Albury-Wodonga Families Grapple with Closure of Essential Disability Service

An NDIS-funded service supporting dozens of individuals with disabilities in the Albury-Wodonga region is set to close down after the provider declared it is no longer financially viable, pointing to upcoming national funding reforms.

Program Set to Close in August

The Lifestyle & Learning Service, operated by Aspire Support Services, currently assists approximately 110 clients. The program provides group-based day activities, including woodwork and cooking, designed to build confidence and essential life skills. However, following a 2025 merger with fellow provider Personnel Group and consultations with independent advisors, Aspire announced the service will be discontinued starting August 28.

Personnel Group Chief Executive Officer John Gibbons stated that despite persistent investments, the program was no longer sustainable.

"As a not-for-profit organisation, we need to carefully balance our impact in the community with the funding available to us," Mr Gibbons said.

"The service continues to run at a significant loss, and proposed changes to NDIS funding from 1 October 2026 will further impact our operating environment," he added.

Mr Gibbons emphasized that the closure does not reflect the dedication of the staff or the quality of the service. He assured families that Aspire will assist them in transitioning to alternative local organizations.

"Our priority over the coming weeks is the people affected, and the service will continue without interruption until it closes," Mr Gibbons said. "We remain committed to people with disability in our region, and to supporting everyone affected by this change with the care they deserve.”

The provider confirmed that no alterations will be made to its accommodation, plan management, or family services.

Local Families Raise Concerns Over Disruption

Colleen Severs, whose 35-year-old son has accessed Aspire’s services for nearly 18 years, said the program has been crucial in teaching him various life skills, from sports to cooking. While she praised Aspire for being highly communicative and supportive throughout this transition, she expressed deep worry about how the sudden change will impact clients with different needs.

"There's a lot of other clients who really struggle with change [and will] struggle with behavioural issues, which when you change their environment is a bit of a trigger," Ms Severs said.

"Not every provider gives you those same opportunities, so it's going to be a matter of finding one that's going to match [for them]."

Ms Severs also raised concerns about the broader implications for the region if other local providers face similar pressures. "We may end up with very few providers and the demand is still there, it's going to be a growing need," she said.

Fears of Severe Impact on Regional Communities

Albury-based disability and mental health advocate Hollie-Ann Newman shared similar apprehensions. Ms Newman, who serves on the board of the Australian Neurodivergent Parents Association, relocated to Albury from the Gold Coast three years ago due to housing affordability and the availability of local disability supports.

Without informal or extended family support nearby, Ms Newman's family relies heavily on preschool, Aspire, and other NDIS providers to help her son engage with the community.

"We have the understanding of his diagnoses, language, tools and skills to support our son and ourselves," Ms Newman said.

"It's currently funding his transition to school, which for a child with his profile is a huge, high-stakes step that needs specialist support to get right."

Ms Newman fears that proposed federal NDIS changes will disproportionately affect regional and rural areas, compounding existing local challenges.

"Waitlists that are already long in regional communities like ours will only grow as more families are pushed toward the public system instead of private [or] NDIS-funded providers," Ms Newman said.

"The cuts will hit the workforce hard, and support work is a heavily feminised workforce [with] reduced hours, smaller providers collapsing, and support jobs disappearing."

"In a regional economy like ours, that's a meaningful chunk of local jobs and services gone," she stated.