assists with transitions, regulation of behaviour all while supporting health and wellness. And, building strength in a low impact activity.

Dates: Each Thursday of term, commencing week 1, Thursday 18th April, 3:45-4:45pm

Price: $150 per session. This can be partially or completely funded through Medicare, Private Health and NDIS funding; please speak to one of our staff to find out more.

Note: It is expected that you intend to commit to the full term to promote group cohesion and price stability. Fee Free cancellations made 7 days or more in advance will be limited to two sessions per term . Any cancellations exceeding this or short notice cancellations will occur a fee as per our cancellation policy.

Suitable for Ages: Middle to upper primary and high school school years. 

What to bring: Water bottle and towel or yoga mat. Unfortunately, siblings are unable to attend this group program.

Parents required?: Parents are not required to attend these sessions. If you would like feedback on how your child is progressing, please arrive 5 minutes prior to the end of the session to speak with the Group Leader.

Location: 'Homebase' Clinic: 4/30 Forrest Ave, in Bunbury.

5: Social Excursion Group 

This club is for the teens who have been attending groups for some time now, and are ready to practice socialising with peers in the real world, and trying out new social environments.

Join Bec at a different location each week, socialising while also looking after yourself. This might look like:

- Meeting at ten pin bowls, putting your own orders through for food and booking the bowling session, then having fun together.  Meeting up at a local McDonalds and catching up there while ordering your own afternoon snacks.

- Heading to Games World together to try out the different board games available to play together 

- Working together to choose where you are going to meet up the next week and creating a plan. 

It also involves chatting on a safe online group chat portal - monitored and with clear rules - which will aim to promote those involved to keep in touch beyond each week's catch up. 

The aim of this term program is that the group will finish with some good peer connections, who feel motivated to continue meeting up socially without needing the support of a facilitator. 

A risk assessment will need to be completed to ensure that each group member is safe to engage socially in a public setting with mild supervision.

Dates: Each Friday of term commencing week 1, 19th April 3:45-4:45pm 

Price: $150 per session. This can be partially or completely funded through Medicare, Private Health and NDIS funding; please speak to one of our staff to find out more.

Note: It is expected that you intend to commit to the full term to promote group cohesion and price stability. Fee Free cancellations made 7 days or more in advance will be limited to two sessions per term. Any cancellations exceeding this or short notice cancellations will incur a fee as per our cancellation policy.

Suitable for Ages: High school years. 

What to bring:  Water bottle and yourself! Unfortunately, siblings are unable to attend this group program

Parents required?: Parents are not required to attend these sessions.

Location: First session will be held at Home Base, U4/30 Forrest Ave, Bunbury.

A new location will be decided at the end of each session, which will be communicated through text to parents (however, clients will be encouraged to manage this themselves and inform their parents)

Note: Support Plans for Group Attendees

It is a requirement that all NDIS clients of Stepping Stones have a documented Support Plan when accessing any services. This document outlines what you hope to achieve from Stepping Stones supports - and how they align with your NDIS goals. This is seperate to a Service Agreement.

If you choose to sign up for our group sessions, we will be in touch to arrange a time to create a Support Plan (either in person or over the phone) with one of our therapists. As this is something that needs to be created by a therapist (not admin staff), it needs to be done in billed time (i.e. you will need to use NDIS funds to cover the costs of writing the Support Plan).