18/12/2025
Alright. Strap in. End-of-year honesty (with a few proud mum moments) incoming.
First up: Thank you. To our participants, families, referrers, sector mates, and the legends who’ve backed us this year. We see you. We appreciate you. We really bloody mean it.
Future Focus is our baby. We built it from the ground up; fed it, protected it, lost sleep over it, and yes, occasionally wondered what the hell we were thinking. When you care this much about people, quality, and doing the right thing, it’s a gift… and also a lot.
I’m neurodivergent. I feel everything. I hold high standards. Which means I’m great in a crisis and absolutely rubbish at switching off. Fantastic for building something meaningful. Not so fantastic for avoiding burnout. Who could’ve guessed?
And still, amongst the chaos, there have been some huge moments this year.
We had the privilege of sitting at the table in the Quality & Safeguards consultation, helping shape the future Practice Standards for our sector. Proper “how did we get here?” stuff. Rubbing shoulders with giants, lending our voice, and making damn sure the reality of frontline work was heard.
Alongside that, I’ve had the honour of serving on the Board of Disability Intermediaries Australia, and stepping into the Acting CEO role this year. A big responsibility, a steep learning curve, and a reminder that advocacy isn’t for the faint-hearted; but it bloody matters.
We’ve also grown. Again. Around 150% growth for the third year running. Which sounds impressive (and it is), but mostly means our team has carried an enormous amount with professionalism, care, and humour intact. No small feat.
And then there was one of my favourite moments of the year, our all-organisation family adventure park weekend, where we handed out our Exceptional Team Member Awards. Watching our people be recognised, celebrated, and cheered on. That’s the stuff that sticks with you - my reason for being, what keeps me perservering.
Which brings me to now.
We’re choosing to look after our people.
Before anyone panics! Future Focus isn’t closing. We’re open, we’re steady, and we’re not disappearing into the sunset. But we are pressing pause long enough to breathe, celebrate, and remind ourselves why we started this thing in the first place. scalling back to a skeleton staff of available humans in each region, who are willing to go the distance to be there in the moments when most people are off celebrating and not thinking about work.
That means:
> A Christmas party for our bloody incredible team (yes, they’ve earned it)
> Taking a moment to feel proud instead of just tired
> Tracey and I taking a few nights away together to drink wine in a cheap hotel room with room service - back where this crazy adventure all started. Because this business needs us well, not wrecked, and just like parents raising young kids, you need time away together to keep the embers burning (and because even the most stubborn business owners need a circuit breaker)
And honestly? I get teary looking at the photos from our Christmas party. Seeing our team together, what they represent, the hope they bring, the trust they’ve placed in us, it gets me every time and I am so disgustingly proud of them. *queue the ugly snotty cry*
There is very little I wouldn’t do for these people. I’m so proud of who they are, the standards they hold, and the faith they’ve had in us and our purpose during a pretty bloody uncertain time.
So thank you. For your patience, your trust, and your belief. We’re heading into the next year a bit battle-worn, very proud, still cheeky, and absolutely still here.
Now… who’s got the wine and Christmas Pudd?
Ever Faithful, Keeley & Tracey @ Future Focus Support Coordination
