Learning to live more independently doesn’t happen all at once.
It’s often built in the everyday things, like preparing food, following a routine, sharing responsibility, asking for help, working alongside others, cleaning up, solving small problems, and building the confidence to do more over time.
That’s what Beyond the Basics is all about.
At Back to Basics, we know that real progress often comes through real-life practice. Beyond the Basics has been designed as a practical, clinician-led Independent Living Skills Group for adolescents and adults who are ready to build everyday life skills while also strengthening communication, social confidence, and participation in a supportive small-group setting. It combines practical skill-building like cooking, clean-up, routines, and planning with opportunities to connect with others, work as part of a group, and build confidence in shared everyday experiences.
A life skills group grounded in real life
Beyond the Basics is a practical group focused on building everyday independence and connection.
The program gives participants opportunities to practise real-life tasks in a structured, supportive environment, so they can build familiarity, confidence, and follow-through over time. Rather than learning in a way that feels abstract or removed from day-to-day life, participants are supported to build skills through doing.
The group supports goals related to:
- independence and daily living skills
- routines, planning, and task completion
- communication and social confidence
- community participation and self-advocacy.
That means the group keeps a strong focus on practical development while also recognising that many everyday skills happen in shared spaces and alongside other people.
What happens in the group?
Each session follows a clear and predictable routine so participants know what to expect and can build confidence through consistency and repetition.
Sessions include a welcome and check-in, hands-on skill-building activities, clear individual roles, shared meal time, social coaching, clean-up, supported downtime, and a wrap-up to finish the session.
Across the program, participants have opportunities to practise practical everyday skills such as:
- following steps and routines
- preparing food and participating in kitchen tasks
- sequencing and completing tasks
- sharing responsibility for clean-up
- building independence through repeated practice.
At the same time, they’re also building important social and participation skills, including:
- taking turns and working as part of a team
- asking for help appropriately
- respectful interaction during shared activities and meal times
- joining in and staying with the group routine
- managing small changes in a practical, supported way.
That combination is what makes the group so meaningful. Participants aren’t only learning how to complete everyday tasks, they’re also learning how to participate in those tasks with others.
Building life skills through shared experience
A big part of Beyond the Basics is learning by doing.
Participants are actively involved in preparing snacks and meals during sessions, with step-by-step supports, visuals, and guidance built in along the way. These activities support practical skill development in areas like kitchen participation, following instructions, task completion, and shared household routines.
But these same activities also create natural opportunities for social learning.
Cooking together encourages communication, teamwork, flexibility, and problem-solving. Shared mealtimes create opportunities for conversation, turn-taking, connection, and confidence in being part of a group. Clean-up helps participants practise shared responsibility, follow-through, and contributing alongside others.
So while the program has a strong independent living focus, the social side isn’t separate from that work, it’s woven into it.
Why both independence and connection matter
Everyday life skills rarely happen in isolation.
Preparing a meal, following a routine, asking for support, contributing to a shared space, or managing changes in a plan often involve other people. That’s why it’s so valuable to build these skills in an environment where participants can practise both the practical task and the social side of participation.
For some participants, the practical side may be the main goal. For others, an equally important part of the group is the opportunity to build comfort in a shared environment, strengthen communication, and feel more confident joining in with others.
Beyond the Basics makes space for both.
A supportive, person-centred approach
Beyond the Basics is facilitated by Alison Yon, Behaviour Support Practitioner and Developmental Educator at Back to Basics Health Group. Alison brings extensive experience supporting adults with disability to build everyday routines, confidence, and practical life skills in ways that are person-centred, respectful, and grounded in real-life participation.
The group is built around:
- structured and predictable sessions
- practical, step-by-step teaching
- support that respects different communication styles and support needs
- consistency that helps strategies carry over beyond the session.
That means the focus isn’t only on what happens during the activity itself. It’s also on helping participants build skills they can use again at home, in the community, and in everyday routines with other people.
A home-like space that supports real-world learning
Beyond the Basics runs at Beyond Home in Burwood East, a practical, home-like setting designed to support real-world learning. Instead of practising daily living skills in a purely clinical room, participants are supported in an environment that feels more natural, functional, and connected to everyday life.
That environment supports:
- step-by-step routine practice
- familiarity and predictability
- access to practical equipment and work areas
- calm spaces for breaks and regulation when needed.
It also helps create a setting where shared activity, communication, and participation can happen more naturally.
Who might this group suit?
Beyond the Basics may suit adolescents and adults who are working on goals related to:
- everyday independence
- routines and task completion
- communication and social confidence
- participating safely and meaningfully in a small group setting.
It’s especially well suited to participants who benefit from structure, repetition, visual supports, and hands-on learning, while also needing opportunities to build confidence in shared routines and group participation.
Working together around the participant
Support workers play an active role in Beyond the Basics by remaining onsite and supporting participation during sessions. That can include prompting, safe supervision, regulation support, and helping participants stay engaged in the session routine. Families and care teams also play an important role by sharing updates, supporting attendance, and reinforcing strategies and routines between sessions.
That consistency around the participant helps make progress more meaningful and carryover more achievable.
Find out more
If you’d like to find out more or express your interest in the Beyond the Basics: Independent Living Skills Group, please contact Back to Basics Health Group.
Email: info@backtobasicshealthgroup.com.au
Phone: (03) 9763 7613
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