Paraplegic and Quadriplegic Association of NSW (ParaQuad NSW) was established in 1961. It is a member-based not-for-profit association aiming to support people having a spinal cord injury to attain their life choices. This is to be achieved by developing care regimes and services with the aim to assisting them after their injury. ParaQuad continues providing niche services that include vital care, support, accommodation and clinical services to persons having a spinal cord injury, their carers as well as their families at each stage of life.
Up to the early 80s, Paraplegic and Quadriplegic Association of NSW, was operating from a suburban house located at Hurstville and only had a tiny, but very proactive membership. The organization developed providing services like the ‘Welfare Room’ that was offering 10 product lines for the members, ParaQuad Engineering as well as an Attendant Care Program, for the most part brought into existence by Bob Duncan, the CEO.
In 2003, the organization shifted its headquarters to Ashfield, then moved to Homebush and eventually to a Newington purpose-built site and brought in more services such as primary health care and accommodation. Over the years, ParaQuad NSW has always had an influential and expert leadership, both at CEO and Board levels.
ParaQuad Work
The services offered by ParaQuad include:
- Information, assistance and advocacy.
- Accommodation services for those people who are living with long term or transitional care needs.
- Scholarship Program meant for persons having a spinal cord injury.
- Education, training, and programs for community awareness.
- Community Wellbeing and Support Service providing social work services, specialist spinal nursing and occupational therapy.
- Personal Care Services providing in-home support for persons having a physical disability.
- Specialist Health Care Products like wound care, skin care, continence and mobility aids via BrightSky Australia.
These services are fashioned to assist clients including members having spinal cord injury to get the same openings as everybody else to take in their community.
ParaQuad NSW is a fully registered charity having a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) official status. It specializes in training and teaching personal carers of people having spinal cord injury (SCI) or any other related physical disability. ParaQuad NSW workshops are made for personal carers to acquire the skills needed for delivering care services to their clients requiring a high degree of physical help for daily living activities and transferring.
Training workshops:
- Personal care for those clients having spinal cord injury
- Moving and transferring people having physical disability
- Handling complex circumstances in personal care
Mission Statement
ParaQuad NSW exists for supporting people having a spinal cord injury to attain their life choices.
ParaQuad’s Values:
- Integrity
- Reliability
- Accountability
- Leadership
ParaQuad NSW Community Programs and Services
Since the year 1961, ParaQuad NSW has been providing services to persons having a spinal cord injury (SCI) as well as other types of physical disabilities to get the same manner of opportunities as the others to participate in the activities in their community.
The Community Services offered include:
- Wellbeing and Support Service
- Spinal nursing
- Occupational therapy
- Social work services
The objective of the Community Support and Wellbeing Service remains promoting well-being and health of adults in New South Wales who have got an acquired SCI. These include:
- Attendant Care Service
- Accommodation and Care
- Education & Training
The Community Programs provided by ParaQuad’s are founded on a firm foundation of:
- Sustainable funding.
- A dedicated, expert and committed workforce.
- Person centred approach
- Quality services
- Commitment to meeting the needs of clients
- Expert knowledge and care
- Certification and accreditation
Education and Training
From 1988, Paraplegic and Quadriplegic Association of NSW has been providing training on SCI to personal carers and several other community groups including awareness on disability to corporate organizations.
Personal Carers Training
This training session’s series have been produced for personal carers who were working with people having spinal cord injury or comparable physical disabilities in the community. The following modules are incorporated:
- Personal Care for individual Clients having a Spinal Cord Injury
- Professional Boundaries and Confident Communication
- Moving and Transferring People having Physical Disability
Community Health Specialist Training
Workshops for training Occupational Therapists are held throughout the whole year. Depending on the kind of requests that have been received from the requesting health professionals including those who are assisting with people having Spinal Cord Injury living in their community, Spinal Cord Injury can tailor these training sessions to meet the requirements of those attending.
First Aid for Mental Health
The Adult Mental Health First Aid Course which is nationally recognized benefits those people that work in a broad variety of human services roles, particularly those that work in community settings. It is effectual in reducing stigma, increasing helping behaviours and in enhancing mental health literacy.
Disability Awareness Workshop: It’s Your Business
Paraplegic and Quadriplegic Association of NSW can offer awareness and education and sessions for both private and public organizations on the subject of spinal cord injury, that are tailored to the particular requirements of that specific audience.
Becoming a ParaQuad Member
Membership to Paraplegic and Quadriplegic Association of NSW brings great value as well as support. You will not just receive news, services and information, but you’ll also become part of bigger the spinal injury community, share your stories, get inspired and on top of all recognize that assistance is very close by.
Annual Membership Categories
- Ordinary Member ($20)
- Supporting Member ($15)
- Corporate Member ($250)
The AGM is held in every November yearly.
Getting Involved
You could get involved in ParaQuad and become a part of the helping to the community living Spinal Cord Injury through:
- Becoming a member
- Becoming a fundraiser
- Donating cash, time or in kind
- Becoming a volunteer
- Leaving behind a bequest
- Buying BrightSky Australia health care products – (commercial arm of ParaQuad)
- Advertising in the ParaQuad News.
Businesses could also lend their support through:
- Workplace giving
- Corporate partnerships
- Workplace volunteering
- Sponsorships
- Organizing a workplace fundraiser
- Supplying a prize for an auction or raffle
- Getting involved in ParaQuad events
