On Thursday 17 October 2024 we gathered to have an important conversation about increasing housing and living options for people with disability in Australia. Our topic for the day was Fulfilling the NDIS promise in housing and living: Innovation starts today. We’d like to thank the more than 500 people who attended, we appreciate your support and hope you enjoyed the event.
One of the key takeaways from the Forum was that innovation in housing and living is possible and it is happening, but Australia lacks the systemic infrastructure and commitment to consistently offer contemporary housing and living options to people with disability. Providers, governments and people with disability, all need to work together to scale alternative options to group homes.
While more work needs to be done, there is no better time for reform. We saw in our discussion and video interviews that models of support built around the person can be successfully scaled. Both the NDIS Review and the Disability Royal Commission called for urgent reform in housing and living. Now is the time for change.
The event marked an important milestone for the Summer Foundation, with our founder Di Winkler outlining why we’re relaunching the organisation to focus on designing better housing and living solutions for the 40,000+ Australians with disability who need access to 24/7 support needs. This includes younger people with disability in residential aged care.
If you missed the event, you can watch the full recording of the forum below:
Disclaimer from the National Disability Insurance Agency: This material is general in nature. Information provide in presentations by the National Disability Insurance Agency is considered to be true and correct at the time the presentation was presented or recorded. Changes in circumstances after time of presentation or recording may impact the accuracy of this information and Nation Disability Insurance Agency gives no assurance as to the accuracy of any information or advice contained. Such material is assembled in good faith but does not necessarily reflect the considered views of National Disability Insurance Agency or indicate a commitment to a particular course of action.
You can learn more about the Summer Foundation’s impact to date and why we’re changing below:
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Find out more about our panel below:
Jamila Rizvi – Author, Advocate, Speaker
Jamila is a best-selling author, podcast presenter, and gender equality advocate. She has been named in the Australian Financial Review’s 100 Women of Influence and was a 2020 Women and Leadership Australia award winner. Jamila is an ambassador for PLAN International and the Royal Melbourne Hospital Neuroscience Foundation. Following her diagnosis with a rare brain tumour Jamila is living with multiple invisible disabilities.
Dr Sam Bennett – Disability Program Director, Grattan Institute
Sam Bennett has worked on disability, aged care, and health reforms at a national level for more than 15 years. He leads the Disability Program at the Grattan Institute. Prior to his role at Grattan, he led the Policy, Advice and Research Division of the National Disability Insurance Agency, where he shaped and delivered national policy, and implemented the Agency’s Research Strategy. Sam was also responsible for supporting the work of the NDIS Independent Advisory Council.
In the UK he led transformation programs in the National Health Service (NHS) integrating social care and health services.
Jo Collins – Branch Manager, Home and Living Reform, NDIA
Jo Collins is a Senior Executive with the National Disability Insurance Agency. She has been with the NDIA since 2014 and has over 25 years experience in the private and public sector with expertise in disability, injury management, employment and vocational rehabilitation. Jo has been involved in designing, leading and implementing government policy largely focused on supporting people with injuries, disability and complex social barriers.
Rod Davies – CEO, One2One
Rod has committed his life to supporting people with disability to be included, in charge of their own lives and have services tailored to them. Rod has more than 20 years experience working in the disability sector and started his career providing support to a young man with cerebral palsy that he went to high school with.
Prior to his role at One2One, Rod worked as a senior manager in an individualised accommodation support provider and became a key thinker and practitioner of individual living arrangements in Australia.
Dr Mark Brown – Senior Research Fellow, Summer Foundation
Mark Brown is a Senior Research Fellow at the Summer Foundation and an Honorary Research Fellow at La Trobe University. Mark is an NDIS participant who lives in Melbourne. Mark has a PhD in Psychology and has worked as a researcher, analyst and consultant for a variety of government, private and not-for-profit organisations in the disability sector.
Michelle Newland – Lived Experience Contributor, speaker, business owner
My name is Michelle Newland. I work as a public speaker sharing my story of recovery to give others hope that they too can overcome obstacles in their life. I also run a small business with my sister, focused on creating handcrafted homewares and assisting to run art workshops for people of all abilities.
I live with a severe ABI after an asthma attack at the age of 19. I currently live next door to my parents in my own home. My living and support arrangement means that I am supported in a genuine way to make decisions and choices for myself, my life and my home. It gives me a great sense of satisfaction to be able to live on my own and do things for myself.
Anna Chambers – Lived Experience Contributor
I’m Anna, a woman in my 30s who loves DJing, socialising, and hanging out in my community. While I can do a lot of things for myself, my support workers help me to build my skills, and to do the things I want and need to do. Everyday I work hard to be independent, and to be a good friend, neighbour, and worker. I have paid and unpaid jobs, and social interests, and as a Special Olympics athlete, I train to keep my body strong and healthy. I am also now a housemate, after my dream of living in my own home came true.