Opportunities for people with disability to comfortably explore some of Australia’s most remote locations, greater support for Aboriginal and regional communities and creation of a national wellness hub are among exciting ideas now one step closer to reality thanks to the Community Business Bureau (CBB).

As part of its Federally funded interactive learning program, NDIS Success, CBB has announced the first round of successful applicants who will receive up to six months of direct business support from its market-leading consulting team.

CBB General Manager, Consulting and Business Services, Jane Arnott, said: “This direct business consulting opportunity helps these organisations take what they’ve learned through our webinar series and apply that knowledge to advance a number of very exciting projects and plans they have in the pipeline.”

“We have been overwhelmed by the interest received during our first round of NDIS Success from small to medium organisations across Australia wanting to adapt and scale services, as well as larger organisations wanting to fast-track their efforts to deliver on the needs of Australians living with disability,” she said.

“Those who successfully completed the program were invited to apply for direct business consulting support to help them take their ideas to the next step of development, and the many applications we received showcased ingenuity, commitment and innovation at its finest.”

As a round one mentoring recipient, Orana Care Managing Director, Dawn Inman-Wyness said tapping into the CBB team’s experience would help advance plans to establish a purpose-built care homes across Victoria for younger people diagnosed with early onset dementia.

“There are no care homes specifically designed to help younger people with early onset dementia anywhere in Victoria which means a person as young as 20 has little choice but to go into an aged care facility – if they are fortunate enough to find a vacancy at all,” Ms Inman-Wyness said.

“I have spent four years trying to turn a vision into reality, and I now have opportunity to move this forward. It’s an extremely exciting opportunity for my organisation and will deliver a solution that addresses a growing unmet need in the community.”

Another successful round one recipient was Austour, with General Manager Glenda Ashton saying the organisation planned to use the mentoring opportunity to explore expansion of its current tour operations so that people living with disability could experience the beautiful and natural wonders in some of the nation’s local and remote destinations.

“Australia has arguably some of the most magnificent natural wonders on the planet, and we want to use accessible all-terrain vehicles specifically designed for adult wheelchair users, so they can comfortably explore Uluru and other outback destinations which, until now, would not have been easily accessible,” Ms Ashton said.

“We are also keen to explore offering short break tours in regional destinations for adults living with physical and intellectual disabilities who want to see the most remote parts of this country but until now have had to miss out because the support they need to enjoy a holiday is just not easily accessed.”

Physiotherapists, speech and occupational therapists, medical practitioners, and podiatrists were among an array of participants who accumulated more than 800 webinar views in the initial round of NDIS Success, gaining valuable insight into the critical steps needed to thrive and grow in the NDIS environment from a panel of expert presenters.

Dozens of organisations who completed the program went on to apply for the Federally funded direct business consulting opportunity, with the following organisations announced as the initial recipients:

Orana Care and Consulting

Develop a program across Victoria that provides accommodation and individualised support for younger people with Early Onset Dementia.

Austour

Provide touring and holiday opportunities that allow people who have mobility challenges to explore the Australian outback and other regional areas.

Aboriginal Family Support Services

Engage the South Australia Aboriginal and Disability community to increase the utilisation of NDIS plans provided to Aboriginal participants.

Baptist Care SA

Expand services into key regional locations including Mt Gambier, Port Pirie and the Gawler / Barossa region.

Project Independence

Develop a multi session course and greater number of accommodation options for people with intellectual disabilities who want to transition to independent living.

Clubhouse SA Inc Diamond House

Develop a concept of a Community Wellness Hub that offers psychosocial day and group programs for people with lived experience of mental illness.

The Junction Cairns

Deliver against demand for behaviour support in the Cairns area and work with people to ensure they receive specialised training and a coordinated approach by NDIS support workers.

ANTAC

Achieve NDIS registration to ensure greater numbers of Aboriginal participants in culturally sensitive workshops, face to face counselling sessions, centre based activities and cultural events.
“The CBB team has helped hundreds of Australian service providers operate successfully in the NDIS environment and we will draw on that experience to work with our round one winners to develop initiatives which are sure to address a number of critical service and support gaps which will ultimately be of great benefit to people with disability,” Ms Arnott said.

Round two registrations for NDIS Success are now open for organisations already providing disability services who are keen to expand as well as organisations in an associated field wanting to move into the disability sector.

Secure your interest in the next round of NDIS Success

This program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.  CBB’s Community Development Fund is also contributing funds to the program.