Community
AQA's magazine out now
Sex, drugs, and a few accessibility issues
Earlier this year, American rock band Foo Fighters played the first stadium concert since the pandemic began. For one attendee, it was his first major event since sustaining a spinal cord injury two years ago, and it was quite the rollercoaster.
I realised I'd settled for too little
In our Skills for Independence series, we hear multiple perspectives on our recent capacity building course, held on Sydney's northern beaches. Dawn shares how the course has redrawn her sense of what's possible.
We've Got This: Stories by Disabled Parents
Hilary Ash was a single mum living with quadriplegia back in the 1980s. Now a proud grandmother, she reviews We’ve Got This: Stories by Disabled Parents.
Buyers of modified vehicles beware
After a costly and vexing experience purchasing a second hand modified van, Greg Kidd offers some tips on avoiding a similar fate.
Welcome to boccia
Discover Gippsland's accessible gems
Thinking about planning a trip? A Traralgon resident has worked with us to prepare a boutique accessible travel guide, showcasing some of his top picks in Gippsland. Whether you're into sightseeing, history, art or wine, this guide has you covered.
Making comfortable clothing that's fun to wear
Sorayya Shemirani, a wheelchair user living in Geelong, wasn't happy with the adaptive clothing options on offer. Firmly believing that self-expression through fashion should be open to everyone, she started making her own.
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.
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.
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).
Events
Wheelchair Skills days
Other courses and events
AQA also delivers the disability specialised motivation and goal setting course Discovering the Power in Me, a range of capacity building courses under the Living Well Project, organises regular community disability expos that we call What's Out There Days, and facilitates monthly Community Network get-togethers across Victoria.
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
