Establishment of Minda Home

The establishment of Minda Home began with the unlikely alliance of two politicians, C.C. Kingston, a radical liberal and Josiah Symon, an independent conservative. Their alliance arose from their personal experiences. Kingston was in a childless marriage and Symon had two children with an intellectual disability. Together with a number of concerned citizens they approached the Chief Secretary in an effort to encourage the government to establish a home for children with an intellectual disability. The government promised a sum of £500, providing a similar amount was raised from public donations.

Fullarton 1898-1911

In 1897 a home at Fullarton was purchased with the capacity to accommodate twenty-two children. The home was called ‘Minda’, an Aboriginal word meaning ‘a place of shelter and protection’ but it was officially registered as ‘The Home for Weakminded Children’. The home was to provide care, education and special training so the children would have happy and useful lives. In May 1898 ten children moved into the home. They were cared for by Matron Elizabeth Barker and educated by Miss Edna Fox. The small home was soon filled to capacity.

Brighton 1911-Present

By 1909 a larger institution was needed, so a property at Brighton was purchased. The government provided financial support and a new home was built. In September 1911 the institution was incorporated and officially named Minda Home. The children from Fullarton were moved there two months later. The organisation expanded rapidly. The Verco Building, was built in 1913. Cottage style buildings, named Lady Galway and Sir Charles Goode were built in 1918, to meet the increasing demand for places at the home. More additions were made in the 1920s and 1930s. By 1934 Minda was also operating a farm and dormitory at Craigburn Farm at Blackwood in the Adelaide Hills.

Minda Incorporated

Today, Minda continues to evolve and remains at the forefront of the disability sector in South Australia. It provides supported community living for people living with intellectual disability together with services such as social work, psychology and respite for individuals and their families. It also provides supported employment opportunities, both in the community and on the Brighton site. Currently 900 staff provide support to over 1,500 people living with intellectual disability. It accommodates 250 adults on campus and another 250 adults in the community. The remaining individuals are supported through Minda’s other services.

References

Dickey, Brian 1986. Rations, residence, resources: A history of social welfare in South Australia since 1836. Netley: Wakefield Press

Find your way home: with SA Link-up. 2005. [online].[Accessed on 30th April 2007]. Available from the World Wide Web:

WE CAN DO IT!

We can say this because we see it, each and every day. We see it in the smiles of the individuals we support, who are able to live in their own home, go on holidays, have a job…

We see it in the dedication of our staff members and their families who support the work they do.  And we see it in the generosity of the public, our corporate sponsors, and our volunteers.

Too right – We Can Do It

OUR HISTORY

Established in 1898, Minda has a rich history as one of South Australia’s oldest and most respected disability service providers, providing the highest quality of care and support to people with intellectual disability.

Originally located at Fullarton, ‘Minda’, an Aboriginal word meaning place of shelter and protection, began with approximately 30 residents and staff. On opening, the object of Minda Home (as it was known) was “the maintenance, care, education and special training” of those with intellectual disability, and for 70 years, Minda would be the only residential facility in South Australia providing care and education exclusively for people living with intellectual disability.

Needing greater space to accommodate an increasing number of individuals, the property of William Hodgkiss, in the beachside suburb of Brighton was purchased in 1909.

With time, many of the children admitted when the home was initially opened had grown into adults. As such, the constitution was altered to permit these individuals to remain, with the new objective ‘to provide care, education and training to those with intellectual disability’.

Additional land adjoining the existing property at Brighton was purchased and planted with fruit trees and vines and ‘Craigburn’, Minda’s farm at Blackwood, consisting of approximately 1,400 acres, was purchased in 1923.

Officially changing its name to “Minda Incorporated” in 1976, the organisation maintained the strong emphasis on residential accommodation, but also expanded its scope. Employment and other services were established, both in the community and on campus, which recognised the needs and aspirations of individuals to participate in work and other options.

Minda was pleased to open a new state-of-the-art training facility, the South Australian Learning Centre (SALC) at Brighton in 2008. The SALC will further progress training and education opportunities for both staff and for South Australians with an intellectual disability, with many courses for supported employees being offered from the centre.

In 2009, Minda became the first disability organisation in Australia to adopt the guiding principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, following the Australian Government’s ratification in 2008, further positioning itself as a leader in the disability sector.

Subsequently, Minda has adopted a contemporary service model, Person Centred Thinking, which takes into account an individual’s aspirations and wishes and is designed to support people to reach a level of self determination that previous models of service did not always promote.

Today, Minda remains at the forefront of the disability sector in South Australia and is one of the state’s largest disability organisations, providing support to over 1,500 South Australians with an intellectual disability. The organisation currently employs 900 staff and over 300 supported employees.

Minda accommodates over 250 adults on the Brighton site, with another 250 individuals in community based living. The remaining number of individuals are supported through other services, including respite care, day options programs, aged care, employment opportunities and sport, leisure and arts activities.

OUR VISION

To maximise choice and inclusion for people living with an intellectual disability to achieve their aspirations.

OUR MISSION

To create the environment for individuals to pursue opportunities to lead valued and meaningful lives in supportive communities.

OUR VALUES

•    Respect
•    Inclusion
•    Choice

OUR PRINCIPLES

•    Empowering people with intellectual disability to exercise their rights and meet their social responsibility
•    Providing services within a culture of continuous improvement and learning
•    Maximising independence, ensuring informed choice and improving quality of life for  all
•    Individuals while fully meeting the obligations of duty of care
•    Maintaining ethical standards to ensure social responsibility
•    Promoting the interests of people with intellectual disability by working together with individuals, their families, carers, advocates, government and other organisations and the community
•    Minda Incorporated is one of South Australia’s largest not-for-profit disability organisations and for over 110 years has provided the highest quality of  professional care and support to individuals

OUR CARE AND SUPPORT ENABLES INDIVIDUALS TO:
•    Live in their own house or flat
•    Live in a group house in the community
•    Live with support at home with their families
•    Attain a regular job in open employment
•    Work in supported employment
•    Develop new skills and abilities
•    Engage in recreational pursuits of their choice
•    Go on great holidays
•    Take control of their personal lives
•    Develop friendships and relationships

MINDA DISABILITY ENTERPRISES

At Minda, we maximise supported employment opportunities for people with a disability through viable business outlets, providing supported employment to over 300 people.

Supported employment at Minda offers people the opportunity to contribute their skills and abilities as part of the workforce. Employees not only receive a wage, but are also able to learn new skills and build their confidence and self-esteem in a supportive and positive environment.

Minda Disability Enterprises consists of diverse areas including commercial and support services incorporating the following:

•    Envirocare
•    Trak Furniture
•    Craigburn Nursery
•    Minda Packaging Services (MPS)
•    Laundry
•    Catering

MINDA DAY OPTIONS

Minda offers a variety of high quality, engaging Day Options programs for people with intellectual disability. The programs aim to enhance individuals’ social and life skills, develop and build interests, abilities and support community participation.

VOLUNTEERS

Minda’s Volunteer Services is a channel through which members of the community who desire to help can contribute their resources, energy and ideas for the benefit of Minda and the community. Minda’s Volunteer Services is benchmarked against national volunteer standards.

If you are interested in volunteering with Minda, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator on 8422 6244.

CONTACT US

Website: www.mindainc.com.au
Email:     minda@minda.asn.au

Phone:    8422 6200

Address:

King George Ave
PO Box 5
Brighton, SA 5048