Microboards Australia is a family led, not for profit organisation supporting people with a disability and their networks of support to find ways to develop lasting relationships, recruit support teams and plan for the future.
Our vision is for all people with a disability living self determined lives with a sustained support network of family, friends and committed support people and community members who share parts of their lives and know them well. We believe that all people have the right to the life they choose which respects them as a member of community and family and upholds their universal human rights.
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Microboards Community
Interested in establishing a Microboard or embedding the Microboard principles of sustainable support networks founded on relationships?
Professional Services
NDIS behaviour support, therapy and support coordination programs and services for families, individuals and service providers.
Supporting Change
Interested to know about our projects, advocacy, disability service improvement and access work we engage in?
Learning Hub
Resources, training and information that you can access or sign up to from across our services
Our Values
Relationships
We value our relationship with you and helping you develop relationships with others.
Learning
We are always learning from you, your family and supporters to find new ways to be of service.
Inclusion
Everyone belongs as equal members of community.
Innovation
We support you to have a good life by thinking outside the box, creating novel solutions and pathways.
Quality
We aspire to providing the best quality services possible.
Person Led
We support by being in partnership with you following your lead for what is important to you and your life.
Microboards Australia
A self-determined life, with a sustained support network of family and friends who know you well.
Australian Story: S2026 Raising Richard - Deirdre Croft
iview.abc.net.au
Who cares for our children when we're gone if they can't care for themselves? As Deirdre Croft faces the end of her life, she's on a mission to ensure her son is looked after when she's gone.Last week we talked about 𝐬𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬.
There is increasing awareness of the need to support people to communicate when they are experiencing pain.
However, our co‑design group highlighted that identifying and expressing other symptoms can be far more challenging. They also remind us that understanding the concept of a symptom is essential - pain isn’t the only indication that something might be wrong.
An important part of building 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐲 is helping people understand what symptoms are and giving them the words to describe different symptoms.
The co-design group shared some important insights with us, which we didn’t know before having the conversations, like:
•Sometimes when I feel sick, I also feel dizzy.
•Hay fever makes it hard to breathe, but it also makes it hard to move.
•When I eat hot food it makes me feel like vomiting.
•Before I have seizures, things can taste off.
•It can be hard to move when I have a sore ankle.
Our co‑design group continues to remind us that meaningful conversations about symptoms involve much more than simply having the right words available on a communication device.
When someone experiences a symptom, it may be difficult for them to express what’s happening in the moment.
𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫, 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭.
These ongoing discussions create opportunities for people to talk about their experiences in ways that feel natural and accessible.
This insight is guiding our work as we develop resources that make health communication easier and more effective for everyone.
The Centre is being established as a result of the 2020 Royal Commission where the epidemic levels of neglect and abuse of people with disability in the Australian health system became more widely known.
The truth is this has been known for more than 20 years, and disability advocates have been trying to do something about it for a very long time. The neglect of the health of people with disability in Australia is shameful and has caused a lot of trauma to a lot of people, not to mention terrible health outcomes, pain, 'behaviours of concern' and premature death.
The purpose of the Centre is to help to change health inequities for people with disability.
The centre is made up of 9 consortium members from across Australia.
The Centre is 2 years into development now and some good things look like they will come to fruition soon, like training for doctors which is co-designed with people with disability, and free online training for nurses.
nceidh.org.au/
Last month, our first cohort of students completed their Graduate Certificate in Complex Communication Needs at Curtin University. They worked so hard, studying one unit per semester over two years, whilst working full time in their roles as Speech Pathologists, Educators, Therapists and Disability service providers. They have learnt so much and have changed their ways of working with profoundly positive outcomes.
This course took years to develop, in collaboration with Microboards Australia and people with lived experience of communication disability including the Merger of Minds Community. Together, course content was co-designed, and is co-taught. I'm so grateful to everyone who has worked with us, taught us, and helped create something so special and impactful.
Message me if you want to find out more about the course!
Enrolments are now open for 2026 with Commonwealth Supported Places available.
𝐏𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐬 𝐮𝐬 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 — from goals and plans to notes, tasks, and communication. It means teams and families can easily share updates, track progress, and make sure nothing important gets missed.
For those who already use Podio, you’ll know how flexible and customisable it is! And for those who don’t — think of it as a secure digital workspace that brings everyone together so we can focus on what really matters: 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬. 💙
We’ve created workspaces we can share, that cover:
• team training manuals
• day to day information about the person
• the person’s community connections
• health and well-being
• planning and goals
• recruitment and onboarding
• and much, much more
We’re always improving how we use Podio to make your work simpler, clearer, and more person centred.
Curtin University Courses
The Curtin School Allied Health offer the courses Graduate Certificate in Complex Communication Needs and Graduate Certificate in Positive Behaviour Support. Two post graduate qualifications, designed to support excellence in practice when working with people with disability.
Microboards Australia, alongside people with disability lived expertise and expertise, partnered with Curtin to develop these courses.
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