The Araluen Centre was established at the Lower Plenty site in Old Eltham Road in 1973 to provide services for adults with an intellectual disability. The name Araluen has an indigenous heritage that means place of sustenance and nurture. Our water lily logo is aligned to this concept and represents a wellspring of opportunity. Over the ensuing 35 years, Araluen has grown and changed but still remains true to its mission of providing services to adults with disabilities.
Araluen has an incorporated Board of Directors, the members of which volunteer their services in this role. It has a $4 million annual operating budget.
At Araluen we ensure that our people’s opinions are important. We call this person centred planning and we take it very seriously. Through this process we are continually working with families, listening to people’s dreams, promoting choices and doing all we can to see that they come to fruition because one size does not fit all. There are many barriers as people have concerns about safety, money and risks. Our person centred planning is not the end point; it is just the beginning of a journey for people living out their hopes and achieving their goals.
In responding to the aspirations of our people, Araluen currently provides 3 major services:
Day Services
The Day Services are coordinated from three locations; Lower Plenty, Rosanna and Hurstbridge. Activities are based on each individual’s interests and choices. Parents and carers are involved in determining annual goals to be achieved through program choices.
Residential Services
The Residential Services endeavour to support people to live as independently as possible in their local community. There are 3 Community Residential Units with 5 residents in each and another facility on the main Lower Plenty site for 8 men and women.
Transport Service
The Araluen Transport Service can be used by clients to undertake programs. Taxis and public transport are also available to access the day services.
Araluen has a team of 100 qualified and caring staff members who are committed to ensuring that the men and women who access our services have a certainty about their lives and that they experience a sense of belonging and purpose in both the Araluen community and the wider community.
