Disability Connect

Disability Connect 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.

04/09/2026

Transition Expo is here on Wednesday! Some of our team shared their tips to make the most out of it, from the moment you arrive until it's time to go home:

Just like entry, parking is free. Spots can be limited, so get there early, carpool or get dropped off if you can. There'll be people at the mobility parking and the drop off zone to help.

There's a lot going on, and we understand it can be overwhelming. Grab a traffic light sticker near the entrance to let others know if you're open to chatting.

Be upstairs by 11:30am for our popular Transition Seminar. If you're new to the transition journey, we recommend starting here.

Questions will pop up once you start talking to stallholders, so bring something to take notes with.

Come find us at the Information Desk if you have a question or have feedback to share, we'd love to meet you and help. If you need an interpreter for NZ Sign Language, Mandarin, Cantonese, Sinhala or Tagalog, we can assist with this too.

We'll post a link to our Digital Guidebook in a few days, which will list the 140+ stallholders you can explore and where to find them.

For more information, check out our event page: https://www.facebook.com/share/18pVccZGNb/

This Wednesday 9 September, 9am to 2pm. Auckland Netball Centre, 7 Allison Ferguson Drive, St Johns, Auckland. See you there!



Video description: Six Disability Connect team members (Michael, Denise, Mike, Cherie, Jingjing and Yoky) share their tips for Transition Expo. Michael is outside in a carpark, the rest are in the office. Denise is standing with boxes of Transition Expo tote bags around her. Mike is sitting in his wheelchair, holding up a traffic light sign with red, amber and green circles. The video ends with event details and thanks to sponsors and partners.

"The future is uncertain for our children with disabilities, but we must stay positive. There are always sunny days ahea...
01/09/2026

"The future is uncertain for our children with disabilities, but we must stay positive. There are always sunny days ahead!" - Lavanya

Five parents shared their personal stories at last month's Parent Support Group so we could learn and celebrate the wins together.

Cherie talked about finding free or low cost activities to keep her son Mitchell engaged after he finished school. As he has very high needs, most standard options weren't a good fit, so Cherie created a tailored programme he could do with his support workers.

Mark opened up about being a single parent, and how he won't let it get in the way of improving his son Camryn's life. He puts time into his own wellbeing so he can keep showing up as his son gets older and faces different challenges.

Lavanya shared how sports and music have made a difference for her son Akshay. Activities like swimming, rock climbing, playing the violin and music therapy have improved his concentration significantly. He even won a Special Olympics award for rollerblading this year.

Jessica told us how motivation helped her son Zuriel, who's naturally introverted. She didn't push him to be more outgoing, but instead consistently encouraged him. This let him get comfortable in his own time, and now he's more confident in new environments.

Oneness said her relationship with her son was now built on respect and love. She worked on herself to stop arguing and pushing him towards her own expectations. She realised understanding and listening more is what motivates him.

Thank you to everyone who spoke for letting us in on these personal experiences. We know these wins didn't come easily, and the group gained a lot from hearing you all.

Image description: A mother speaking at the Parent Support Group. She's wearing a red puffer jacket and glasses, and there's a music stand in front of her. Five people sit listening in a semicircle of chairs, including other parents and a young person. At the back of the room, a phone on a stand is connected to Zoom for the people joining online.

29/08/2026

You don't have to be a parent to come to Transition Expo. Chloe went for her little sister, who was turning 12 and at a mainstream school.

Chloe wanted to know what options her sister could choose from as she got older.

By the end of the day, Chloe had a better idea of what support was around. She also found an art programme she never knew existed.

Knowing her sister's talents, she was excited to hear there was a space for her - somewhere to be creative, and to meet others like her.

Transition Expo is a free annual event for disabled people, their whānau and support people.

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.

This year it's on 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: Chloe is interviewed at Transition Expo 2025. She stands in front of a Transition Expo banner, with a goodie bag over her shoulder. She has long dark hair, and wears a black jacket over a black hoodie. It ends with the event details and thanks to sponsors and partners.

26/08/2026

We've been blown away by the number of entries for our first-ever Enabling Good Lives Awards. Thank you for taking the time to nominate the people in your lives who are making a difference.

Judging is under way now. We'll announce the winners at Transition Expo on Wednesday 9 September, at 10am in the upstairs seminar room.

A question we've been asked many times... what is Enabling Good Lives? Tania Thomas from IHC New Zealand, sponsor of the Community Choice Award, sums it up in this video.

We're excited to celebrate what Enabling Good Lives looks like in action at the awards ceremony.

Transition Expo runs from 9am to 2pm at Auckland Netball Centre in St Johns. You can explore over 140 stalls covering study, work, funding, transport, housing, sport, arts, community and plenty more. Entry and parking are free.

For more information, head to our event page: Transition Expo 2026 - explore what's available for school leavers



Video description: Tania is interviewed at IHC in front of a stand of green pot plants. She has curly grey hair, a traditional moko kauae and is wearing glasses and a colourful top. The video ends with award ceremony details. Text reads: "Enabling Good Lives Awards. Celebrating people, organisations and community groups making a real difference for disabled people and their whānau across Auckland. Award Ceremony, 10am, Wednesday 9 September 2026 at Transition Expo." There is a gold trophy on the right side.

23/08/2026

"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: Transition Expo 2026 - explore what's available for school leavers



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.

20/08/2026

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.

17/08/2026

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.

11/08/2026

"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.

08/08/2026

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.

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