Richard Buchanan

General Manager Southern Region

I have held various roles within the disability sector over the last 26 years including tertiary education, service leadership, management, disabled leadership and service transformation. I have held management, disability and service leadership roles for CCS Disability Action over this time as well as working for other entities including Richmond Fellowship, PACT, Manawanui and the Christchurch based Enabling Good Lives demonstration.

As the General Manager for the Southern Region, my responsibilities include supporting each branch within the region to provide quality support to disabled people, their whānau and the community. This involves working directly with branch service managers, our business support team and the regional portfolio holders to ensure that supports provided are aligned to the strategic priorities of the organisation.

As a disabled person, it is important to me that services and supports provided to people enable them to be fully immersed in their communities as valued citizens. I consider myself very fortunate to have been born and raised on the West Coast of the South Island as I was treated the same as anyone else and encouraged to give everything a go. Having an exceptionally supportive family and friends made all the difference! This is why I am so passionate about the work I do and playing a small part in ensuring other disabled people benefit from the sorts of opportunities I’ve had throughout my life.

I am proud to work for CCS Disability Action, an organisation that is steadfast in its way of supporting disabled people and whānau that enables them to achieve their full potential as valued human beings.