Extended Families Australia

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Extended Families Australia Melbourne not-for-profit disability support for children, youth, adults and families. Supporting diverse communities, including Chinese & Vietnamese.

NDIS & TAC supports, Plan Management, Support Workers, Social Groups + more. extendedfamilies.org.au Extended Families is a Melbourne-based not-for-profit disability organisation supporting children, young people and their families across Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula. We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to live the life they choose - with connection, inclusion and a sense of belonging within their community. We provide a range of diverse supports designed to build confidence, capacity and social connection, including:
• Support Workers (LinC) - NDIS & TAC
• Plan Management
• Support Coordination
• Social and recreational programs
• Parent and carer peer support groups
• Volunteer matching programs
• Community events and activities

Our programs help children, young people and families build connections, develop new skills, experience new opportunities and most importantly, have fun.

🌱 Creating connections. Growing inclusion. Building community.

🔗 www.extendedfamilies.org.au
📞 03 9355 8848

How do we find the right support workers for our participants? 💙It's a question families and professionals often ask us ...
22/10/2026

How do we find the right support workers for our participants? 💙

It's a question families and professionals often ask us about.

Our LinC Support Worker Program doesn't use a traditional "send whoever is available" approach.

We recruit specifically for LinC, taking into account the participants currently waiting for matches, including factors such as location, language, interests, study and professional backgrounds, and other qualities that may help create meaningful support relationships.

Our recruitment process includes screening, interviews, reference checks, compliance requirements, training and orientation before a worker is matched with a participant.

But we're looking for more than qualifications.

We want to understand who someone is as a person. During interviews, we explore things like judgement, communication, problem solving, flexibility, professionalism and how someone would respond in real-life situations.

When it comes time to match a participant with a support worker, personality and personal qualities can be just as important as skills and experience.

The right support worker makes a difference, and finding the right person starts long before a match is made.

👉 Swipe through to learn more about how we recruit and prepare our LinC support workers.

20/10/2026

Qualifications are important, but they're only part of the picture when it comes to a great Inclusion Support Worker. 💙

Many of our LinC Inclusion Support Workers are studying or qualified in areas such as psychology, occupational therapy, speech pathology, education and other allied health or disability-related fields.

But qualifications aren't the only thing that makes someone a great support worker.

We also look for people with strong judgement, communication skills, reliability, professionalism, flexibility and empathy.

Our interview process is designed to help us understand who someone is as a person. We explore how they respond to real-life situations, solve problems, build relationships and support others.

That information becomes just as important as qualifications when it comes time to match participants with support workers.

Because finding the right support worker isn't just about skills and experience. It's about finding someone who can build trust, develop genuine connections and support participants to work towards their goals.

The right support worker makes a difference.

👉 Visit our website (link in bio) to learn more about the LinC Support Worker Program and how we carefully recruit and match our workers.

Frankston & Mornington Peninsula families - we'd love to meet you! 💛Join us from the comfort of home for a friendly 30 m...
19/10/2026

Frankston & Mornington Peninsula families - we'd love to meet you! 💛

Join us from the comfort of home for a friendly 30 minute online session to discover our free HACC funded Volunteer Mentor Program for children and young people with disability and their families. Families are also able to join in our social groups and activities across Melbourne’s South East.

📅 27 Oct | 10 Nov | 24 Nov
🕠 5:30 pm to 6:00 pm

✅ Free for eligible families
✅ one to one connections + fun family activities
✅ No NDIS plan required
✅ No obligation - just come along and find out more

Message us or contact Samantha (Social Groups & Volunteer Coordinator) to learn more or for the meeting link.
📞 0406 229 071
📧 [email protected]

We're excited to build new connections with families and grow opportunities across Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula in 2027. We'd love to see you there!

What is great support?It's not about the activity, the outing or the goal being worked towards.It's about how someone fe...
15/10/2026

What is great support?

It's not about the activity, the outing or the goal being worked towards.

It's about how someone feels.

Feeling heard.
Feeling respected.
Feeling valued.
Feeling safe.
Feeling understood.

And having the opportunity to build genuine connections with the people supporting them.

We believe the foundation of consistent quality support is built on understanding the individual and careful matching with the right support worker.

When people feel understood, supported and connected, they're better placed to work towards what's important to them.

👉 Swipe through to explore what great support looks like.

💙 Follow along as we explore more about the people and values behind our LinC Support Worker Program.

This National Carers Week, we're recognising the vital role carers play in the lives of their loved ones.T, a mother of ...
14/10/2026

This National Carers Week, we're recognising the vital role carers play in the lives of their loved ones.

T, a mother of two daughters with NDIS plans, joined our Bridge to Rights program feeling overwhelmed and unsure of how to navigate the NDIS. Through learning, connection and support, she gained the confidence to better understand her daughters' plans, advocate for their needs, and make informed decisions about their supports.

The greatest outcome wasn't just increased confidence. It was seeing her daughters become happier, more engaged and better supported.

"the most meaningful change has been the change I’ve seen in my daughters. They are happier, less irritable, and more willing to cooperate. These may sound like small changes to other people, but as a mother, seeing my children happier means everything to me.

T reflected that when we, as carers, become more informed and confident, our children are the ones who ultimately benefit. "When I understand my children better, I can support them better. When they are happy, I’m happy too."

This story reflects the power of supporting carers. When carers are informed, connected and confident, the whole family benefits.

Chia sẻ của chị T

Xin chào mọi người, tôi là T. Tôi có hai cô con gái có NDIS và tôi đã đồng hành với Nhịp Cầu từ những buổi đầu tiên.

Trước đây, hành trình NDIS với tôi có rất nhiều điều khó hiểu. Tôi chưa hiểu hết Plan của con, chưa biết rõ quyền lợi của con, và nhiều khi thấy có điều chưa phù hợp tôi cũng ngại lên tiếng, vì sợ mình không hiểu đúng.

Nhưng qua từng buổi Nhịp Cầu, tôi bắt đầu hiểu hơn, biết cách sử dụng Core linh hoạt hơn và quan trọng nhất là tôi tự tin hơn để lên tiếng cho con. Tôi dám trao đổi với provider, điều chỉnh lịch support worker cho phù hợp với con, và khi có hóa đơn không đúng, tôi cũng không còn im lặng như trước.

Nhưng điều khiến tôi vui nhất chính là sự thay đổi của con mình. Tôi thấy hai con vui vẻ hơn, bớt cau có và hợp tác hơn. Có thể với người khác đó chỉ là những thay đổi nhỏ, nhưng với một người mẹ, nhìn thấy con vui hơn mỗi ngày là điều rất lớn.

Nhịp Cầu giúp tôi nhận ra rằng, khi mình hiểu hơn và tự tin hơn, người được hưởng lợi nhiều nhất cuối cùng vẫn là con mình. Mình hiểu con thì mình mới giúp được con. Mình giúp được con thì con vui, mà con vui thì mình cũng vui theo.

Vì vậy, nếu có cơ hội, tôi thật sự khuyến khích các phụ huynh và người chăm sóc hãy tham gia những chương trình như Nhịp Cầu. Đừng ngại hỏi, đừng ngại học và cũng đừng ngại lên tiếng cho con mình. Chỉ cần mình thay đổi một chút hôm nay, biết đâu ngày mai mình sẽ nhìn thấy một sự thay đổi rất lớn ở con.

Với tôi, đó chính là điều quý giá nhất mà Nhịp Cầu đã mang lại.

Bridge to Rights supports Vietnamese carers to build confidence, knowledge and advocacy skills to navigate the NDIS.
Funded by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission Grants Program.

Carers Australia

One of the most rewarding parts of the LinC Program is hearing participant and family feedback on their LinC experience ...
08/10/2026

One of the most rewarding parts of the LinC Program is hearing participant and family feedback on their LinC experience and the difference their support worker has made.

A thoughtful match can help build trust, confidence and genuine connection over time. That's why we get to know each participant properly, before carefully finding support workers who we genuinely think they will connect with.

As one family shared:
"Extended Families are wonderful and very thorough in finding a support worker who matches my daughter's needs. We are grateful to have their support services."

The feedback we receive consistently reinforces the importance of finding the right fit and investing in long-term support relationships.

👉 Swipe through to hear more about what families value about LinC.

💙 Follow along as we continue sharing the people, relationships and processes behind our LinC Support Worker Program.

We're looking for community-minded people who would like to volunteer with children, teens and young adults with disabil...
05/10/2026

We're looking for community-minded people who would like to volunteer with children, teens and young adults with disability through our group activities and Volunteer Mentoring program. 💛

We're excited to be bringing our family-friendly Join In South Social Group and Volunteer Mentoring programs into the Mornington Peninsula and Frankston areas, and we're currently seeking volunteers across:
📍 City of Frankston
📍 Mornington Peninsula Shire
📍 City of Greater Dandenong
📍 City of Casey
📍 Cardinia Shire

Not sure if volunteering is right for you?
Join us online for The Connection Exchange - a free, interactive 30-minute session where you can meet our team, hear real stories, learn about volunteering opportunities and explore whether there's a good fit between your interests.

There's no pressure to sign up. Come because you're curious.
Leave with a better understanding of disability inclusion, volunteering, and the difference genuine connection can make.

Volunteering isn't about being an expert. It's about sharing an interest, having a conversation, playing a game, kicking a footy, getting involved in the community, and helping a young person feel connected and included.

✨ One connection can enrich two lives.

Upcoming online sessions
🗓 Tuesdays | 5:30pm-6:00pm
6 October
20 October
17 November
1 December

To register, email or text Samantha (Social Groups & Volunteer Coordinator) your email address and you will be sent a Teams invitation:
📧 [email protected]
📱 0406 229 071

We're not just matching schedules. We're matching people.We take the time to get to know each participant properly and u...
01/10/2026

We're not just matching schedules. We're matching people.

We take the time to get to know each participant properly and understand their goals, interests, support needs, and look beyond what is in a plan to find out what's important to them and what they're looking for in a support worker.

We then carefully identify support workers who may be a genuine fit and involve participants in the process.

Once a match is made, our role doesn't end there. We continue to support participants, families and workers as supports develop.

👉 Swipe through to learn how matching works and what happens behind the scenes.

💙 Follow along as we share more on the people and processes behind our LinC Support Worker Program.

29/09/2026

The right match is a collaborative process.

When someone joins our LinC Support Worker Program, we take the time to get to know them properly. We learn about their goals, interests, support needs, personality and what they're looking for in a support worker.

We then identify people who could be a good fit and share those worker profiles with the participant and family. Because the relationship needs to work for them. The participant is part of the decision.

We believe good matching is about more than availability. It's about finding someone you'll genuinely connect with and building a support relationship that can grow over time.

💙 Follow along as we continue to explore the people and processes behind our LinC Support Worker Program.

Address

1/95 Bell Street
Melbourne, VIC
3058

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+61393558848

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