26/03/2025
13 years ago, we met Ethan.
He was a very sweet, non-verbal five year old with special needs - so his mum was very nervous to leave him at the Horizons Oscar holiday programme.
But he thrived.
Last month he turned 18, and to celebrate the end of his Oscar journey, his birthday wish was to go out for a beer with the Oscar staff who have spent so many years with him.
Oscar Coordinator, Marie, was there for his first days at Oscar, and said supporting Ethan as he grew had been a huge and very rewarding journey.
“We’ve seen him grow from someone who couldn’t talk to us, to someone who communicated well with us and would joke a lot with staff.”
Usually our holiday programmes are limited to those under 14 years old, but an exception was made for Ethan. That was special not only for Ethan but for our staff, who were able to build a deeper relationship with him through the teenage years.
“We’ve gone from being leaders to being friends. From the person who tells him what to do, to the person he can talk to,” Marie said.
Ethan’s mum said the programme meant a lot to Ethan.
“As parents of an Intellectually Disabled and Non-verbal boy, we had to be mindful of his surroundings. After talking to Marie we discovered that nothing was an issue. He did some firsts with Marie and the team, like going to the movies and going on public buses and boat rides. He enjoyed going so much that he would ask all the time to go.
“All the Team Leaders and staff that had interaction with Ethan exceeded our expectations. He learnt a lot of social skills, independence and as he got older leadership skills. We would like to thank Marie and her team for the opportunities they gave Ethan.”
Thank you to Ethan’s family for trusting us to care for and support him.
Thank you to all our 500@5 supporters and Hornby/Hope Champions, who help to keep these programmes affordable and accessible for local families.
And thank you, most of all, to Ethan. We’ll miss your cheeky jokes, and we’re so proud of how far we’ve seen you come. All the best for your journey ahead - and please feel free to stop back in anytime!
