RuralAccess Edited on 19 August 2007

RuralAccess is an initiative that supports rural and regional communities to plan and develop strategies to increase community membership and participation opportunities for people with a disability.

RuralAccess assists the community to include people with a disability and their parents and carers by:

• Helping people and organisations to work together more effectively.
• Improving community understanding about the needs and aspirations of people with a disability through community education and awareness raising.
• Developing and implementing projects which respond to community needs and priorities.
• Ensuring that the needs of people with a disability are the focus of community planning.
• Supporting service providers to assist people with a disability to live the sort of life they choose.
• Developing easy ways for people to access the information they need about services, community activities and issues.

To get involved in RuralAccess in the Grampians region, contact your local RuralAccess workers:

Gilda McKechnie
Grampians Community Health Centre
61 High St, Ararat 3377
Ph: 03 5352 6200
Fax: 03 5352 2533
Email: gilda.m@gchc.org.au

Dorothy McLaren
Horsham Rural City Council
Civic Centre, Roberts Avenue
Horsham 3402
Ph: 03 5382 9777
Fax: 03 5382 1111
Email: dorothy.mclaren@hrcc.vic.gov.au

Deb Whitecross
City of Ballarat
25 Armstrong Street South, Ballarat
Ph: 03 5320 5500
Fax: 03 5320 5832
Email: debwhitecross@ballarat.vic.gov.au

Fiona Strahan
Daylesford Community Health Centre
Corner of Hospital and Jamieson Streets
Ph: 03 5321 6567
Fax: 03 5348 1785
Email: fionas@hhs.vic.gov.au