RuralAccess, MetroAccess, deafaccess
RuralAccess, MetroAccess and deafaccess are part of the Disability Services Community Building Program. The program is a core feature of the Victorian State Disability Plan, the vision of which is a more inclusive Victoria where disability is not a barrier to participation in community life.
The Community Building Program supports communities to develop new ways of including people with a disability in local community life.
- MetroAccess workers are based in each of the 31 local councils across metropolitan Melbourne.
- RuralAccess workers are located in 25 local governments and community health services across rural and regional Victoria.
- deafaccess workers are based in five community service organisations across rural Victoria.
These workers plan and develop strategies across the full range of community infrastructure including education and training, transport, health, accommodation and housing, physical access planning, sport, recreation and the arts.
Why is a community building program needed?
Over the past two decades, government policy has focused on supporting people with a disability to participate more in community life. However, despite a stronger presence in the community, the extent to which people with a disability are valued as active members of their community is varied. As the support provided to people with a disability continues to become more self-directed and flexible, local communities need to be supported to become more welcoming and inclusive.
Download an overview of the program
Community Building Program in Disability Services (PDF 345.2 kb)
Community Building Program in Disability Services (Word 471.0 kb)
Alternate formats
If you need documents in alternate formats, send an email to disability.services@dhs.vic.gov.au.