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Victorian Government Website (Victoria the Place to Be)
Department of Human Services, State Government of Victoria, Australia
Subsite title

RuralAccess and MetroAccess

RuralAccess and MetroAccess work to utilise the strengths, resources and creativity of people and communities, to increase community participation and inclusion opportunities for people with disabilities. These initiatives provide a comprehensive response to the key issues experienced by people with disabilities in local communities across Victoria.

RuralAccess and MetroAccess are initiatives of the Victorian State Disability Plan and complement disability support across the state.

To achieve this, RuralAccess and MetroAccess:

  • Work to increase community awareness around the needs and aspirations of people with a disability
  • Bring together key stakeholders to support change within local communities
  • Focus on local area planning and development to address issues of disadvantage and exclusion experienced by people with disabilities
  • Develop partnerships and projects which respond to issues of exclusion
  • Create more opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in all aspects of community life
  • Play a pivotal role in promoting stronger coordination of effort between disability supports, local government, community organisations and local communities.

Information sheet

You can download the MetroAccess information sheet.

Who to contact

Head Office

Rebecca Petrony
Community Development
Email: Rebecca.Petrony@dhs.vic.gov.au
Telephone: (03) 9096 0218

RuralAccess

Barwon South West Region

Leanne Hodder
Community Building Project Officer
Email: Leanne.Hodder@dhs.vic.gov.au
Telephone: (03) 5226 4627

Loddon Mallee Region

Ian Swan
Community Building Project Officer
Email: Ian.Swan@dhs.vic.gov.au
Telephone: (03) 5434 5715

Grampians Region

Joanne Heaney
Community Building Project Officer
Email: Joanne.Heaney@dhs.vic.gov.au
Telephone: (03) 5333 6231

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Hume Region

Ros Nam
Community Building Project Officer
Email: Ros.Nam@dhs.vic.gov.au
Telephone: 03 5722 0967

Gippsland Region

Lisa Mason
Community Building Project Officer
Email: Lisa.Mason@dhs.vic.gov.au
Telephone: (03) 5177 2596

MetroAccess

North and West Region

Sylwia Pichel-Smaczny
Manager Community Inclusion and Capacity
Email: Sylwia.Pichel-Smaczny@dhs.vic.gov.au
Telephone: (03) 9412 2662

Eastern Metropolitan Region

Marika Jagow
Community Building Project Officer
Email: Marika.Jagow@dhs.vic.gov.au
Telephone: (03) 9843 6594

Southern Metropolitan Region

Chris Allen
Manager Capacity Development
Email: Chris.Allen@dhs.vic.gov.au
Telephone: (03) 9767 8727