NDIS Connect - November Event

Welcome to NDIS Connect: Sunshine Coast - brought to you by the team at Quest Collective.

What is NDIS Connect?

NDIS Connect is an opportunity to learn from industry peers as well as network. It's a casual and relaxed event designed for people across the disability sector from providers and allied health professionals to participants, carers and coordinators.

It's free, fun, and all about building relationships, sparking collaboration and sharing knowledge that makes a difference.

The first half of the event is dedicated to learning from a guest speaker and the second half is all about networking.

November Guest Speaker & Topic:

Creating Calm Homes: Transforming SIL & Family Homes for Neurodivergent Wellbeing

What if the difference between a house and a home wasn’t funding, but tweaks in design?

In this inspiring and practical session, Karen, Community Development Lead at Quest Collective, will explore how small, intentional design choices can make a world of difference for neurodivergent individuals; whether they live in a family home, a rental, or Supported Independent Living (SIL) home.

You’ll step inside the lived experience of sensory overwhelm and discover how to design or simply modify environments that support the nervous system instead of fighting it.

Together, we’ll explore:

• Why so many homes unintentionally create sensory stress (and how to change that)
• The four pillars of neurodivergent-friendly design: Sensory Harmony, Spatial Flow, Emotional Safety & Practical Sustainability
• Real-world transformations that improved comfort, confidence, safety and independence
• Actionable steps to create calm, adaptable spaces; (even on a budget)

This session blends professional insight with lived experience, offering ideas that benefit both families and providers. When we design for neurodivergence, we create homes that help everyone thrive.

Who Should Attend:

• Families supporting loved ones with autism or other neurodivergent needs
• Support Workers working with ASD Participants in home environments
• NDIS professionals and Support Coordinators
• Housing Providers
• Occupational Therapists, Support Teams & Designers working in inclusive housing

Meet Your Speaker: Karen: Community Development Lead, Quest Collective

Karen is the driving force behind our Community Development efforts, known for her heartfelt approach to connection, advocacy, and meaningful support. A proud Sunshine Coast local, she brings over two decades of experience spanning marketing, events, presenting, networking, and education. She holds a Bachelor of Business (International Business) from the University of the Sunshine Coast and has spent her career creating spaces where people feel genuinely seen and heard.

In 2019, Karen’s professional path took a personal turn when her child was diagnosed with intellectual disability, autism, ADHD, and anxiety. This life-changing moment ignited a powerful purpose, transforming lived experience into action. Since then, she has immersed herself in the disability sector, working across Supported Independent Living (SIL) and Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), always with a focus on empowering individuals and families through connection and inclusion.

Karen’s advocacy extends beyond day-to-day support. In 2024, she released her debut book, Choice of Two: Embracing Social Inclusivity Through the Eyes of a Child Living with a Disability. The book offers a simple yet powerful decision-making strategy developed through therapy, designed to help children navigate their world with confidence and agency. Her work was nationally recognised, with media features on both Channel 7 and Channel 9 in early 2025.

Karen is also passionate about education and systems change. She has co-led training sessions at Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH), helping mental health nursing teams better understand the NDIS and how to support patients transitioning into community-based care as active Participants. Additionally, she has presented to carers across Australia as part of the national Carer Gateway program run by Wellways Australia, sharing insight, guidance, and inspiration drawn from both her professional expertise and lived experience.

Through every initiative, Karen leads with empathy, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to building inclusive communities where everyone belongs.

Whether you manage properties for Participants or support a loved one at home, this event will change the way you see space, comfort, and care.

Limited spots available, registrations essential. See you there!

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Questions? E-mail: karen@questcollective.org

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