Giving back to Youngcare

Suitable and appropriate supported housing is one of the greatest areas of unmet need for people with disabilities in Australia. Currently, there are 28,000 young people with disabilities enrolled in the NDIS that are searching for an appropriate place to call their own home.

This is a crisis for young people with high care needs throughout Australia. Young Australians are being left behind in aged care, hospital rooms, rehabilitation centres – inappropriate accommodation that is not suitable for their age or care needs. Youngcare is tackling this national issue by building High Care Housing, providing vital grants and offering support and advice through their Youngcare Connect support line. Youngcare is creating a future where every young person has the freedom and choice to live the young lives we all deserve.

Youngcare’s At Home Care Grants program is critical in keeping young people at home with their families and preventing new admissions to inappropriate housing.

These grants provide funding for equipment, home modifications and essential support that is unable to be funded through other means (eg. NDIS). This funding is to both enhance the quality of life for young people with high physical care needs and assist them to remain living in their own home with loved ones.

The Co-Group was proud to donate $50,000 towards these grants in the 2022 Financial Year. The average grant amount is $5,868 which means The Co-Group has directly impacted the lives of 8 people and their families and extended network.

The funds donate to Youngcare to use through their At Home Care Grants help people like Hayden.

 Hayden:

Hayden (20) is an incredibly resilient young man, who has spent a large portion of 2021 completing his law and film degree from a hospital bed. He’s a dedicated student, but also a lover of music and a keen AFL & cricket fan. Hayden acquired a C5 level spinal injury, which means he is paralysed from the chest down with limited hand function. With this also comes an array of needs, extending further than the eye can see. For instance, his physical disability also inhibits his blood pressure, circulation, and ability to breathe.

“For me, part of my injury means my body doesn’t regulate temperature properly, so I’m at a high risk of fevers. It’s also problematic if I get a cold as my respiratory system doesn’t function like normal.”

Thanks to Youngcare’s grants program, Hayden was provided with a brand new air-conditioner to assist in regulating his body temperature which has allowed Hayden to wrap up this semester in the comfort of his own home.