Gateways Support Services

22/12/2025

🎅 Celebrating Christmas at Social Connect 🎅

There was plenty of festive cheer going around with Christmas treats, dancing, games, arts and crafts, and plenty of singing along to Christmas carols at our Social Connect Christmas party!

🚒 The highlight was a very special visit from Santa, arriving with the help of Geelong West CFA. It was the perfect way to top off a truly magical celebration.

21/12/2025

✨Office closure notice – 2025✨

Our North Geelong and Werribee offices will be closed for the holiday season from Thursday, 25 December, and will reopen on Monday, 5 January 2026.

For any queries, please email us at info@gateways.com.au or leave a message on 03 5221 2984, and we’ll get back to you when we return.

We wish you a safe, joyful, and restful holiday season and look forward to supporting you in the new year!

18/12/2025

🎄Thank you for helping make Christmas brighter🎄

A huge thank you to everyone who donated gifts, festive food and funds to our Gateways Christmas fundraising appeal.

⭐ Special thank you to LBW Geelong, who generously donated a substantial number of gifts to help bring joy and festive cheer to our clients this Christmas. Your support will make a real and lasting difference.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, some of the most vulnerable people we support will feel included, celebrated and supported this festive season.

We are truly grateful to everyone who contributed and helped us spread Christmas cheer across our community.

17/12/2025

🌟 Term 1 programs and activities have landed - book today!

Enjoy a variety of fun and exciting activities designed to help you make new friends, try new experiences and have a great time! Get ready for fun!

This term’s activities and programs include:
🐰 Gateways Easter Family Fun Festival
🎳 Bowling
🎬 Movies
🚂 Train Trippers
⛳ 22nd Gateways Annual Charity Golf Day all abilities putting clinic

Join us and make this term unforgettable. Fun, friends and new experiences await!

Check out our brochures & sign up today: https://www.gateways.com.au/services/recreation/activities-programs

16/12/2025

💚 Gift wrapping with a twist that will look Bow-tiful on your presents!

We’re transforming scrap paper into beautiful bows and reusing materials wherever possible to reduce waste and care for the environment!

🕐 Daily 10-4pm until Christmas
📍 Find us in front of Kmart at Waurn Ponds Shopping Centre
💛 Gold coin donation - to help us improve our spaces, strengthen our programs and create new opportunities for the people we support.

Come visit our gift wrapping station at Waurn Ponds Shopping Centre and have your gifts wrapped with love.

14/12/2025

🏠 Searching for Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)? Our team is here to help you explore whether this new home could be the right option.

Click below to find out more and speak with our team about availability and suitability.

https://www.gateways.com.au/services/accommodation/adult-accommodation

Yesterday, we had the privilege of welcoming Christine Couzens MP for Geelong, along with the team from Gateways Support Services to officially open our new Specialist Disability Accommodation home in Newcomb.

Chris’s enthusiasm for this project was inspiring. She described the home as “more than bricks and mortar; it’s about safety, comfort and joy,” a sentiment that perfectly captures what this home means for its residents.

We were delighted to show Chris the thoughtful design features that make this property truly special:

✅ Spacious bedrooms with private ensuites
✅ Large accessible gardens and age-in-place features
✅ Kitchen / living room of ballroom proportions!

Moments like these remind us why we do what we do; creating homes that empower people with disability to live life their way.

13/12/2025

🌞 Summer is here – don’t miss out on the fun at Gateways!

Our new recreation programs are filling up fast. Make sure you secure your spot for action-packed holidays with activities for all ages and interests.

⛵ Set sail at the Festival of Sails
🎬 Watch the latest movie
🌆 Explore the city using public transport
🐾 Visit Werribee Open Range Zoo

👉 Check out our summer holiday programs and book now: https://www.gateways.com.au/services/recreation/activities-programs

Adventure is better with friends – tag yours below!

12/12/2025

🎉 Celebrating 45 Years of Gateways: A legacy of inclusion and community 🎉

Next year, Gateways proudly marks 45 years of supporting people with disability and their families in the Geelong and West Melbourne regions.

From humble beginnings in 1980, when Dr. Bernie Jenner saw the incredible challenges faced by families caring for children with disabilities, to becoming one of Geelong’s leading disability support providers, Gateways has always put people first.

“Relationships have been key,” Bernie says. “Families trust us because they see we care.” With over 70 long-term employees and countless families supported over the decades, our growth is a story of community, connection, and care.

As we prepare to celebrate this milestone, we reflect on our past, honour the people who have shaped our journey, and look to the future, staying true to our vision of a community where everyone belongs and can achieve their goals.

🔗 Listen to the full interview with Dr. Bernie Jenner here: https://www.gateways.com.au/2025/12/celebrating-45-years-of-gateways-a-legacy-of-inclusion-and-community

10/12/2025

🎁 Have your gifts wrapped for a great cause!

Our volunteers are spreading festive cheer with beautifully wrapped gifts - every donation makes a difference.

🕑 Daily 10am – 4pm, until Christmas
📍 Find us in front of Kmart at Waurn Ponds Shopping Centre
💛 Gold coin donation

Funds raised will help us improve our spaces, strengthen our programs, and create new opportunities for the people we support.

Come by, say hello and let us wrap your Christmas treasures!

04/12/2025

Yesterday we hosted our “Together we sizzle” BBQ to celebrate International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD).

IDPwD is an opportunity to champion a welcoming and diverse community for the 5.5 million Australians living with disability.

A huge thank you to Coles Armstrong Creek and Geelong All Abilities Sports Club for their generous donations. Funds raised at the BBQ will go directly to our Christmas fundraising appeal, helping support some of our most vulnerable clients who might otherwise receive very little this Christmas.

Thank you for being part of the day, together, we’re making a real impact! If you weren't able to make the BBQ, you can still donate to our Christmas Fundraiser here: https://www.givenow.com.au/gatewayschristmasfundraiser

02/12/2025

🌏 Today is International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD)

This year’s theme, “Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress,” reminds us that inclusion matters in every aspect of life.

At Gateways, we have been supporting children and adults with a disability or additional needs for almost 45 years, turning this vision into reality for every client we support. From early childhood programs to skill-building initiatives and community connections, we empower people with disability to reach new milestones, connect with others, and thrive in ways they never thought possible.

We stand as leaders in creating a more inclusive and accepting future, today and every day. And we invite everyone to join us in fostering inclusion in your communities, workplaces, and everyday interactions.

02/12/2025

🎄Get your gifts wrapped this Christmas!🎄

Gateways is excited to be wrapping presents at Waurn Ponds Shopping Centre starting this Saturday and running daily until 24 December.

Drop by our gift wrapping station outside Kmart anytime between 10am–4pm to have your Christmas presents beautifully wrapped while supporting a great cause.

Every dollar raised helps us improve our spaces, strengthen our programs, and create new opportunities for the people we support.

Make your Christmas easier and give back at the same time - see you at Waurn Ponds!