Celebrating 30 years of partnering with people to change lives for the better.
Image: Life Without Barriers staff marching at Brisbane Pride March.
This year, we celebrate three decades of milestones, memories and community spirit. Throughout September and October, we are sharing 30 stories for 30 years.
2020 - 2021: Staying focused through change
When the world was turned upside down by COVID-19, Life Without Barriers stayed focused on what mattered most, the people we support and the delivery of great services.
Despite the challenges, our teams adapted, stayed connected, and continued to create strong partnerships built on trust, respect and choice. During this time, we supported nearly 22,000 people, each with a unique story that inspired our work, every day.
In 2020, Life Without Barriers established a specialist Education Team to improve learning outcomes for children and young people in out-of-home care. Working alongside carers, families, schools and our staff, the team helped nurture a love of learning and opened up new pathways for future success.
Guided by the Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration (2019), their work focused on supporting all young Australians at risk of educational disadvantage.
"Education is a fundamental right and a pathway to realising potential," said Dale Murray, Director of Education.
"Through relationships built on trust and respect, we can truly listen, learn and create brighter futures – every day and every way."
Image: A child standing in front of a book shelf, wearing pyjamas and holding the book 'Finding Our Heart' over their face.
Championing a love of learning by Clea North, Education Consultant, Life Without Barriers
If I can see one young person in my care succeed, progress through the education system, and feel supported and proud of their achievements, I know I am doing my job well.
I am a proud Australian First Nations woman, born in Charleville, Bidjara Country. I grew up in a remote community, and for most of my time in the classroom I felt shame. Even though I loved reading and writing, I felt like I didn’t fit in, that school was for my nonindigenous peers and not me.
At 15, I knew I wanted to be a teacher and work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. I wanted them to have someone in the school environment they could recognise. Something I didn’t have growing up.
My journey from teacher’s aide, community education counsellor and teacher led me to Life Without Barriers, where I am an Education Consultant, working directly with young people, carers, case workers and schools to support our young people to stay in school.
I truly believe that the development of numeracy and literacy can help move young people away from the cycle of poverty. Education is such a protective factor, it allows young people to have beautiful supports and networks.
As a champion and advocate for the young people in our care, what is essential in my role is putting the young person at the centre of the conversation and hearing their voice. After all, they understand their lives better than anyone.
Image: Clea North with her two youngest children on country Yuggera Ugarapul Country, Boonah, learning about culture.
2020 - 2021: Launch of Pride Without Barriers
In 2020, Life Without Barriers took another important step toward inclusion with the launch of Pride Without Barriers. Created as a space for LGBTQIA+ employees and their allies, the network quickly became a driving force for visibility, connection and belonging across our organisation.
The committee developed a clear action plan to strengthen the network’s presence and ensure that every LGBTQIA+ employee could feel supported and seen. From its inception, Pride Without Barriers encouraged open conversations and celebrated diversity.
"It was my hope that this network would smooth the path for members of the Life Without Barriers community who felt unsure about bringing their whole selves to work and act as a beacon of true inclusion for LGBTQIA+ people," said Mary McKinnon, Executive Director Group Risk, Performance and Impact.
The impact was clear. The number of employees who shared that they identified as LGBTQIA+ increased from 6% in the 2018 Employee Engagement Survey to 15.5% in the 2021 Diversity and Inclusion Survey. This remarkable growth reflected a culture where more people felt safe and proud to be themselves at work and showed the powerful difference that genuine inclusion can make.
Image: An individual with purple and pink hair, wearing a flower crown, sits in front of a pride flag, painting a child's face.
2021 - 2022: The Elevate Reconciliation Action Plan and our commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
In 2021, Life Without Barriers took a defining step on our reconciliation journey by partnering with SNAICC National Voice for our Children. This partnership marked the beginning of our commitment to progressively transition out-of-home care services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to community control by 2031.
This work became a cornerstone of our Elevate Reconciliation Action Plan (2022–2025), which built upon the foundations of our Stretch RAP and reflected deep consultation across our organisation and with community partners. Through these conversations, we recognised the need to use our national reach and influence to advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership, self-determination and system reform.
Image: A brightly coloured sign outdoors which says Reconciliation.
The Elevate RAP called us to take on a leadership role in advancing reconciliation, one grounded in accountability, respect and partnership. It confirmed our intention to create lasting change through key actions such as the Transformation Project, our ten-year commitment to transfer out-of-home care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community control.
"Life Without Barriers has recognised the cycles of trauma that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people face, and the disproportionately high rates of First Nations children in the child protection system," said Karen Mundine, Chief Executive Officer of Reconciliation Australia.
"It acknowledges its own role in this system, and consequently its ambitious Transformation Project aims to drastically reduce this over-representation in out-of-home care."
At its heart, this work was more than organisational transformation. It was a collective commitment to return decision-making to where it belongs, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities, and to contribute to a future where every child grows strong in culture, community and Country.
Image: Back of young person with arms outstretched wearing a cloak of feathers. The cloak is mainly made of rows of brown, black and white feathers.
2021 - 2022: Discovering a hidden talent
Back in 2021, Bobby* was looking for a stronger sense of connection and purpose in his life. With encouragement from his support worker, Dave, he began to build the life he wanted, and along the way, discovered a hidden talent.
At 25, Bobby had an impressive knowledge of nature and wildlife, with a special love for birds. When Dave first met him, Bobby was spending most of his time alone and found it hard to engage in day-to-day life.
Dave started by helping with appointments and shopping, but their outings soon grew to include drives and walks in nature. It was during these moments that Dave noticed how Bobby lit up whenever he spotted or heard birds.
"I am very lonely," Bobby shared with Dave as their trust grew. Dave mentioned a mental health program that offered social connection through creative activities. With Dave by his side, Bobby attended the induction and decided to join two photography groups and an art group. From that point on, he rarely missed a session. Even on difficult days, he looked forward to participating and connecting with others.
At first, Bobby used his iPhone to capture images of wildlife for the photography group. Dave, seeing his enthusiasm, asked if he could apply for a small grant to buy a camera suited to Bobby’s needs. Bobby was hesitant at first, thinking the funds might be better used by someone else. After some reflection, he realised that having the right equipment could help him use his passion and knowledge in a meaningful way, support his wellbeing and perhaps opening up new opportunities for the future.
The grant was approved, and Bobby selected a camera that worked perfectly for him. From there, his confidence grew. He began capturing striking images of the natural world, turning his love of wildlife into a creative outlet that brought joy, purpose and connection into his life.
Image: Bobby, pictured at a park in South Australia, standing by a lake looking at the ducks.
2022 – 2023: Creating the conditions for change
Looking back on 2022 and 2023, Claire’s* story captures how the CARE model continued to shape our work across Life Without Barriers.
CARE is an evidence-based, trauma-informed model adopted by Life Without Barriers across our child, youth and family programs.
When Claire moved into her new home after a long hospital stay Ashleigh, her Care Team Manager, waited with her in the rain until she was ready to go inside. A gust of wind caught their umbrella, sending it tumbling down the street and breaking the ice with laughter. It was a small moment of trust that reflected the CARE Principles in action.
"After three or four hours, this huge gust of wind took our umbrella. Ashleigh ran after it, but the umbrella kept running away. I felt bad for her, but it was so funny," said Claire.
The team’s work with Claire was grounded in CARE principles, particularly the Family Involved approach. They built strong relationships with her family, especially her nan, ensuring each visit felt warm and familiar. As Claire began to feel safe, her confidence grew. She started working, earned her licence, bought a car and spoke at a Transition to Independence Day event about her goals for the future.
"In the past, I felt powerless. Now I realise how much power I actually have. I am thankful for everything I have created for myself with the support of the people here."
"Now I want to make the most of the time I have here to set myself up to be the best I can be when I leave this house," shared Claire.
Image: Claire, wearing a black t-shirt with her long brown hair in a high ponytail, stands at the stove cooking dinner.
This progress reflected what was happening across the organisation. Through our partnership with Cornell University, teams deepened their use of CARE as a shared framework for supporting children and families.
In 2023, our South Australian and Tasmanian teams achieved CARE certification, marking an important milestone in embedding consistent, reflective practice across the country.
From one young person’s new beginning to organisation-wide growth, 2022–2023 showed what’s possible when CARE guides every action.
30 Years: Then, Now, Next series
Read 'Then, our Beginnings 1995 - 2009 | 30 Years with Life Without Barriers' here.
Read 'The journey continues 2009 - 2015 | 30 Years with Life Without Barriers' here.
Read 'Expanding our impact 2015-2020 | 30 Years with Life Without Barriers' here.
Read '30 Years: Then, Now, Next with Life Without Barriers' here.
A person's story is precious. We take storytelling seriously. Sometimes people are able to tell their own story, and we love that. We always make sure they give us their ok, and we will always honour the trust placed in us to bring their story forward.
*Names have been changed to protect the individuals in this story.
