Mambourin, one of the biggest disability service providers in Melbourne’s north-west, will officially open its latest community hub this month – at Brook Street, Sunbury. It will be the organisation’s first Hume branch.
Rohan Braddy, Mambourin’s chief executive, says the opening symbolises the organisation’s commitment to ensuring adults living with disabilities have greater choice of services and better connections to opportunities.
“We know there is already enormous demand for disability services in Hume,” he says.
“To be able to provide people with more choice and a huge range of flexible services is incredibly exciting, not just for us, but for the entire community.”
Since its foundation in 1972, Mambourin has established seven community hubs for adults with disabilities, with locations ranging from Altona and Melton to Bacchus Marsh and, now, Sunbury.
Mambourin’s fleet of community buses enables inter-site travel, giving people the chance to choose from a wide range of experiences.
“Everyone is different and has different goals in life,” Rohan says. “Our team knows that you have to get to know people, listen to them, understand them, and only then can you shape services that suit them as an individual.”
With more than 100 social and community interest groups, respite and recreation activities, life skills assistance and around-the-clock support alternatives, Mambourin also offers supported employment options via the Mambourin Training Centre in Derrimut. It opened in 2017 to offer traineeship opportunities to VCAL students with disabilities.
Mambourin has a dedicated NDIS team that deals specifically with people wanting to get the most out of the scheme. Established last year, the team, including NDIS transition manager Lavinia Tukuafu, has been educating people on what to expect from the scheme.
“A huge focus for us has been preparing people for the NDIS,” Lavinia says.
“This means helping them set goals, but also taking them through the NDIS process, making it easy to understand so they know exactly what they are entitled to.
“The NDIS, which began its roll-out in Hume this month, has met with a mixed reception.
“Problems with the scheme’s implementation and confusion over what participants are entitled to have plagued the scheme.
“We have seen that when people are prepared, and we have gone through their planning for them, the results have been successful.
“But people have reason to be anxious … at least we can make that journey as simple as possible,” Lavinia says.
For further information, call Mambourin on 9731 9200 or visit mambourin.org
