SupportBy.Sam

29/05/2026

I’m a participant with Support By.Sam and with support from Sam, I recently redesigned my fish tank with a Japanese Zen garden-inspired theme, and I’m so happy with how it turned out! Projects like this help build my independence, creativity, and confidence while giving me the opportunity to enjoy a hobby I’ve loved for years.

A little about me and my fishkeeping journey: I first discovered my love of aquariums in Year 9 Marine Studies, where we had lots of fish tanks at school. I started with a small guppy tank before upgrading to a 200L aquarium in 2022 after finding one on sale that fit perfectly into an alcove in my bedroom. A few years later (recently), I downsized to a smaller tank that’s much easier to maintain and decorate. For this setup, I chose quality plants, grey stones, and a Japanese lantern ornament to create a peaceful Zen garden look.

Along the way, I’ve learned a lot about tropical fish, including choosing species with compatible personalities. My tank is home to tetras that love schooling together, several bristlenose catfish (including some surprise babies!), a pakistani loach that helps control invader snails, and a rainbow shark who turned out to be much friendlier than expected! I hope you learned something about tropical fish tanks too.

16/05/2026

On rainy Saturdays when we’re stuck inside, i love to create sensory tables for the children I support, exploring different textures, smells, and even tastes 🤎

Today we used flour, chia seeds, soup mix, and water to create lots of different sensory experiences and of course we had a little tea party too ☕️✨

12/04/2026

Sunday funday ☀️

Bren and I spent the day out at Hunter Valley Wildlife Park and had such a good time. We fed so many different animals, explored the park and enjoyed our lunch in the sun. One of those really, feel good days being out in the sunshine, outdoors and doing something a little different.

We were also lucky enough to do a meerkat encounter, which was definitely the highlight of today.
Brendan said it was one of the funnest things he’s ever done and you could just tell how much he loved it. Moments like that are what it’s all about 🥹

After the wildlife park we headed to the chocolate factory for a little browse (obviously being us, we had to stop in 😅), then made a stop at the Smelly Cheese Shop on the way home for some cheese tasting and gelato with a view.

What an incredible day !

09/04/2026

What we love to see !🥰

Deaf teacher teaching Australia’s first mainstream Deafblind class 💙🏫

Tenambit Public School quietly made history earlier this year, when kindergarten student, Ari, started attending the first deafblind class in an Australian mainstream primary school – established for him on Wonnarua country.

Ari is deaf, blind and lives with cerebral palsy, and his class shares a room with students who are deaf and/or hard of hearing (DHH).

Polly Van Aardt is his teacher, a deaf woman who was already excited to become the first teacher of a deafblind class in a mainstream school in the NSW public education system.

Ms Van Aardt and the team at Tenambit Public School have continued to build trust with Ari through consistent routines, predictable structures and sensory regulation strategies to help him feel safe and understand his new environment.

“Over time, I have seen growth in his engagement, confidence, and ability to communicate his needs and preferences,” Ms Van Aardt said.

“Small steps are very important, and each achievement is significant.”

08/04/2026

Hey everyone 🤍

I’m still receiving a lot of enquiries for support at the moment and I’m so incredibly grateful 🥹 however I am currently fully booked.

In saying that, I would absolutely love to recommend a trusted friend and colleague of mine, Tahnee, who I’ve previously worked side by side with. I’m really passionate about providing high quality supports and I wouldn’t recommend just anyone.

Tahnee is kind, reliable and genuinely cares about her participating, we have the same outlook on working towards participant goals, building independence and confidence.

If you’re looking for support or have any questions, feel free to send Tahnee a message 🤍

Tahnee Wilson