The Victorian Government recognises the important role that disability self-help groups play in supporting people with disability to live satisfying everyday lives.
The Disability self-help grants program provides grants to Victorian disability self-help groups in need of financial assistance to meet some of their costs. Assisting with these costs helps self-help groups to provide social, emotional and practical support to their members.
Disability self-help grants program 2023-2025
There are 72 Victorian disability self-help groups receiving funding through the Disability self-help grant program 2023-2025 funding round.
Through the grants, each disability self-help group will receive up to $14,000 over two years until 2025. This funding will support groups to operate.
One-third of the groups funded have a focus on supporting people from diverse backgrounds, including:
- women and girls
- autistic and other neurodiverse people
- people from multicultural communities
- LGBTIQA+ people
Other highlights of this funding round also include:
- support for people across Victoria with 22 groups from regional and rural areas
- new support for activities that celebrate pride and recognition
- the ability for funds to meet costs for guest speakers
- increased overall funding for groups (raised from $10,000 over two years to $14,000).
To see the grant recipients, you can download the Disability Self Help Grants Program 2023–2025 list of funded groups.
Victoria’s support for disability self-help groups recognises the value of peer support and aligns with the goals of Inclusive Victoria: State disability plan 2022-2026.
How can the grant be used?
The grants support Victorian disability self-help groups to:
- share both formal and informal information such as personal experiences
- support members to make informed decisions about their own situation or circumstances
- facilitate peer support for people with disability and their families/carers
- strengthen the capacity of people with disability to live independently in their own community and actively participate in community activities
- provide social connections for people who may otherwise be isolated
- increase opportunities to provide information and education on lived experiences of people with disability
- foster and promote disability pride within the disability community.
A past self-help grant recipient’s story
Peer support for parents with neurodivergent children - video transcript (Word)
For more information contact us
Office for Disability