Community
Our athletes on Tokyo, and how a dog changed a life ...
Download the October edition of NewsLink, the bimonthly free AQA magazine, to read these stories and more.
Yes, we can help now
We've expanded our Allied Health team, and have immediate capacity to engage in Support Coordination or Occupational Therapy with new participants. Meet the team, or just submit an inquiry.
On top of the world - again!
Peer Mentor and handcyclist Lachie O'Brien shares his journey back to conquering mountains, after a medical emergency and months of intensive care. Read his harrowing account on our Spire website (link will open a new tab on your browser).
Soul food for dark days
Writers for this inspiring series share their responses to loss, and reveal where they've found help when they needed it. Read their stories.
Ben's winding road to medicinal cannabis
Former policy advisor to government Ben Gruter tells of his seven year journey to finding relief through cannabis from the pain that arrived with his spinal cord injury.
'We're not ready to be thrown away'
If you've made it to 65 before you need help with a disability, you're too old to be covered by the NDIS. Two retired couples living with quadriplegia from backyard accidents share their grim prospects, in support of the Disability Doesn't Discriminate campaign.
Oh, the fun you can have driving a ute!
How to head up the Ticketek queue
Booking agency Ticketek has responded to complaints from the AQA community about its process for securing accessible seating, explaining how it prioritises requests.
Sustaining a working partnership
Greg Grigarius and support worker Sharon Brill have built a working relationship over more than 10 years.
Greg says Sharon has helped him preserve his autonomy as a husband and father. Sharon says working with AQA has offered her "more of a life" than she enjoyed in her nursing career.
Sharing lived experience
More than 100 people with lived experience of spinal cord injury work with AQA as Peer Mentors, having trained with us so that they can serve people who seek advice or other forms of support.
You can meet many of our Peer Mentors and learn about the work they do at AQA's Spire website.
Services
Our service model
The AQA service model draws on our decades of experience supporting people to live well with spinal cord injuries and other complex conditions. We build partnerships.
How we operate
NDIS accredited
AQA is a quality accredited and registered service provider with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and the Transport Accident Commission (TAC).
Jobs
Our support workers
We resource people to live well, and people includes our support workers. Our staff come from all walks of life and represent a broad range of ages and backgrounds.
What support workers do
Our support workers get to know people and help them - at home, in their local communities, and sometimes when travelling for business or pleasure. You may find yourself taking someone to an appointment, helping them get ready for work in the morning, or preparing an evening meal.
What support workers need
Prior experience of disability support work is helpful but what you need most is reliability and a wish to connect with people. As one of our longest-serving support workers explains: To be a carer, you need to have it in your heart.
Our history
500+
Staff
100+
Volunteers
400+
Happy Clients
