70s · A strong beginning On 20 October 1970, a group of keen and committed community members met in the Supper Room of City Hall… Read more
70s · Building a school In the early years of The Bridge, thanks to the unwavering efforts of the committee and the City of Springvale,… Read more
80s · Consolidation and development The 1980s saw much hard work come to fruition with the opening of the Adult Unit in 1982. In conjunction… Read more
80s · Innovation and reform The Bridge was at the forefront of participatory practice, when they formed a ‘Centre Council’ at the Adult Unit in… Read more
90s · An era of expansion During the 1990s, The Bridge’s open employment program expanded and went from strength to strength. Read more
90s · Strengthening services In 1995, a decision was made to merge Urimbirra (as The Bridge was named at this time) with Western Port… Read more
2000 · Growth and change In the 2000s, The Bridge’s employment programs flourished and community services kept growing. A highlight of this decade was the… Read more
2000 · A new policy landscape The new millennium saw significant government reform, including the introduction of the State Disability Services Plan (2002 – 2012). This… Read more
2010 · A time of transition The 2010s saw The Bridge manage the transition to the NDIS, as the federal government moved to fund individuals rather… Read more
2010 · What’s in a name? Over the years, the organisation has been known by a variety of names. It was familiar to many across the… Read more
2020 · Diversity and new horizons Over 50 years, The Bridge has become a more diverse organisation. Services now include supported employment for people both with… Read more
2020 · Celebrating 50 years The archives at The Bridge are full of stories of people. There are boxes of photographs of participants, of families,… Read more