Community Access
One-on-one support to get out of the house and into real life — sport, fitness, volunteering, travel training, events, hobbies, new places and new people. Built around what your Mate loves, at the pace that feels right.
We support community access across the Gold Coast, with Mates getting out around places like Robina, Burleigh Heads, Southport and nearby areas — depending on their goals, routine and transport needs.
Community access is about helping your Mate get out into the world with the right support beside them. That might mean learning to catch public transport, joining a gym, trying boxing, going to the footy, volunteering, building job-readiness skills, learning to order and pay for themselves — or simply getting more comfortable in new places.
It's never just filling a shift. Every outing has a quiet purpose behind it — practising independence, building confidence and connecting with other people. The fun matters. So does the progress.
How the Mates Way works →
Real examples from real weeks — shaped around your Mate's interests, goals and confidence level.
Gym sessions, boxing, basketball, swimming or a beach walk — moving more and feeling better for it.
Showing up, pitching in and practising routines — quiet groundwork for future work and real responsibility.
Catching the bus or train, planning routes, pick-ups and drop-offs — independence built one trip at a time.
Footy games, live music, shows and community events — big days out, shared with someone great.
Surfing, fishing, bowling, cooking, dance, golf — first-time nerves are easier with a Mate beside you.
Farm days, animal visits and time outdoors — confidence grows fast in the open air.
Ordering, paying, reading signs, making choices — everyday skills practised where they're actually used.
Joining a class, meeting new people and building toward group activities — connection at your Mate's pace.
The right person changes everything
Plenty of providers can get someone from A to B. We care about who they're going with. The right support worker makes the whole thing easier — someone your Mate actually gels with, who understands their pace, their interests and what helps them feel safe enough to try.
When the match is right, support builds week by week. What starts as a short outing can become a gym routine, a volunteer shift, a footy night, a group activity or the confidence to try something completely new. That's the point: support that feels like life, not a program.
Worried a group might be too much too soon? So are a lot of families. That's exactly what this is for.
Many Mates begin with quiet one-on-one outings, then — when they're ready, and only then — start joining our group activities and fitness sessions alongside faces they already know.
Down the track, some even pack a bag for a getaway with the crew. No rush, no pressure — their pace, always. And for support with skills at home, there's our daily living support.
Often, yes — community access may be funded through a participant's NDIS plan, depending on their goals, funding, support category and how their plan is managed. For most Mates it sits under Core Supports (Assistance with Social, Economic and Community Participation), and for some under Capacity Building (Increased Social and Community Participation).
Personal costs such as tickets, meals, entry fees or purchases may need to be paid separately, depending on the activity and the participant's plan. As a registered NDIS provider, we'll be upfront about what's support, what's an activity cost, and what needs to be checked before anything is booked.
Both. Community access itself is usually 1:1 — your Mate and their support worker, out doing things they enjoy. Many Mates also join our group activities, and plenty do a mix of the two.
Group activities are our scheduled crew events — same time, same squad, all together. Community access is individual: built entirely around your Mate's own goals, interests and routine, one-on-one.
Yes. For most shifts we pick your Mate up and drop them home, unless something different has been arranged. Community access can also include practising bus or train travel, planning routes and building the confidence to make trips more independently over time. What's included depends on their plan, and we'll be upfront about that at the start.
That's really common — and completely fine. We start small: short outings, low-key places, and the same familiar support worker every time. Then we build up exactly as fast as your Mate wants to go, and no faster.
Tell us about your Mate through the free 12-week support plan — it takes about two minutes — or make a referral if you're a support coordinator. Or just call 1300 190 382 for a chat.
Postcards from out and about on the coast.
Tell us a bit about your Mate and we'll map out what the first 12 weeks of getting out and about could look like — free, no pressure.
