Adam Disney and Murray Valley Centre services manager Nigel Byron say all residents with a disability should have their voice heard. Picture: DAVID THORPE
AN online survey aims to gauge the issues for those Border people living with a disability.
Wodonga disability service provider, the Murray Valley Centre, created the survey with input from other Border providers.
“It’s just to try to work out whether we’re providing the services people are after,” centre services manager Nigel Byron said.
Mr Byron said participants could complete the 38-question survey in 10 minutes or less.
He said the aim was to find what services people were using and what they might need.
He said the information would be sent to all Border providers with a view to meet the needs of clients.
It could be used for funding applications and in talks about the proposed National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Mr Bryon said the average age of the centre’s 60 clients was 40 to 45, but it knew younger people with a disability wanted different services and he wanted to capture that in the survey.
“Younger people want more community access,” he said.
“There’s different ideas in the younger generations coming through.”
He said carers of people with a disability could help complete the survey, which would be online until May 31.
Wodonga’s Adam Disney, who has an intellectual disability, has been a centre client for seven years.
The services he receives from the centre are crucial to his well-being — the centre sets out his activities for the week.
On Mondays he helps at Albury Wodonga Foodshare, on Tuesdays he works on a newsletter, Wednesdays it’s an internet class and the rest of the week includes activities such as gardening.
The 51-year-old has completed the survey, which went live this week.
Yesterday, he encouraged all people with a disability to have their voice heard.
“Some might have trouble getting the services they need,” Mr Disney said.
He said there needed to be better communication between service providers.
“More co-operation would sometimes improve services,” he said.
To participate in the survey go to mvc.org.au and click the “take survey” button or go directly to surveymonkey.com/s/LWN538X.