Disability Information, Advocacy & Support
This service exists to support, educate, and advocate for individuals and whānau living with disabilities, or tangata whaikaha. We offer guidance and encouragement to help empower tangata whaikaha and their whānau to take charge of their lives with confidence. This service is free and accessible to all.
Ways We Can Support
Our Disability Information, Advocacy & Support service provides advocacy, āwhina, and tautoko to ensure individuals and their whānau are supported every step of the way. We offer helpful information and carry out assessments to identify needs and connect people with the right services.
We facilitate access to disability support services, government services, and community providers, helping whānau navigate what’s available. This includes informing individuals and their whānau about both Ministry of Health (MOH) and non-MOH funded support options.
We also provide educational information to caregivers, providers, and the wider community to promote awareness and understanding of disability supports. Our advocacy extends to working alongside Māori and non-Māori with disability providers, government agencies, community organisations, GPs, and specialists to ensure everyone is heard and well represented.
Additionally, we support tangata whaikaha through needs assessments, service coordination, and by accompanying them to WINZ, GP, and specialist appointments—ensuring they feel confident and supported throughout the process.
Accessibility Concession Assessments
Huria Trust is an approved agency for the BOPRC’s accessibility concession scheme. The Accessibility Concession is available to anyone living in the Bay of Plenty region who has an impairment which means they are permanently unable to drive. The impairment can be physical, intellectual, psychological, sensory or neurological.
Applicants are assessed by approved assessment agencies. All agencies charge a fee for this service. Huria Trust’s fee is $20.00 (please note we do not have eftpos available). The concession provides you with free travel on all contracted Bay of Plenty Regional Council bus services across the region.
The concession will need to be loaded on a registered Bee Card (first card free, replacements $5). This means that when you tag on and off the bus you receive a 100% discount on the fare.
To book in for an assessment please call our office on (07) 5787838 ext. 704 or contact our kaiāwhina via email at dias@huriatrust.co.nz
Huria Trust is also an approved assessment agency for the Total Mobility Scheme. A one-off fee of $20.00 is required to be paid on the day of assessment (no eftpos available).
The Total Mobility scheme helps people with serious mobility constraints access subsidised door-to-door transport through approved providers based in Tauranga, Rotorua and Whakatāne.
Eligible scheme members use their Total Mobility card to receive a 75% discount on door-to-door travel up to a maximum of $37.50 per trip (75% discount on $50 full fare).
Please contact our kaiāwhina to book in for an assessment.
Total Mobility
Scheme Assessments
Contact Information
For registrations and enquiries, please contact our kaiāwhina using the contact information below.
Email: dias@huriatrust.co.nz
Phone: 07 578 7838 ext. 704
