Friend Match Social Clubs: find your people.
Friend Match is our friendship-matching service for NDIS participants. We match kids, teens and adults with like-minded people in small, private social groups, with 1:1 support right beside them.
NDIS social clubs · By application only
By applicationSo every match is considered
MatchedWith like-minded people
1:1 supportWith a matched support worker
Australia-wideWherever you live
Private groupsSmall, familiar, safe
No lock-inFlexible, no contracts
In short
What is Friend Match?
Friend Match Social Clubs is a friendship-matching service run by Marching Forward, a registered NDIS provider helping participants anywhere in Australia. Participants apply, we get to know them, and we match them with like-minded people in a small private social group. We also match each participant with a support worker who is the right fit for them, and the group meets up for activities such as hiking, Dungeons & Dragons, cinema trips and city adventures.
It is for kids, teens and adults, wherever they live in Australia. There are no lock-in contracts, days and times are negotiable, and we organise the meet-ups so parents and caregivers don't have to.
A new way to do NDIS social clubs
A room full of people isn't the same as a friend.
Most social groups put whoever signs up into the same room and hope for the best. Sometimes it works. Often it doesn't.
So we've changed how we do it. Our social clubs now run as a service called Friend Match. It is by application, because we take the time to understand each person and match them with others who share their interests, their pace and their way of connecting.
It's 1:1 support, with friendship built in.
We do the organising
Think of us as your social life concierge.
Finding the right people, lining up everyone's calendars, choosing somewhere to go, working out the details. It's a lot, and it usually lands on parents and caregivers.
We take that off your plate. Like a personal PA for your social life, we organise the group and the meet-ups, so all you have to do is turn up and enjoy it.
We find the people
Matching you with like-minded participants you'll actually enjoy.
We sort the plans
Activities, days and times, worked out with the group.
You just enjoy it
No chasing, no group-chat wrangling, no pressure on parents and caregivers.
How it works
How Friend Match works: from application to genuine friendship
1
Apply
Tell us about the participant: what they love, how they like to connect, and what they want from friendship.
2
We get to know you
A relaxed chat about interests, personality, comfort levels and NDIS goals. No pressure, no tests.
3
We match you
We do the hard yards: finding like-minded friends we think will really click, and a support worker who's the right fit too.
4
Meet up and connect
Your private group meets for activities and connection, each participant with their own 1:1 support.
What makes it different
Not your usual NDIS social group
The usual way
Open social groups
- Whoever books in, turns up
- Mixed ages, interests and needs
- Shared support across the group
- New faces every week
- Fixed day, time and term
- Friendship left to chance
Our way
Friend Match Social Clubs
- By application, so every place is considered
- Matched with like-minded participants
- Your own 1:1 support worker, matched to you
- The same private group, building familiarity
- No lock-in, with flexible days, times and activities
- Friendship by design
We do the hard yards
Two great matches, not one
Finding a friend is only half of it. The person supporting you matters just as much, so we put the same care into both.
Match one
The right friends
- People who share your interests
- A similar age and stage of life
- A way of connecting that suits yours
Match two
The right support worker
- Someone whose personality fits yours
- Someone who gets your interests and your pace
- Someone you feel comfortable having beside you
The matching
What we look at when we match
Matching isn't a formula. It's our team getting to know each person and thinking carefully about who they'd enjoy spending time with, and who should be supporting them.
Shared interests
The things they love, from gaming and art to sport, animals and music.
Age and stage
People at a similar point in life, so there's common ground from the start.
How they connect
Chatty or quiet, high energy or calm. We match communication styles and comfort levels.
Goals
What each person wants to build, and the NDIS goals their support is working toward.
Flexible by design
No lock-in. No long-term commitment.
Friendship shouldn't come with a contract. Everything about your group is kept flexible, and working it out together is part of the process.
No lock-in contracts
Join without signing up to a fixed term.
No long-term commitment
There's no ongoing commitment to the social group. Stay for as long as it's working for you.
Negotiable days and times
When you meet is completely negotiable, so it fits around real life.
You choose the activities
What your group does together is decided with the group, not handed down by us.
How support works
1:1 support, in a group of friends
Every participant has their own support worker, chosen because they're a great fit for that person. That means support is personal, flexible and focused entirely on them.
The difference is where it happens: together, in a private group of matched participants, meeting up for activities and connection while building social skills along the way.
Along the way, participants build:
- 1Social skills, practised in real situations with real friends
- 2Confidence in starting and keeping friendships
- 3Communication, turn-taking and teamwork
- 4Independence and a sense of belonging
Current groups
Social clubs running right now
Groups form around what people love, so the line-up keeps growing. If your thing isn't here yet, tell us in your application and we'll look for your match.
Weekend Hiking Club
Fresh air, good views and good company on the trails.
D&D Group
Dungeons & Dragons adventures for storytellers and strategists.
Park Play for Kids
Relaxed outdoor play dates for our younger participants.
City Adventure Club
Exploring the city together and finding new favourite places.
Cinema Club
Movies on the big screen, and someone to talk about them with after.
Activity Club
A new low-cost activity to try each week, like bowling.
Low-cost or free activities
The NDIS does not fund food or activity costs, so these are paid for by participants. We deliberately keep meet-ups low cost or free, so Friend Match stays accessible for everyone.
Is it a good fit?
Who is Friend Match for?
Friend Match suits kids, teens and adults on the NDIS who:
- Want real friends, not just somewhere to go
- Find big or unfamiliar groups overwhelming
- Have tried social groups before and never quite clicked
- Do best with their own support person beside them
- Want to build social skills in a natural, relaxed way
Good to know
Friend Match Social Clubs: common questions
Friend Match Social Clubs is a friendship-matching service for NDIS participants, run by Marching Forward. We match kids, teens and adults with like-minded people in small private social groups, and we match each participant with a 1:1 support worker who is the right fit for them.
Kids, teens and adults who want genuine friendships. It especially suits people who find big or unfamiliar groups overwhelming, or who have tried social groups before and never quite clicked.
Anywhere in Australia. It makes no difference where you live. We do the work of finding like-minded friends and the right support worker for you.
Yes. We don't just find a great fit for a friend, we find a great fit for the support worker too. The right support person makes all the difference to how comfortable and confident a participant feels.
Current groups include a Weekend Hiking Club, a D&D (Dungeons & Dragons) Group, Park Play for Kids, a City Adventure Club, a Cinema Club and an Activity Club that tries a new low-cost activity each week, such as bowling. New groups form around what participants love.
Because the match is the whole point. Applying lets us get to know each participant properly before placing them, so groups are made up of people who are likely to get along, not just people who booked the same day.
Both, in the best way. It's 1:1 support, so every participant has their own support worker. Participants then meet up in private, matched groups for activities and connection.
We look at shared interests, age and stage, how each person likes to communicate and connect, and what they want to work toward. Our team makes each match by hand.
No. There are no lock-in contracts and no long-term commitment to the social group. The activities, days and times you meet are flexible and completely negotiable, and working those out together is part of the process.
We do. We help organise the group and its meet-ups, which takes the pressure off parents and caregivers. Think of us as a personal PA or concierge for your social life.
Yes, where there is a cost. The NDIS does not fund food or activity costs, so participants cover their own. We choose low-cost or free activities on purpose, to keep Friend Match accessible for everyone.
Complete the application and we'll be in touch to get to know the participant. Already with Marching Forward? Use the existing client form. Prefer to talk first? Call 0447 427 142 or book a call.
Apply
Ready to find your people?
Places are by application so we can match every participant with care. Apply now and we'll take it from there.