29/07/2026
📣 Have your say about the future of disability supports in the ACT!
ACT DSID and Women with Disabilities ACT are working with the ACT Government to better understand what community-based disability supports currently look like across the ACT — what’s working well, what’s missing, and what people with disability and their families need moving forward.
This is an important opportunity for people with disability, families, carers, support networks and community organisations to share their experiences and help shape the future of disability supports in our community.
💬 There are several ways to have your say, including community consultation sessions and an online survey.
📅 Upcoming consultation dates:
• 30 July – Pearce Community Centre
• 14 August – Canberra Southern Cross Club Tuggeranong
• 26 August – Gungahlin Community Centre
You can also complete the online survey if attending a consultation isn’t possible.
We encourage our Shift & Co community to get involved, share your experiences and make your voice heard. ❤️
👉 Head to the original post from ACT DSID for all the details, consultation registration links and survey information.
Community-Based Disability Supports - Community Consultation
ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability (ACT DSID) and Women with Disabilities ACT (WWDACT) is partnering with the ACT Government to conduct community consultation into community-based disability supports.
Community-based disability supports:
In the ACT, Community based disability supports are programs, services and resources that promote inclusion, build skills, capacity and independence, foster social participation, remove barriers to mainstream services and link people with disability and their support networks to the community.
Community-based disability supports are often provided by local not for profit organisations. Typically, the key focus of these community-based disability supports are to improve the lives of people with disability and their families. Some organisations that provide community-based disability supports may offer some services that can be paid for using NDIS funding but also offer services for free or at low cost to the community. Services could include disability programs at a local community centre or community group, incorporated association or sporting group.
The ACT Government also offers a range of community-based disability supports such as accessible transport, Companion Card support, Child Development Services and an Equipment Loan Service.
Have you heard about the proposed General Foundational Supports?
The Department of Health, Disability & Aging says General Foundational Supports are specific supports outside the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). They are in addition to services offered by mainstream systems, like education and health.
General Foundational Supports will help people with disability to live a better life. They will improve access to:
- evidence-based information
- supports that help build skills, improve confidence and independence
- supports that will develop connections between peers and within the community
- supports to find other services and resources
- advice that helps community organisations to be more inclusive and accessible.
https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/foundational-supports-for-people-with-disability
No final decision has been made about how General Foundational Supports will be delivered across Australia. When this happens, the ACT Government wants to be aware of the community-based disability supports that already exist in the ACT. The ACT Government also wants to know what is missing from our community-based disability support landscape and hear this directly from people with disability and their families/support networks.
The community consultation will be carried out over July and August 2026. ACT DSID and WWDACT will be hosting three face-to-face/online community consultation events to gather information.
Dates:
- July 30th, 2026 - Pearce Community Centre: https://events.humanitix.com/community-consultations
- August 14th, 2026 - Canberra Southern Cross Club Tuggeranong: https://events.humanitix.com/copy-of-community-consultations-august-14th-2026-fcv4g4jl
- August 26th, 2026 - Gungahlin Community Centre: https://events.humanitix.com/copy-of-copy-of-community-consultations-august-26th-2026
ACT DSID and WWDACT has also created an online survey and will give the community the opportunity to speak with them over the phone, in person, via Teams or via email if giving feedback in this way is more appropriate. To provide your own feedback on community-based disability supports please complete the survey provided: https://forms.office.com/r/cC9TD9D4eK
The survey is also available in Plain Language: https://forms.office.com/r/q9BLLv5PiA
The information obtained through this research project will be de-identified and presented to the ACT Government in the form of a listening report in October 2026. ACT DSID and WWDACT may also use de-identified information in their advocacy work and information referral programs. If you have any questions about the research or how the information will be collected and used, please contact Shannon Kolak, CEO ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability.
