Community Participation · Community Access · Geelong & Surf Coast
NDIS Community Participation in Geelong
- MasRic Health provides one-to-one NDIS community participation support across Greater Geelong and the Surf Coast. Participants are supported to join community activities, classes, clubs, outings, volunteering and events, with the same support worker each week. Support is funded from the Core Supports budget under Assistance with Social and Community Participation.
Life Shouldn't Stop at the Front Door
For a lot of adults with disability, the week is home, the telly and the Saturday shop. Not because they don’t want more, but because getting out takes planning, transport, confidence and a person with time, and the family carer who’s been doing everything else has run out of all four.
Our community participation support is for teenagers and adults in Geelong and the Surf Coast with an NDIS plan who want more of a life outside the house, and for the families who want to see them have one. It’s also part of what children enjoy during short term accommodation (respite) stays with us.
We start small. A regular coffee, a walk by the water, one class that sounds interesting. Then we build. The person leading the pace is always the participant. If what’s needed first is simply regular company, start with social support.
Community Activities We Support in Geelong
Support to get out the door and into the life of the community: the library, the waterfront, a craft class, a footy club, a coffee with a friend. One consistent support worker who knows what your family member enjoys, and the patience to build confidence one outing at a time.
- Activities chosen around the person’s interests and NDIS goals, not a program timetable
- The same support worker each week, so trust builds and outings get braver
- Transport included where needed, across Greater Geelong and the Surf Coast
Getting out and about
Walks along the Geelong waterfront and Eastern Beach, the Barwon River trail, Geelong Botanic Gardens, the Torquay foreshore, local parks and markets
Clubs, classes and groups
Craft classes, cooking classes, art groups, choirs, sporting clubs, swimming, the local library's programs. We help find the right one and stick with it.
Everyday community life
The library, the shops, the movies, a concert, the footy, a café. Ordinary things that feel out of reach without support.
Volunteering
Op shops, community gardens, sporting clubs and events. A role, a routine and a reason to leave the house
Faith, culture and family events
Church, cultural festivals, community celebrations and family gatherings, with a familiar person alongside.
Holiday programs and events
Supporting participants to attend school holiday programs, community events and festivals with a familiar person alongside.
Our Favourite Spots Around Geelong and the Surf Coast
Real places we go, chosen for accessibility, calm and a good coffee at the end.
Geelong Waterfront and Eastern Beach
Flat, accessible paths, the carousel, the bollards, coffee at the end. Our most-requested outing.
Geelong Library and Heritage Centre (the Dome)
Free programs, quiet corners, accessible everything.
Barwon River trail, Belmont and Highton
A calm walk, ducks to feed, Buckley Falls at the end if you're keen.
Geelong Botanic Gardens and Johnstone Park
Good for a slow wander and a sit in the sun.
Torquay foreshore and the Surf Coast Walk
Sea air, fish and chips, and a bus or drive home along the coast.
Waurn Ponds Library and Shopping Centre
Close to home, good practice ground for confidence in busy places.
Local sporting clubs and community centres
From walking football to craft mornings. Tell us the interest and we'll find the group.
Getting Started With Community Participation
Small first, familiar always, braver over time.
A conversation
Tell us about your family member: what they enjoy, what they used to enjoy, what they've never had the chance to try. We'll call you back and listen.
A meet & greet at home
The support worker visits with Masego while you're there. No outing yet, just getting comfortable.
A first small outing
Somewhere familiar and low-pressure, close to home, for an hour or so. We learn what works.
A regular rhythm
Same worker, same day each week, with activities that grow as confidence does. Written into a simple service agreement.
Why Community Participation Works Better With a Familiar Face
Interests first
We don't run a program and slot people into it. We find out what someone actually likes and build around that.
Transport sorted
We can pick up, drive and drop home, or practise the bus route together. Getting there is part of the support. Travel and transport.
The same faces, every time
Confidence out in the world is built on trust in the person beside you. A team of three means no strangers turning up for the Thursday outing.
Small, registered, open about it
A handful of regular participants means we know who's ready to try something new and who needs a quiet week. Audited against the NDIS Practice Standards; every team member holds an NDIS Worker Screening Check and a Working With Children Check.
How NDIS Funding Covers Community Participation
Community participation is funded under Assistance with Social, Economic and Community Participation in the Core Supports budget, the most flexible part of an NDIS plan. Where an outing also builds skills toward a goal, some support can sit under Capacity Building instead.
Transport to and from activities can be included where it’s in the plan. We support NDIA-managed, plan-managed and self-managed participants and bill in line with the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. Entry fees, class costs and meals are usually paid by the participant, and we’ll always tell you in advance.
Community Participation Questions Families Ask Us
What counts as community participation under the NDIS?
Any support that helps a participant take part in community, social or recreational life: outings, classes, clubs, sporting groups, volunteering, events, and building the confidence to do those things. It’s funded under Assistance with Social, Economic and Community Participation in Core Supports.
Can my family member choose the activities?
Yes, always. We start with what they enjoy or want to try, and we adjust as we go. The participant leads; we support.
Who pays for entry fees, classes and meals?
Usually the participant, as they would for any personal expense. Support worker time and travel are covered by the plan. We’ll always tell you the cost of an activity in advance.
My family member gets anxious in busy places. Can this still work?
Yes. We start small and quiet, close to home, with the same worker every time, and build up gradually. Many of the people we support began with a short walk and a coffee.
Can community participation include volunteering or joining a club?
Yes, and it’s one of the best outcomes: a regular role, a routine, and people who expect you. We help find the right fit and support the person until they’re comfortable.
Do you run group outings or programs?
No. All our community participation support is one-to-one, so activities are chosen around the individual and the pace is theirs.
Is transport included?
Yes, where it’s in the plan. We can pick up and drop home, or use outings to practise public transport. See our Assist Travel & Transport page for detail.
What areas do you cover?
Greater Geelong and the Surf Coast, including Waurn Ponds, Belmont, Highton, Grovedale, Armstrong Creek and Torquay, and the outings themselves range across the region.
How is community participation different from social support?
Community participation is about joining in: classes, clubs, volunteering and events. Social support is about regular one-to-one company, at home or out. Many people start with one and add the other.
Still have questions?
Feel free to reach out through our website or give us a call. We are happy to help.
Where Would They Love to Go?
Tell us about your family member and one place or activity they’d enjoy. We’ll call you back, arrange a meet-and-greet at home, and plan a first small outing.
admin@masrichealth.com.au
0491 795 198
Rossack Drive, Waurn Ponds VIC
Support coordinators and plan managers: we respond to referrals within one business day.