person sharing food at dining tablePerson serving food at dining table

The disability sector

In Victoria the Disability Sector is seen as an industry which is roughly divided into public and Community Service Organisation. (CSO's)

The public sector is the Department of Human Services, who as well as funding the not for profit sector also directly administer a number of services to people with a disability.

The Community Service Sector is a range of Community Service organisations (CSO’s) that provide services directly to people who have a disability. These organisations are generally managed by a voluntary board of directors that consist of community members with relevant skills and qualifications to contribute to the management of the organisation.

Historically these organisations often grew out of religious organisations for example Melbourne City Mission and Uniting Care or special interest groups e.g. Scope, formerly the Spastic society that originally provided services only people with Cerebral Palsy. In latter years CSO's have been developed by family members and other interested groups who feel they can provide quality services to people with disabilities often in a particular geographic area or region where services have been lacking.

The range of services provided by CSO's include:

  • Accommodation Services , which may include small community houses shared by 4-5 people with staffing according to the needs of the clients
  • Day Services , where people with a disability attend for 6-8 hours a day and undertake activities of their choice. These activities may include skill development, recreation, work skills or community participation activities.
  • Case Management , where a skilled staff member is appointed to work with a person and their family/carers on particular issues. These issues may include accessing appropriate accommodation or day placement or may be around health or behaviour issues that are effecting their life.
  • Outreach Programs where people with a disability living in the community are supported in their home with aspects of daily living. This may include help with shopping, cooking cleaning or it may also include assistance with budgetting or paying bills.