Welcome to Friendship Circle Australia – Victoria
Providing support, friendship and inclusion.
Friendship Circle creates friendship in the lives of individuals with special needs and those facing isolation while providing an opportunity to become a contributing member of the community. Through our programming, Friendship Circle aims to promote an inclusive community that values all individuals regardless of the challenges they face.
Friendship House
Supporting Families
Friendship House is a new initiative aimed at supporting families living with a child with Ultra Care Needs
Respite
Requiring specialist care supervision. By enabling parents and siblings access to residential care for that much needed weekend or weekday respite.
Care & Support
Whilst their child is in good company where they are cared for and supported.
About Us
since 2003
The Australian Friendship Circle, is a Melbourne based non-profit organisation established in 2003, to meet the growing needs and alleviate the plight of isolation and the sense of community exclusion of children and young adults with special needs in the community.
Our goal is to provide every individual with special needs, the support, friendship and inclusion that they deserve.
Our Mission
Friendship Circle creates friendship in the lives of individuals with special needs and those facing isolation while providing an opportunity to become a contributing member of the community. Through our programming, Friendship Circle aims to promote an inclusive community that values all individuals, regardless of the challenges they face.
Our Values
Friendship Circle is founded upon the idea that within each person is a soul; and that soul is equal and worthy of boundless love. With this inspiration, the lives of the families we serve are enhanced while the volunteers reap the rewards of selfless giving.
What we do
In addition to helping those in need, the Friendship Circle enriches its vast network of teen and uni student volunteers by enabling them to reap the rewards of selfless giving.
Our Services
Refreshing holistic approach
The Australian Friendship Circle offers a refreshing holistic “whole family” approach when tailoring services and programs and new initiatives.
Our programming includes initiatives for each member of the family: The family member with special needs, their parents and siblings.
A unique bond is established between the volunteers and their friends. The range of activities shared can be anything from baking to arts & crafts, story-time to hide-and-seek.
Parents speak glowingly of how the children look forward to these visits; and how they excitedly sit at the window in anticipation of their buddies showing up at the doorstep.
Our Programs
Our programs include: School Holiday Day Camps, Sunday Circle morning respite, Home Visitation program, Buddy Programs, Wow Events, Weekend Retreats, Sibling events, Mums night out, Evening events, and Family days.
Sunday Circle Respite
Sunday Circle offers 2 hrs of fun-filled activities and excursions. Children with special needs are met with a dedicated volunteer, where activities including music, arts and crafts, movement, bowling and Puppet making, pottery and other creative art sessions are just the beginning.
Home Visitation Program
This weekly program has teenage volunteers spending quality time with children with special needs in the environment the kids are most comfortable and familiar with: their own homes.
Camp Bluma: School Holiday Day Camps
Our day camps are set at times when parents and children alike need them most, school holiday, offering much needed respite to the parents and a fun filled week of activities and excursions for the kids. in a nurturing caring way facilitated by our professional trained staff and staffing.
Wow Events
Every now and again we all want to feel special. At our “WOW” Events children with special needs get a true “WOW” feeling as they socialize in a nurtured environment enjoying some incredible trips and performances.
Sibling Program
Family Days
To shape a world in which people with special needs and their families experience acceptance, inclusion and friendship as contributing members of society.
Creating friendship
We envisage a world in which people with special needs and their families experience acceptance, inclusion and friendship as contributing members of society.