Leading the way

Minister for Disability Services, Ray Williams today announced more than $40 million for Ability Links, a program helping people with disability connect to the community.

Mr Williams said ensuring people with disability are supported in the early stages of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a priority for the NSW Government.

“This Government takes its responsibility of supporting some of the most vulnerable members of our society seriously and will continue to fund Ability Links over the next year,” Mr Williams said.
“Ability Links is a fantastic program, empowering people with disability, their families and carers to achieve their goals and build their future.”

“Staff, known as Linkers, work with people with disability to connect them to a number of opportunities including employment, volunteering and education.”

Under the program, there will be 295 Linker positions across NSW including 74 Aboriginal-specific Linkers.

Bankstown local, Abrahim Darouchie, has Neuromuscular Dystrophy and joined the Ability Links program as a result of social isolation.
“Ability Links has allowed me to gain new social networks, connect with the community and use my skills to advocate on behalf of people with disability, ” Mr Darouchie said.“With the help of my Linker, I have not only been able to build my own confidence, but have put myself in a position where I can help and mentor others.”

Since 2013, thousands of people with disability, their families and carers have benefitted from the program, providing more than 129,000 service connections and more than 1 million community connections. More than 86,000 people with disability have successfully transitioned to the NDIS.

Intereach Ability Links operates from offices in Deniliquin, Albury, Buronga, Cootamundra, Corowa, Finley, Griffith, Hay and Wagga Wagga.

Read more about Intereach Ability Links here:

Read more about Ability Links across NSW here:

Contact Us:

Call us for chat about how a local Linker can help you get involved in the local community.

Phone: 02 6932 8381

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Community Information Sessions will be held in Wentworth, Dareton and Balranald during May. These sessions are designed to help people with disability, their families and carers get ready for the NDIS. These sessions are particularly useful for people who haven’t attended an information session before or could do with a refresher.

The sessions will cover topics such as:
• What is the NDIS and how does it work?
• Who is eligible and when can the scheme be accessed?
• What kind of support can be accessed through the NDIS?
• Where can I get more information?

Sessions will be held in:

WENTWORTH

Date: Tuesday 1 May 2018
Time: 9am till 12pm
Location: Visitor Information Centre, 66 Darling St, Wentworth, NSW 2648

DARETON

Date: Tuesday 1 May 2018
Time: 1.30pm – 3pm
Location: Coomealla Health Aboriginal Corp, 51 Sturt Pl, Dareton, NSW 2717

BALRANALD

Date: Wednesday 2 May 2018
Time: 10am -12noon
Location: Balranald District Ex-Services Memorial Club, 116 Market St, Balranald NSW 2715

RSVPs

Please note: RSVPs are required for these workshops. If there are no RSVPs recorded, the workshops will not run. To RSVP please call 1800 522 679 or email LAC.Murrumbidgee@ndis.gov.au
If you would like more information about the NDIS visit: https://www.intereach.com.au/service/ndis-local-area-coordination-lac-murrumbidgee-and-far-west-nsw/

Want to know more about the NDIS? Wondering where iVan is visiting this month? Read on!

Where is iVan?

The LAC Loddon team will also be out and about in iVan the Information Van during April and May to answer your questions.

You can find the team at:

CARISBROOK

Date: Tuesday 24 April 2018
Time: 3.30pm-5.30pm
Where: Carisbrook Supermarket, 20 Green St, Carisbrook, VIC, 3464

ELMORE

Date: Monday 30 April 2018
Time: 3.00pm-5.00pm
Where: Elmore IGA, 72-76 Railway Place, Elmore, VIC, 3558

BOORT

Date: Friday 18 May 2018

Time: 10am-12pm

Where: Boort IGA, 96 Godfrey Street, Boort, VIC, 3537

BENDIGO

Date: Tuesday 22 May 2018
Time: 11am-1pm
Where: Bendigo Library, 259 Hargreaves Street, Bendigo, VIC, 3550

MALDON

Date: Tuesday 29 May 2018
Time: 9am-11am
Where: Bank Corner Antiques, 1 Main Street, Maldon, VIC, 3463

NDIS 101 Community Information Workshops

These information workshops are designed to help people with disability, as well as their families and carers, get ready for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

The sessions will cover topics such as:
• What is the NDIS and how does it work?
• What kind of support can I access through the NDIS?
• Accessing the NDIS
• The roll out of NDIS in the Loddon area

GISBORNE

Date: Thursday 24 April 2018
Time: 10.00am-11.30am
Where: Macedon Range Health, 5 Neal St, Gisborne, VIC, 3437

Date: Thursday 24 April 2018
Time: 1.30pm-3.00pm
Where: Macedon Range Health, 5 Neal St, Gisborne, VIC, 3437

TONGALA

Date: Thursday 10 May 2018

Time: 2pm-4pm

Where: Tongala Community Activities Centre, 94 Mangan Street, Tongala, VIC, 3621

ECHUCA

Date: Wednesday 16 May 2018
Time: 2pm-4pm
Where: Intereach Office, 203-205 Hare Street, Echuca, VIC, 3564

KYNETON

Date: Wednesday 23 May 2018
Time: 2pm-4pm
Where: Intereach Office, 89E Piper Street, Kyneton, VIC, 3444

NDIS Plan Implementation Workshops

These workshops aredesigned to help people with disability, as well as their families and carers, understand the next steps once they have received their approved NDIS plan.

The workshops will cover topics such as:
• Understanding your plan
• How to use MyGov
• How to update your details
• Searching providers
• Service agreements

The workshops will be delivered by Local Area Coordination staff from Intereach. This is an opportunity for you to bring your questions along and have them answered by staff members.

BENDIGO

Date: Wednesday 9 May 2018
Time: 2pm-4pm
Where: Intereach Office, 384 Hargreaves St, Bendigo, VIC, 3550

KYABRAM

Date: Thursday 10 May 2018
Time: 5pm-7pm
Where: Kyabram Community & Learning Centre, 21-25 Lake Road, Kyabram, VIC, 3620

Scheduled Plan Review Workshops

NDIS Participants with an approved plan, and their families or carers, are invited to attend this workshop to learn more, and prepare for the plan review process.
Plan reviews are a normal part of the NDIS. Your plan review will help you to measure your progress against your personal goals, explore new goals and identify any changes in your life.
All participants need a plan review before their current plan expires.

The workshop will cover topics such as:
• What is a plan review
• When to expect your plan review to occur
• How plans reviews happen
• What information to bring to your plan review meeting

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

NDIS Participants with an approved plan, and their families or carers who are due for a scheduled review. Enquiries relating to unscheduled reviews, or if you are a provider, contact 1300 968 140.

BENDIGO

Date: Wednesday 9 May 2018
Time: 5pm-7pm
Where: Intereach Office, 384 Hargreaves St, Bendigo, VIC, 3550

ECHUCA

Date: Wednesday 16 May 2018
Time: 5pm-7pm
Where: Intereach Office, 203-205 Hare St, Echuca, VIC, 3564

KYNETON

Date: Wednesday 23 May 2018
Time: 5pm-7pm
Where: Kyneton Intereach Office, 89E Piper Street, Kyneton, VIC, 3444

MARYBOROUGH

Date: Thursday 31 May 2018
Time: 9am-11am
Where: Maryborough Community House, 23 Primrose Street, Maryborough, VIC, 3465

Please note: RSVPs are required for all workshops. If there is no RSVP recorded, the workshop will not run. To RSVP please call 1300 968 140 or email lac_loddon@intereach.com.au

Do you want to keep up with news and events from the Loddon area as we implement NDIS LAC and ECEI?

People in Deniliquin and Finley have been invited to enjoy pancakes and fun activities to help show their support for autism awareness.

As part of local celebrations for World Autism Awareness Day, Intereach Ability Links and Kurrajong will be hosting free Pancakes in the Park events in both Deniliquin and Finley to build community awareness and understanding of autism. Activities on the day will include games, balloon release and a group art project along with free, yummy pancakes! There will also be a musical performance by Serhiy at the Deniliquin event.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects how people communicate and interact with others, and also how they view the world. In Australia as many as one in 100 people have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and as many as 21 million people worldwide are directly affected.

Intereach CEO Keryn Fox said, “Within the general community Autism is often wildly misunderstood. Autism Awareness Day is a chance to recognise those people who are on the spectrum, their accomplishments, strengths and struggles as well as their contribution to our community. We hope Pancakes in the Park encourages people to show support for those living with the effects of Autism and to discuss and understand what we can all do to be more inclusive of people and families who live with Autism.”

For more information about Pancakes in the Park in Deniliquin contact Jenny, Intereach Ability Links, on 03 5890 5233. For more information about the Finley event contact June, Intereach Finley Community Hub, on 03 5890 6200.

Intereach is a not for profit community based provider of services to regional, rural and remote communities throughout Northern Victoria and the Riverina Murray region of NSW. They work alongside children, families, older people, carers and people with a disability by providing information and support, delivering a range of services or linking people with another service that can better meet their needs.

Deniliquin Pancakes in the Park

Date: Thursday 19 April 2018
Time: 10.00am – 12.30pm
Location: RSL Park, Deniliquin
Cost: It’s free!

Finley Pancakes in the Park

Date: Thursday 19 April 2018
Time: 10.00am – 12.30pm
Location: Finley Memorial Park, Berrigan Road
Cost: It’s free!