In this live segment of the Conversations in Care series recorded at the SIL Summit on the Gold Coast, Con Sotidis, Head of Growth and Partnerships at 365 Care, interviews Kylie Bonello, the National Head of Growth at Soteria Supported Independent Living. Kylie shares how she entered the disability sector, explains Soteria’s model of providing supported independent living services rather than traditional SIL homes, and offers a key piece of advice for professionals preparing for upcoming SIL reforms: actively listen to participants to understand their needs, wants, and lifestyle choices, and refer them to appropriate resources when necessary. The interview also highlights Kylie’s personal branding (her distinctive curly hair) and provides her contact information—LinkedIn profile, mobile number, and email—encouraging viewers to connect with her for further collaboration. The tone is conversational and upbeat, emphasizing community building within the disability sector.
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Welcome to another Conversation in Care with Con Sotidis, Head of Growth and Partnerships at 365 Care.
Hey guys, it's Con here from Conversations in Care again. We are live today from the SIL Summit up in here in the Gold Coast. It's been a magnificent event and Tanya always organises great events. Guess what? I found my good friend here, Kylie Bonello. Kylie, how are you?
I'm really well. How are you, Con?
Tell us about you, your role, who you work for.
Okay, so I'm Kylie. I'm usually recognized by my hair. It's a bit of a standout feature, unfortunately. Hated it when I was a child growing up, but quite like it now. I like helping people, and genuinely, I'm actually a people fixer. I like connecting people and solving problems.
And what got you into the sector, Kylie?
I think it's the best fall I ever made into the disability sector. I've always worked with people, for people, about people, and Disability just happened to land in my lap and it's been the best fall ever.
Okay, and your role at Soteria Independent Living?
I'm the National Head of Growth with Soteria Supported Independent Living. We have SIL homes throughout the east coast of Australia, and actually the thing is it's not a SIL home. We provide supported independent living services for people in a home of their choice.
Good. Now, Colleen, one of the things we do as part of our process for our viewers is we try to offer one tip What suggestions people can be doing or thinking about doing in the sector? So with your background experience, and it could be about SIL, could be about anything else, what's something people should be looking at, be thinking about? Reforms are coming. What's one suggestion you make?
My one suggestion is to listen to people, hear what it is that they're looking for so that you can absolutely understand their needs, their wants, their lifestyle choices, and see if and how you can help them. And sometimes that might be by referring on to others that we meet through events like today.
Okay, so that's Kylie, guys. Kylie Bonello, Satira Independent Living, head of BDM. We'll call you that, or what do we call you?
National head of growth.
National head of growth. It's a scary title. It is, it is. And I'll talk about that today too. Okay, so Kylie, how do they find you? Is there an address, an email address, or LinkedIn, whatever you want?
Oh, look, absolutely. Find me on LinkedIn. That's an easy one. Find the post with the curly-haired girl. I think that's probably better than trying to work out how to spell my surname.
That's your brand. Absolutely it is.
Otherwise, send me a message or call me on my mobile, 0492 829 628, or send me an email, kylie.bonello@sotiria-il.com.au. I think LinkedIn's probably the best one.
What a legend. How good was that? Okay guys, there it is. Conversations in Care, live at the SILL Summit. Thanks very much for tuning in. Connect with Kylie, magnificent person. Got to meet her this week. We knew each other from LinkedIn, but we just got to know each other today and yesterday. It was really great. Connect with her. Great person, easy to talk to, approachable. One of the best in the sector. Thanks, Carly.
Thanks, Con.
Thank you very much.
We hope you enjoyed this Conversation in Care with Con Sotidis. Please follow Con on LinkedIn for more Conversations in Care.
