Why is peer support important?

By sharing lived experience, peer support mentors can provide practical guidance and understanding of your experiences with spinal cord injury. A peer support mentor can help you to solve challenges and create strategies that can help you to continue living a fulfilling life after a spinal cord injury.

How do I meet other people who have experienced spinal cord injury?

Ask us about joining a ‘Push Thru’ event, where you can meet other people living with spinal cord injury in your region. These events are inclusive, an opportunity to encourage others, share your experiences in a welcoming environment and be inspired. We also facilitate an inclusive community through our recreation programs and peer support groups.

How can peer support help me?

Peer support can empower you to feel seen and connected. You can learn new skills and strategies, discover new perspectives and provide encouragement to others. Our Peer Support Program gives you someone to talk to who has experienced spinal cord injury.

Choosing a Disability Support Provider

Questions to ask before you decide

Choosing the right disability support provider is an important decision. The right provider can help you feel supported, understood and confident in achieving your goals, while the wrong fit can leave you feeling frustrated or unheard.

Whether you’re looking for disability support services, Supported Independent Living (SIL), allied health, community access or specialised spinal cord injury support, taking the time to ask questions and compare providers can make a big difference.

How to choose the right disability provider

Finding the right provider often starts with:

Talking to friends, family, or peers
Asking others in the spinal cord injury or disability community
Reading reviews and testimonials
Searching online
Speaking directly with providers

It’s a good idea to speak with more than one provider before making a decision. Asking questions can help you better understand:

The services available
Staff experience and qualifications
How flexible and responsive the provider is
Whether the organisation feels like the right fit for you

Remember, you also have the right to change providers if your needs or circumstances change.

We’ve included some suggested questions to ask below

These questions may also be helpful if you wish to change providers at any point:

- What makes your organisation different?
- What experience do you have supporting people with spinal cord injury or disability?
- What services do you offer?
- Do you provide specialist or complex support services?
- Are your staff qualified and experienced?
- How are staff trained and accredited?
- Can I meet support workers before services begin?
- How do you ensure staff provide high-quality support?
- What happens if I would like to change support workers?
- What hours do you provide support?
- Can you provide overnight or 24-hour support?
- How flexible are your services if my needs change?
- Can support be delivered at home and in the community?
- Who do I contact if I have concerns or feedback?
- What is your complaints process?
- How do you involve clients in decisions about their support?
- How do you monitor service quality and client satisfaction?
- How much do services cost?
- Can services be funded through the NDIS?
- Are there any additional fees or charges?
- Can you help me understand my funding and supports?

What makes a good disability provider?

A good provider should:

Listen to your goals and preferences
Treat you with respect
Be responsive and reliable
Communicate clearly
Offer experienced and caring staff
Support your independence and choice

If something doesn’t feel right, it’s okay to keep looking. The best provider for you is one that makes you feel comfortable, supported, and in control of your decisions.

Choosing specialist spinal cord injury support

For people living with spinal cord injury or complex disability, experience matters.

Providers with specialist knowledge in spinal cord injury, neurological conditions, and complex supports may be better equipped to:

Understand your health and support needs
Provide trained staff
Support equipment and assistive technology needs
Help prevent complications
Work alongside allied health and clinical professionals

At estara, we work side by side with people living with spinal cord injury, neurological conditions and disability to provide connected supports tailored to individual goals and needs.

To learn more about our specialised support services, visit our support page.