At the start of 2025, we look back at some of the amazing work that has been possible through our partnership with QCoal Foundation in the last 12 months.
RETAIN program
QCoal Foundation partnered with us in 2021 to establish RETAIN (REgional TArgeted INtervention), a program designed to use a hybrid of telehealth and face-to-face sessions to support school-aged children with hearing loss, living in regional Queensland.
In 2024 alone, over 100 school-aged children, living regionally across Queensland enjoyed improved access to supports, thanks to RETAIN. Families continuously share anecdotes of having more personal access to clinicians, including the benefits of receiving at home and in-school visits.
Some of the children in RETAIN were invited to speak at an event we held in Brisbane’s Parliament House. Thanks to generous funding from QCoal Foundation, Power of Speech was held on 6 March 2024, and was aimed at an audience of Queensland parliamentarians.
Four children in our RETAIN program spoke publicly about how hearing loss impacts their lives and the supports they receive:
Billy addressed the room and told us proudly that he loves school. He has special technology installed in the classroom to help him hear his teachers and is flourishing. He loves, maths, is aspiring to be a scientist when he grows up and was recently voted student council representative for his class.
Catherine, mum to one of the youngest children in the program, spoke eloquently of the difficulties in accessing care in regional locations. Without the support of QCoal Foundation Catherine wouldn’t have had the opportunity to speak at the Power of Speech event and meet with influential members of parliament to try and persuade them to prioritise regional healthcare.
Marley and Sienna each told their story, highlighting for everyone that hearing journeys are different for each person. As twins living with hearing loss, each faced different challenges to adjust to using technology and learning to listen and speak.
We also remember our many RETAIN graduates, who have achieved hearing milestones thanks to the support from the program and who are now confidently pursuing their dreams.
Philanthropy Week
We were proud to be invited to showcase our work at QCoal Foundation’s Philanthropy Week lunch, in early June. Seated among organisations whose generosity continues to help build resilient communities in regional and remote Queensland through their philanthropic support, we acknowledge the tremendous opportunity to be at the table.
We are exploring two promising connections we made that could lead to future partnerships. One may help increase our access to rural and remote locations, while the other allows us to support their work and give back to the community outside of our own organisation.