Canterbury Family/Whānau voices - disability system transformation

17/11/2025

Today the government announced that it will consult with carers about a new carers strategy. Carers NZ have written some information on what this means.

View the original post to see what the strategy is about and how you can make a submission or attend a workshop.

We want your feedback on a draft Action Plan to support unpaid or informal carers in homes and communities across New Zealand.

11/11/2025

Community Event: Beyond School - Parent to Parent (Christchurch)�

When & where: Monday November 24th, 9:30am - 2:00pm
At The Bridge Community Hub, 51 Bridge Street, South New Brighton

Who: Parents, caregivers, whānau of disabled young people aged 14+ who are entering that transition phase out of school.

What to expect:
• A practical overview of legal rights, funding and the key systems you’ll want in your tool-kit for life after school.
• A follow-up catch-up 2–4 weeks later for connection, reflection and future-planning with others in the same shoes.

Lunch is provided - free of charge thanks to support from the Spectrum Foundation.

If you’re juggling care, transitions, family life and looking for support and community this is a great event to consider.

RSVP is required so jump in early if you’d like to attend 👇
https://parent2parent.org.nz/events/beyond-school-christchurch/

11/11/2025

Kia Ora, we’re reaching out to all of you who use the Total Mobility Scheme.

We’d love to hear your stories: what’s working well for you, where you’re up against challenges, how it impacts your everyday life. Whether you’re commuting, getting to appointments, or just trying to stay connected.

👉 Take our short survey here https://forms.office.com/r/Z25MFtcWAJ
Just a few minutes of your time and so helpful for us to capture real-life experiences.

Also, if you’ve got five minutes, check out this radio interview: “Disability support service worries govt will cut travel subsidy” on RNZ. It gives a good snapshot of how this scheme works and why so many people count on it.
https://bit.ly/RNZTravelSubsidyWorries

Please share this post too, every story helps our community understand the importance of the Total Mobility Scheme.

If you would like more information please contact Amy at disabilitycoordinator@eglwaitaha.org



Image description: A green background with a graphic of a windy map road with a car at one end and a destination point at the other. The text says: Have you tried Total Mobility? Share your Total Mobility experience by completing our short survey. With thanks from the WRLG

10/11/2025

Another great online event from Disability Connect

How to navigate the system of social housing and supports.
With representatives from Ministry of Social Development (MSD) and Kāinga Ora.

Topics covered:
• navigating MSD and Kāinga Ora for accessible social housing
• eligibility and financial supports
• new opportunities and relocating options
• how to make an application
• and priority ratings.

Registration to this online event on 18 November is essential.
Please email admin@disabilityconnect.org.nz for the Zoom link.

For more information, check out our event page: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Cry1WjHFU/

Image description: A promotional event poster. Text reads "Understanding social housing. Free online event! Tuesday, 18 November 2025, 11:00am to 12:30pm." There's an image of a house in the middle. The Disability Connect logo is at the top of the poster, and the Ministry of Social Development and Kāinga Ora logos are at the bottom.

Want to find out how to navigate the system of social housing and supports? Join us for our free upcoming event with representatives from Ministry of Social Development (MSD) and Kāinga Ora.

We'll cover topics such as:
• navigating MSD and Kāinga Ora for accessible social housing
• eligibility and financial supports
• new opportunities and relocating options
• how to make an application
• and priority ratings.

Registration to this online event on 18 November is essential. Please email admin@disabilityconnect.org.nz for the Zoom link.

For more information, check out our event page: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Cry1WjHFU/

Image description: A promotional event poster. Text reads "Understanding social housing. Free online event! Tuesday, 18 November 2025, 11:00am to 12:30pm." There's an image of a house in the middle. The Disability Connect logo is at the top of the poster, and the Ministry of Social Development and Kāinga Ora logos are at the bottom.

10/11/2025

What a wonderful opportunity for our tāmariki here in Christchurch.

A very special opportunity - for young people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism (aged 2–10).

Join in at the 2025 National Summer Games for a one-off opportunity to connect with other families, participate in 45-minute play sessions, and experience the excitement of the Games.

📅 10–14 December 2025
📍 Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre, Christchurch

Register now to secure your spot – https://tr.ee/Kaj1QHxDob

Calling Canterbury’s Young Athletes!

We’re excited to announce that registrations are open for a very special opportunity - for young people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism (aged 2–10), in Ōtautahi, Christchurch.

Join us at the 2025 National Summer Games for a one-off opportunity to connect with other families, participate in 45-minute play sessions, and experience the excitement of the Games.

📅 10–14 December 2025
📍 Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre, Christchurch

Register now to secure your spot – https://tr.ee/Kaj1QHxDob

07/11/2025

👋A great opportunity to share your experience with Individualised Funding. This study can help show the ways in which IF does or does not support choice, control, participation, inclusion and equity. Get in touch with Samantha - details listed at the bottom of the post or on the image.

Image description and information:

Invitation to Share Your Experience with
Individualised Funding
University of Canterbury
Te Whare Wananga o Waitaha

I am Samanthi Bandara, a PhD candidate at the University of Canterbury. My PhD research examines how, why, for whom, and under what conditions individualised funding affects choice, control, participation, inclusion, and equity for disabled people and their families/whãnau.

Your experience matters. By sharing your story, you will contribute to this study, reflecting real impact, future needs, and aspirations.

Who can join?
• Receiving individualised funding for more than three (03) years
• Living in the Canterbury region
• Aged 18-64
• May or may not be with Enabling Good
Lives (EGL)

What is involved?
• In-person interview (100 minutes)
• An online workshop (optional- 60 minutes)
• Bring your family/whãnau or carer
• Providing information sheets and consent forms in accessible formats

Your privacy and confidentiality are assured. This research has been approved by the University of Canterbury Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) [HREC Ref: 2025/53]. You will receive a $20 Pak'nSave voucher as a token of appreciation.

Interested?
samanthi.bandara@pg.canterbury.ac.nz
021 0277 8644

06/11/2025

Kia Ora e te whānau, only 2 more days til our Quick connections event. We need to get final confirmation for RSVPs for our catering.

If you haven't RSVPd please send us a DM so we can get you on the list ASAP.

Image description:
Pale blue background with an image of different people in coloured back grounds chatting and high five-ing. Text includes:
Final Reminder!
Sunday 9th November
Quick Connections
Find your next Super star!
Attention: Disabled people, and family of disabled people who are employers and jobseekers interested in supporting disabled people
9th November 2025 12:30pm - 3:30pm,
Parklands, Christchurch
Please confirm RSVP to receive location details
Small WRLG logo

06/11/2025

This will be a fantastic online event for our community.

You’ll learn about:
✔️ Minimum employment rights and responsibilities (understanding your entitlements).
✔️ Dispute resolution - where to get help for employment relationship issues.
✔️ Free help and support available to you.

Follow the original post to register your interest and find out more.

Image description: light green back ground with an image of a person in a wheelchair going up a ramp to a building. The text is: Know your employment rights and responsibilities workshop. Wednesday 27 November, 10am - 11:30am, on zoom. A bright green banner across the bottom says Your Way Kia Roha with an arrow shaped logo, alongside the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment logo.

📣 Free online workshop | Know your employment rights and responsibilities

We’re excited to be partnering with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to host a free Zoom workshop to help you understand your employment rights and responsibilities. We want to make sure this workshop is relevant and useful for you, so we encourage you to complete the short SurveyMonkey linked below to help shape the content around your interests and questions.

🗓️ Thursday, 27 November
🕐 10am-11:30am
🔗 Register here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2RFMWRV

You’ll learn about:
✔️ Minimum employment rights and responsibilities (understanding your entitlements).
✔️ Dispute resolution - where to get help for employment relationship issues.
✔️ Free help and support available to you.

06/11/2025

This can include things like support workers, accessible transport, NZSL interpreters, assistive tech, readers, or other communication support needed in order to campaign safely and equitably.

This fund helps remove those additional barriers — because everyone deserves the opportunity to participate in our political process.

If you are thinking about running, or know someone who is, now is a good time to check the criteria and see if this fund can support you.

You can find information on who is eligible, what expenses can be covered and how to apply here 👇
https://elections.nz/getting-involved/election-access-fund/about-the-election-access-fund/

03/11/2025

Happy Purple Tuesday 💜
Today is a reminder that accessibility isn’t a one-day marketing moment, it’s an ongoing commitment to better experiences, better systems, and better access for disabled people and their whānau.

WRLG stands alongside our community in pushing for real, practical, human-centred change — not just awareness. Action. Listening. Co-design. Removing barriers.

Accessibility can’t just be talked about… it needs to be lived — in service design, communication, support, transport, information access, and everyday interactions.

So today we celebrate progress, we advocate for better, and we honour the lived experience experts who continue to drive this movement forward.

This is a great video about accessibility and how the world could be so much better if we made all areas of life accessible for everyone.

03/11/2025

This looks like a fabulous event for our Waitaha/Canterbury community.

This information is from the original post:

📅 Friday 21 November
🕙 10am–12pm
📍 Ngā Puna Wai, Augustine Drive, Wigram, Christchurch

This event brings together clubs and community organisations to connect, share, and learn — supporting inclusion and accessibility in sport across our region.

Join us to:
🔹Learn how to work with Special Olympics New Zealand through our new Affiliate Partner Programme.
🔹Get early access to new coaching resources designed to support athletes with intellectual disabilities and autism.
🔹Hear more about the 2025 National Summer Games coming to Ōtautahi this December — and what it means for our Ōtautahi community. 🌟

👉 Register before Friday 7 November to be part of it: https://tr.ee/BrHkThcEaT

We’re excited to invite you to our next ASPA (Accessible Sport and Physical Activity) Waitaha event in Ōtautahi Christchurch!

📅 Friday 21 November
🕙 10am–12pm
📍 Ngā Puna Wai, Augustine Drive, Wigram, Christchurch

This event brings together clubs and community organisations to connect, share, and learn — supporting inclusion and accessibility in sport across our region.

Join us to:
🔹Learn how to work with Special Olympics New Zealand through our new Affiliate Partner Programme.
🔹Get early access to new coaching resources designed to support athletes with intellectual disabilities and autism.
🔹Hear more about the 2025 National Summer Games coming to Ōtautahi this December — and what it means for our Ōtautahi community. 🌟

👉 Register before Friday 7 November to be part of it: https://tr.ee/BrHkThcEaT

30/10/2025

We wanted to share this excellent upcoming information session by Complex Care Group Trust, happening right here in Christchurch on Wednesday 26 November.

If you’re a disabled person, a parent or whānau member, or work in the disability sector, this free event is a great chance to build your understanding of how the disability support system works — and what options and supports are out there.

📍 Hotel Elms, 456 Papanui Rd, Christchurch

🕣 Two sessions:

8:30 – 10 am (for professionals or people working in the disability sector)

10:30 am – 3 pm (for disabled people, families/whānau/aiga – lunch provided)

🗓️ Register by Monday 17 November

The session covers:
✨ Who Complex Care Group are and how they support disabled people and their families
✨ How the current Disability Support System is structured — and what may change
✨ Eligibility for supports, Needs Assessment, Individualised Funding, Work & Income help, living options, and guardianship
✨ The importance of long-term planning and goal setting for disabled people and their whānau

Presented by Lisa Martin (Director) and Tony McLean (Board Member), this is a valuable opportunity to learn from people who really understand how to navigate complex systems.

We highly recommend this session to anyone wanting more clarity and confidence around disability supports.

👉 Find full details here:
complexcaregroup.org.nz/news-updates/complex-care-group-trust-information-events

👉 To register:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JG2ZQ3Q