Living with a disability, ageing or recovering from an injury can be a challenge. Here CityNews talks to the services who are here to offer support and guidance.

Living with a disability, ageing or recovering from an injury can be a challenge.

There are many passionate experts based in the ACT region who offer services that can make daily life a little easier, whether it’s at home, or beyond.

Expo showcases latest in disability support

The Canberra Disability Expo is taking place on September 6 and 7, 9am-3pm, and will involve more than 85 exhibitors, says marketing manager Yvette Thomson.

She says exhibitors include a range of allied health, government, advocacy, employment, housing, and some assistive technology products.

The event is free, and Yvette says it is not just for those with NDIS funding, it is open to anyone who is living with a disability, their carers, family and friends. 

“It’s an inclusive venue, it’s an accessible venue, we have Auslan and live captioning, we have a quiet hour from 9am to 10am on the Saturday morning for people that have sensory sensitivities, and then we also have water stations and toilet areas for those with service animals,” she says.

On Friday, the expo ambassador, Tim Murdoch, will perform at 11am, and will also do an interview on stage, along with many other speakers and entertainment throughout the two days. 

“We just want to provide an inclusive environment for anyone in the Canberra area to come along and find out what’s sort of new and happening at the Expo,” Yvette says.

Canberra Disability Expo, September 6 and 7, Exhibition Park. Visit canberradisabilityexpo.com.au

Creating inclusive work environments

Jigsaw is a social enterprise founded on the idea that the best way to prepare people for work is through the real-world experience of work.

“People with disability first gain skills and training, then are employed at award wage in our commercial business,” says CEO Paul Brown.

“After that, we support them in their transition to open employment in the right role with the right employer.” 

In Canberra, the Jigsaw hub will provide more than 100 traineeships at any one time. 

With a focus on school leavers, those aged between 16-29 years old, Paul says Jigsaw is giving people with disability a chance at a financially stable and socially inclusive future.

Paul says meaningful employment is about more than having a job. 

“Jigsaw graduates also experience improved well-being due to the sense of contribution, purpose and identity that employment brings,” he says.

Jigsaw’s commercial business, which provides work experience opportunities and paid employment for its trainees, offers digitisation and information management services to corporate and government clients. 

“Jigsaw’s vision is a simple one: an Australia in which people with disability are fully included in the workforce,” he says. 

“We know our pathway to mainstream employment is getting results, and we are so proud to have expanded our reach to Australia’s capital city.”

With traineeships currently available, Paul says to drop by for a chat at the Canberra Disability Expo, Exhibition Park, September 6-7 or book a tour of the hub.

Jigsaw, call 1300 166734 or visit jigsawaustralia.com.au

Experts at enhancing workplace diversity

Koomarri is the longest serving, specialist provider of support to people with intellectual disability in the Canberra and surrounding region, says CEO Nadine Stephen.

“We specialise in supporting people gain and maintain meaningful employment through our customised employment program,” she says.

“This approach matches the right employee with the right business so everyone gets the positive outcome they are looking for.”

Nadine says that, disappointingly, Australia has one of the lowest employment participation rates for people with disability in the OECD, and that the rate is even lower for people with an intellectual disability.

“People with an intellectual disability want to work for the same reasons as other people; to learn skills and get job satisfaction, to have a sense of belonging and purpose, and to earn a wage,” she says.

The benefits to business are also significant, and Nadine says research, and Koomarri’s experiences, indicate improved profitability for business, lower employee turnover and high rates of employee reliability, punctuality and loyalty.

“We need more local businesses to sign up and support the skilled people we have seeking jobs,” she says.

“As a local business partner we can explore developing either work trials or paid positions depending on your needs and interest.”

Nadine says Koomarri provides a fully funded career coach for all work trials, and can also provide education and ongoing, on the job support from a Koomarri support worker, as required.

“We do all the hard work in the background, making it easy for businesses to enhance the diversity of their workplace,” she says.

Koomarri, 24 Launceston Street, Phillip. Call 6280 6143, or visit koomarri.com.au

Services focusing on the child and supporting the family

Sanctuary Aus is a not-for-profit family support service based in Holder that is purpose-built for Canberra, says Kim Hefren-Webb, executive director.  

“Our major focus is in providing behaviour support services to children and young people up to the age of 25 years,” says Kim.

“We provide holistic services, focusing on the child and including the family in our work.

“We have been providing behaviour support to Canberra’s children and young people for over five years and are proud of the individualised and personal service we provide, rather than producing high turnovers of one-size-fits-all services and assessments.

“At Sanctuary Aus, we have two goals, the first is to provide professional child and family services for vulnerable families. The second is to build community.”

A lot of families parent in isolation in Canberra and have difficulty building community because it is such a mobile city, says Kim, which is why Sanctuary Aus aims to help build connected communities.

“We provide Circle of Security training, which is an attachment-based training program for families,” she says.

Kim says Sanctuary Aus tries to help the families who can’t access the current support programs in Canberra, as many of them take place during  business hours. 

She says they instead go to families and provide support at people’s homes.

Kim says they also run two children’s support groups: one is Cool Kids with ASD, which supports children with autism to manage their anxiety and learn coping skills. 

They also have Club Mojo, which teaches children between seven and 11 how to understand their emotions or others’ emotions.

Sanctuary Aus. Call 0431 449 822, email info@sanctuaryaus.org.au or visit sanctuaryaus.org.au

Services lead to healthier, happier lives

Arthritis ACT can help people with physical and mental disabilities find the pathways they need to lead happier and healthier lives, says CEO Rebecca Davey.

“We are an NDIS provider, but we can support anyone with their disability whether the NDIS is for them or not.” she says.

“We specialise in helping people with invisible disabilities.”

Rebecca says Arthritis ACT has an occupational therapist who can assist people particularly with their assistive technology needs.

“That includes wheelchairs, scooters, home modification and he can also do private driving assessments for people with disabilities who need them,” she says.

Rebecca says it’s incredibly rewarding to see the difference Arthritis ACT’s services can provide.

“People may have heard that we’ve recently suffered a serious flooding event in the building we usually operate out of,” she adds. 

“We want to ensure that everyone is aware that we are up and running with all our exercise classes being delivered out of the University of Canberra Health Hub, so it’s business as usual!”

Arthritis ACT, 170 Haydon Drive, Bruce. Call 1800 011041, or visit arthritisact.org.au

Fostering independence through empowerment

The colour yellow evokes feelings of hope and prosperity, while the word bridge represents the shortcut towards greater independence, says Yellow Bridge founder and director, Muhammad Rahman.

He says the registered NDIS provider aims to foster independence through empowerment, and provides co-ordination services, psychosocial recovery coaching, mentoring services, social work and disability support programs.

“We aim to offer a positive environment where individuals are given the tools and resources they need to become more independent, as well as more active participants in the local community,” he says. 

Muhammad began working as a disability support worker in 2010, while also working with dementia patients, before transitioning to a position as a support co-ordinator in 2014.

He says that many of the Yellow Bridge team have lived experience of disability, and understand how helpful it is to have assistance in accessing the NDIS, smoothing out the oftentimes complicated process. 

“We envision a world where every individual has the ability to live a meaningful life through strong connections,” he says. 

“We aim for every Yellow Bridge participant to ultimately have the confidence and support they need to both live independently, and as active contributors within their communities.”

Yellow Bridge was recently honoured with a Commendation, at the 2023 Chief Minister’s Inclusion Awards, for Excellence in Inclusive Services and Disability Support, and Muhammad was awarded the Excellence in Making Inclusion Happen award.

Yellow Bridge was also a finalist in the 2023 Local Business Awards.

Yellow Bridge, Level 1, 1/25 Dickson Place, Dickson. Call 5135 6685 or visit ybridge.com.au

Trauma programs build confidence in water

WaterWombats is not just a swim school, says founder Carol Jennings, it is an allied health organisation offering therapy services and adapted swim programs that use water as a therapeutic tool. 

WaterWombats offers programs that specifically aim to help children and young people living with a disability to develop physical and emotional literacy skills for the water and in life. 

However, Carole says they also offer programs targeting pain management, such as the new aquatic bodywork program, a water shiatsu relaxation therapy for adults.

Aquatic therapies with WaterWombats include hydrotherapy, explicit water safety instruction, adapted learn-to-swim programs, aquatic sensory and motor integration therapy, aqua aerobics and aqua yoga. 

But, WaterWombats also has land-based activities running, including drama therapy and expressive arts therapies that Carole says are going very well.

“Additionally to that, we’re now able to offer some capacity assessments for NDIS, so reporting assessments to support NDIS applications and things like that,” says Carol.

“The other thing is a program called PACT, which is: Pediatric, Autism Communication Therapy.

“It’s for parents of children that are struggling with communication and connection.”

She says the program is designed to support parents build connections with their child and foster communication lines and strategies.

The WaterWombats will be at the community table at the Canberra Disability Expo, Exhibition Park, September 6-7, and Carol encourages people to come and ask questions, or just have a chat. 

WaterWombats. Call 0413 139018, or visit waterwombats.com