Hello, welcome to Ability Corner, my name is Wendy Beetson, your local Linker for Nyngan, Warren and Cobar districts. Have you heard of Ability Links and what is a Linker?   

Ability Links is a new program offering innovative ways to assist people with a disability, their families and carers to lead more independent, inclusive and fulfilling lives.  

A Linker is the local co-ordinator working in your community to assist and support people to plan for their future, achieve their goals, build new networks and access support and services. 

When many people think of disability they think of physical or visible disabilities but please consider that many disabilities are non-visible:  a person who is deaf or has hearing loss, a person with an anxiety disorder, eating disorder, depression, epilepsy, dyslexia, diabetes or a person with a learning disability are among those disabilities we cannot see but can present difficulty that stands in the way of people doing many of the day-to-day activities that most of us take for granted.  

Some people are born with a disability and for others it is a result of an illness or an accident, sometimes it comes about because a person is getting older. 

Are you a person living with disability, a carer or a family member of a person with a disability? Would you like to participate in more social activities, find employment, volunteer your time, join a club, play sport or learn or try something new? Is there something you have always been keen to do but just not sure how to go about it, you may have faced barriers or lack the confidence to begin?  

As a Linker I can help you with information and find pathways for you to get to do those things that you might have thought about but not had the opportunity to do.  

Meetings with a Linker are very informal and relaxed, I don’t need proof of diagnosis, you don’t have to be on the Disability Support Pension and no assessment is done. Anyone can contact their local Linker, it just takes a phone call or email and I can arrange to meet with you here in Nyngan. To contact me ring CareWest on 1300 227 393 and ask for your local Linker, Wendy at Nyngan.

If there is anyone who would like to find out more about Ability Links either for yourself, a family member, your neighbour or friend or if you are an organisation/business and wonder how you can make Warren a more inclusive community please give me a ring so we can have a talk.  

I will be in Warren on Thursday February 26 and would be happy to arrange a meeting on that day or on an alternative date. Phone CareWest on 1300 227 393 ask for Wendy Beetson, your local Linker.