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New NextSense centre offers unique opportunities for children with additional needs
Freya Lucas
Aug 30, 2024
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The NextSense Centre for Innovation was recently opened by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, creating a unique opportunity for children living with hearing and vision loss.
NextSense is Australia’s second oldest not-for-profit organisation, and describes the centre as “the most ambitious innovation in its 164-year history.”The $75million state-of-the-art facility has been custom-built for people with hearing and vision loss, and will not only deliver best-in-class services, but will also be a home for sharing research and practical knowledge across Australia and the world and training the next generation of professionals in the field.
A key feature of the centre is its building design, which puts people with hearing and vision loss first, with state-of-the-art equipment and spaces tailored specifically for them. Its many accessibility features include the highest possible acoustic standards, wayfinding braille signage, and walls and furniture with high-contrast elements to allow better depth perception.
“This new centre is an important investment in removing barriers for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind or have low vision,” NextSense Chief Executive Chris Rehn said.
“It is a nationally significant piece of social infrastructure that will cement the leading role Australia already plays on the world stage in hearing and vision service delivery and research.”
A preschool will be located onsite at the centre, which will also house allied health, disability and cochlear implant services for children and adults, a school, and a major research and professional education program, all located in the Macquarie University precinct and Macquarie Park Innovation District.
The location of the centre will bring NextSense closer to its key partners already on campus, such as Macquarie University Hearing, Cochlear and Hearing Australia.
The centre will explore ways to advance education for all children with hearing and vision loss, regardless of their location, and will help NextSense scale up to meet the growing need for in-person and remote hearing and vision services right across Australia.
“By 2050, more than 6 million Australians will have hearing loss and more than 1 million will be blind or have low vision, and this will continue to grow,” Mr Rehn said.
“We know that acting early when children have hearing or vision loss is critical in setting them up for life and giving them a level playing field. Advancing knowledge around best-practice early intervention services and making sure families can access them is vital.”
The centre, he continued, will be an important gateway to new partnerships at Macquarie University, across Australia and internationally, between researchers, industry and governments. It will trial and share new ideas, advance the field, and drive better outcomes.
“We plan to use our centre for innovation to better connect our rich expertise as a leading service provider with what we learn from others – we need collective thinking if we’re going to drive change,” Mr Rehn said.
“While we’ve never stood still in our 164 years, today we’re entering a new era. This next phase will significantly increase the contribution we can make to our sector, our clients and to all people with hearing and vision loss.”
The Australian Government made a significant financial contribution to the construction of the facility, putting forward $12.5million.
Learn more about NextSense here.
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