The Disability Sector Receives a $64.9 million Boost from the Australian Government

Earlier this month, the Australian Government announced that it would be investing $64.9 million in grants to 138 organisations within the disability sector. This is fantastic news for the disabled population as it will allow organisations to improve the capacity of impaired Australians to participate and be active members of their respective communities.

The Individual Capacity Building (ICB) grant is part of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) program. It aims to deliver projects that promote the protection of the rights of people with disabilities through the increase of their:

• skills and capacity,
• motivation, confidence and empowerment and,
• participation and contribution to the community.

Additionally, Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) and Families Organisations (FOs) can improve their capability to execute services for the disabled community through:

• the improvement of an organisation’s ability to deliver its mission through the training of staff, board members and volunteers.

According to the Minister for the NDIS, Stuart Robert, the grants will empower people with disabilities to be more active members in their communities through the insurance of access to peer support, mentoring and other services that help them to build individual skills and confidence.

Importantly, one of the projects funded under this grant include online hubs which help people with disabilities to sign up to social activities and groups. This is a crucial point because it goes a step further in empowering people with disabilities as it also facilitates access to communities’ programs.

With the grant being extended to 138 organisations across Australia, it’s clear that this will bring cohesive empowerment in different communities around the country and will help to propel Australia’s disabled population into success, getting them closer to their full potential.

While this grant has been in the works for some time, it’s still refreshing to see the Government inject much-needed resources into the disabled community. It’s especially important because of the cries of disability advocates who are concerned that the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) – the agency responsible for administering NDIS – is not working hard enough to engage people in hard-to-reach communities. Aboriginals, Torres Strait Islanders and people whose first language is not English have been identified by Robert as communities that will be targeted for improved engagement.

At Access Link Consulting, we are thrilled with the Government’s financial support and conscious engagement with sidelined migrant, Indigenous and linguistically diverse disabled communities. Regardless of your background, disability requires support. Engagement in one’s community is one of the best ways to empower oneself and to rise above the limitations of a disability. We look forward to the impacts of the Government’s investment.