What our Families & Practitioners have to say
Teresa, ACT
Jemma, Adelle, and the team at Hono Community Services have been a lifesaver for us. With two boys diagnosed with a rare genetic and regressive disease, NDIS plan reviews were becoming increasingly stressful as we tried to ask for the necessary supports and accommodations for our boys.
The team has been incredibly supportive and understanding to our needs and that of the boys, and they've made the process of navigating complex NDIA so much easier. They took the time to listen to us and find out about as much as they could about their condition, and then led the coordination of reports and submissions. Ongoing Support Coordination has taken a load off of my plate, finding new services and supports for the boys. The level of care and attention we received from Jemma, Adele, and the entire team was truly exceptional.
I can honestly say that without Hono Community Services, our lives would be much more difficult. They've helped us access the resources we need to care for our children and have made the entire process stress-free. I would recommend them to anyone looking for compassionate, reliable support.
Amy, NSW
Jemma and her team were a rare find. I've cared for my daughter who has complex and severe disabilities for 17 years. It's been a tough journey that is not understood by many, including so many of those who work in the sector.
Jemma and her team know high needs disability and complex care very well and gave me the opportunity to take a big breath and feel supported for the first time in many years.
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I couldn't recommend this service enough.
Anna, NSW,
Head of Staff Specialist Paeditrician
Jemma and her team at Hono have provided invaluable support to families in my area. The embracing of complex mental health and psychosocial needs in a positive way helps transition from a health-based model to a more resilient home-based support model with co-ordination of carefully selected support workers and a "wrap around" therapy team. Advocacy with NDIS and consideration and development of well thought out and appropriate change of circumstances plans helps some families who would not have resources to attempt this on their own.
The personal approach from Hono is valued by recipients of support and referrers alike. Communication is open and easy.
I would highly recommend Hono Community Services.
Louise, NSW
Our teenage son has a mild-moderate intellectual disability, is developmentally delayed with an adoption background. Jemma stepped in when our family was in crisis, listened to our needs and sourced providers that work with our son enabling him to gain confidence and feel valued.
Jemma, your kindness, support connections and flexibility have made what can only be described as “life saving” for our family.
Thank you for your continued support.
Emma, NSW,
Dementia Consultant
HONO provides an excellent service for families/ carers who need help navigating the NDIS system.
I have worked with the owner Jemma closely, on a case where support was provided to a client living with a type of childhood dementia and the family. Jemma is an expert in NDIS-related matters but also has the clinical background and knowledge to understand complex diseases and identify the needs of her clients appropriately.
She is a great advocate and helps people daily to improve her clients' and their carers' quality of life by helping to address their unique needs.
Amanda, NSW,
Speech Pathologist
As a Speech Pathologist, I meet a variety of families with varied support needs. A few of the families that I provide services for, have received coordination of support services from HONO. It is very refreshing and comforting to know that these families that are supported by HONO are able to get through some of the barriers that make it difficult to link up with support services for their loved ones that are in need of support. HONO, have supported these families through their NDIS journeys and always provide the families with very personalised support.
Something that sets HONO apart from some of the other services is their passion and ability to understand and empathise with families and carers to provide a different level of support and reassurance to families.
Sharon & Richard, NSW
We were introduced to Jemma Niwha approximately two years ago when we required the expertise of a Complex Support Coordinator. We had experienced many years of attempting to navigate the NDIS with great difficulty and had recently sadly lost an experienced Complex Support Coordinator we had worked with for a period of almost 3 years.
My husband and I were floundering with support coordination that clearly lacked the expertise we required to assist Max. We were feeling totally overwhelmed with the immensity of an impending transition from Paediatric services to Adult services for our son who is now 18 and soon to be 19.
Securing the services of Jemma was an enormous relief to myself and my husband and Jemma has been amazing. She is professional, knowledgeable, proactive, compassionate and supportive. Jemma possesses a wealth of experience and has a great network of people she has worked with. She was able to link Max and our family in with various therapies and services. This has assisted us to support not only Max’s challenging transition to adult services but his transition to adult life.
We continue to journey together and are grateful to have Jemma at our side, we would not wish to attempt this endeavour without her valuable support.
Ramsa, NSW,
Mental Health Occupational Therapist
My name is Ramsa and I am an Occupational therapist with a speciality in mental health. I have been engaged on numerous occasions by HONO community services to provide specialist mental health occupational therapy services to NDIS participants who are fortunate enough to be support coordinated by HONO.
Working alongside HONO services to support NDIS participants living in the community with a psychosocial disability, I have had the great privilege of getting to know the HONO team and have worked collaboratively with the team of specialist support coordinators and support workers to deliver a high level of professionalism and quality of service to their participants.
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HONO community services works continuously and effortlessly to uphold its vision statement of providing unique, influential and unmatched difference for its participants, its mission statement of promoting the highest quality of capacity building and access to growth and development opportunities, as well as demonstrating and displaying on a regular and consistent basis its core values of respect, responsiveness, trust and education.
Working as a community-based NDIS occupational therapist, I have had the opportunity to work alongside various other support coordination organisations and I can honestly say that HONO community services has shone brighter and far beyond all its competitors.
It is in my opinion that HONO community services has demonstrated an ongoing and never-failing commitment and determination to provide a high quality of support for its participants and their families.
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I have also received wonderful feedback from the families working with HONO and I strongly recommend HONO services for those individuals seeking specialist NDIS support coordination.
Claire, NSW,
Occupational Therapist
As an Occupational Therapist, I have worked alongside Hono Community Services with a few participants, and I could not recommend them highly enough.
They are very skilled at coordinating services and have long-lasting, honest and supportive relationships with the participants and their families. They insure key people in the support team are liaising with each other to promote a cohesive and comprehensive team unit to support the person.
I've personally been very impressed with their ability to ensure the allied health teams are updated on relevant information, and linking their participants in with relevant services. It is clear that they have strong supportive relationships with participants and their families.
Managing Director, Empowerment Care Services, NSW
Empowerment Care Services (ECS) believes that a key and critical factor in achieving positive outcomes for participants and their families, especially within the complex NDIS system, is to start with effective and tailored coordination of supports.
We work collaboratively with HONO Community services. In our experience, HONO continues to bring passion, advocacy, industry expertise and coordination of supports that is tailored to individual goals and needs, especially for clients who have complex needs.
Through our working relationship with HONO, we have observed that our participants
who are supported by the organisation have greater clarity and understanding of their plan, support needs and goals, as well as what is a complex system to navigate.
In our collaboration, we have seen Participants effectively connected to experienced providers, community and other services to ensure needs and goals are fulfilled.
One example that illustrates our experience with HONO’s services is of a young person we will call David*, who had complex needs, an extensive history of challenges including instability and family breakdown. Through HONO Community Services coordination, a strong and effective working team was established. David’s team consisted of several allied health professionals, community health services, and other service providers tailored specifically to David’s needs and goals.
The consistent approach to coordination by HONO has resulted in a stable placement, effective working team, and improved daily health and well-being for David who continues to thrive and make positive gains.
I would highly recommend HONO Community Services as their passion for participants and their families ensures participants are able to pursue their capacity building and independent aspirations to improve their health, wellbeing and quality of life.
Shauna, NSW,
Senior Occupational Therapist
I have had the pleasure of working collaboratively with HONO on a participant's NDIS journey, and I can confidently say that their involvement has been incredibly beneficial.
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HONO's support coordination team is highly professional, knowledgeable, and compassionate. They take the time to understand the unique needs and goals of each participant, and they work closely with all parties involved to develop a comprehensive plan that addresses all areas of support required.
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Working collaboratively with HONO has enabled the participant to receive the best possible support available under the NDIS. HONO's approach has been person-centered, and they have focused on empowering the participant to make informed decisions about their life and their support needs.
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Their expertise has been invaluable in navigating the complex NDIS system and accessing the necessary funding and services. HONO has been proactive in identifying potential challenges and providing practical solutions to ensure that the participant receives the support they need to achieve their goals.
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Overall, I highly recommend HONO for anyone seeking exceptional support coordination services. Their collaborative approach, professionalism, and commitment to supporting participants to achieve their goals is beyond measure.
Tina, NSW
Unfortunately, the journey for our son has been a very long and bumpy road. We have endured many short and long hospital stays, unsuccessful services, therapists that gave up and coordinators that could not support the complexities of our son's situation.
Our son's most recent transition from hospital to the community has been the first smooth transition that we have experienced and it only occurred when Jemma agreed to come onboard and support our son and our entire family unit.
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During our son's multiple hospital admissions Jemma was able to have our son's NDIS plan review to now adequately reflect his needs and goals, source and secure approved long-term accommodation with staff that were adequately skilled and experienced, identify and implement a brand new clinical team that consisted of OT, Behaviour support, Psychology, Psychiatry, Community mental health and link our son with the Public Guardian to further reduce the stress load on us. Jemma coordinated and facilitated our son's entire discharge ensuring everyone involved had the same objective and a holistic approach to helping our son reach his goals and more importantly ensure a smooth and safe transition to the community.
Jemma has ensured our son's entire support team remained accountable within their roles and provided both professional and moral support to anyone that required additional support throughout his complex transition. This included endless hours of phone and face time support to our family as we also navigated, struggled and adjusted to our son no longer being able to return to the family home.
We are now 6 months post discharge and the wrap around supports that our son and our family are receiving is so overwhelming. Jemma ensures the entire team meet every Friday to provide updates, discuss issues, incidents and concern and promotes an open and safe forum for everyone to seek additional support. Her communication has been immense in ensuring everyone has real time updates and is able to respond to urgent matters when needed.
This collaborative and supportive environment that Jemma has created has given our son the best possible opportunity to adjust and thrive while actively working towards his goals. We are more positive now about the opportunities our son has as he navigates his new world, continues to grow, becomes more independent and reach his full capacity to live a fun filled and successful life.
I honestly don't know where our son and our family would stand today if it was not for Jemma's involvement. Nothing has ever been to difficult or too much to ask and we only truly now understand and appreciate the impact of having a support coordinator that is not only efficient but passionate and driven to get the best outcomes for everyone she supports.
Daniel, QLD,
Path to Independence
Our experiences with Jemma and Hono Community Services has been exceptional from day 1.
Hono has continued to deliver the best specialist support coordination for our complex participants in particular helping navigating each plan to allow us to provide the best possible tailored supports and improve the lives of our participants.
Lauren, NSW,
Rythm Village
We have worked with HONO Community Services to provide music therapy services for a number of mutual clients. Jemma and her team are thorough, efficient and responsive.
As support coordinators, they strive to provide the best outcomes for their clients. They use a multidisciplinary approach, pulling teams of providers together to collaborate and share information to ensure the provision of the most effective services for clients.
Rachel, NSW,
Operations Manager
Highly recommended Hono community services.
They are very selfless, caring and loving to their participants.
They make sure to provide the best care according to client's comfort and wellbeing.
Jeff, NSW
We were extremely fortunate to have Jemma recommended as NDIS Support Co-ordinator for our adult daughter in March 2022 following the retirement our previous co-ordinator.
Covid had enormous negative impacts on her with all her day programs and extra curricula activities being cancelled or significantly restricted along with her independent travel routines.
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As a consequence she became reclusive in her bedroom at her supported accommodation and experienced psychotic behaviour that required medication and increased support needs.
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Our daughter’s change in circumstance was notified to the NDIS and Jemma provided fantastic support in negotiating two harrowing plan reviews over a period of 8 months that were ultimately successful in providing funding for her increased support.
Jemma demonstrated a thorough knowledge of NDIA administrative processes and requirements to argue our case for additional funding to meet our daughter’s needs and develop support services for her rehabilitation.
Jemma has introduced a number of wonderful support specialists in behaviour management, occupational therapy and music therapy that are improving our daughter’s lifestyle and confidence.
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We are so grateful for Jemma’s ability to coordinate all these services harmoniously with our daughter’s day support programs and SIL provider which has been on enormous help to our family.
Cathy, NSW,
Paediatric Physiotherapist
Over the past 12 months, HONO has developed a great partnership with Just for Kids Physiotherapy.
Jemma and her team are caring, proactive and value the contribution of their allied health partners.
Most importantly HONO are committed to supporting families in their NDIS journey. Just for Kids Physiotherapy look forward to continuing working with HONO.
Kristen, NSW
I wholeheartedly endorse Jemma, an outstanding support coordinator who has made a significant difference in our disabled son's life. Her expertise in creating and managing support plans, connecting us with specialists, and promoting our son's independence is truly commendable.
Amongst other things, Jemma organised a fishing mentor to develop our son's skills plus also a weekend away that promoted his independence, built his confidence, and created lasting memories.
These types of events and activities are fun and improve our son's quality of life and overall outlook.
Emma, NSW
I think that I wouldn’t be In a good position with having the supports that I have now if it wasn’t for Jemma and Hono community service. Jemma gets things done and makes things happen because of the time and effort she puts in. Jemma has really advocated for me and my family when it comes to the NDIS, this helps the NDIS see what funding and supports would really benefit my family.
Having HONO community services in my corner has taken a lot of stress off me with finding supports and advocating for my family, while also making sure things happen. Jemma ensures services keep to what they preach and if they don’t then Jemma finds or recommends another better service.
I couldn’t be happier with the services Hono community service has to offer I would definitely recommend the company especially Jemma.
Kristal, NSW,
Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner
The support coordination Jemma provides has had a HUGE impact. The coordination of a multidisciplinary team has developed a collaborative and consistent approach for our participants across multiple stakeholders which has led to some amazing goals reached.
Without Jemma and her team facilitating our participant's care team I don't believe we would be seeing the positive outcomes we have achieved as a whole team. Plus all the behind the scenes work that Jemma and her team all do to provide responsive and caring support for your participants and their families when navigating NDIS does not go unnoticed.
The support and advocacy Jemma provides for the participants and their families is holistic and person-centred which is at the heart of why I chose to work in this field of work. Jemma and her team clearly share that passion.
Robert, NSW
Jemma Niwha is a 5 star Specialist Support Coordinator. Jemma is incredibly knowledgeable and was able to match my daughter with other specialists of the highest quality.
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Jemma is empathetic and caring and so helpful in navigating our way through difficult times.
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I thoroughly recommend Jemma and her wonderful team at HONO Community Services.
Laura, NSW,
Director & Behavioural Practicioner
Hono Community Services provides support coordination and specialist support coordination to a number of our participants in Sydney and on the Central Coast.
The service Hono provides is above and beyond! They are professional, responsive, personalised and efficient. They encourage a team approach and are more than happy to support in any area they can!
Highly recommend this quality service that Hono provides!
Kacee, NSW
Where do I begin… Jemma and the team at Hono Community Services have been my saviors! My son was born with a life long condition, navigating around life with a newborn and learning about and managing my son’s condition was a really hard time in my life. We got my son an NDIS plan quite early on in the peace with no assistance. I’ve never been involved in the NDIS world, and I found it really overwhelming and almost like my voice wasn’t being heard.
Well, all of this changed when I met Jemma.
Once Jemma and I got talking, we quickly discovered that my sons NDIS funding was far too low for his needs. Jemma guided me in depth and coordinated an NDIS plan review, she made sure we had crossed every ‘t’ and dotted every ‘i’ and that all of my sons supporting documents were going to do my sons needs justice!
The funding for my son after his plan review with Jemma on board increased by approximately 1300%. I can truly say that Jemma is so invested in our family and she fights for what is deserved and needed, I hear the empathy and compassion in her voice in all of our conversations.
In what was a really tough time, I feel like I was handed the biggest lifeline when I got connected to Jemma and the team.
Not only are they amazing at what they do, and all round beautiful people, they are also very efficient, punctual and reliable.
Everything is made easy with the amazing people on board!
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I can’t thank you all enough, you’ve changed our family’s world for the better.