Gippsland Aboriginal Advocacy and Support Service (GAASS)

The Gippsland Aboriginal Advocacy Support Service (GAASS) is a service provided by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with a disability, their families and carers to understand the NDIS and access services within the Gippsland Region.

GAASS is working towards increasing workforce capacity in disability services.  Since its inception, GAASS has been training and upskilling workers to learn the skills required to meet the needs of local Aboriginal Community and respond to issues that affect access to the NDIS, ensuring inclusion and positive outcomes

Research Team

  • Associate Professor Joanne Porter (Lead)
  • Jan Jones
  • Nicholas Johnson
  • Michelle James
  • Shehani Werogoda De Silva
  • Val Prokopiv

CERC Evaluation

CERC (formerly CEU), in collaboration with GAASS, investigated the experiences of workers employed by GAASS in gaining the necessary skills in preparation for working with people with a disability, families and carers in the local Aboriginal Community.  It aimed to investigate the barriers and enablers to the successful implementation of NDIS Services by GAASS.

Key findings

The evaluation found that the service was filling a gap in service provision to meet the complexities of the NDIS system. The unique nature of working with Aboriginal Community was highlighted and there was an acknowledgement of the significant difference that GAASS has made to the quality of the lives of clients, their families and carers.