FAQs
- Helping people feel included and safe in their community
- Making it easier for people to move around their local area
- Improving access to public spaces such as parks, playgrounds, pools and Council-run buildings
- Ensuring services, programs and events are accessible and inclusive
- Making it easier to access and share information with Council
- Creating a more inclusive workplace at Council for people with disability
- Get Involved Shoalhaven: Our hub for all things DIAP. Here you can register for regular project updates, complete surveys and share feedback.
- Call us on 1300 293 111 to speak to a member of the DIAP Project Team
- Email us at: council@shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au
- Get a paper survey and return to your local library, the Nowra City Administration Centre (36 Bridge Rd, Nowra), our Ulladulla Branch Office (14 Deering St, Ulladulla) or post your responses to P.O Box 42, Nowra NSW 2541
- Online Survey via Get Involved
- Community Circle Kits for use when you have a group of people wanting to share their feedback at the same time
- In-person focus groups and workshops with further details available on the DIAP Get Involved page
- Howe many people shared their ideas and feedback
- What Council heard
- Our next steps
Why does Shoalhaven City Council need a Disability Inclusion Action Plan?
About 1 in 5 people live with some form of disability. It's important that the Shoalhaven has safe, inclusive, and accessible spaces and facilities for all. We're always looking at ways to improve our processes and systems, public infrastructure and overall liveability for people with disability, their families & carers.
The NSW Disability Inclusion Act 2014 requires every local Council to review and update its Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) every four years. The DIAP 2026 - 2030 will focus on removing structural and attitudinal barriers that prevent people with disability from having equal access to information, public spaces, services, transport, housing, education, training, employment and social opportunities.
By addressing these barriers, we can reduce disadvantage and support greater independence for all.
Is this Council's first Disability Inclusion Action Plan?
No, this will be our third Disability Inclusion Action Plan. We created our first Plan in 2018 and our second plan in 2022. These Plans set out Council's commitments and priorities to ensure people of all ages with a disability have better access to services, facilities, activities, employment and information.
Why is Council updating the DIAP now?
Council developed its first Disability Inclusion Action Plan in 2018. With the current Shoalhaven DIAP 2022 - 2026 coming to the end of its timeframe, we need to develop a new DIAP for the next four years.
It is important we update the Plan and make sure it captures and reflects the community's current & future priorities.
What will the Plan do?
The new DIAP will build on the progress made through our previous Plans. It will outline practical actions Council will take to improve inclusion and accessibility across our community, including:
Who will benefit from the DIAP?
The DIAP is designed to make the Shoalhaven community more inclusive for everyone - whether they live, work or are visiting the Shoalhaven.
While the Plan primarily supports people with disability, its benefits extend to carers, older adults, people with temporary disabilities and families with young children. By improving access and inclusion, the DIAP will help to create a more connected, welcoming and liveable Shoalhaven for all.
Who does Council want to talk to about creating the next DIAP?
As part of developing the DIAP 2026 - 2030, Shoalhaven City Council will run a range of community engagement activities to hear directly from people with a disability, their families, carers and support workers. We'll also engage with disability service providers, community organisations and advocacy groups to ensure a broad range of voices are included.
Engagement will include surveys, workshops & focus groups and will seek input from people with physical, intellectual and acquired disabilities as well as neurodivergent individuals.
These conversations will help us understand what's working, what's challenging and what needs to change to make the Shoalhaven more inclusive and accessible for everyone.
What will Council do with the information collected from the community?
The feedback gathered through community engagement will help Council understand the challenges people with disability and their carers face in accessing services, facilities and opportunities in the Shoalhaven. It will also highlight what the community sees as the most important priorities for action.
This information will directly inform the development of the DIAP 2026 - 2030, guiding the actions we include in the Plan. Council will also review the current DIAP and consider relevant research and successful initiatives from other organisations to ensure the new Plan is evidence-based, practical and responsive to community needs.
Who is responsible for writing the Plan?
Team members from across Shoalhaven City Council will help to create the Plan, taking into consideration feedback received from the community.
When will Council have a draft Plan to share with the community & when will the Plan be implemented?
The DIAP Project Team aims to have a draft Plan ready by early 2026. Before finalising it, we'll invite the community to read the draft and share their feedback. Everyone who contributes will be notified when the draft Plan is available. It will be published on Council's website and available at Council facilities.
The final DIAP 2026 - 2030 will be implemented from July 2026.
How can I give my feedback?
You can provide feedback in a variety of ways:
What happens next?
After Council finishes consulting with the community, our DIAP Project Team will share an update on the Get Involved - Disability Inclusion Action Plan page. This update will inform the community about: