who we are

annecto is one of Australia’s leading community inclusion not-for-profit organisations.

Operating from a social inclusion and human rights perspective, annecto has a strong commitment to assisting people with dementia, intellectual disability and acquired brain injury, older people and their families and carers to engage and participate in the community with the aim to live better lives in a home of their choice.

The diverse groups in the annecto community include:

• Older people
• Young people
• Families, friends and carers
• Staff
• Students and training organisations
• Volunteers
• Partner organisations comprising funding bodies, community and business
• annecto members

Formed from several ‘grassroots’ community organisations such as Footscray and District Auxiliary for Mentally Retarded  Children (formed in Yarraville in 1953); Westraid; Northraid; Western Support Services; Northern Support Services; Westcod and WiN…  annecto has, over the past fifty years worked with people with disability and their families, children, people of all ages seeking alternatives to institutional and nursing home care, and people with intellectual disability and experiencing mental health issues.

The founding of annecto by the parents and carers who were committed to making a difference in the lives of the people they supported has manifestly influenced our approach and work.  We are committed to ensuring real changes are made to a person’s life through sustainable supports linking people with roles which are meaningful to them, shared places in the community and meaningful reciprocated relationships. It influences our commitment to work with the broader community.

annecto is currently operating in metropolitan Melbourne, the Loddon Mallee and Grampians areas of regional Victoria and in Northern Tasmania and NSW radiating from Mildura. Centres and offices are located in Coburg, Footscray, Mildura, Ringwood, Yarraville and Werribee.

Our teams have expertise in:

• encouraging you to take better control in the direction of your life
• strengthening support networks with people around you, to develop independence, choice and control
• planning with you educational pathways with a view to obtaining work you enjoy doing
• practical plans to assist in the home and getting out to socialise
• arranging time out and flexible holiday breaks as a carer
• ensuring there is follow-up care outside of business hours, on the weekend, and public holidays should you need it

annecto is committed to continuous learning, quality improvement and innovation, seeking new ways to foster real meaning  in  the lives of the people journeying with annecto.

You have the right to seek and expect quality assistance to help you achieve your life goals.  For this reason, annecto is determined to provide advocacy and leadership to assist changes within the community regarding established perceptions of older people and people with disability.