Who we are and what we do.

Meet our Founders

Michelle Sweeper & Anne Jenkins

Michelle Sweeper, is a Director and co-founder of Inspire Connect.   Michelle has 20 years’ experience working with the Queensland government including senior roles with Queensland Health (mental health and specialised services), the Mental Health Review Tribunal (MHRT) & Queensland Artificial Limb Scheme.  Michelle has improved services for people experiencing mental ill-health including implementing the state-wide Your Experience of Service (YES) for Queensland Health consumers, state and regional mental health planning and committee membership on Queensland Health’s Zero Suicide Project. Michelle has a personal lived experience as a carer for several family members with complex psychosocial disabilities (who are NDIS participants) and understand the challenges for individuals and their families.  Michelle was formerly a Carer Consultant for Queensland Health across West Moreton Health.  Michelle successfully engaged and provided much needed advice to patients, family members and health professionals to improve mental health service delivery.  Michelle has valuable experience supporting families with recovery plans and managing a team of lived experience staff including mental health peer workers.  Michelle’s strength is creating more awareness for carers, promoting mental health wellness across our community and supporting individuals through their NDIS journey.  In her down time, Michelle enjoys spending time with her children and family often baking, cooking and experimenting in the kitchen.         

Anne Jenkins is a Director and co-founder of Inspire Connect.  Anne has worked in human services for over 20 years including human rights, advocating for vulnerable adults and working across mental health and disability sectors.  Anne started her career as a Registered Nurse working in Intensive Care/Emergency across Southeast Queensland public and private hospitals.  Anne has held senior roles for Department of Health, Department of Disability Services, Office of the Public Guardian, the Queensland Mental Health Commission and Queensland Health.  In 2023, Anne was appointed by the Queensland Governor in Council as a Tribunal Member, with the Mental Health Review Tribunal. 

Anne also has lived experience as a carer for a loved one with chronic persistent mental-ill health.  Anne was previously the manager of the Lived Experience Workforce for Queensland Health, where she oversaw a team of mental health peer workers providing recovery support across forensic, high secure, acute and community mental health services.  Anne’s strength is her rapport building, empathetic approach to complex mental health and supporting individuals to navigate successfully through the NDIS. 

Anne is passionate about lived experience leadership, championing peer work as a rewarding career and providing professional supervision/mentoring to new Psychosocial Recovery Coaches.

Inspire connect was established because we are passionate about supporting people with a disability and mental ill-health in our community.

We have lived experience and have contributed to improving mental health services for consumers and carers at state & national levels, including joint regional Mental Health Plans (Queensland Health) and the National Peer Workforce Guidelines.

Our reputation in the disability and mental health sectors is built on providing ethical, person centred, empathetic and timely services to our clients.

We warmly welcome Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, culturally and linguistically diverse people and individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community.

Our extensive experience includes working for QLD Health + Department of Disability Services + Office of the Public Guardian + Mental Health + Queensland Mental Health Review Commission + Department of Health

A little more about Inspire Connect

Inspire Connect provides support coordination and specialist support coordination for a wide range of participants with diverse needs to promote choice, supported decision making.  Inspire Connect also provides recovery coaching having extensive experience in mental health peer support, recovery planning and engaging with individuals with chronic persistent mental illness. Inspire Connect is committed to best practice models of peer support including state and national peer work frameworks and standards. 

We have extensive experience across disability and mental health sectors. Collectively, our experience has included working for the Office of the Public Guardian [including being authorised to make complex restrictive practice decisions], Queensland Artificial Limb Scheme, Accommodation Support and Respite Services (AS&RS), Department of Health (Commonwealth Nursing Officer) the Queensland Mental Health Commission and the Mental Health Review Tribunal (MHRT).  More recently, we have worked for Queensland Health (mental health and specialised services) leading the Lived Experience Workforce providing high level advice to improve mental health services locally and at national level.

Inspire Connect acknowledges the Jagera, Yuggera and Ugarapul People Traditional Owners of the land on which we work & play. We pay our respects to Elders past, present & emerging.

Inspire Connect acknowledges the lived experience of those Impacted by substance use, mental illness & suicide.  We also acknowledge the contributions made to reduce mental health stigma & commitment to supporting recovery. 

FAQs

  • The NDIA has defined a psychosocial disability as ‘’Psychosocial disability is a term used to describe a disability that may arise from a mental health issue’’.

    The NDIA has also stated “Not everyone who has a mental health condition will have a psychosocial disability, but for people who do, it can be severe, longstanding and impact on their recovery. People with a disability as a result of their mental health condition may qualify for the NDIS’’.

  • The National Disability Agency (NDIA) defines a Recovery Coach as ‘’a person who supports participants to take more control of their lives and to better manage the complex challenges of day-to-day living’’. At Inspire Connect we believe a Recovery Coach is “a person who promotes hope through sharing their lived experience of mental ill health and supports another to develop a personal recovery plan’’.

  • At Inspire Connect we understand that everyone’s journey is different and unique. We work with individuals and their families/support network to understand what is important to you, what you would like support with and assisting you in your recovery journey. As a general guide, the role of a Recovery Coach includes:

    Developing a recovery orientated relationship with you; based on hope, choice, control and independence

    Supporting you with developing an individual recovery plan

    Providing coaching and mentoring to increase your recovery skills and abilities including motivation, resilience, strengths and decision making

    Liaising and collaborating with people in your life to support your recovery (with consent)

    Supporting your to achieve your NDIS goals

  • At Inspire Connect, we are experienced in providing mental health peer support and working within several important frameworks including The National Standards for Mental Health Services and the National Framework for Recovery-Orientated Mental Health Services. We also have led a Lived Experience Workforce to improve mental health services for Queensland Health.

    Inspire Connect meets the NDIA’s requirements regarding expected experience and qualifications to be a Recovery Coach. We have both lived and learnt mental health experience qualifications to support an individual in their recovery. More importantly, we have worked with individuals experiencing acute mental ill-health (such as inpatient treatment), complex persistent mental ill-health, problematic alcohol and other drug use, individuals who are placed under the Mental Health Act 2016 (including Forensic Orders, Treatment Authority, Treatment Support Order and Classified Patients) and Prison Mental Health.

    We have years of experience working for the government and therefore understand some of the challenges individuals and their families face understanding legislation, policies, systems and procedures. Inspire Connect is here to help you work through these complexities in a way you understand including your NDIS plan. Our expertise also includes working effectively with other government agencies such as the NDIA, health and mental health services as well as NDIS service providers.

  • As an NDIS registered provider, our fees are always as per the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. Further information can be found on the NDIA’s website Pricing arrangements | NDIS

    Our Service Agreement also includes the current rates for our services for Support Coordination, Specialist Support Coordination and Recovery Coaching.

Ready to work with us?

Click below to download our Service Agreement and Consent Form to begin the application process to work with us.