Five-year-old Elliot: The face of Scope’s $50K in Five Days tax appeal

MEET cheeky five-year-old Elliot, the face of Scope’s $50,000 in Five Days tax appeal campaign.

The playful prep student, who has autism, is helping to boost the Victorian not-for-profit’s end-of-financial-year fundraising campaign after being supported by Scope to start school with his twin sister Gertie this year.

Scope launched its $50,000 in Five Days campaign on Friday in an urgent attempt to help meet its fundraising target.

Scope CEO Diana Heggie said as of Friday, the organisation’s 2008-09 tax appeal was $50,000 short of its target, which had already been reviewed to account for the global economic crisis.

``Not for profit organisations who rely on fundraising to help fill the gap between funding and the cost of running services are doing it extremely tough, making it increasingly challenging to continue providing services,’’ Ms Heggie said.

``When people donate to Scope, they are essentially helping to provide therapies and support to Victorians with disabilities, like Elliot, to do every day things, such as learn to walk, communicate, go to school or get a job, just to name a few.’’

Five-year-olds Elliot and Gertie aren’t just brother and sister, they are best friends. At 18-months of age, Elliot was diagnosed with Autism.

And while their mother Julie McCallum said having twins had made the family’s situation more unique and sometimes more challenging, Gertie had also been Elliot’s most precious support of all.

``I didn’t want to think about any alternative to Elliot not starting school with Gertie,’’ Mrs McCallum said.

``I’m just so happy that they were able to start school together.’’

Mrs McCallum said Early Childhood Intervention Services (ECIS) had been critical in helping to prepare Elliot for school.

She said Elliot, a Scope client, did not communicate using speech. But ECIS therapists had taught him to use a form of sign language and picture board to communicate.

``He is very good at using the pictures. Sometimes I use them to show him what he can eat, and with a grin on his face he’ll cheekily use them to show me what he would prefer to eat,’’ she said.

``Elliot is very visual and receptive and it’s great to see his personality really shine with the support of these resources.’’

Through Scope, Elliot received Kindergarten Inclusion Support Services funding to attend Benalla Ride Avenue Kindergarten with Gertie last year.

His inclusion in this setting was also very beneficial in getting him ready for primary school.

``I can not emphasise enough how Scope as an organisation - particularly the Benalla Regional Office team - has been a tremendous support to our family as a whole. It is really important because if Mum and Dad feel supported and are happy, then that cascades down to our children.’’

Scope’s ECIS supports families with young children with a disability. The speciality service works in partnership with the families and other significant people in the child’s life to promote the development and participation of children with disabilities in their local communities.