ACT NDIS Awareness Package Element 5: Assistance and Support Advocacy

Agenda – Advocacy Introduction Key issues What is advocacy? Different types of advocacy Peer support The NDIS role in advocacy The NDAP What does this mean for our clients and consumers Where can I get more information ?

Key issues People with disability, their families and carers may need independent advocacy support at some time. There are independent agencies that can advocate for people with disability. This includes help with reviewing NDIA decisions. The NDIA cannot provide advocacy to review its own decisions. You may be able to give people with disability information about advocacy supports that are available for them.

What is advocacy? Advocacy is speaking, acting or writing on behalf of people with disability to promote, protect and defend their welfare and justice by: Being on their side and no one else's Being mainly concerned with them Remaining loyal and accountable to them Ensuring duty of care at all times Advocates help people with disability take part in decisions and understand the service delivery options so they can meet their goals Advocates are an important way of encouraging choice and control, which is a key principle of the NDIS

Some different types of advocacy Citizen advocacy: matches people with disability with volunteers. Family advocacy: helps parents and family members advocate on behalf of the person with disability for a particular issue. Individual advocacy: upholds the rights of individual people with disability by working on discrimination, abuse and neglect. Legal advocacy: upholds the rights and interests of individual people with disability by addressing the legal aspects of discrimination, abuse and neglect. Self advocacy: supports people with disability to advocate for themselves, or as a group. Systemic advocacy: seeks to remove barriers and address discrimination to ensure the rights of people with disability.

Peer support Peer support can be: Informal conversations between peers Formal programs with trained peers or support workers One-on-one or in a group People with disabilities already often provide peer support to one another, by sharing information and their own experiences. Someone who has already been through NDIS assessment, or developed a plan or managed their own supports may help others by sharing stories about the challenges faced and things learned. Over time more people will build up knowledge of how the NDIS works and can share that knowledge through peer support networks.

Who else provides assistance and support? Support with decisions can be provided by family, friends, a planner or an advocate who can help people to: Decide their needs and goals for their individual plan Understand their rights and responsibilities Understand what their decisions will mean A client or consumer’s planner can also provide information or advice about how to get assistance from other mainstream services such as education, aged care or in the justice system.

How does the NDIS provide support? The NDIS can’t provide advocacy for review of NDIA decisions. Assistance is provided by the NDIA to clients and consumers when they are taking part in NDIS activities where the assistance is needed. Clients and consumers can choose who they would like to assist them and, if necessary, NDIA can find someone to help. In all dealings with NDIS clients or consumers are very welcome to bring a support person with them.

National Disability Advocacy Program (NDAP) The NDAP can help with issues with the NDIA or providers. NDAP can: Help develop self-advocacy skills. Help clients learn to identify needs and goals. Ensure clients understand their rights and responsibilities. Make sure clients understand their decisions and the effect these will have on their lives. Support clients who disagree with a decision and want a review, and help clients take part in the review. Put clients in touch with a support person if seeking review in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. NDAP has special advocates for people with specific disability, from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

What does this mean for our clients and consumers? (Discussion Points) Do we have clients and consumers who may need advocacy support? What do we think is our role in assisting clients who have an issue with the NDIS? Do we know how to direct them to advocacy support? Do we think we can answer the questions our clients and consumers might ask us about advocacy?

Where can I get more information on advocacy? Link to the ACT Disability, Aged and Carer Advocacy Service. Link to the Mental Health Consumer Network, which offers advocacy and self-advocacy and consumer representation training. Link to YouTube videos by Commonwealth government, about advocacy Link to more information about the National Disability Advocacy Program. Link to publication on women and disability from Advocacy for Inclusion and Women with Disability Link to the NDIS website. Link to Advokit which provides advocacy training. Link to training to support self-advocacy for people with disability.