Illawarra Advocacy

05/05/2026

Have you visited our new website yet? We’ve made it easier than ever to connect with us 🙌
It has a fresh look and improved navigation to help you find the information you need quickly and easily.
We’ve also introduced a new, more user-friendly referral form, making it simpler to get support or refer someone to our services. You can find it via the ‘Contact Us’ link.
Take a look and explore what’s new 👉 https://illawarraadvocacy.org.au/
As always, we’re here to support people with disability, their families, and carers across our community 💙

We provide free, independent advocacy to support people with disability in navigating challenges, upholding their rights, and accessing essential services. Our person-centred approach ensures fair treatment and meaningful outcomes.

04/05/2026

Great to see Lifeline South Coast expanding with a new shop in Kiama.

This is a valuable addition to the community and a wonderful opportunity for locals to get involved. Lifeline is currently looking for volunteers to help bring the shop to life. No experience needed, just a willingness to help and be part of a supportive team.

At Illawarra Advocacy, we see how critical it is for people, including people with disability, to have access to the right supports, especially in times of distress. Services like Lifeline play an important role in the broader support system, providing 24/7 crisis support when it’s needed most.

Their retail shops help fund this vital work, helping ensure these services remain accessible to the community.

If you’ve been thinking about giving back, this could be a great place to start.👇

https://www.facebook.com/LifelineSouthCoast/posts/pfbid02eKsCoM4GwwP2dRSJRtf9JUXWgbCJDLkspoyTVQpgpxjwAE2BqtFE2ZZ3C6egZK9kl

🎉 Kiama, something new is coming…

Lifeline South Coast is opening a brand-new shop in Kiama — and YOU can be part of it from day one.

We’re building a team of passionate volunteers to help bring this space to life.

💙 Meet new people
💙 Be part of something from the beginning
💙 Support your local community

👉 Join an Information Session to get involved:
https://ap1.hubs.ly/y0MYgH0

30/04/2026

💚 Today marks the start of Mental Health Month 💚

Mental health is something that affects us all — every day, not just in moments of crisis. This month is an opportunity to reflect, start conversations, and support one another in meaningful ways.

Taking care of your mental health can look different for everyone. It might be checking in with a friend, taking time to rest, reaching out for support, or simply giving yourself permission to slow down.

🌿 Let’s use this month to:
• Break down stigma and encourage open conversations
• Check in on the people around us
• Share support services and resources
• Prioritise our own wellbeing

29/04/2026

📣 Great news from Wollongong Homeless Hub! 📣

Wollongong Homeless Hub has shared an exciting update — they’re expanding their support services to reach more people across our community. 💛

You can now access housing support at multiple locations. See below for the details.

This expansion makes it easier than ever to connect with support, wherever you are.

Please help spread the word so people who need these services know where to find them. 🤝

Wollongong Homeless Hub

28/04/2026

🐾 International Guide Dog Day 🐾
Today we celebrate the incredible guide dogs who change lives every single day. 💛

Guide dogs provide more than just assistance with navigation — they offer independence, confidence, and companionship to people who are blind or have low vision. These highly trained dogs help their handlers move safely through the world, opening up opportunities that might otherwise feel out of reach.

Behind every guide dog is a dedicated team of trainers, volunteers, and supporters who make this life-changing partnership possible.

👏 Let’s take a moment to recognise:
• The amazing guide dogs and the work they do
• The handlers who trust and partner with them
• The organisations and volunteers who train and support them

If you see a guide dog out and about, remember they’re working hard — admire from a distance and avoid distracting them.

Today is a great reminder of the power of connection, trust, and support in creating a more inclusive community for everyone. 🌏

27/04/2026

🍽️ Food Fairness Illawarra – Connecting Our Community to Food Support 🍽️

Did you know there are many low-cost and free meal options available across the Illawarra? Food Fairness Illawarra is helping make it easier to find them all in one place.

Their initiative links our community with a wide range of food relief services – from breakfast programs and affordable grocery options to community kitchens serving daily meals.

📍 Through their easy-to-use "Fair food directory" at the top of their website, you can quickly find local services that offer the support you or someone you know may need.

No one should have to struggle to access food, and thanks to Food Fairness Illawarra, help is easier to find.

Check our their website here:

Food Fairness Illawarra

26/04/2026

💛 Support Need A Feed – Nourishing Our Community Together

We had the absolute honour of meeting KP from the amazing charitable organisation Need A Feed last week. Need A Feed is a local charity doing incredible work right here in the Illawarra, supporting families through food relief and genuine community connection. Their mission is simple but powerful: no one should have to face hunger alone.

By offering food, friendship, and hope, Need A Feed helps people move forward with dignity, care, and a stronger sense of belonging.

🍽️ Their programs include:
• Breakfast Buddies at McCabe Park
• Legends Lunch at Berkeley Community Centre, Warilla Community Centre & Hope St, Port Kembla, all providing free meals for those in need.
• Emergency Relief - Free frozen meals and personal care items are available from Berkeley Community Centre for those doing it tough.

Check their website for dates and times.

https://needafeed.org/

🧺 Want to help?
Need A Feed has collection bins located across the Illawarra where you can donate food and essential items to support local families in need.

Every small act of kindness makes a difference. 💫

Let’s come together to support a service that truly cares for our community.

23/04/2026

As we approach Anzac Day tomorrow, we take a moment to acknowledge and remember the service and sacrifice of those who have served, and continue to serve, our country.

Lest we forget.

Please note our office will be closed on Monday 27 April for the public holiday. We will reopen on Tuesday.

If you require urgent assistance during this time, please contact:
📞 Emergency services: 000
📞 Lifeline: 13 11 14
📞 Mental Health Line: 1800 011 511
Take care and stay safe over the long weekend.

22/04/2026

Supporting healthy ageing is important for everyone in our community.

We’re sharing this post from Down Syndrome Australia about their accessible resources designed to support healthy ageing for people with Down syndrome.

These resources have been shaped by people with Down syndrome, along with their families and carers.

Find out more via the original post 👇

Down Syndrome Australia has developed resources to support healthy ageing for people with Down syndrome.

The resources are accessible and have been shaped by people with Down syndrome their families and carers.

To find out more, see the comments below. 👇

21/04/2026

Discrimination can have a serious impact on people in our community.

We want to help raise awareness about what discrimination looks like, the protections in place, and where to go for support.

If you or someone you know has experienced discrimination, sexual harassment or vilification in NSW, support is available.

📌 Learn more: https://antidiscrimination.nsw.gov.au/

21/04/2026

Recent reporting highlights growing concern across the disability community, with proposed NDIS changes creating significant uncertainty for many people, families and providers.
Advocates are warning that when reforms focus on reducing costs rather than improving outcomes, it can feel like people themselves are being treated as the problem which is deeply unsettling.
We’re sharing this article to help keep our community informed and encourage thoughtful conversation about what these changes could mean.
📰 Read more:
https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/9219824/ndis-overhaul-uncertainty-deeply-unsettling/
These conversations matter—especially for those directly impacted.

As the government debates how to rein in the spiralling cost of the NDIS, advocates say the disability...

08/04/2026

"Chronic illness is a reality for millions, yet it remains largely misunderstood. Sharna is changing that through the power of animation—turning her personal journey into a tool for systemic change. We don't just need to 'see' disability; we need to value the perspectives of those living it. 🗣️💻

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