General News
24 April, 2026
Group offers carer support
Level Up Gaming is a weekly after-school group which offers carers a break while giving young people with disability or neurodivergence a space designed for them.
Lifely, a regional disability service provider, held their first free after school session at Mill House on April 21 and saw five local kids attend.
They were able to enjoy the latest video games while learning confidence, new skills, and making friends at their own pace.
It’s the culmination of 18 months of planning from Lifely’s Chris Lakey who said the after-school group was a response to community feedback.
“The feedback we had was there’s a lot of kids who disconnect after school and withdraw back into gaming which is just what every kid does,” he said.
“Everyone finds comfort in gaming.”
Mr Lakey said his approach was to meet kids where they’re at so, when they’re ready, he can model healthy behaviours like taking breaks.
“It is about understanding what will help bring the best out of these kids and speaking to it,” he said.
“We’re trying to appeal to that comfort they have and attach a little bit of capacity building over the top but only when they’re ready.”
It also contributes to a need for support locally among the age group, reflected in NDIS funding data, although the after-school group is supported by other sources.
In the second quarter of 2025/26, across all age groups between 9 to 24 years old, there is a gap between funding committed and what has been used in the Central Goldfields Shire.
Those aged between nine and 14 years old saw $5246, around 41 percent, go unspent.
Fifteen to 18 year olds saw a larger gap with $9350, around 43 percent, not spent.
Both are 10 percent higher than the national data.
Mr Lakey said this is less about a lack of need but due to other barriers like limited local service availability.
“We’re trying to get around that by saying we’ll come to you, don’t pay us a thing, I’ll put our group right in the middle of Maryborough at the Mill House, you just come to us,” he said.
But the program’s elegance is that, rather than only focus on kids, it’s designed for volunteer carers who often feel “burnt out”.
“This group is disguised as a gaming group to support kids but it’s for [carers],” Mr Lakey said.
“We need to support them to support the child.”
The weekly two hour session give local carers the opportunity to focus on themselves, or just get some chores done, which they might not otherwise be able to do.
“They just do it because they think this is my life, this is who I am, forgetting they deserve a break,” he said.
“These little wins you can grab are often what carers work towards.
“Whilst we might take it for granted ,you can guarantee carers are going to look at that as something to look forward to.”
While the program has funding for a year and a half Mr Lakey hopes to see it go further.
“Success to me is to get this group so sustainable it can last long term and then continue to improve it,” he said.
Those interested in registering, or finding out more, can email chris.lakey@lifely.org.au