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During a meeting with her Local Area Coordinator, Melonie Harpham paused for a moment, and said “Wow, I can hear a motorcycle coming up the road!”

Melonie realised the sounds many people take for granted – footsteps, birds chirping, even traffic noise – she was now hearing all at once for the first time since she was five years old.

Melonie said her experience with the Brotherhood NDIS Local Area Coordination service was life-changing.

She had been hard of hearing since she was ...

For Vivienne, life with her assistance dog Poppy brings walks, shop visits, laughter and games. It wasn’t always this way.

In 2015, Vivienne was diagnosed with breast cancer and after that she developed crippling anxiety, depression and agoraphobia. She could no longer work, barely left the house and few things were making a ...

Our Brotherhood NDIS team hosted a community celebration for International Day of People with Disability on Friday 30 November. We were joined by guest speakers including writer, speaker and appearance activist Carly Findlay and visually impaired photographer Andrew Follows, who has a positive outlook and determination which has led him to exhibit his work internationally and photograph major sporting events including the 2018 Commonwealth Games and Australian Grand Prix.

It was an afternoon celebrating the achievements of people with disability in our community as ...

For Andrew Follows, a photographer and NDIS participant from Melbourne’s north, photography allows him to capture and share his unique view of the world, all with his assistance dog Leo by his side.

Andrew has a degenerative condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) which has rendered one eye completely blind with ever diminishing tunnel vision in the other.

His condition hasn’t stopped him from pursuing his passion for photography, turning what was once a hobby into a career that has led Andrew to ...

The National Disability Insurance Scheme is officially welcomed to the Western Melbourne and Brimbank Melton areas.

The Brotherhood of St Laurence is a local Partner in the Community in the roll-out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in the North East Melbourne, Hume Moreland, Bayside Peninsula, Western Melbourne and Brimbank Melton areas.

Western Melbourne covers the local government areas of Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, Moonee Valley and Wyndham, while the Brimbank Melton region covers the Brimbank and Melton local government areas.

Local ...

This is a milestone week for Melissa, she is preparing to leave her family home of 27 years to pursue independent living for the first time.

“I’ve been packed and ready to go for a while!” Melissa jokes.

Moving out of home is an exciting time for any young person, but for Melissa who has an ...

Stephen can move freely around his new home and garden, a life changing development that has improved his quality of life significantly.

In the past, lack of home modification and accessibility meant that Stephen, who has Cerebral Palsy and uses a wheelchair for his mobility, was confined to one room within his public housing flat, a situation that took its toll on his physical and mental health.

Having been on the wait list for accessible housing for three years, Stephen was ...

The Brotherhood of St Laurence has been announced as the provider of Local Area Coordination (LAC) and Early Childhood Early Intervention (ECEI) in Melbourne’s west and beyond.

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has announced the Brotherhood will deliver services in the Western Melbourne region from Carlton to Little River, and across the Brimbank and Melton region, from Sunshine to Melton.

Western Melbourne covers the local government areas of Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, Moonee Valley and Wyndham, while the Brimbank Melton region ...

School camp is a special time for most kids, it’s often the first experience of adventure and independence away from home.

This excitement wasn’t always the case for 11 year old Kyle who has autism spectrum disorder.

Struggling to sleep on his own and experiencing regular discomfort, Kyle relied heavily on his mum and dad each night.

With school camp coming up in 4 weeks, Kyle was growing increasingly anxious about attending camp without his parents and questioned whether he would be able ...

A bike ride along the Diamond Creek Trail has become a whole lot easier for people with disability and their families, thanks to the construction of a shed to store adaptive bikes.

The Brotherhood of St Laurence are proud to have partnered with Nillumbik Shire Council and the Australian Government in funding a storage facility for heavy adaptive bikes near the Diamond Creek Trail.

Combined grants of $15,000 have been awarded to build the storage facility.

Shayla, 24, of Diamond Creek has cerebral ...