Since 1977
Enabling independence and opportunities
Our impact
BEHHA is about enabling independence and ensuring residents have the same opportunities as others to fully participate in society.
BEHHA residents want to live in their own home, work and participate in the community. BEHHA provides them with the support to do this, for example by helping residents with shopping, meal planning, engaging with banks, getting and maintaining employment, and participating in community activities such as sports.
Without BEHHA, many residents would not have the opportunity to participate as fully in the community.
Team
Our Staff
Rima Anagnostou
Practice and Compliance Manager
Rima has over 10 years of experience working in not-for-profit organisations, social services, customer service, youth development, mental health and crisis intervention. With a passion for policy and justice, Rima has worked across a broad range of services including housing, disability, domestic violence, mental health, child protection. Rima has also supported individuals as well as families seeking asylum in order to equip them with the life skills needed to adjust to the Community until their visa status was resolved. Rima’s experience with ongoing casework has supported people, who were experiencing a mental health or serious health condition, minors at risk of harm and victims of torture and trauma.
With a solid understanding of the NDIS frameworks and requirements, Rima excels in delivering a service that focuses on identifying the needs of a client then designing and implementing strategies responding effectively to enquiries from participants, families, carers and community members, ensuring a positive customer experience.
Rima has a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science (Criminology). She has an interdisciplinary study of crime, deviance, social control and the legal system, which Investigates a broad range of topics, including justice, conflict, deviance, security, policing, drugs and violence. She also holds a Diploma of Community Services (Case Management) and a Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training.
Rima is a registered Justice of the Peace (JP) in NSW since August 2015 and is currently studying part-time to gain her Juris Doctor Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice.
GRAHAM FERRIS
Financial Manager
Graham is a recently retired independent school Bursar of 25 years’ experience having worked in three large Sydney colleges. Working in the independent schools sector he has a lot of experience in the way of Not for Profit sector accounting systems. Before that he was for twenty years involved with MLC the large insurance company mainly in their IT department initially as a computer programmer and later systems analyst, then, as a Systems Accountant on the finance floor developing with his old IT team the accounting needs when any new computer system or product was created.
He has always in the workplace been a hands on person who led his team by example and believed if his team was content and working in a relaxed atmosphere, then their work throughput would be at its maximum.
Graham spent over a decade as a commissioned officer in the Royal Australian Naval Reserves in the area of Naval Control of Shipping until meeting their forced retirement age. This was a relaxation outlet entirely at odds to his occupation learning all about the processes of naval protection of Australian badged merchant shipping in the event of a war.
Graham has a Bachelors degree in Accounting and is a Member of the Australian Society of Accountants qualified as a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA). He also holds post graduate qualifications as a Chartered Secretary and is a member of the Governance Institute of Australia.
In recent years he has also been a volunteer driver for a charity named “Little Wings”. This brilliant organisation assists country children with life threatening illnesses be flown by small planes to Bankstown Airport then they are transported to the various Children’s Hospitals in Sydney then after their treatment (may be days or months later) back to the airport for their trips home. A very satisfying and rewarding role helping take the worry of being in busy Sydney away from families who are already at breaking point in many instances.
Team
Our Volunteers
Bethany Flannery
President
Bethany Flannery is an occupational therapist specialising in working with those with serious mental illness. Bethany has worked in hospitals and community settings in Sydney, regional NSW and the UK. Currently she is working for NSW Health at a local community mental health centre. Bethany is passionate about supporting individuals to achieve their goals and lead meaningful lives despite illness or disability, in this vein she has set up accessible gardening and gym programs for her clients and has developed partnerships with key community organisations to support clients to achieve their dreams.
Bethany has been a member of BEHHA since 2017.
SCOTT SCHAEFER
Vice President
Scott Schaefer is qualified teacher with degrees in Science Education and Primary teaching. He has worked as both a high school science and primary teacher in both the private and public systems. Scott is currently working for the NSW Department of Education as a special education teacher, working in a setting that includes students with behavioural and emotional needs as well as autism and mental health issues. He is currently teaching a class of seven high school boys with autism. Scott is passionate about helping his students to achieve their personal best and has been involved in a number of programs to provide students with social skills as well as the necessary skills to participate fully in both the school and wider communities. He enjoys working with people and enjoys helping others to find and utilise their own unique skills and talents.
Scott has been a member of BEHHA since 2021.
Phil Schaefer
Treasurer / Secretary
Phil is currently a senior Mathematics teacher at Georges River Grammar School, Georges Hall. He has been employed at the school since 1988, and over the years has had several roles, including – Head of Mathematics, Head of Sport and acting Head of the Middle School. Prior to joining GRG Phil taught Mathematics and Science at De La Salle College, Revesby, and was Head of the Mathematics Department for three years.
Phil and his wife Helen have lived in, and have been actively involved in, the South-West Sydney community since they were married in 1981
Bob Beer
Member
Bob became involved in supporting people with disability because his eldest son Matthew was born in 1975 with an intellectual disability that required special schooling. During Matthew’s school years Bob was vice president and fundraising manager for Matthew’s kindergarten, vice president when Matthew was in primary and high school and a founding member of a charity for the employment of people with disability. He was group president of disabled scout groups in Matthew’s teenage years.
Matthew joined the Recreation Sports and Aquatics Club (RSAC) which provides programs for people with disabilities in 1996. Bob was a RSAC committee member and fundraising manager since early 2000s and President from 2015 until 2019 when he retired. He also volunteered in program management, carer/support on local and overseas trips and organized/managed fundraising activities as well as building community relationships. He was recognized as Canterbury Bankstown Volunteer of the Year in 2017.
Bob became a BEHHA committee member in late 1990s when Matthew secured a placement in the BEHHA residential home at 8 Hedlund Street Revesby where he has lived ever since.
Bob holds Bachelor and Masters degrees in Civil Engineering, is a qualified Mediator and a Justice of the Peace. He also spent several years in both the SES and the Volunteer Coast Guard in the 1980-90s.
Elizabeth Sydenham
Member
Elizabeth comes with 35 year’s experience in secondary education, specialising in careers and vocational education, and pastoral care; followed by three years in the university sector developing equity and diversity programmes. Elizabeth retired following a stroke in 2017. This left Elizabeth with significant disability, and a growing insight into the obstacles faced by those living with disabilities. This background channelled Elizabeth to want to make a difference by contributing to the BEHHA board.
Elizabeth is motivated to contribute to a more inclusive society.
Michele Lidgard
Member
Michele has a comprehensive history in Education. She has been an educational leader in curriculum, pastoral care and special education. Michele retired in 2016. During her career in education Michele developed an array of workplace skills that have been readily transferable to her role at BEHHA including human resource management, staff development, organizational skills, negotiator and mentor. Michele most importantly displays a keen sense of justice, compassion and honesty.
Michele strongly believes in service to the community and has a grounding view that as stated in John’s gospel all people should have the right to live life to the full. As a result, she has been involved in volunteer work throughout her adult life working with the homeless, underprivileged and those with a disability.
Michele has been associated with BEHHA since 2018 when she became a Board member and has been BEHHA Secretary since 2019.
Click here for 2023 AGM minutes
Click here for BEHAA 2023 AGM Agenda and Reports
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