Organization
Spinal Cord Injuries Australia(SCIA)
Spinal Cord Injuries Australia (SCIA) was founded in 1967 by people with spinal cord injuries at Prince Henry Hospital, Sydney, and is governed by people with lived experience of disability. It provides peer support, advocacy, accessible exercise programmes, NDIS plan management, and independent living services for people living with spinal cord injury and similar conditions.
About
Spinal Cord Injuries Australia (SCIA) was founded in 1967 as the Australian Quadriplegic Association (AQA) by patients at Prince Henry Hospital in Sydney who were unable to leave hospital due to lack of community supports. Renamed SCIA in 2003, the organisation has remained peer-led, with people who have lived experience of spinal cord injury at its governance core. SCIA's headquarters are located at 1 Jennifer Street, Little Bay, NSW.
What They Do
SCIA delivers a broad suite of services including peer and family support (where 91% of recipients report improved community adjustment), accessible exercise and therapy through its NeuroMoves programme, NDIS plan management and support coordination, mental health support, and advocacy. Its peer team — all with lived experience of disability — provides practical advice, mentoring, and connection to people recently injured or navigating life with a long-standing spinal injury.
Who They Serve
SCIA supports people living with spinal cord injury — from traumatic injury (motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries, falls) to non-traumatic acquired conditions including spinal tumours and infections. Its NeuroMoves programme also supports people with other neurological conditions. Services are primarily concentrated in New South Wales but extend nationally through peer support, digital programmes, and advocacy work.
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