Community access support helps people with disability participate in everyday activities outside their home. This can include shopping, appointments, fitness, hobbies, community groups, social activities and other meaningful outings.
Mind & Body Support provides personalised NDIS community participation and community access support across Melbourne, helping children, young people and adults get out, take part in meaningful activities, build social connections and become more confident and independent in everyday community life.
Community participation looks different for everyone. You might want support going shopping, attending the gym, joining a local activity, visiting a café, attending appointments, exploring a new hobby or becoming more comfortable accessing places in your local community.
Our support is shaped around your interests, goals, routine and level of independence — not a set program of activities.
We support self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants, as well as private and self-funded clients.
Community access support helps people with disability get out into their community and take part in everyday activities that matter to them.
For one participant, this might mean going shopping, attending appointments or becoming more confident visiting familiar places.
For another, it could mean joining a gym, attending a community group, exploring hobbies, meeting people or trying something completely new.
A support worker can provide practical assistance, encouragement and companionship while helping participants become more involved in their community.
The goal isn’t simply to get out of the house.
It’s about creating opportunities to participate, make choices, develop skills, build confidence and enjoy more of what the community has to offer.
Community participation is about having opportunities to take part in activities, connect with other people and become more involved in everyday community life. At Mind & Body Support, we provide personalised one-to-one support rather than expecting participants to fit into a predetermined program.
What you do during community access support should reflect what matters to you.
Community access can be shaped around everyday tasks, social activities, hobbies, fitness and opportunities to gradually become more confident participating in the community.
Support with grocery shopping, visiting local shops, completing errands and becoming more confident managing everyday activities in the community.
Support accessing medical, allied health and other appointments and becoming more comfortable navigating unfamiliar environments.
Go to the gym, swimming pool, sporting activities, walking groups or other fitness and wellbeing activities based around your interests.
Visit cafés, go to the movies, attend events, meet friends or participate in social activities you enjoy.
Explore activities based around interests such as art, gaming, cooking, music, animals, sport, nature or other hobbies.
Participate in clubs, programs, classes and local groups that provide opportunities for connection and involvement.
Visit parks, attractions, community facilities and other destinations across Melbourne based around your interests and goals.
Use everyday community activities as opportunities to practise skills, make decisions and gradually become more confident doing things independently.
Community access isn't only about where you go. Everyday outings can also create opportunities to practise practical skills that support greater independence.
Our support workers can encourage participants to take an active role rather than automatically doing everything for them.
Small experiences can become meaningful opportunities to build confidence over time.
Explore Capacity Building & Life Skills →Deciding where you want to go, what you need and how you are going to organise the activity.
Creating a shopping list, finding items, comparing options, making purchases and becoming more confident managing money.
Choosing activities, destinations and how you would like to spend your time.
Practising conversations, asking questions, ordering food or communicating with people in everyday environments.
Learning where things are and becoming increasingly comfortable accessing familiar shops, facilities and activities.
Planning ahead, being ready for activities and developing routines around regular community participation.
We don't believe community participation should mean doing activities simply because they're available. Support should reflect the individual.
Go to the gym, swim, walk, play sport or participate in other activities that help you stay active.
Explore Disability Personal Training →Explore hobbies, creative activities, gaming, sport, music, cooking, animals, nature or other personal interests.
Meet friends, visit cafés, attend events, participate in groups and become more confident interacting with other people.
Go shopping, attend appointments, visit community facilities and complete everyday tasks with the level of support you need.
Try something new, visit different places and gradually expand the activities and environments you feel comfortable participating in.
At Mind & Body Support, we provide personalised community access support for children, young people and adults with a wide range of disabilities and support needs across Melbourne.
Our support workers help participants get out into the community and take part in activities that are meaningful to them. This might include going shopping, attending the gym, visiting cafés, joining community groups, pursuing hobbies, meeting friends, attending appointments or trying new activities.
We support participants living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD, Global Developmental Delay, Intellectual Disability, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, Acquired Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury, epilepsy and other neurological, physical and psychosocial conditions.
Community access looks different for every person. Rather than basing support on a diagnosis alone, we consider each participant’s interests, abilities, goals and level of independence. Support can focus on building confidence in community environments, developing social connections, practising everyday skills and gradually becoming more independent when participating in community life.
These supports overlap naturally, but they focus on different things.
Focuses broadly on helping participants access their community, complete everyday activities, participate and build independence.
This might include shopping, appointments, community facilities, activities, fitness, groups and developing practical community skills.
Places greater emphasis on social connection, hobbies, recreation, friendships and enjoyable activities.
This may include outings, social groups, events, recreational activities and pursuing personal interests.
Not sure which type of support best fits what you’re looking for?
Community access often involves travel, but this service isn’t primarily about transport.
If you specifically need assistance getting to and from work, school, TAFE, appointments or other destinations — or want help developing public transport skills — explore our dedicated Disability Transport Support.
Transport support can include agreed pickups and drop-offs, travelling alongside a support worker, and building confidence using public transport.
Community access should be about more than simply getting out of the house. It should give participants opportunities to enjoy their interests, make choices, connect with others and become more confident in everyday community life.At Mind & Body Support, our community access support is personalised around each participant. We take the time to understand what you enjoy, what you'd like to do and where you'd like to build greater confidence or independence.
Mind & Body Support works with self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants, as well as private and self-funded clients. Community access support can be shaped around your individual goals, interests, support needs and available funding.
Self-managed participants can choose community access supports that align with their goals, interests and individual needs, in accordance with their NDIS plan and available funding.
Learn More →We can work with your plan manager to make accessing agreed community access and participation support simple, with invoices managed through your plan-management arrangements.
Learn More →Community access support can also be arranged privately for individuals and families who are not using NDIS funding or who prefer to pay for support directly.
Funding arrangements can vary depending on your NDIS plan, goals, available funding and individual circumstances. Tell us what you'd like support with and our team can discuss whether Mind & Body Support may be suitable for you.
Enquire About Community AccessGetting started with community access support is simple. We take the time to understand what you enjoy, what you'd like to do and where you'd like to build greater confidence or independence in everyday community life.
Contact our team and tell us about the participant, their interests, current routine and the types of activities they enjoy or would like to try.
We’ll also discuss where they would like greater support, confidence or independence when participating in the community.
Together, we’ll work out the activities, level of assistance and support approach that best fits the participant’s goals, personality and interests.
Support may focus on everyday outings, social activities, hobbies, fitness, community groups, building practical skills or gradually trying new experiences.
Begin personalised one-to-one community access support with activities and outings based around what matters to the participant.
As confidence, interests and independence develop, support can evolve to introduce new experiences, practise everyday skills and work towards new goals.
Tell us what you enjoy, what you’d like to try and what kind of support would help you participate more confidently in your community.
Community access support helps people with disability participate in everyday activities outside their home. This can include shopping, appointments, fitness, hobbies, community groups, social activities and other meaningful outings.
Community participation generally refers to support that helps eligible participants become involved in social, recreational and everyday community activities. The supports available to an individual will depend on their NDIS plan, goals and funding.
The terms are closely related and are often used to describe support that helps people with disability get out, participate and become more involved in their community.
Activities are based around your individual interests and goals. You might go shopping, exercise, visit a café, attend a community group, pursue a hobby, attend an appointment, visit a local attraction or try something new.
Yes. Everyday outings can provide opportunities to practise planning, shopping, communication, decision-making, money skills and navigating familiar community environments.
Yes. Community access support may include grocery shopping, visiting local shops and developing greater confidence with skills such as planning purchases and managing transactions.
Depending on your individual support arrangement, community access may include assistance attending medical, allied health or other appointments.
Yes. We provide age-appropriate community access support for children and young people based around their interests, support needs and individual goals.
Yes. We support adults with community activities, hobbies, fitness, shopping, appointments, social participation and developing greater everyday independence.
Transport may form part of some broader support arrangements. If transport itself is your main support need, visit our Disability Transport Support page.
Mind & Body Support works with self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants. We also provide private and self-funded support.
Mind & Body Support provides community access and participation support across Melbourne, with a strong focus on Melbourne's northern and north-eastern suburbs. Availability depends on the participant's location and required support arrangement.