Changed
Changed
For more than a decade, BestLife has been Brisbane’s only planned and supported pathway to a more independent life for young people living with disability.
Built on a belief that every young person deserves a future filled with confidence, connection and choice, BestLife creates spaces where teenagers and young adults can build friendships, practice life skills and take meaningful steps toward independence, all with the reassurance of highly skilled support by their side.
BestLife’s CEO and Founder, Kath Coory, shares, “We want to ensure every young person with a disability has the chance to live a life full of friendship, joy and opportunity just like everyone else.”
Kath knows firsthand the importance of what BestLife delivers. Her daughter, Lara, lives with intellectual and physical disabilities. Her co-founder, Tina, has twin boys, one neurotypical and one living with intellectual impairment, Down syndrome and autism.
“As parents of children with disabilities, we carry that thought all the time. How will they make friends? Who will ensure they are looked after? Who will be their tribe and their community when we can’t be there”, Kath reflects.
When Tina’s boys reached the age where sleepovers, parties and weekend sport invitations become part of growing up, she found herself living a heartbreaking contrast: her son Lachie was included, but her son Tom wasn’t.
“That’s when the real pain started, when you see your child on the sidelines and not being included… and you can’t see any possibility of a regular, ordinary life for them,” Kath shares on behalf of Tina.
Everything changed when Tom joined BestLife and started having his own sleepovers. “Almost from the get-go, you could see the difference in Tom… He’d say to Lachie, ‘I go sleepover, my turn.’ He’s got his own tribe now, and both boys have their own paths.” Stories like this are exactly why BestLife exists, because every young person deserves that same sense of belonging.
BestLife’s programs deliver quality, away-from-home experiences designed specifically for small groups. Held at a rental property on Brisbane’s south side, young people learn how to navigate shared living, participate in everyday routines and enjoy sleepovers with friends in a place of their own. It’s the combination of small groups, expert staff and regular opportunities to practise real-world skills that empowers young people to thrive.
However, one of the challenges facing BestLife was not having a permanent facility to carry out their mission.
“The biggest risk for us and our besties was not having a permanent fit-for-purpose, home-away-from-home where we can run one to three night stays and our monthly programs to build friendships and have these very special experiences and learning opportunities”, Kath explains.
Now, BestLife is preparing for its most significant chapter yet: Helena’s House.
Helena’s House will be a dedicated home where young people with disability can experience short stays, build friendships, strengthen life skills and take the important next steps toward a life of greater independence. It will be a place designed for joy, growth, learning and belonging and most importantly, a place that feels like home.
This project holds deep meaning for the BestLife community. It is named in memory of Helena McIlwain, a cherished member of the BestLife family who passed away suddenly. Helena dreamed of becoming an Occupational Therapist and continuing her work with children living with disability. Her warmth, commitment and belief in the potential of every young person continue to guide the vision for Helena’s House.
“She embodied everything that we would ever want in someone who works with people with disability. She had the passion, she had the compassion and she just really was dedicated to making a difference. Naming it after Helena made sure that it would kind of have that love and heart behind it that we want for our besties,” Kath shares.
Brisbane Airport, through its Community Giving Fund is proud to contribute the installation of a new lift at Helena’s House – a piece of infrastructure that ensures the home is accessible, safe and inclusive for every young person who walks through its doors.
BestLife’s goal is simple yet transformative: to build a place where young people can experience the independence, friendships and life skills that will shape their futures.
“We want to ensure every young person with a disability has the chance to live a life full of friendship, joy and opportunity just like everyone else," Kath shares.
With the community’s help, Helena’s House will become more than a building. It will become a place where every young person can truly live their BestLife.