The Compass Institute is a Sunshine Coast based charity dedicated to providing real futures for young Queenslanders with a disability. In 2002 Compass followed its dream to develop a truly leading edge service for people with an intellectual and/or physical disability. The response from the community to a developmental and transition focused service has been overwhelming and the results for the young people accessing the service have been extraordinary.
Between 1992 and 2006 Compass provided Alternative Education programmes to over seven thousand at-risk children and youth through local schools. Employing the principles of traditional martial arts philosophy and practice these unique experiential programmes pioneered early intervention in Queensland.
The Compass service has developed to incorporate several aspects…
Education & Enrichment – Further education & Lifelong learning
Lifestyle services – Community participation and Living solutions
Training and Vocations – Certified training, Community enterprises & placements
Corporate Partnerships – Working with the business community to mutual benefit
Compass Board
Ian Newton – Chairperson
Ian has a passion for small business, health and wellbeing, and martial arts. Playing a small role in transforming lives through the educational and family based model of compass is an honour and a privilege.
Ian is a qualified Naturopath and Hypnotherapist.
John Birse – Vice Chairperson
John is an experienced professional within the property development and the property and construction finance industries. This experience has included roles in private business as Managing Director of a property development company and a current leadership role with a major Banking Institution.
John is a graduate of the University of Queensland, with a Bachelor of Business majoring in Property Studies. John is also a Fellow of the Development Institute of Australia and has served at an executive committee level with the Sunshine Coast branch of Urban Development Institute Australia (UDIA).
Kay Melleuish – Treasurer
I have been a registered nurse for 29 years. In that time I have specialised in Psychiatry, Drug and Alcohol Detoxification, Forensic Psychiatry, Mental Handicap Nursing and General. I worked as a nurse educator in Psychiatry and Mental Handicap Nursing. I also became a trainer for the QLD Health Aggression Management Program and have my own education consultancy practice. I now work at Nambour General Hospital in the Department of Emergency Medicine assessing mental health consumers, plus I work at two doctor’s surgeries as a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.
I was lucky enough to find Aikido many years ago and managed to achieve Shodan which was one of the proudest moments of my life. To find that David had a common interest in helping and improving life for people who have disabilities inspired me to be part of the committee. I now enjoying watching the service grow and the trainees achieving.
Wendy Dangerfield – Secretary
Wendy holds two roles with Compass, one as Secretary on the Board of Management and the other as Office Manager. The Office Manager role sees her overseeing payroll, creditors, customers, financial reporting as well as managing upgrades to the different Education & Training centres.
The Secretary role sees her providing financial reports to the Board, preparing annual budgets and being part of the decision making for the future of the organisation. She is a born and bred Sunshine Coast girl and proud of it.
Bronwyn Latcham – Community
In my early years, I grew up on a cattle property in Queensland, the bush still runs in my blood – I love working part-time with race horses at Corbould Park Caloundra and I enjoy getting away to the outback as much as possible.
Over the years, I have held many positions in secretarial/reception work but I now have my own global business making people look and feel younger. I have two sons and I live at Caloundra enjoying all I do.
David Dangerfield – CEO
David Dangerfield is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Compass Institute. His background includes many years’ experience in the fields of business, the not for profit sector and disabilities.
He studied and worked overseas in the disability sector during the eighties and nurtured the vision of establishing a leading edge service for young people with disabilities in Australia – a dream he realised through Compass in 2003.
