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The inaugural “disability support gathering” at The Oaks in Warkworth on November 13 brought together service providers, support groups, funders, community advocates and other key disability initiatives from across Rodney.
Organised by Rodney Inclusive Communities Initiative (RICI), the meeting was the first time many in the district’s disability sector had met face-to-face, creating what RICI described as a constructive space for sharing perspectives and open discussion.
RICI secretary Ursula Christel said one of the main issues raised was the limited disability support available in some parts of Rodney, especially northern areas which were under-resourced.
Not only was Rodney under-resourced in providing disability services, general support (e.g. caregivers and transport), and inclusive opportunities, there was also no Rodney-specific information source for the disability sector, she said
“If you go up to Te Hana and Wellsford for example, there are no networks there as far as getting information about support for disabilities.
“So there’s quite a lot of information that isn’t getting out to families and we’re concerned about that.
We want to make sure all those areas are covered with more coordinated support. We are trying to fill this gap.”
Currently RICI is working to strengthen disability support networks across Rodney, including an online local directory on its website.
The directory lists support groups and disability-related organisations operating in the Rodney district (east and west) and the Hibiscus Coast/North Shore regions, and Christel said they would love to add more groups to that list.
She said RICI was particularly interested in connecting with support groups that may feel isolated.
“They can connect with us and we can collaborate with them and continue to grow this network.”
Overall the meeting was extremely positive, Christel said.
“A lot of new connections were made. A lot of new groups discovered fresh leads and new collaborations are being planned for 2026.”
“It would be great to get word out into our community about this growing network, and to encourage other groups, residents or interested parties to contact us for any future networking events,” she said.
Contact Ursula Christel, RICI Secretary at rodneyinclusive@gmail.com
For more information, visit www.ricinz.com
What is Rodney Inclusive Communities Initiative (RICI)?
RICI is a registered charity committed to promoting inclusion in Rodney, with a focus on the inclusion of people with disabilities and their families.
In 2025, RICI changed from an incorporated society to a trust. The current RICI board consists of five dedicated trustees, all of whom live in Rodney.
The trust itself operates on a volunteer basis.
“We are just a small trust so we are always on the lookout for grants and donations, as we don’t get any government funding for all the volunteer work that we do,” Christel said.
Donate online here:
https://www.ricinz.com/donate
Or the RICI Givealittle page:
https://givealittle.co.nz/donate/org/RodneyInclusiveCommunitiesInitiativeTrust
