I’m Mel, the founder of Beautiful Lights Support Services, an online disability support platform designed to provide flexible, personalised assistance to people with disabilities and their carers—wherever they are.
Navigating the world of disability support can be overwhelming, and finding the right help isn’t always easy. That’s why I created Beautiful Lights—to offer support that fits into people’s lives, without the stress of appointments, travel, or rigid structures. Whether it’s through video calls, messages, or other online options, I make sure people can access help in a way that’s comfortable and practical for them.
I’m excited to be here to connect, share experiences, and learn from others in this space.
A question for you all - if you had access to online support, how would you utilise it?
Hi Mel @BeautifulLights and welcome to the community! Your online platform sounds really cool, though I wonder if you could expand a little on what supports you provide specifically? It sounds a little similar to my understanding of a support coordinator in terms of connecting folks to other supports- am I on the right track?
As for your question, I’ve worked in a few digital spaces myself, and the services I offer are Telehealth also. I’ve found online spaces can be useful for connection, especially with peers as, like you’ve mentioned, it can take away barriers that are travel related and allows for more flexibility in terms of jumping on to respond when it suits you rather than at set times. I’ve seen shows of support in the moment someone needs it from folks who are already online at the time, allowing for more immediate support. For myself, online support is useful as a backup option where I’m unable to make it in person for whatever reason and I like that it allows me to receive support in my own environment that I can curate for me.
I look forward to hearing your perspectives and contributions in this space!
Thanks Sara - I’m actually a support worker service, doing all sorts of things from social support, to life admin to helping people with their business (there’s a fine line with this one!). I am currently working with a marketing expert to refine my offer and the way I describe it, so I was glad to get that little bit of feedback from you.
