Like all Victorian councils, Wellington Shire Council is required to maintain a Disability Action Plan (DAP) to guide inclusive practice and meet legislative obligations. Over time, the previous plan had reached its conclusion, and engagement with the disability community had naturally reduced. This created a clear need to re-establish meaningful connections, strengthen relationships, and ensure that future planning genuinely reflected the lived experience, priorities and aspirations of people with disability.
At the same time, the policy and service landscape had evolved significantly, with reforms across the National Disability Insurance Scheme and increasing expectations for councils to deliver place-based, inclusive outcomes aligned with state and national strategies.
KF Consulting designed and delivered a comprehensive, compassionate and disability-aware consultation process. This included extensive engagement with people with disability, carers, service providers and Council stakeholders.
We combined these insights with detailed data analysis, policy review and service mapping to ensure the plan was grounded in both lived experience and evidence. A strong focus was placed on co-design, ensuring that community voices were not only heard but embedded in shaping priorities, actions and outcomes.
The result was a Disability Action Plan that is understood, supported and owned by both Council and the disability community.
The plan provides a clear, evidence-informed roadmap for improving access, inclusion and participation across Wellington Shire, while strengthening accountability and alignment with broader policy frameworks. Most importantly, it re-established an ongoing foundation for meaningful engagement, ensuring inclusion is not a one-off exercise, but a sustained commitment.