Big plans for local charity

ALL Aboard is looking to expand its services throughout the region with a new project.

The Surf Coast charity provides high quality, individualised and innovative support to adults with disability, focusing on small things which make a significant difference.

Founders Kate Marshall and Helen Cini are both parents of people with disability and started All Aboard seven years ago on the Surf Coast, becoming a charity last year.

They now offer a range of programs and opportunities, including social weekends away, volunteering within the community, literacy and numeracy programs and much more.

With a present focus on many small aspects, the All Aboard team have big plans of creating ‘The Junction’, a central location to house their services, old and new.

The new venue intends to be somewhere people can come for day programs with therapy rooms, sensory hair salon, respite housing, a cafe staffed by participants and more.

At the moment, All Aboard is running a range of programs from a number of different locations, “The Junction” would allow it to bring everything together under the one roof.

“We want to be able to grow, expand, offer our services to everyone who needs support in this field,” Ms Marshall said.

She said the charity would also like to extend the care into preschools and for families who have a child with a disability.

“Helen and I know first-hand that it can be really isolating and daunting, so we would really like to create a space with other families in the same situation,” Ms Marshall said.

The team are seeking support from the community to form a sub-committee with skilled people invested in helping the project go ahead, including builders, engineers, accountants and architects.

“We’d like to invite anyone with those sorts of skill sets and to contact us and get on board and see how we can all work together in the community,” Ms Marshall said.

For more information, head to allaboard.org.au