Media Release: Targeted Outreach Project rolls out in new regions today

The Targeted Outreach Project, which supports people with disability into the NDIS, rolls out in South-east Queensland from today, 6 September 2021.  Minister for Seniors and Disability Services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Craig Crawford MP announced the launch of the initiative into Ipswich, Somerset, Lockyer Valley, Scenic Rim, Logan, and Redlands.

This work will identify and engage more people with disability who may be eligible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

The project partners Queenslanders with Disability Network (QDN), Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS), Aged and Disability Advocacy Australia (ADA Australia) and the Queensland Government will target people with disability who are yet to apply for the NDIS, particularly those who experience a range of additional barriers to accessing the NDIS, such as homelessness.

QDN Chief Executive Officer Paige Armstrong said, “We have been hearing from Queenslanders with disability that it can be overwhelming when applying for the NDIS for the first time,”

Ms Armstrong congratulated the state government on the ongoing partnership, which is proving very valuable in ensuring many more Queenslanders who are eligible for the NDIS are supported into the scheme.

One of the keys to the success of the project is that the partners work with local community groups, organisations, and leaders to identify, reach out and support vulnerable and ‘hard to reach’ people.  There are also local champions with disability on the ground in these regions. Peter Tully and his family, who are Ipswich locals, will provide invaluable insights and support, from the perspective of a family with lived experience of disability.

Individuals identified by the partnership are then connected to the Queensland Government’s new Assessment and Referral Team (ART) for further support in their NDIS journey.

QDN and project partners look forward to working with local communities, organisations, leaders, and partners in the new regions to help more Queenslanders access the NDIS.

The project rolls out to residents in Brisbane and the Gold Coast later this year.

The work is made available through a collaboration between the Queensland and Commonwealth Governments.

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Media Contact: Paige Armstrong, QDN CEO (07) 3252 8566