Disability Connect
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Supporting the parents and families of children and young people with disabilities.
Formerly known as the Parent and Family Resource Centre, Disability Connect Inc provides information, advice and support for disabled people, their families and whanau based in Auckland, New Zealand.
"I'm pretty certain that anyone could find what they're looking for in here."
Damien went to Transition Expo last year with his support worker Sophia. Yours can come along too.
Between the two of them, they found contacts for work experience, and Damien got talking to someone about a hospitality course he was keen on.
There's plenty to see in a day, and having someone with you can make it easier to find what you're after.
Transition Expo is free, and open to disabled people, their whānau and the people who support them.
Our theme this year is "Enabling Good Lives". There'll be over 140 stalls to explore for a "Good Life", covering study, work, funding, transport, sport, arts and much more.
Join us on Wednesday 9 September, 9am to 2pm, at Auckland Netball Centre in St Johns.
RSVP and find more information on our event page: https://www.facebook.com/share/18pVccZGNb/
Video description: Damien and his support worker Sophia are interviewed at Transition Expo 2025. They stand side by side in front of a concrete wall. Damien has dark curly hair, and wears glasses and a dark red jacket over a green t-shirt. Sophia has long wavy grey hair and wears a light cardigan and dark patterned trousers. It ends with the event details and thanks to sponsors and partners.
Parents, Transition Expo is your opportunity to find out what's actually out there to help your child prepare for adulthood.
It's worth taking the day off for. It only happens once a year and it's completely free to attend.
Our theme this year is "Enabling Good Lives". You will find a stall for almost everything that contributes to living a good life if you have a disability - transition providers, universities, employers, housing, recreation groups, even legal and financial services. All in one place, under one roof.
Families often tell us there's opportunities and support they'd never have known about if they hadn't come.
It's for young people 12 and up, plus their parents, caregivers and whānau. If your child's younger and you want to start planning early, you're welcome to come along too.
It's on Wednesday 9 September, from 9am to 2pm, at Auckland Netball Centre in St Johns.
There's free parking, wheelchair access, a café onsite, and a quiet sensory space upstairs if you need a breather. NZSL and Chinese interpreters are there all day too.
For more information, check out our event page: Transition Expo 2026 - explore what's available for school leavers
Video description: Interviews with attendees and stallholders at Transition Expo 2025, including Tracey from Beach Haven, Olivia Shivas from D*List, Thomas Bernard from Hāpai Access Card, Sharon Carroll from TLC4U2 and Mary Fisher from Whaikaha. Clips of attendees, stallholders and team members at Transition Expo are included throughout.
Schools, teachers and SENCOs: have you got your trip to Transition Expo sorted for 9 September?
Marie is a teacher at BLENNZ in Manurewa, and she's been bringing students to Transition Expo for years. Last year she came with a class of 12, some just starting to think about life after school and others leaving at the end of that year.
Her advice to other teachers is to come along if you get the chance. The students and their families get a lot out of it, and she learns something each time too. It's a way to keep up with what she calls "the ever-changing world of transition".
The opportunities take time to process, so Marie brings the same students back each year. She likes to start early so by the time they leave school, they've got a fair idea of what they will be doing in the community, in education and employment.
If you haven't been before, Transition Expo is a free one-day event where disabled young people and their whānau can explore what's possible after school.
Over 140 stalls are grouped by category, covering study, work, funding, transport, housing, sport, arts, community and more. There's a Chill Zone upstairs if anyone needs a quieter space, and a café for food and drink too.
Wednesday 9 September, 9am to 2pm, at Auckland Netball Centre in St Johns.
RSVP and find more information on our event page: Transition Expo 2026 - explore what's available for school leavers
Video description: Marie is interviewed at Transition Expo 2025. She stands in a sports hall with tables behind her. She has curly silver hair and wears glasses and a long-sleeved checked shirt. It ends with the event details and thanks to sponsors and partners.
"It can be overwhelming for them transitioning into the world, especially if they're Deaf."
If that's how you're feeling, come and visit the Deaf Aotearoa stall at Transition Expo.
As a Deaf-led service, the people you'd meet are Deaf themselves.
You can chat to them about what's next, like more study, getting a job, or moving out. They know the support that's out there for Deaf people specifically, and they've been through the same changes you're facing.
Whether you're already part of the Deaf community or still working out what that means for you, you're welcome either way.
If you don't know sign language, interpreters are available to help too.
Transition Expo is free and open to disabled people and their whānau. There'll be over 140 stalls covering study, work, funding, transport, arts, sport, and much more.
Wednesday 9 September, 9am to 2pm, at Auckland Netball Centre in St Johns.
RSVP and find more information on our event page: https://www.facebook.com/share/18pVccZGNb/
Video description: Pia is interviewed at Transition Expo 2025. She sits at the Deaf Aotearoa stall, signing, with information about Deaf Aotearoa and NZ Sign Language on the table in front of her. An interpreter voices what she signs off camera Pia has dark hair tied back, red-framed glasses and a teal shirt and cardigan. It ends with the event details and thanks to our sponsors and partners.
Amy came to last year's Transition Expo with her school, the Blind and Low Vision Education Network NZ. With plans to study at AUT, she wanted to know what support she could access.
While she was there, she got talking to someone from Southern Cross in our Conversations with Employers area. She'd assumed being partially blind ruled out working somewhere like a medical centre, but that chat helped her realise the option was there, if she wanted it.
Conversations with Employers was one of the most popular parts of the day, so we're running it again with the help of the New Zealand Disability Employers Network.
This year's employers include Air New Zealand, Westpac NZ and Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People, and our Community Innovation Partner Mercury will be there too. You can ask them what a job with them actually involves, and what they look for in the people they hire.
Transition Expo is a free one-day event for disabled people and whānau. There'll be over 140 stalls to explore, covering study, work, funding, transport, sport, arts and connecting with the community.
Join us on Wednesday 9 September, 9am to 2pm, at Auckland Netball Centre in St Johns.
Head to our event page for more information: https://www.facebook.com/share/18pVccZGNb/
Video description: Amy, a young woman, is interviewed at Transition Expo 2025. She stands in front of a plain grey wall, talking to someone off camera. She has long blonde hair in a plait and wears a cream striped jumper and a BLENNZ lanyard. It ends with the event details and thanks to sponsors and partners.
Tracey had never been to Transition Expo, until last year when her daughter was in Year 12.
She made the trip over from Beach Haven, and left with new possibilities for her daughter around tertiary study, getting into the community, and even living independently.
"Today has made me so much more confident in terms of what my daughter can have outside of school when she leaves."
Whether leaving school is in 5 years, or next year, there's still time to figure out next steps. You'd be surprised how much you can learn in a few hours at Transition Expo.
This year it's on Wednesday 9 September, from 9am to 2pm, at Auckland Netball Centre. There'll be over 140 stalls to explore, and it's free to attend.
For more information, check out our event page: https://www.facebook.com/share/18pVccZGNb/
Video description: Interviews with attendees and stallholders at Transition Expo 2025, including Tracey from Beach Haven, Jey Balasundaram from Creative Abilities, Mary Fisher from Whaikaha, Jordan from Manurewa, and Sharon Carroll from TLC4U2. Clips of attendees, stallholders and team members at Transition Expo are included throughout.
03/08/2026
One of Mike's wins this year was a parent telling us their son was playing in two bands. One with friends who are disabled people, and a second band of community musicians playing gigs all over town.
For Cherie, it was realising she could create activities for her own adult son Mitchell, after day programmes turned him down last year. He now spends his afternoons out in the community - walking, swimming, sailing, shopping or at the arcade with his support workers.
We're inviting you to bring your win to our next Parent Support Group on Wednesday 12 August, 6:30pm to 8:30pm.
No matter how big or small it seems to you, we think it's worth celebrating. Your story may be exactly the encouragement another parent or caregiver has been looking for.
You can bring a situation you're still working out too. This'll be a safe space to listen and share from our own experiences.
If you're in Auckland, we'll be at Mt Richmond Specialist School in Ōtāhuhu with warm drinks and snacks. We'd love to see you. If getting out in the evening is hard, or you're not in the area, join us on Zoom instead. Just tell us which you'd prefer when you register.
For more information, including how to register, check out our event page: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Ew93FQmAv/
What's a win in your family this year? Drop it in the comments if you'd like to share it now.
Image description: A promotional poster for the event. The text reads: “Our Stories and Our Strengths. Parent Support Group. Free event for families. Join us in person or online! Wednesday 12 August 2026, 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Mt Richmond Specialist School, 30 Albion Road, Ōtāhuhu, Auckland." There's a photo of Cherie's son, Mitchell smiling as he rides the tram at MOTAT. He is wearing noise cancelling headphones, a black hat and a green hoodie.
29/07/2026
"When you don't know what's available to you, it can be disappointing and a real struggle to get support. I want to help families going through that experience, just like I did with mine."
Meet Jess, who joined our team this year as a Cultural Disability Information Advisor.
Originally from the Philippines, Jess has a background in Information Technology and is currently studying a Master's in Advanced Behaviour Analysis.
Like many of our team members, she also brings lived experience as the parent of a neurodivergent son.
Knowing how overwhelming the disability journey can be, and the importance of timely information and community connection, Jess now facilitates our monthly Parent Support Group sessions.
A big focus of her role is supporting migrant and multicultural families who may not have the social and family networks they'd usually rely on. Having moved to New Zealand in 2007, Jess understands the challenges of adjusting to a new country, navigating unfamiliar systems, and sometimes communicating in a new language.
Outside of work, Jess enjoys spending time with her church community, having meaningful conversations over coffee, and singing or jamming to music.
Please join us in giving Jess a warm welcome to the Disability Connect team! If you haven't met her yet, come say hi at one of our Parent Support Group events.
Image description: Jess smiles at the camera. She has shoulder-length dark hair, wears a brown jacket over a grey striped cardigan and t-shirt, and is standing in front of green palm fronds.
25/07/2026
A huge thank you to the Ombudsman Disability Rights Team for coming to our Parent Support Group this month and speaking about fair treatment for disabled people.
The Ombudsman Office’s main role is to investigate complaints against government agencies, and these services are freely available to everyone.
They can look at complaints about government agencies and organisations, city, district or regional councils, and school board of trustees.
They can't look at decisions made in parliament or council meetings, decisions made by a Member of Parliament, Private Sector organisations or companies, or issues covered by other complaints mechanisms.
It was an excellent learning session for us all.
We understand some of you are interested in an online information session about the Ombudsman. If that's you, please comment below or send us an email at [email protected] with Ombudsman in the subject line so we're aware of numbers. Pending the level of interest, we'll look to host a session later in the year and will share details on our page once confirmed.
Image description: two members from the Ombudsman Disability Rights team presenting at the Parent Support Group. They are sitting in front of a TV screen with information about the Ombudsman displayed on it.
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3B Olive Road, Penrose
Auckland
1061
Opening Hours
| Monday | 9am - 4:30pm |
| Tuesday | 9am - 4:30pm |
| Wednesday | 9am - 4:30pm |
| Thursday | 9am - 4:30pm |
| Friday | 9am - 4:30pm |