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(03) 9486 9600

Down Syndrome Victoria is Victoria’s statewide peak organisation representing people with Down syndrome and their families.

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Five Peaks Challenge, Friday 22 - Monday 25 November 2024

Take on the Five Peaks Challenge to conquer Mt Kosciuszko and four more of Australia's highest peaks in support of people with Down syndrome.

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Overview

Down Syndrome Victoria (DSV) is Victoria’s peak organisation representing people with Down syndrome and their families.

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Down Syndrome Victoria is a community based not-for-profit membership organisation established in 1978, made up of people with Down syndrome, their families, friends and professionals, all committed to achieving positive change.

We advocate with and for people with Down syndrome to have access to the same opportunities, supports and community activities as other Victorians. We work within a human rights framework, consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disability.

We want to live in a society where people with Down syndrome are valued, and enjoy social and economic inclusion.

Together, we can and will create this inclusive community.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us on 9486 9600 or info@dsav.asn.au if you would like to speak with a team member or find out more about our organisation. Our office hours are 10am – 4.30pm Monday to Thursday.

We offer a range of services and supports to people with Down syndrome, their families and professionals across the lifespan.

  • Advice, support, workshops, information, social groups and community for people with Down syndrome
  • Personal and tailored support for parents and other family members during pregnancy and throughout the lifespan
  • Online community groups for families and people with Down syndrome
  • Training and information workshops covering a wide range of topics for people with Down syndrome, families, education and health professionals
  • An Education Program providing an extensive suite of resources, support and information for families and education professionals
  • A jam-packed calendar of events, including an annual Family Fun Day to connect and celebrate community
  • A regular newsletter, podcast and social media groups where you can explore the latest topics of interest and connect with like-minded people
  • Systemic advocacy that supports the full participation of people with Down syndrome in the economic and social life of the community

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Services and Supports

Our work and strategic plan

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Policies and Procedures
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Strategic Plan 2024-2026
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Down Syndrome Victoria

Down Syndrome Victoria logo

This page tells you about Down Syndrome Victoria and the work that we do.

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Down Syndrome Victoria is the organisation for people with Down syndrome and families in Victoria.

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We help people with Down syndrome and families with support, information and resources.

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We have support services for people with Down syndrome and families, at all stages of life.

Our Services

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Here are the services we offer:

• groups and activities

• information about Down syndrome

• support for people with Down syndrome

• support for parents and families

• support for professionals and teachers

• workshops and training.

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We also advocate for people with Down syndrome and their families.

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This means we help to make sure that people with Down syndrome can be fully included in their community.

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You can find out more about our services on our website.

Go to our Services and supports page.

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You can find our policies on our website. This means the way we work, and your rights as a customer.

Go to our Policies and Procedures.

News

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You can read our latest news on our website.

Go to our News page.

Events

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We have events like social clubs, outings, workshops and webinars.

You can read about our events on our Events page.

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You can follow our social media to see our news and stories.

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Contact Us

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Telephone: 1300 658 873

Email: info@dsav.asn.au

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Join us to learn about enrolment and voting for a person with an intellectual disability. This online session will be on Wednesday 12 June at 7pm.

This event is for parents, carers and people supporting someone with Down syndrome, as well as people with Down syndrome.Participants will gain knowledge about:💙 how to enrol💛 who can vote💙 supports and resources available to assist with enrolment and voting💛 who can help with voting💙 how to support a person with voting.The session will be presented by Alex Sencek, a Democracy Ambassador with the Victorian Electoral Commission and member of the DSV community. You can register by visiting https://downsyndrome.org.au/blog/event/… In the lead up to our event, if you would like to hear Alex talk about her experience as a parent to her child with Down syndrome, Harry, and more about her work, you can listen to her at Too Peas in a Podcast at ID: Three young people are sitting closely together, smiling at the camera. #downsyndrome #downsyndromevic #enroltovote #vote ... See MoreSee Less

1 day ago
Join us to learn about enrolment and voting for a person with an intellectual disability. This online session will be on Wednesday 12 June at 7pm. This event is for parents, carers and people supporting someone with Down syndrome, as well as people with Down syndrome. Participants will gain knowledge about: 💙 how to enrol 💛 who can vote 💙 supports and resources available to assist with enrolment and voting 💛 who can help with voting 💙 how to support a person with voting. The session will be presented by Alex Sencek, a Democracy Ambassador with the Victorian Electoral Commission and member of the DSV community. You can register by visiting https://www.downsyndrome.org.au/blog/event/enrolling-to-vote/ In the lead up to our event, if you would like to hear Alex talk about her experience as a parent to her child with Down syndrome, Harry, and more about her work, you can listen to her at Too Peas in a Podcast at https://toopeasinapodcast.com.au/ipw-4-alex/ ID: Three young people are sitting closely together, smiling at the camera. #downsyndrome #downsyndromevic #enroltovote #vote

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

Down Syndrome Australia are offering an online safety webinar for parents and supporters of people with intellectual disability.

DSA have shared: "Come along to learn how we can best support people with intellectual disability to be safer and more confident online.Down Syndrome Australia and Good Things Foundation have partnered on a project to bridge the digital divide and improve people’s safety online.This webinar is open to all parents and support persons who would like learn about how they can support their young adults with intellectual disability to get online more safely. We will show you free resources ready for you to use, offer practical tips and answer your questions about this program.This FREE one-hour webinar is aimed at parents and supporters of young adults with intellectual disability. But it is relevant for anyone supporting people online."Two times are available. Pick the session time that best works for you:Webinar 1 - Wednesday 19 June 7 PM (AEST) Webinar 2 - Thursday 20 June 12 PM (AEST) Learn more and have a look at the resources available: https://beconnectednetwork.org.au/bridging/…For more information contact Rachel.Spencer@downsyndrome.org.au ... See MoreSee Less

2 days ago
Down Syndrome Australia are offering an online safety webinar for parents and supporters of people with intellectual disability. DSA have shared: Come along to learn how we can best support people with intellectual disability to be safer and more confident online. Down Syndrome Australia and Good Things Foundation have partnered on a project to bridge the digital divide and improve people’s safety online. This webinar is open to all parents and support persons who would like learn about how they can support their young adults with intellectual disability to get online more safely. We will show you free resources ready for you to use, offer practical tips and answer your questions about this program. This FREE one-hour webinar is aimed at parents and supporters of young adults with intellectual disability. But it is relevant for anyone supporting people online. Two times are available. Pick the session time that best works for you: Webinar 1 - Wednesday 19 June 7 PM (AEST) https://tinyurl.com/2pjm849e Webinar 2 - Thursday 20 June 12 PM (AEST) https://tinyurl.com/27k48ndp Learn more and have a look at the resources available: https://www.beconnectednetwork.org.au/bridging/resources For more information contact Rachel.Spencer@downsyndrome.org.au

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It's National Volunteer Week and here at DSV we are so grateful to have some of the most wonderful volunteers to help support our programs.

Today, we'd like to share an interview between Matt O’Neil, the Chair of Down Syndrome Victoria’s Advisory Network and the FitSkills Ambassador, and Matt's FitSkills Partner, volunteer David Van Dieren. You can read the interview below. If you have been thinking about volunteering with DSV, join us at one of our monthly volunteer info sessions: INTERVIEWMatt: Welcome David and thanks for joining me today to talk about your role as a FitSkills volunteer.David: Thanks for having me, Matt.Matt: No problem. Can you tell me what made you become a volunteer?David: Well, I saw FitSkills advertised on the Volunteers Australia website and it jumped out at me as being a really important program for a couple of reasons. One, that fitness and exercise are really important for everyone, for our physical health and mental health. But I also think that having access and opportunities to fitness is really important, so the FitSkills program stood out as something that would support that and I was right, I think that’s exactly what FitSkills does and it’s a lot of fun and I’m glad I got involved, and I met you very early in the process when I first heard about FitSkills, that was when I met you and you were a big reason why I thought this would be a great thing to do.Matt: What brings you the greatest joy from this role?David: I think it's the social aspect of the role. FitSkills is a great bunch of people and we all work really hard together to fitness goals and exercise goals but then we get the opportunity to wind down and have a great time together and become friends so that’s really important to me. But I will say Matt, the greatest joy is being able to form a friendship with you. I really enjoy being your partner, we have a lot of fun and it's the highlight of my week and it's a real joy to be involved.Matt: Sweet, good answer. What advice can you offer others who may be interested in becoming a volunteer?David: I would say get involved and make volunteering part of your life, if it’s something you do every week or every month, because it's a very rewarding thing to do and find something that interests you or challenges you so that you feel that connection with that volunteering program and then you can make it firmly part of your life.Matt: What do you enjoy most about being involved with DSV?David: That would be that it doesn’t feel like volunteering to me. It’s the highlight of my week, it really is. It’s something I get a lot out of and I hope that everybody else involved in the program gets a lot out of it too.Matt: Can you share with us some reflections on the theme for National Volunteer Week – ‘Something is for everyone’?David: ‘Something for Everyone’, for volunteers means that there are loads of opportunities out there, be it with DSV or other organisations, so no matter what your interests are, or your skillset is, there is something out there for everybody to get involved in volunteering.Matt: Thanks so much for your time today David, and thank you for being my FitSkills Partner and volunteering with Down Syndrome Victoria.David: Thank you, Matt. It’s a real pleasure and its fantastic to be your partner.ID: Matt and David smiling together at the camera, standing near the outdoor pool at Brunswick Baths.#downsyndrome #NationalVolunteerWeek ... See MoreSee Less

7 days ago
Its National Volunteer Week and here at DSV we are so grateful to have some of the most wonderful volunteers to help support our programs. Today, wed like to share an interview between Matt O’Neil, the Chair of Down Syndrome Victoria’s Advisory Network and the FitSkills Ambassador, and Matts FitSkills Partner, volunteer David Van Dieren. You can read the interview below. If you have been thinking about volunteering with DSV, join us at one of our monthly volunteer info sessions: https://tinyurl.com/5vadzv4u INTERVIEW Matt: Welcome David and thanks for joining me today to talk about your role as a FitSkills volunteer. David: Thanks for having me, Matt. Matt: No problem. Can you tell me what made you become a volunteer? David: Well, I saw FitSkills advertised on the Volunteers Australia website and it jumped out at me as being a really important program for a couple of reasons. One, that fitness and exercise are really important for everyone, for our physical health and mental health. But I also think that having access and opportunities to fitness is really important, so the FitSkills program stood out as something that would support that and I was right, I think that’s exactly what FitSkills does and it’s a lot of fun and I’m glad I got involved, and I met you very early in the process when I first heard about FitSkills, that was when I met you and you were a big reason why I thought this would be a great thing to do. Matt: What brings you the greatest joy from this role? David: I think its the social aspect of the role. FitSkills is a great bunch of people and we all work really hard together to fitness goals and exercise goals but then we get the opportunity to wind down and have a great time together and become friends so that’s really important to me. But I will say Matt, the greatest joy is being able to form a friendship with you. I really enjoy being your partner, we have a lot of fun and its the highlight of my week and its a real joy to be involved. Matt: Sweet, good answer. What advice can you offer others who may be interested in becoming a volunteer? David: I would say get involved and make volunteering part of your life, if it’s something you do every week or every month, because its a very rewarding thing to do and find something that interests you or challenges you so that you feel that connection with that volunteering program and then you can make it firmly part of your life. Matt: What do you enjoy most about being involved with DSV? David: That would be that it doesn’t feel like volunteering to me. It’s the highlight of my week, it really is. It’s something I get a lot out of and I hope that everybody else involved in the program gets a lot out of it too. Matt: Can you share with us some reflections on the theme for National Volunteer Week – ‘Something is for everyone’? David: ‘Something for Everyone’, for volunteers means that there are loads of opportunities out there, be it with DSV or other organisations, so no matter what your interests are, or your skillset is, there is something out there for everybody to get involved in volunteering. Matt: Thanks so much for your time today David, and thank you for being my FitSkills Partner and volunteering with Down Syndrome Victoria. David: Thank you, Matt. It’s a real pleasure and its fantastic to be your partner. ID: Matt and David smiling together at the camera, standing near the outdoor pool at Brunswick Baths. #downsyndrome #NationalVolunteerWeek

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'What About Sal' is now hitting regional Victoria!! All of the below dates will be attended by the director John Jarratt for a Q and A after the screening.

Regent Cin. – 03 5330 5555 – 49 Lydiard St N, Ballarat Central Vic 3350 - 23rd May 6:30pmArarat Astor Cin. 03 5352 2616 (+ Mob) 250 Barkley St, Ararat Vic 3377 – 24th May Cin. Cent. Horsham – 03 5382 12 49 – 41 Pynsent St, Horsham Vic – 3400 – 25th May 6:30pmCastlemaine 03 5472 1196 – 30 Hargraves St, Castlemaine Vic 3450 26th May 7pmStar Cinema – Town Hall, LegPeg Rd Eaglehawke Vic 3556 26th May 10amBenalla Cinema – 03 5762 5515 – 14 Mair st, Benalla Vic 3672 – 27th May (time to be confirmed by cinema)Wangaratta Cin. Cent. 03 5721 5555 1stF The Co Store Complex, Cr. Ovens & Reid-Wangaratta. Vic 3677 – 28th May 6:30pm🎬 🎥🍿 Exciting news!Talented Aussie actor Gerard O'Dwyer and film icon John Jarratt are starring in "What About Sal?" This powerful film has been hitting theatres this month. You can check it out at Cinema Nova via multiple screenings this week.Watch the trailer for a sneak peek at this moving film and check out screening times at There may also be some screenings hitting regional Victoria in the next little while, we'll be sure to keep you posted.Please share this post with anyone who may be keen on seeing this movie.Content warning: This film contains strong themes of death, group housing issues and some swearing. Viewer discretion advised. #WhatAboutSal ... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago
What About Sal is now hitting regional Victoria!! All of the below dates will be attended by the director John Jarratt for a Q and A after the screening. Regent Cin. – 03 5330 5555 – 49 Lydiard St N, Ballarat Central Vic 3350 - 23rd May 6:30pm Ararat Astor Cin. 03 5352 2616 (+ Mob) 250 Barkley St, Ararat Vic 3377 – 24th May Cin. Cent. Horsham – 03 5382 12 49 – 41 Pynsent St, Horsham Vic – 3400 – 25th May 6:30pm Castlemaine 03 5472 1196 – 30 Hargraves St, Castlemaine Vic 3450 26th May 7pm Star Cinema – Town Hall, LegPeg Rd Eaglehawke Vic 3556 26th May 10am Benalla Cinema – 03 5762 5515 – 14 Mair st, Benalla Vic 3672 – 27th May (time to be confirmed by cinema) Wangaratta Cin. Cent. 03 5721 5555 1stF The Co Store Complex, Cr. Ovens & Reid-Wangaratta. Vic 3677 – 28th May 6:30pm

3 CommentsComment on Facebook

Very hard to get any local cinemas, do you know if it will make it to TV viewing in the future? Or any chance they would put a screening for DSV?

Is this in captions?

Any UK dates yet?

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Street address: 552 Victoria Street, Wurundjeri Country, North Melbourne 3051

Postal address: 552 Victoria Street, Wurundjeri Country, North Melbourne 3051

Phone: 03 9486 9600

Toll free: 1300 658 873

Email: info@dsav.asn.au

Office Hours: 10:00am - 4:30pm Monday to Thursday

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