We are funded through the National Disability Advocacy Program to address the significant disadvantages often faced by people with disability. Our advocacy focuses on upholding human rights and ensuring access to essential entitlements.
Our service is free and available to people with disability in situations where advocacy can make a meaningful difference. Everyone has the right to be heard, to have their rights recognised, and to make their own choices about matters that affect their lives.
Our advocates work to ensure that the will and preferences of people with disability are understood and respected. If you want to make a change in your life but are unsure where to start, an advocate can help. We listen to you, amplify your voice, and use our expertise to support you in addressing the important issues that matter to you.
For more information, read this document About Advocacy – May 2024
Please contact us on
(03) 9489 2999 and leave a voicemail
or email
intake@leadershipplus.com
The intake team will be in contact to discuss your needs and our process.
Advocacy peak bodies and resource organisations
Disability Advocacy Victoria is the peak body for independent disability advocacy in Victoria.
Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA) is a national not for profit organisation, supporting and strengthening independent disability advocacy organisations across Australia, and represents the advocacy community to governments, campaigns to support advocacy and supports research in the field.
SARU, The Self Advocacy Resources Unit, provides resources for self advocacy groups.
Acquired Brain Injury organisations
Brain Injury Matters Inc (BIM) facilitates self-advocacy and community education for people living with an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). BIM aims to help people living with ABI to realise potential for a full life within a supportive community and to increase community awareness about ABI.
NDIS
The NDIS and You is an excellent set of videos on the NDIS, how to access it, prepare for your plan or appeal an NDIS decision. A great resource from the Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council
Other advocacy organisations
DARU has a list of all Victorian advocacy organisations.
The Department of Social Services has lists of all agencies providing assistance with NDIS Appeals.
Supported decision making is a framework within which people with disability can be assisted to make decisions that affect them and is based on the premise that everyone has the right to make their own decisions and to receive whatever support they require to do so. It is an important human rights concept, that is recognised and supported within the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), as it enables people with cognitive disabilities to exercise their legal rights about decisions that affect their lives, with support from a team of people they know and trust.
The complexity of decision making support, the changing and often challenging life circumstances of individuals who require it and the associated skills required to effectively work alongside a person with impaired decision making abilities requires commitment and nuanced response (by individuals, institutions and service systems). Embedding supported decision making in the diverse services and systems used by people with cognitive disabilities demands cultural change in our institutions, among professionals and social processes. For this to happen we need a comprehensive strategy for cultural change, capacity building occurs across multiple levels, long-term and adequate funding and strong oversight mechanisms to ensure that supported decision making is available for all people living with cognitive disability who require this support regardless of the context, service system, or decision involved.
Despite the success of pilot programs and growing evidence, there is still a challenge in effectively applying supported decision-making principles across systems that people with disabilities interact with regularly.
If you have used our advocacy service, we’d love to know how we did. Answer a few simple questions in our anonymous feedback survey.
Feedback Survey