Leisure Buddies for NDIS Participants

The Leisure Buddies service is unique in the current disability sector because it involves matching a carefully screened community volunteer with a person with disability. Through shared interests and regular outings, buddies develop a genuine, informal, organic friendship outside existing relationships with family and paid staff. The Leisure Buddies service supports the person with disability to have a friend, participate in the community and to develop confidence and independence.

How you can become a Leisure Buddy

Inclusion Melbourne’s Leisure Buddies service links a volunteer with an adult with a disability so that they can share interests, goals and activities and develop a real friendship.

Leisure buddies are matched according to several factors such as where they both live and their shared interests and goals.

Buddies meet regularly. This might be weekly or fortnightly, on weekdays or weekends, depending on their goals and what suits both buddies.

It’s all about chemistry

Each match is unique due to the essential element of relationship that underpins all matches.

Some are long term, where lifelong friendships develop, while others are more focused on goals that are realised in a short time frame.

Everyone deserves a friend

Inclusion Melbourne began recruiting services in 1998 because we believe that everyone should have someone in their life who isn’t a family member or paid to be there.

Volunteering at Inclusion Melbourne is about embracing inclusion, building relationships with people from all walks of life and taking steps toward a future full of opportunities.

Volunteers offer authentic friendship and a genuine relationship based on freely given time, beyond that of a carer or supporter. Paid relationships do not usually evolve into freely given sustainable relationships.

The volunteer relationship is valued for its casual and relaxed nature in which community participation is supported, communication and social skills enhanced and interests developed.

Some participants have positive experiences with buddy volunteers that they wish to maintain or repeat into the future.

Inclusion Melbourne offers NDIS participants the opportunity for personalised recruitment and matching with a leisure buddy, as well as ongoing support of the match.

The Leisure Buddy Program supports the objectives of the NDIS Act (2013) to “support the independence and social and economic participation of people with disability” and to “facilitate greater community inclusion of people with disability.“

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Our Service and families tell us…

"It's going great! Dave loves it so far! Jeremy is such a great guy. We think it is a good fit! Thank you."

"It feels like I've got a good friend, it’s so much fun to be with Shirley."

"All is going really well with Lara being buddy with Bill. Thank you so much for organising it. Bill really looks forward to his outings with her."

"Judy is proud of having a buddy and this is giving her a lot of confidence. Living close to each other is also helpful."

Our volunteers tell us…

"I think that the way Inclusion Melbourne has explained the Service Program and the reality of how the program actually works have been very much aligned."

"It’s about making friends. People with disabilities might have limited resources of meeting new people, but actually an international student like me or people who are busy in working and studying also find the opportunities meeting new people and making new friends are limited. We have totally different background, culture, interests and daily activities; however these make our conversations more interesting. When we were sharing our lives with each other, we learned new things and found some common topics."

"I have really enjoyed forming such a genuine friendship with my service. There have been a few highlights and they all revolve around times when Karl has shown me his great sense of humour that often make light of his disabilities. It’s great to see someone still so positive and ambitious despite dealing with some very big challenges."

"Overall I’m super excited to be working with Inclusion Melbourne. Personally, I think that the way the Service Program has been set up is outstanding. The concept is great, the program is managed well and when I catch up with Liz, I do not feel as though I am ‘volunteering’, I just feel as though I am catching up with a new friend, and in time, it will probably feel as though I’m catching up with an old friend."

Service Stories

Larry and Jim

Larry and his buddy Jim share a love of football and their team, the Saints. Jim contacted the coordinator with concerns about difficulties he was experiencing in communicating with Larry. He felt that this might negatively impact participation in activities and their friendship. The coordinator supported Jim to share his concerns with Larry’s mum who was able to reassure Jim and provide strategies and suggestions to improve Larry’s communication skills.

Judith and Louise

Judith and her volunteer Louise met 3 years ago through the Service Program. They are both in their 30s, live nearby and share a love for dogs, going to festivals and keeping active. Judith has activities during the week but is reliant on her mother for company on evenings and weekends. Whilst Judith was reserved initially, it didn’t take long before she was sharing all her news and her thoughts with Louise. They enjoy regular outings and celebrate birthdays together. Louise has told us how much she enjoys watching Judith’s confidence grow and learning to understand Judith’s unique communication style. Judith’s mum has told us that the friendship has been “an unexpected gift” for both her and Judith. Mum says that the buddy program has given her daughter a genuine friend and encouraged her to learn new skills.

Max and Darren

Max and his volunteer Darren met several years ago through the Service Program. They are both in their 20’s, live nearby and share a love of watching footy. Max has a busy weekday program but longed to have a friend that he could meet up with in the evening. These buddies meet regularly to watch a game at a local pub or for movies or karaoke. Darren has met Max’s family who say that they “adore” him. Max told us that he and Darren always have a good laugh and that Darren is his mate. Darren has told us that he appreciates the flexibility of volunteering on evenings and weekends and that he has learned a lot about disability through Max who has mobility and personal care needs. Darren says that he enjoys building a strong friendship with Max and seeing him happy.

Daisy and Nadia

Daisy and her volunteer Nadia formed an instant bond and enjoyed spending time together. However, this friendship was threatened when Nadia was made to feel very uncomfortable by a family member every week when she picked up Daisy. Nadia contacted the coordinator who assisted her to arrange to meet Daisy at a convenient location before each outing, thereby ensuring that Nadia no longer felt threatened and the buddy friendship could continue to flourish.