The Living Well Expo – Coffs Harbour
The Living Well Expo is all about bringing people together. It’s a welcoming space for older people, people with disability, and their carers, to connect, feel supported, and discover opportunities to improve health and social wellbeing. With more than 50 information stalls, the Expo provides easy access to local services and community organisations that support people to live active, connected, and fulfilling lives. From health and wellbeing to recreational, educational, and social supports, there’s something for everyone to explore and get involved in. First 200 people attending will receive a free coffee!
Free entry, food stalls, giveaways, practical support, community connection & more.
When: Wednesday, 13th May 2026
Time: 10am - 2pm
Where: Coffs Harbour Showground Exhibition Centre
View the Information flyer here.
If you would like to be a stallholder on the day, please visit the stallholder registration page: Living Well Expo 2026 – Stallholder Registration - Blue Sky Community Services
Walk for Women’s Health – Celebrating 40 years
Coffs Harbour Women's Health is celebrating 40 years and they invite you to join them for a walk for women's health!
When: Wednesday, 6th May 2026
Time: 7am Arrival - walk will commence at 7.30am
Where: Coffs Jetty Foreshore
Please see the Information Flyer for more information on how to register, the walking route and wet weather information.
LGBTQIA+ Awareness Training
This is a FREE event for aged care staff and providers.
We all encounter members of the LGBTQIA+ community in our daily lives. Building a basic understanding of LGBTQIA+ people and communities can help you feel more confident and respectful in your interactions.
This FREE training is designed to enhance your foundational knowledge and will address common questions, such as:
- What do LGBTQIA+ and other terms related to gender and sexuality mean?
- What should I know about the trans community?
- Why is inclusion important?
- How can I be an effective ally?
When: Wednesday, 27th May
Time: 10am to 11:30am
Register via the Awareness Training event registration page.
Walk for Reconciliation – Coffs Harbour
Join Interrelate and Mid North Coast Local Health in a walk to show support to reconciliation within community.
When: Saturday 30th May 2026
Time: Starting at 11am
Where: Jetty Boardwalk, Coffs Harbour - meet at the start of the boardwalk.
Cost: FREE
Lunch provided.
Don't forget to bring your hat and water bottle.
Feel free to bring service information to share.
Facebook Event Page: Walk for Reconciliation | Facebook Event
Pride Walk – Coffs Harbour
Rainbow Coffs Harbour is holding a Pride Walk in June!
When: Saturday, 27th June 2026
Time: 11am
Where: Jetty Pier/Boardwalk, Jetty Foreshores Coffs Harbour
For more information visit their Facebook page or view the information flyer.
ACQSC Community of Practice Sessions
Multicultural Aged Care (MAC) invites you to the Aged Care Quality Standards Community of Practice session meetings.
Come and join us as we overview and discuss Strengthened Standards, Aged Care Act Obligations, Regulatory model and more.
We look forward to welcoming you and to working together to share experiences and knowledge and exchange ideas to learn, progress and develop service and delivery systems that enable continuous improvement to meet the current Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards requirements.
Register here on the MAC website
Date: Tuesday, 5th May
Time: 3pm - 4.30pm
MARATE online training
MDS is partnering with several other SSD providers including STARS to offer this great online training for CHSP providers!
MARATE = Managing Angry, Rude, Abusive, Threatening and Emotional Behaviours
Frontline aged care staff are increasingly facing challenging and emotionally charged interactions. This practical workshop will equip CHSP providers with proven strategies to confidently manage difficult behaviour, de-escalate conflict, and communicate effectively.
3 Online Modules:
Module 1: Situational Awareness
Module 2: Self Management
Module 3: Communicating under Stress
Date: Thursday, 7 May 2026
Time: 10am - 3pm (Includes 1hr Lunch)
This workshop is in collaboration with the following SSD provider organisations: MDS, 4cs, Ageing Australia, 3Bridges, Canterbury-Bankstown City Council, Advance Diversity, Sydney Community Forum, Ethnic Community Services and Central Coast SSD (Wesley Mission).
View the MARATE Training Flyer here (987.3 KB)
Foundations for Building Trauma Awareness
Foundations for Building Trauma Awareness for CHSP staff and volunteers
This training is the foundation to all educational programs Blue Knot offers on complex trauma. This training program provides learners with a trauma informed lens to better understand the impacts and outcomes for people who experience complex trauma.
The important message being:
Trauma-informed Practice is not about the treatment of trauma or the symptoms, but rather a recognition that trauma experiences are a possibility for anyone (Kezelman & Stavropoulos, 2012)
This training program utilises current research to provide an understanding of trauma, the impacts of trauma on all aspects of life and subsequently the coping mechanisms formed in response to trauma. The principles of trauma-informed practice are introduced which focus on a strengths-based approach and applicable to all , vital for every person working in health, human, education, disability and legal services, working in government, non-government, public or private sectors.
By participating in this training program, participants will:
- develop understanding of the types, prevalence, neurobiology and impacts of trauma
- use a trauma-informed lens to reframe challenging behaviours as adaptive responses to trauma
- using case scenarios, apply the principles of trauma-informed practice in your role to develop strategies which enhance safety, minimise retraumatisation and support recovery of people with diverse traumas.
Date: Monday 11th May
Time: 9am to 4:30pm
Location: Online via Zoom
Register on the Foundations for Building Trauma Awareness ticketing site
Facilitated by BlueKnot Foundation
Brought to you by Macarthur Disability Services SSD.
Please note: MDS SSD will register you with BlueKnot Foundation. You will receive confirmation emails and Zoom join link information directly from BlueKnot Foundation and subject to BlueKnot Foundation’s terms and conditions.
Funded by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.
Registration for this event is free for CHSP Service Providers.
Leading Mentally Healthy Teams
Don’t have the time for your leaders to attend Mental Health First Aid training, but want them to understand how to lead mentally healthy teams? This is a great intro for modern leaders who are looking for ways to support colleagues who are working with symptoms of mental illness in the workplace.
Date & Time: 12th May at 11.30am
Register via the Leading Mentally Healthy Teams eventbrite site.
Managing Stress
We provide you and your team with insights into the science and neuroscience behind the stress response.
You will have the opportunity to explore your drivers and your reactions to stress, and discover practical activities to improve your stress response.
Register via the Managing Stress Workshop eventbrite site.
Date & Time: Thursday,14th May 11am AEST
Age Friendly Futures Live: Understand the New Aged Care Consumer
Aged care providers are expanding — new services, areas, communities. This session is for the ones thinking seriously about who they're expanding for.
Most providers can describe their services in detail. Fewer can describe their consumers with the same confidence — who they really are, how they make decisions, and what shapes their experience from first awareness through to ongoing care. The default assumption is often that the consumer is just the older person in front of you. It's usually more complicated than that.
The aged care consumer in 2026 is not a single profile. Decisions often move through families — across relationships with different priorities and unequal dynamics. Australia's older population is diverse in language, cultural background, and how trust is built. And consumers are more informed than they used to be — many arrive at the enquiry process having already researched, compared, and formed views. Keeping pace with that shift takes more than good intentions.
What you'll walk away with:
- A clearer understanding of who is actually making decisions about aged care — and what they're looking for when they find you
- A more honest picture of how cultural diversity shapes your consumer base, and what that means for how you communicate and design your services
- A better understanding of how to use AI to meet the demands of a more tech savvy, perceptive client base
- A practical sense of where your marketing and CX capability may have gaps, and where to focus first
Who should attend: CEOs, general managers, marketing leads, and customer experience teams at aged care providers — anyone responsible for attracting, retaining, or understanding the people who choose your services.
Format: 60-minute live Q&A. If you have any specific questions, submit them prior to the session to the host, George Gouzounis on LinkedIn, or by choosing "Contact Host" > "Other" in the contact form below.
Sign up via the Age Friendly Futures Live registration page.
Date & Time: Tuesday, 19th May 2026: 10.30am - 11.30am.
Boosting Energy
Team feeling low on energy? In this session your team will reflect on how they can eat, move and sleep better to lift their energy.
They will reflect on how their energy and emotions are connected and how to develop positive relationships that energise, not deplete them.
Register here: Boosting Energy
Date & time: 20th May 11.30am AEST
Supporting Safe Client Movement
Join us for practical online sessions designed to build your confidence when supporting clients. You’ll learn safe techniques for assisting people in and out of vehicles, navigating steps and uneven surfaces, and supporting mobility. This session will equip you with the skills to provide safe and supportive assistance in everyday volunteering situations.
Register via the Supporting Safe Client Movement Tickets site
Dates: Thursday 21 May 2026 - Tuesday 23 June 2026
Location: Online
LGBTQIA+ Awareness Training
This is a FREE event for aged care staff and providers.
We all encounter members of the LGBTQIA+ community in our daily lives. Building a basic understanding of LGBTQIA+ people and communities can help you feel more confident and respectful in your interactions.
This FREE training is designed to enhance your foundational knowledge and will address common questions, such as:
- What do LGBTQIA+ and other terms related to gender and sexuality mean?
- What should I know about the trans community?
- Why is inclusion important?
- How can I be an effective ally?
When: Wednesday, 27th May
Time: 10am to 11:30am
Register via the Awareness Training event registration page.
Move Past MEH – Languishing in the Workplace
We introduce your team to the science behind languishing—a state of low wellbeing and motivation.
Through group reflection and practical activities, you’ll explore how languishing shows up at work, and learn simple, actionable strategies to help shift out of it.
Register via the Languishing in the Workplace Tickets site.
Date & Time: Wednesday 27th May 11.30am AEST
CHSP Providers’ Compliance with Child Safety Statement
Meals on Wheels NSW Ltd. has developed a factsheet for CHSP providers to determine their compliance with the Child Safety Statement. The Child Safety Statement is now required for all Australian Government grantees and is due on 31 March for the previous 12 month period.
This factsheet is relevant to CHSP providers with a Grant Agreement or Deed of Variation which includes: Clause G8A - interaction with children is unplanned or unexpected (incidental).
References are relevant to CHSP providers anywhere in Australia.
You can read the CHSP Providers and Child Safe Compliance (2026) document here.
Who’s Missing? Planning for Diversity
Attend OPAN’s free training for aged care providers to better plan, deliver and report on what you have implemented to support a diverse and inclusive environment for older people and your aged care workers.
There are a range of dates depending on your location
Register vai the OPAN website
NATSIAACC Membership
NATSIAACC welcomes all organisations to take up one of their memberships. Are you an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander-led organisation delivering ageing or aged care services, or considering doing so?
Are you a non-Indigenous aged care provider or organisation who delivers ageing or aged care services to Elders?
If yes, NATSIAACC exists for you.
You can be part of a collective voice to Government and decision makers. You can access information and analysis about systems and changes. You can collaborate with other NATSIAACC members, and the Elders Council (once established).
This will all ultimately help Elders to access care and support that is culturally safe, trauma aware and healing informed and recognises the importance of their personal connections to community and Country.
For more information visit the NATSIAACC website.
First Nations Hub developed by ARIIA
ARIIA (Aged Care Research & Industry Innovation Australia) is working on a program that supports First Nations (Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) aged care providers and workers as part of its broader mission to develop and grow the aged care workforce.
The program aims to enhance the delivery of culturally safe and evidence-informed aged care services for First Nations older people across Australia. By highlighting Indigenous knowledge systems and community-led approaches, it contributes to care environments that are more responsive, respectful, and grounded in the principles of cultural safety and self-determination.
This program is aligned with and supports a range of Commonwealth funded aged care initiatives for First Nations people.
Inclusive Use of Digital and Non-digital Communications for Older People with a Disability
Effective communication with participants in community aged care relies on good choices about the use of digital and non-digital communication tools. These choices should be informed by an understanding of the communication rights, needs and preferences of older Australians, including those living with disability.
Many older Australians are capable and confident users of digital communication technologies, and people with disability are often early adopters. However, a significant proportion face barriers in using digital tools for a range of practical, cognitive or access-related reasons. While this guide relates to older people with all types of disability, it provides targeted advice for some of the most common forms of disability experienced by participants in community aged care:
- Dementia-related disability,
- Sensory disability (sight, hearing and speech),
- Physical mobility disability
- Other cognitive and psychosocial disability (intellectual, acquired brain injury, psychosocial, autism)
COTA Victoria has produced a guide for community aged care providers on the inclusive use of digital and non-digital communications for older people with a disability.
For more information and to download the guide visit the COTA Victoria website.
Australia Community Expectations Report 2026
The Ageing in Australia Community Expectations Report 2026, recently released by Ageing Australia, is useful reading for anyone working in aged care services and community care.
Conducted by SEC Newgate, this is the first in a planned biennial series looking at what the broader Australian community thinks about ageing, aged care, retirement living and seniors housing. This includes views from people of all ages, not just older people or current service users. The research draws on both qualitative and quantitative data gathered in mid-2025, covering trust, confidence and expectations across the system, including views on funding, technology and informal caregiving.
Read the Ageing in Australia Community Expectations Report here
Free Legal Advice
Legal Aid provide free legal advice to eligible people by phone and at lots of locations across NSW. Legal Aid NSW provides legal information to anyone with a legal problem in NSW through our legal information and referral service, LawAccess NSW. You can contact LawAccess NSW via web chat or by calling 1300 888 529 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).
Refresh Retreats
Support and Respite Program for Carers and those Living with Dementia
About Refresh Retreat
The Refresh Retreat program is being delivered across NSW and ACT and is open to BaptistCare, non-BaptistCare and NDIS clients.
The person living with dementia does not need to be in receipt of Commonwealth or SAH-funded aged care services and does not need to be registered or screened by My Aged Care or NDIS to access the program. We are open to also receiving referral from Support at Home providers, allied health, medical practitioners, family members and or care partners.
Refresh Retreats
- 3 day/2-night community residential programs designed for both the person living with dementia and their carer to attend.
- During the program, carers participate in an education and wellbeing program, whilst the person living with dementia is introduced to a respite experience.
- The program is funded by the Department of Health and Aged Care and is free to attend. The costs of the program, all accommodation and meals are fully covered.
To attend a Refresh Retreat, the following criteria need to be met:
- The person has been diagnosed with dementia and is in the earlier stages of the disease (referrals for clients known to have cognitive decline, with no formal diagnosis, will be considered).
- The person living with dementia has only mild – moderate behavioural changes (moderate changes can be considered, however must be assessed for suitability).
- The person living with dementia and their carer (co-residing or may not live in the same household) intend to continue to live in the community for the foreseeable future
- Both the person living with dementia and their carer both agree to attend the program and are willing to stay for the 3 days and 2 nights.
Note: People with Younger Onset Dementia (under 65 years old) are eligible for the program – with consideration of the above mentioned points.
Dates and Location
We deliver 44 programs throughout NSW and the ACT and details of location and dates are listed on the Refresh Retreats | BaptistCare website.
Referrals for this program
Your referrals are welcome in various options – see below
- Contacting BaptistCare’s contact centre on 1300 275 227.
- Via the link website enquiry form Refresh Retreats NSW & ACT | BaptistCare
We can accommodate up to 7 dyads which will include the key carer and person with dementia to our Refresh Retreat Program.
Should you require any further information about the Retreats or would like us to deliver a presentation (on-line or in-person), please contact , Diane Montoya, Refresh Retreat Program Manager, via DMontoya@baptistcare.org.au or 0482 180 969.
Tech Savvy Seniors at your Library
Bellingen Shire Libraries are excited to be offering the Tech Savvy Seniors program at all branches, in partnership with the NSW Government and Telstra. This initiative offers free technology training to seniors, helping them confidently navigate the digital world.
The Shire Libraries are offering drop-in sessions for our Seniors with little or no digital experience, providing hands-on support to develop essential skills for socialising, accessing services, and managing personal tasks online. Participants will receive guidance on using computers, tablets, smartphones, the internet, email, and social media platforms. ‘We are here to help our community embrace the digital age,’ said Shire Librarian, Rowena Sierant. ‘Our team can also assist you with downloading our library apps, giving you access to talking books, e-books or magazines all through your smart phone.’
Tech Savvy events:
Bellingen Library: Thursdays fortnightly 10am to 12pm
Urunga Library: Wednesdays fortnightly 10am to 12pm
Dorrigo Library: Thursdays fortnightly 10am to 12pm
For more information, including the dates of the next events, call Bellingen Library on 6655 1744, Urunga Library on 6655 6444 or Dorrigo Library on 6657 2234.
Home Library Service – Let them come to you!
That's right - Coffs Harbour Libraries can come to you.
For eligible library members, the Home Library Service can deliver items once a month to your home for free. This service is for individuals who are unable to visit a branch due to a disability, illness, or limited mobility. Full-time caregivers of participating members can also use this service.
Find out more information on the library website, call 6648 4913 or email coffs.library@chcc.nsw.gov.au. Ask for Kate, who can walk you through the joining process or answer any questions you may have.
Advance Care Planning and Advance Care Directives
Advance Care Planning and Advance Care Directives - Resource Links and State -based Differences
Each state and territory has a slightly different process concerning advanced care planning, which are governed by their own law or act of parliament. The main differences are outlined below in this document, developed by the City of
Onkaparinga, the Grampians Sector Development Team, the Hills Positive Ageing Project and the Southern Services Reform Group, it does not necessarily represent the views or policies of the Australian Government.
Nutrition and Living with Heart Disease
When living with heart disease, keeping your heart healthy is important to avoid further problems.
Discover key information on the Heart Foundation's website.
Dementia Support
Need a hand or a little advice? Specialist advisors are ready to help with any concern, large or small.
Chat with a Dementia Australia expert Advisor via live messaging, free and confidentially, for information and support.
Available 24/7, every day of the year.
For more information and to chat with an Advisor visit the Helpline webpage.
First Nations Hub Resources
Do you provide aged care services to older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people? You can find practical tools and resources on the First Nations Hub created by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
The First Nations Hub can help you provide high-quality, culturally safe aged care.
First Nations Hub | Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission
Fuel Supply and Cost Pressures
The Prime Minister's address to the nation acknowledged fuel supply and cost pressures caused by the conflict in the Middle East.
We understand that aged care providers and workers are concerned about how this may impact their services and work. The National Fuel Security Plan is in place to respond to these impacts.
Fuel continues to arrive in Australia. The government is working with industry to reduce supply chain disruptions and ensure fuel gets to where it is needed, particularly in regional areas.
Free Medicare Mental Health Support
Medicare Mental Health Check In is a new, free service offering online tools for people with mild mental health challenges. Working one step at a time, the service helps build practical skills to support your wellbeing and feel more in control. Feeling down, worried, stressed, or overwhelmed? Medicare Mental Health Check In is a new, free service that can connect you with a trained practitioner via telehealth.
Medicare Mental Health Check In delivers free evidence-based Low-intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy through online tools.
The service offers a safe, supportive space for people to talk about what they are experiencing and work through online tools together to build confidence and learn practical skills to manage life’s ups and downs.
The evidence-based online tools:
- are free for people living in Australia
- are available to anyone aged 16 and older
- do not require a diagnosis or referral.
If you prefer to go at your own pace, from 30 May 2026 you can use the online tools on your own. You can also choose to connect with a trained practitioner along the way if you want extra support.
Find out if it’s right for you:
- call Medicare Mental Health on 1800 595 212 (8:30am – 5pm on weekdays, excluding public holidays)
- visit the Medicare Mental Health Check In website.
Department of Health Disability and Ageing – Consultation Hub
This site will help you find, share and participate in consultations that interest you.
You will find links to the consultations we are currently running.
Alternatively, you may search for consultations by keyword, interest or status.
Once finalised, decisions will be published under Closed Consultations.
Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing - Citizen Space
Food and other Emergency Support
Coffs Neighbourhood Centre has a range of services to support the local community, from free food, free tax help, legal support, counselling, financial counselling and more.
They also run the Aged Care Volunteer Visitor Scheme (ACVVS) to support quality friendship matches between volunteers and older people living in residential aged care facilities or receiving a Home Care Package.
The scheme recognises that most people want ‘someone special’ in their lives and that connection is essential to an individual’s wellbeing, especially later in life. Older community members still want the opportunity to connect to friends in their community but the scheme acknowledges that some may be isolated and not have family close by.
Read more on their website: Services - Coffs Harbour Neighbourhood Centre
For more information about becoming an Aged Care Volunteer Visitor, please contact your local ACVVS Co-ordinator on 02 6648 3662 or email: acvvs@chnc.com.au
LifeHouse Care Food Pantries
Helping to ease the burden of financial stress.
Everyone is welcome.
LifeHouse pantries provide essential food and personal care items at a low cost, so that you can shop with dignity by selecting goods according to your own needs. Pantries are located inside each of our Op Shops. Each location is a welcoming, friendly, safe space to connect and have a chat. See more information here: LifeHouse Care Pantries
Bellingen
Tuesday 10am - 12pm
Friday 10am - 12pm
A | 64 Hyde St, Bellingen
P | 02 6655 2279
Coffs Harbour
Tuesday 10am - 12pm
Friday 10am - 12pm
A | 169A Orlando St, Coffs Harbour
P | 02 6658 0055
Grafton
Friday 10am - 12pm
A | 41 Skinner St, South Grafton
P | 02 6643 2381
Moree
Monday to Friday 8.30am - 1pm
A | 81 Herber St, Moree
P | 02 6059 0606
Toormina
Monday 10am - 12pm
Thursday 10am - 12pm
A | 4 Minorca Pl, Toormina
P | 02 6658 1899
Urunga
Thursday 10am - 12pm
A | 45 Bonville St, Urunga
Woolgoolga
Tuesday 10am - 12pm
Friday 10am - 12pm
A | 8 Nightingale St, Woolgoolga
P | 02 6654 7377
Influenza Vaccines Available Now
Influenza vaccination is recommended and funded under the NIP for all people aged 65 years and over, due to their higher risk of complications from
influenza.
See more here: Flu shots 2026: What you’re getting, what’s free, and why it matters.
Where can I get the flu vaccine?
The easiest way to find a vaccine provider is by searching on the government’s HealthDirect website under “Influenza (flu) vaccine” and your location.
In general, influenza vaccines are at GP clinics, pharmacies, community health services and Aboriginal Health Services. Your school, university or workplace may also have a program. Find out where you can get vaccinated here.
There are special arrangements for aged care facilities and other group accommodation settings. Immunisation services are also available for staff and patients in public hospitals.
National Relay Service
The NRS provides a range of different types of call services, depending on your needs and preferences.
Relay Officers are specially trained staff who help with every call. Relay Officers will:
- change voice to text or text to voice
- change Auslan to English or English to Auslan
- stay on the line throughout the call to help you, without getting in the way or changing what is said.
The NRS is available 24 hours a day, except for Video Relay calls. Video Relay calls are only available 7am to 6pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time) Monday to Friday, and 8am to 12pm on Saturdays. Video Relay calls are also not available on national public holidays.
The NRS is free and confidential.
You can make calls to emergency services through the NRS.
AIDER Support
The AIDER (Assist Infirm, Disabled and Elderly Residents) program is a free, one-off service which support some of our most at-risk community members.
The program helps people live more safely and confidently in their home in areas where bush fires may start.
The AIDER program is designed for people who have limited domestic support available from family, relatives, friends or other services. This could include older people, people living with a disability, and people who are already receiving community assistance and services. Their property must also be on bush fire prone land (land that can support a bush fire or be subject to bush fire attack).
AIDER services can include:
- clearing gutters
- thinning vegetation around the home
- removing leaf and tree debris
- trimming branches from close to the home
- mowing or slashing long grass.
If you would like to know more about the free, one-off AIDER service, call 1300 011 737 or email aider@rfs.nsw.gov.au or download our fact sheet. You can also fill out the form online: AIDER - NSW Rural Fire Service
Auslan Emergency Interpreting App Now Available
The Auslan Emergency Interpreting (AEI) App is now available for Deaf and hard of hearing Australia, giving our community equal access to Triple Zero (000) for the first time in history.
To help you get started, we've created two short step-by-step demo videos for iPhone and Android.
Each video will show you how to download the app, open it for the first time, and get ready to make an emergency call with a NAATI qualified Auslan interpreter.
To find out more about the app and to watch the video, head to the AEI App webpage.
