When a group of Social Support clients in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, said they wanted a helicopter ride, the easy answer could have been no, that’s too dangerous.
Instead, Wes Hutchesson, Social Support Coordinator, and team members Nicole Mackenzie and Georgina Camilleri got to work. They spoke with Geelong Helicopters, worked through safety and mobility needs, and planned each step carefully until they found a safe way to make the day happen.
“It took over twelve months of research and planning to make this flight happen, but it was all worth it when we saw the smiles and received the participants’ feedback. All our activities are client-driven, and we were so pleased to get our amazing Social Support Group participants ‘off the ground’,” Wes said.
The result was more than a good outing. It was one of those days people talked about for months.
The feedback captured the excitement. Mary said the flight was “so fabulous”, Bill joked the chopper was “far too slow” and should have been jet-powered, and another client called it one of the best days they had had.
Behind the helicopter ride was Best Care at work. Wes, Nicole and Georgina know their clients well, listen to them and look for a safe way forward instead of shutting their ideas down.
That approach became the centre of a presentation that April Archbold, Senior Operations Manager, CHSP Coordination, delivered at the 2026 CHSP Service Provider Forum in Ballarat. Her message was clear: Best Care does not start with no. It starts with asking how client choice can work while risk is managed responsibly.
“I challenged the audience to step into the client’s shoes and remember that dignity includes the right to make informed choices, even when those choices take work,” April said. “What does it feel like to be told no because a service cannot sort out the roster, funding or logistics?”
“We have Program Planning meetings scheduled quarterly to determine future Social Support Group activities,” Wes said. “Participants workshop a list of ideas and we get to work on the logistics. Safety stays front of mind, but we do our best to make sure participants have real choice and input into future activities. Because the group helps build the calendar, participation and engagement stay high.”
The helicopter ride gave April a strong example to share with peers across the sector. It showed what can happen when teams stay flexible, think hard and keep the client at the centre. Sometimes Best Care looks like a group of older people parking their walkers and climbing into a helicopter because someone took their idea seriously.
The Social Support group has already set its sights on the next adventure: Harley-Davidson sidecar rides with a local Geelong group that can provide the gear and support to make that happen too.
