Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Friday I was very privileged to launch a new outreach program that is being delivered by Sunnyfield for people with disability in Lake Macquarie. Lake Macquarie is one of the NDIS rollout sites in New South Wales, and Sunnyfield is an outstanding group that is known for delivering person-centred programs to people.

The thing that is really special about this program is that it is being delivered in partnership with the Belmont Neighbourhood Centre, which is a hub for community activity within the Belmont area. Sunnyfield will outreach into the community from the neighbourhood centre. The neighbourhood centre also provides the ability for the clients of Sunnyfield to undertake daily living skills—learning to cook and to use computers. There is a community garden there where the clients can go out and be mentored by volunteers. In addition, there is an outstanding Men's Shed. The men who work in that Men's Shed will take the clients of Sunnyfield under their wing. This is the way that things should work—partnerships between different organisations in the community. It will be a vital resource for people with disabilities in the Lake Macquarie area and as the NDIS continues to be rolled out within the area.