Strength in Community: Family Gathering
Friday 30 May and Saturday 31 May 2025
Calling all NSW families to Novotel Wollongong Northbeach
Empowering, connecting, and building opportunities for inclusive communities where people with disability thrive.
Dive into the Strength in Community: Family Gathering and get charged up for building Inclusive communities. This is a unique opportunity to bring together people with disability and their families for meaningful conversations, sharing experiences, and ideas to nurture genuine inclusive communities.
This event puts people with disability and their families at the heart of every conversation, ensuring all experiences and practical strategies help to advocate for inclusion and drive meaningful change in your community. By connecting with others who understand the journey, you’ll build lasting relationships and find mutual support that can encourage you along the way. The aim is to create an environment that is more about collaborating than it is about sitting and listening.
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Friday 30 May and Saturday 31 May 2025
Novotel Wollongong Northbeach: 2-14 Cliff Road, North Wollongong, 2500 NSW
Who is this event for?
Families who advocate with, and at times, on behalf of a family member with disability. The event welcomes people with disability, their friends and allies who contribute to their lives, included in the community. This event is not aimed at people in the role of professional support worker or service provider.
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Registrations open to families in NSW.
Tickets
Both 1-day and 2-day tickets will be available for registration. More information on tickets and pricing below.
How do I register?
Click here for the registration form!
Download the event flyer here.
Why​​​​​ gather with us?
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Network
Come together and draw encouragement from a network of over 100 people with disability and families across NSW
Connect
Meet and learn with others, led and guided by family facilitators
Innovate
Share and gain insights from people who’ve broken new ground in their local community
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Create relationships
Build and reunite your circle of like-minded people who understand the journey
Share
Exchange stories and ideas with others
Gain tools
Leave with actionable steps that will support the person with disability in your life to thrive
LIMITED TIME OFFER
Purchase your tickets before 16 May and enter our draw to WIN free accommodation, dinner and have your tickets reimbursed!
Open to NSW Families
Our schedule
Day 1 - Friday 30 May
Theme: Connections Shaping the Inclusion Journey
9:45am: Registration and Arrivals
10:00am: Welcome and morning tea
10:30am: Welcome to Country and
Opening Speaker, Meg Sweeney,
Key Discussion 'Strength in Community on the road less travelled'
11:40am: Small Group Conversations
12:30pm: Lunch
1:30pm: Key Discussion 'Navigating the Maze'
2:00pm: Small Group Conversations
'Finding a Way' Session 1
2:45pm: Small Group Conversations
'Finding a Way' Session 2
3:30pm: Key Discussion Panel
'The Good Lives of People with Disability'
4:15pm: Afternoon tea
6:30pm: The Gathering Dinner
at Lucia's by the Sea Restaurant
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Day 2 - Saturday 31 May
Theme: Communities of Abundance - Finding the Hidden Treasures
8:45am: Registration and Arrivals
9:00am: Welcome to Country and
Opening Speaker, Ricky Esterquest,
Key Discussion 'Unlocking Community Opportunties through Asset-Based Approaches'
10:30am: Morning tea
11:00am: Key Discussion
'Community Mapping Activity Briefing'
11:15am: Small Group Activity
'Community Mapping'
12:30pm: Lunch
1:30pm: Small Group Conversations,
Location based mapping
2:20pm: Key Discussion,
Closing Speaker
'Strength in Community'
3:00pm: Afternoon tea
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Speakers
More to be announced soon!
Including Family Guest Speakers, People with Disability, Story Sharers and Group Facilitators.
LIMITED TIME OFFER
Purchase your tickets before 16 May and enter our draw to WIN free accommodation, dinner and have your tickets reimbursed!
Open to NSW Families
​​Bring family members or friends and save!
The inclusion journey can often feel like a lonely one. Take this opportunity to bring others along and align to the vision of an inclusive life.
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Receive 5% off when you register 2-4 people together on the same form
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Receive 10% off when you register five or more people together on the same form
Looking for accommodation? Click here to view our travel and accommodation information sheet.
Tickets and Pricing
2-day ticket - Friday 10am-4:30pm, Saturday 9am-3:30pm
1-day ticket - Friday 10am-4:30pm
OR Saturday 9am-3:30pm
Gathering dinner Friday night 6.30pm-9.30pm (3 course meal)
$125 per person
$75 per person
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$45 per person
​Assistance with Costs and Affordability
Resourcing Inclusive Communities strives to keep costs low for people with disability and families. Thanks to subsidies and funding from the Department of Social Services, the event is offered at a reduced rate. We want people who will benefit from the event to be there. If you’d like to attend this event, but it is beyond your budget, please apply for sponsorship to assist you with the cost of attending.
You can apply for sponsorship to contribute to the cost of:
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Registration for this event
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Accommodation in Wollongong for the duration of the event
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Travel costs getting to and from the event
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Other reasonable requests may be considered
To apply for sponsorship please request via the registration form. Requests will be reviewed each fortnight and you will be contacted within this period. It is best to request sooner, as sponsorship places are limited.
Please contact us if you would like to discuss 02 9869 7753 or info@ric.org.au
Can I use NDIS Funding for event ticket?
If you self-manage or have a plan-managed NDIS plan you may be able to use NDIS funding to pay for your ticket to attend the Strength in Community: Family Gathering. Please click here to find out more about using NDIS funding to attend this event.
Accessibility
We want to ensure this event is accessible and welcoming to everyone. If you have any requirements or suggestions on how we can make the event more inclusive, we’d love to hear from you.
Do you have any questions or feedback? Send us an email to info@ric.org.au
