Local disability umbrella group SHOUT, for which the ACT Government performed a funding backflip last year after community pressure, is one of 17 ACT organisations to receive $2.7 million in grants through the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
The announcement by the Federal Minister for Social Services, Dan Tehan, said the ACT organisations would receive grants from the Information Linkage and Capacity Building (ILC) component of the NDIS.
ACT Minister for Disability, Children and Youth Rachel Stephen-Smith said the grants would build the capacity of people with disability in the ACT, link them with services and help break down barriers to accessing mainstream services.
SHOUT (Self Help Organisations United Together) has received $100,000 for a project that will extend the reach of its web portal (funded by the 2017 grants) by employing a Development Officer to connect individuals or groups who have limited web access or digital skills.
Pegasus Riding for the Disabled has also been given $52,314.60 over two years for its Equine Facilitated Learning program to support young adults to develop their social and emotional wellbeing through interaction with horses.
Other initiatives include:
- Autism Spectrum Australia (ASPECT) will develop and deliver an autism training package for ACT Policing. ($93,850, one year)
- Rebus Theatre’s project will deliver a series of workshops for employees of three mainstream services – Health, Justice and Transport – so they can better meet the needs of people with a disability. ($199,984.07 over two years)
- People With Disabilities ACT will scope and develop resources to improve health outcomes for people with disabilities. ($50,000 over two years)
- Volunteering and Contact ACT will undertake a project to deliver meaningful volunteering opportunities for people with a disability. ($350,000 over two years)
- ACT Playgroups Association has a project to expand an inclusive playgroup model for children with disability. ($70,510, one year)
Other recipients were: ACT Deafness Resource Centre ($190,570, one year), Down Syndrome Australia ($269,678, two years), Marymead’s Autism Centre ($280,000, two years), ACT Disability Aged and Carer Advocacy Service ($150,000, one year), Accessible Arts ($102,500, two years), ACT Playgroups Association’s Ready2Play ($216,504.80, two years), Bardic Studio ($12,500, two years), Blind Citizens Australia ($96,090, one year), Marymead Kids’ Companions Program ($160,140, one year).
St Vincent de Paul will deliver a program nationally for people with a psychosocial disability who are ineligible for NDIS funding, offering access to quality information about services for them.
For more information go here.