Boasting a workforce of more than 350 staff, Brighter Access continues to grow after finding opportunity in changes to the industry implemented by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
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Celebrating 40 years as a vital service last year, general manager Tanya Fox said Brighter Access has always focused on the one mission.
"To support people with a disability, of all ages, in every aspect of their lives. It's important to us that participants are included and feel like they belong within their community," she said.
Around 65 staff are based at the head office in Inverell, but with opportunities to expand Brighter Access provides support throughout the Hunter, Central Coast, New England including Tamworth and the Mid-North Coast.
Partnering with Enlarge Living, an NDIS housing provider, the two services offer an independent living space and support to those with a disability.
"They source and build houses suited to people with a disability and we provide the support needed to ensure they can live independently," she said.
Whilst constantly recruiting new workers to fill career opportunities, Brighter Access supports babies to the elderly living with a disability.
For children, the support provided is based around early childhood intervention and assisting families with the initial diagnosis to reaching milestones so they can develop to their full potential.
School-aged support is centred around helping to build the capacity to learn everyday skills. Brighter Access runs after school and holiday programs to target skill and capacity building.
"The significant growth we've had is with adults. We now provide community access and capacity building to help them develop skills to function in society and be included. Things like giving back to community through supporting Meals on Wheels.
"Also we do significant work with supported independent living, supporting participants to live in their own houses we've set up. We provide extra support around personal care, maintaining household, shopping and meal preparations."
With inclusion at the forefront, Brighter Access sponsored the 2019 Sapphire City Festival and created a Winter Wonderland retreat to boost community morale.
The Winter Wonderland was set up as a pop-up store, an idea of one of the participants, funded through Regional Australia Bank's Community Partnership Program.
Participants were encouraged to embrace the skills they had to set up micro businesses and use funding to buy materials.
"We had participants who had developed great skills and talked about wanting a job or to contribute in some way. With negativity and sadness in the community with the drought we wanted to do something positive around Christmas."
Winter Wonderland did not cost a cent to enter and items for sale were low cost. Residents and visitors were able to enter, absorb the Christmas atmosphere and have fun without the cost.
There was homemade jewellery, Christmas cards, delicious treats, woodwork, all-in-one jars and plenty more made by participants on offer.
"With these steps, I think we have inclusion happening and the next step is belonging. Inverell Eisteddfod has approached us because they want to be more inclusive this year so we have ideas in the works."
For those looking for a rewarding career path working in the disability sector can head to www.brighteraccess.com.au.
"If you have the right values and attitude, we can teach the skills that are needed. We've had staff who've had strong careers in other fields who reached a point in their lives where they want to do something different and found it rewarding."
