For people with lived experience of disability, connecting with the community plays a big role in improving wellbeing and happiness. It can help you gain new skills, connect with like-minded people and build a life that you enjoy.

Connecting with your community is all about participating in activities outside your home or virtually through online groups. It includes socialising with people and doing things that interest you.

Everyone has different needs, so it’s important to stay connected in a way that suits you. Check out the resources below to get started.

Joining a peer-to-peer disability group is a great way to get extra support and make new friends.

In these regular meetings, people living with disability get together to talk about their challenges and goals. They share useful advice and discuss topics like NDIS services or disability in the workplace.

There are also groups open to family members and carers who provide disability support.

Watch the video to hear from participants what benefits they got out of joining a group.

In 2020, SSI started running disability support groups in multicultural communities across NSW called the Multicultural Peer Network (MPN). The program was funded through the Department of Social Services (DSS) and ended in early 2023.

After the program ended, SSI sought to empower the disability community to continue to benefit from the resources created during the program. These resources are now publicly available for anyone to use, free of charge.

The MPN was a collection of impactful, peer-led support groups which promoted independence among people with lived experience of disability from multicultural communities, as well as their carers and families.

To learn more about the resources on this webpage, facilitator training or other ways SSI supports community organisations, email community@ssi.org.au.

For more information about SSI’s disability support services in NSW, please visit our Local Area Coordination services page or email ssilac@ndis.gov.au.

SSI provides personalised employment support for people with disability. Find out more or email the team at employment@ssi.org.au.

Join the community of hundreds of volunteers who give back to their local communities with SSI. Explore volunteering opportunities on our volunteering page or email volunteer@ssi.org.au.

Our Local area coordination program supports participants along their NDIS journey, giving them the knowledge and confidence to access services that will potentially have positive life-changing impacts.

These are the stories about what has been made possible that was not previously possible.

Whether or not you’re eligible to receive NDIS support, SSI local area coordinators can help build the skills and knowledge of participants, families and carers to connect with mainstream services and community support networks.

Please see recurring events below for our ongoing upcoming events.

SSI delivers local area coordination services to residents in:

Canada Bay, Leichhardt, Marrickville, Strathfield, Ashfield, Burwood, Sydney.

Bankstown, Camden, Campbelltown, Canterbury, Fairfield, Liverpool, Wingecarribee, Wollondilly.

P: 1800 960 975
E: ssilac@ndis.gov.au

If you have any questions or enquiries specifically about the NDIA and not LAC, please contact the NDIA Contact Centre on 1800 800 110.

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please dial 000.

If you are having thoughts of suicide, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Your feedback is important to us. Whether it’s a complaint, compliment or a suggestion on how we can improve our service, we want to hear from you.

In 2016, we heard the voices of the community and introduced a Gateway community space for locals to drop in and receive information, advice or referral.

The Gateway continues to coordinate from an integrated response model, whereby local services outreach from the centre and collaborate on strategies around local community issues. We facilitate a number of internal programs for improving the economic and social participation of newly arrived communities. The SSI Gateway can be booked to run events and other community-focused work.

There are several large training rooms and small interview rooms available to hire via our external booking process.

To find out more about what’s on at SSI Gateway or to enquire about booking space for your next event/workshop/meeting, please either drop in, email or phone us.

SSI Gateway is located at 91 Wembley Road, Logan Central, QLD 

E: acsl.gatewayofficer@ssi.org.au
P: 07 3412 8222
Monday – Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm

Peer-to-peer support groups are a powerful way to connect people with disability to information that can greatly improve their lives. They also play an important role in bringing the disability community together to advocate for themselves and others.

The best part about these groups? Anyone can start one. With the right tools and resources, you can create a safe space for people with lived experience of disability to connect with each other, access advice, learn skills and become more independent.

Read on to find out how to form a peer-to-peer support group in your community and what free resources and training SSI now offers for community organisations to upskill and run their own groups.

For more information on the Multicultural Peer Network, email community@ssi.org.au.

In 2020, SSI created a successful model for running disability support groups in multicultural communities across NSW called the Multicultural Peer Network (MPN).

The MPN was a collection of impactful, peer-led support groups which promoted independence among people with lived experience of disability from multicultural communities, as well their carers and families.

The program was funded through the Department of Social Services (DSS).

During the MPN program, SSI found tailoring disability support groups to different cultures, languages and interests had a vastly positive impact on people with disability in these spaces.

With a focus on guiding participants on advocacy and helping them gain new skills, 84% of participants agreed they were more knowledgeable about their rights and 85% felt they had new skills to help them achieve their goals.

With the resources from the MPN program now publicly available, community leaders and organisations can be empowered to start their own peer groups.

View the NEW Training Manual – a new, free interactive way to learn how to run peer led support groups.

In this video, hear from the MPN Program coordinator Susie who gives an overview of the two facilitator guides and how best to use them in discussion groups.

Facilitator training

SSI offers free facilitator training for community organisations and individuals interested in starting their own community peer groups deepening their facilitator skills.

To learn more about the resources on this webpage, facilitator training or other ways SSI supports community organisations, email community@ssi.org.au.

Facilitator guides

These facilitator guides are designed for community organisations to use as a handbook for workshop facilitation and to gain valuable skills in facilitating group discussions.

Book 1: The MPN Model provides an overview of the practice model for engaging with people of CALD backgrounds and disability, including an in-depth explanation of the key principles of the model, their outcomes, and capacity building in utilising this model. View the NEW Training Manual – a new, free interactive way to learn how to run peer-led support groups.

Book 2: This guide is a compilation of resources that can be used by peer facilitators to run a peer group, including how to help people learn about self-advocacy, circles of support, volunteering, and employment.

SSI disability support services

For more information about SSI’s disability support services in NSW, please visit our Local Area Coordination services page or email ssilac@ndis.gov.au.

At 99 Steps our team of domestic and family violence practitioners provides culturally responsive and trauma-informed support to women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds experiencing domestic and family violence in the Logan and Beenleigh area.

99 Steps is a specialised service for women from refugee/asylum seeker backgrounds or women living in community on a temporary visa. We understand the unique barriers faced by women in diverse communities, and our mission is to empower and support them on their journey towards safety and healing.

99 Steps can provide tailored support to meet the specific cultural and linguistic needs of women experiencing domestic and family violence:

Emotional Support

• Building awareness of domestic and family violence
• Education around healthy relationships
• Empowering women to self-advocate
• Fostering resilience through trauma informed practice

Practical Support

• Safety/Exit planning
• Referrals to crisis services and emergency shelters
• Referrals to legal support services
• Referrals to housing services
• Referrals to case management services
• Referrals to health and counselling services

We know that it can be hard for people seeking asylum to find a job that values your skills and experience. It’s important to have the right support to help you prepare for and secure lasting, skilled employment.

We can help you get a good job and succeed in Australia.

Our free 1:1 support helps you to set goals, get your overseas skills recognised, pay for work expenses, and find a good job. We make it easier for you to build a better future.

Asylum Seeker Employment Skills Support (ASESS) provides support to make it easier for people seeking asylum to join the workforce. We offer mentoring and support to help you:

*Names have been changed.

Funded by the NSW Department of Education, SSI delivers ASESS services across NSW.

Email: asess@ssi.org.au

Liverpool

Address: Level 1/45 – 47 Scott Street, Liverpool NSW 2170

Phone: 02 9600 3100

Fairfield

Address: Ground Floor / 7 William Street, Fairfield NSW 2165

Phone: 02 8111 7000

Settling refugees in regional towns and cities benefits newcomers and local communities alike. The refugees enjoy a more relaxed introduction to Australia and make important social, cultural and economic contributions to their host communities. 

SSI provides regional settlement services in Coffs Harbour, Newcastle and Armidale. Working under the Commonwealth’s Humanitarian Settlement Program, staff engage refugees, humanitarian entrants and local stakeholders to ensure successful, long-term settlement outcomes.