Our Story

What began as a quiet thought — there has to be a better, more human way to support people — slowly grew into something we could no longer ignore.

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Over the years, we’ve seen firsthand just how life-changing the right support can be. Not just services or appointments, but genuine connection. The kind of support where people feel heard, valued, respected, and empowered to live life on their own terms.

We’ve also experienced the other side — the confusion, exhaustion, and isolation that can come when families are left to navigate complex systems without the guidance they truly need.

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That is where Next Step Collective was born.

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Next Step Collective isn’t just a business to us. It’s deeply personal. It has been built from real experiences, real conversations, and a genuine belief that every person deserves to live with dignity, independence, choice, and control. We believe support should never feel clinical, transactional, or impersonal. It should feel human. It should feel safe. It should feel like someone is truly walking alongside you.

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Our approach is simple:
We walk beside people, not in front of them.
We listen before we act.
We support without taking away a person’s voice, identity, or independence.

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A huge part of this journey has been shaped by our very special daughter, whose impact on our lives continues to inspire the way we approach support, connection, and community every single day.

But when we stopped and truly reflected on our own experiences, we realised we were also carrying a great deal of regret from earlier years — especially during the time we were caring for our dad..

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At the time, we simply didn’t know what supports existed, what funding could help, or how to navigate the systems around us. There was very little guidance, very few clear answers, and we often felt like we were trying to piece everything together alone. Navigating not only the NDIS, but the broader world of disability and community supports, was overwhelming. Many times, we learned things the hard way.

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Those experiences stayed with us.

They shaped how we see support today and planted the seed for something different — something built on empathy, understanding, and lived experience. They gave us a deep desire to help other families avoid feeling as lost, unsupported, or overwhelmed as we once did.

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That’s what brought us here:

A genuine commitment to making the journey easier for others.

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We want families to feel supported, informed, and empowered. We want participants to feel seen for who they are — not just their diagnosis or support needs. We want to help people find the right supports, build meaningful connections, and create lives filled with opportunity, confidence, and belonging.

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At the heart of Next Step Collective is a passionate, close-knit team dedicated to making a genuine difference in the lives of the people we support. Founded by husband-and-wife team Vanessa and Ben, we are proud to be a family-owned, community-focused service built on trust, meaningful relationships and personalised support. Alongside us is a carefully selected team of compassionate, skilled and dedicated support workers who share our commitment to providing high-quality, person-centred support that empowers participants to live life on their own terms.

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An equally important member of our team is Drover, our gentle and dependable support horse. Through our ground-based Equine Support Sessions, Drover helps participants build confidence, develop communication and emotional regulation skills, strengthen resilience, and experience the unique connection that horses can offer in a calm, supportive environment.

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Vanessa is passionate about empowering people of all ages to build confidence, independence and meaningful connections within their communities. With more than 20 years of experience in education and several years working in the disability sector, she brings a calm, compassionate and person-centred approach to every interaction. She has supported children, adolescents and adults with a diverse range of disabilities, always focusing on each person's strengths, goals and potential.

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Currently studying a Bachelor of Counselling and Psychotherapy, Vanessa is continuing to expand her knowledge and skills to further support participants' emotional wellbeing, resilience and personal growth. She also facilitates Next Step Collective's ground-based Equine Support Sessions, using purposeful interaction with horses to help participants develop confidence, communication, social skills, emotional regulation and greater independence.

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As the parent of a young child with additional support needs, Vanessa understands the importance of compassionate, flexible and family-centred support. Her lived experience, combined with her professional background, gives her a unique appreciation of the challenges families can face when navigating disability supports. She believes every person deserves to feel heard, respected and empowered, and is committed to walking alongside participants as they work towards achieving their goals and living a life filled with choice, opportunity and connection.

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As Next Step Collective continues to grow, so too will our vision. We hope to expand our services in ways that continue to reflect our lived experiences, respond to the real needs of our community, and create meaningful, person-centred supports that truly make a difference.

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At the heart of everything we do is one simple belief:

No one should have to navigate this journey alone.