Welcome to Gig Buddies Central Coast
What is Gig Buddies?
There are two main parts to the Gig Buddies project
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1. Buddying
Building a one-on-one friendship between a participant and volunteer.
2. Events/Socials
Group social events run by the Gig Buddies team.​
Who is Gig Buddies for?
Who is it for?
A Gig Buddies participant is an adult with mild to moderate learning disability and/or autism, who wants to make new friends and go to events.
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A Gig Buddies volunteer is someone who wants to expand their social circles, make friends and go to events.​
Buddying
How "Buddying" works
The Gig Buddies team matches and pairs a volunteer and an adult with a mild to moderate learning disability and/or autism.
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Buddies are paired based on mutual interests - such as music tastes, sport and hobbies - and other factors such as location and age.
Once paired, buddies go out together once a month for a year (or longer).
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Testimonials
Tahli genuinely enriches my life. Never did I think I would have found such a lifelong friend.
I have enjoyed the freedom that Gig Buddies offers as a volunteer program - e.g. I am able to set up times with Jess independently to what suits our schedules best.
Andrew is chuffed to have a friend outside his peer group. Bosh is a wonderful person; we consider him a member of our family.
What do buddies do?
Buddied-up participants and volunteers catch up once a month and choose the "gigs" they both want to go to together.
A "gig" is whatever you want it to be.
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It can be...
opera, theatre, sport, bushwalking, bowling, movies, having dinner, playing pool, surfing, food markets, musical theatre, go cart racing, horse riding, dancing, video games, train spotting, mini golf etc...
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get involved...
the NDIS
Gig Buddies and the NDIS
The standard monthly charge to support the project is 3 hours per month from Core Support or Capacity Building.
The charge covers; recruiting, vetting, matching & training volunteers to partner with participants to build friendships & attend live music, sport and other events.
The monthly charge also includes access* to the many Gig Buddies hosted online and live activities and events.
(*some events have additional charges)
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the "Soul Fly Buddies"
Gig Buddies is a
"user-led" project
In the UK and Australia, participants are involved in the running of the project.
In Australia this group of participants call themselves the "Soul Fly Buddies".
They meet once a month to talk about the project and help with ideas, planning and making the project as inclusive as possible.
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Do you have an idea for the project?
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Would you like to discuss something with the Soul Fly Buddies?
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Would you like to get involved and/or join the Soul Fly Buddies?
...then click the link below to send a message to the "Soul Fly Buddies"