June WDN Community Meeting

Our next community meeting is not far away so don't forget to register.

We will send out the agenda closer to the date, but you can count on hearing how Council’s been acting on your feedback, joining in focused discussions about the issues you have told us are most important to you, and great guest speakers.
It’s a free event, and yes, there’ll be light snacks too!

When: Tuesday 17 June
Time: 10:30am - 1:00pm
Where: The Great Hall - Council Offices, 25 Ferres Boulevard, South Morang

Register your attendance at www.trybooking.com/DBSYD
For more information email us at access@whittlesea.vic.gov.au

New Disability Advisory Panel Announced

The City of Whittlesea is dedicated to making sure everyone in our community has equal opportunities to participate and thrive. To support this, we are establishing a Disability Advisory Panel.

The Panel will enable community members and key stakeholders from the disability sector to provide advice and guidance to Council in relation to policy and strategic objectives concerned with accessibility and disability.

The Panel will consist of up to nine community members and at least four representatives from local organisations, agencies, or service providers that work with or support people with disability. Councillor Gunn has been appointed as the Council representative.

Expressions of Interest will open shortly and be advertised on Council’s webpage, WDN webpage, through socials.

WDN Community Catch Ups

We had some wonderful conversations with WDN members across the community in March and April. A total of 20 people attended catch ups in Thomastown, Lalor, Whittlesea and South Morang, discussing a broad range of topics including:

The need for better support to understand changes to the NDIS
The additional problems faced by people with language and literacy barriers
The growing pressure on families and carers
The growing need for support with mental health issues
Difficulties getting necessary home modifications and appropriate supported housing in the community
Cost and attitude barriers to accessing disability services
The lack of employment and after-school opportunities for young people with disability
A lack of community safety due to aggressive behaviour, rubbish dumping and speeding traffic
A lack of accessible public transport
A desire to strengthen the relationship between the disability sector and Victoria Police

These small, casual catch ups are important to realising our commitment to make WDN as accessible as possible – offering a range of meeting locations, times and formats to suit the widest range of people.

New Council Project with the NDIA

After last year’s very successful Q&A event with the National Disability Insurance Agency, the City of Whittlesea has established a partnership with the NDIA to strengthen engagement with members of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.

This project is in direct response to feedback from WDN members about the additional language and cultural barriers that people from CALD communities face in accessing disability services and the findings will inform the NDIA's new CALD Engagement Strategy.

As a first step, we are focusing on members from Arabic speaking communities and working with Merriang Special Development School who has a large number of Arabic speaking families. Last week, WDN, the NDIA and Brotherhood of St Laurence’s Disability Services participated in the School's Post-School Expo, meeting parents and graduating students looking for their next steps after school life and hearing about their experiences with the NDIS

Over the next few months, the project will also work with Arabic community leaders and groups to set up information tables in the community to provide information and answer questions.

If you are from an Arabic speaking community and would like the project to set up an information table in your area or visit a group supporting people with disability or carers, please get in touch with us by emailing access@whittlesea.vic.gov.au.

New Ministers for the NDIS

Mark Butler has been announced as the new Minister for Disability and the NDIS and will retain responsibility for Health and Ageing. New South Wales Senator, Jenny McAllister will be the standalone Minister for the NDIS and will sit outside the cabinet.

In a statement on his appointment, Minister Butler said “Our task is crystal clear: to strengthen Medicare, protect the PBS, deliver generational reform to aged care, and secure the future of the NDIS.”

You can read the full statement from Minister Bulter here.

In another significant development for the disability sector, Tanya Plibersek has been named as the Minister for Social Services although it is unclear whether the Department of Social Services will continue to hold responsibility for implementing foundational supports for people with disability.

Carers Event in Epping

Carers Victoria are hosting a Carers Mingle, offering a relaxed environment for carers to gather, connect, recharge, and learn about local supports and service.

Event Details:
Time: Thursday 22 May 2025
Date: 11:00am – 2:00pm
Venue: Casa D'Abruzzo Club, 55 O’Herns Road, Epping

Click here to register your attendance.

Let's Celebrate Our Volunteers

Join us from Monday 19 May to Friday 23 May for a vibrant week of events as we celebrate National Volunteer Week 2025 – a time to honour, recognise, and connect with the incredible volunteers who make a difference every day in our community.

All events are FREE, but spots are limited, so be sure to secure your place early!

Candle Making and Reed Diffuser Workshop
Create something beautiful while connecting with others in this sensory and creative workshop.
When: Monday 19 May - 9.30am – 11.30am
Where: Laurimar Community Activity Centre, 110 Hazel Glen Drive, Doreen

Zumba Gold
Move and groove in this low-impact, fun dance fitness session for all abilities.
When: Tuesday 20 May - 1.15pm – 2.45pm
Where: Mill Park Leisure Centre, 33 Morang Drive, Mill Park

Pottery Workshop
Discover your artistic side in this interactive pottery workshop – perfect for beginners and seasoned creators alike!
When: Wednesday 21 May - 2pm – 3.30pm
Where: Galada Community Centre, 2A Forum Way, Epping

African Drumming
Feel the rhythm and connect through music in this energising and inclusive drumming session.
When: Thursday 22 May 10.30am – 12.30pm
Where: Janefield Community Centre, 2 Manchester Crescent, Bundoora

Lunch at Farm Vigano
Celebrate the end of Volunteer Week with a scenic community lunch in South Morang.
When: Friday 23 May - 12pm – 2pm
Where: Farm Vigano, 10 Bushmans Way, South Morang

To register your attendance for the activities please click here

WDN Member Discount!

The City of Whittlesea is proud to present the PRACC Performance Program, with a spectacular line up of shows that we hope will bring people together through creating memories, experiences and embracing each other’s stories and history.

Enjoy the immense vocal talents of some of Australia’s favourite singers including Rachel Beck. Young people will be enchanted with Fritz children’s theatre. Relish in the artistry of opera with Tenori and the majesty of ballet with Swan Lake from the Victorian State Ballet.

Check out the full performance program here.

Members from the Whittlesea Disability Network are eligible for a 20% discount on selected shows.

To book tickets call 03 9217 2317 or visit our website www.pracc.com.au and use the code WDN25 to receive the discount.

Inclusive, Accessible and Welcoming

Greenbrook Community House in Epping is a welcoming space for everyone in the community. Whether you're into gardening, arts and crafts, singing, or dancing to music, we offer inclusive creative workshops that cater to all abilities.

To see the full program of activities see the Greenbrook Term 2 Timetable

To enrol, please phone 8401 626 or click here

Where: Greenbrook Community House, 40 McFarlane Crescent, Epping
Opening hours: Monday – Thursday during Term from 9:00am – 5:00pm
Getting there: Bus Route 556 and 901 stop at the Greenbrook shops. Off-street and accessible parking available

Community Garden Volunteers Wanted

Join our passionate team of volunteers to help garden, connect, grow, and care for the Greenbrook Community Garden.

To find out more, call us on 8401 6261 or email greenbrookch@whittlesea.vic.gov.au.

WDN Online Hub

Have you explored our WDN Online Information Hub yet? It’s a great way to get the latest information about WDN meetings, minutes and events and news about what’s going on in the community for people with disability, carers and supporters.

The Community Noticeboard posts information about local activities, programs and opportunities to have your say. It’s always being updated, so be sure to take a look!

The Community Groups page provides a list of activity and support groups for people with disability and carers as well as a request form if you want to start or join a new group in your community.

Our site also offers an accessibility menu called UserWay, which makes navigating the hub even easier. This menu can be accessed by clicking the blue circle icon on the right side of every page. It provides a range of accessibility features, including screen reading, text contrast adjustments, and spacing controls. The menu also offers translation into multiple languages.

To check out the WDN Hub go to https://engage.whittlesea.vic.gov.au/wdnonline

Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners

We recognise the rich Aboriginal heritage of this country and acknowledge the Wurundjeri Willum Clan and Taungurung People as the Traditional Owners of lands within the City of Whittlesea.