The National Disability Advocacy Program (NDAP) provides people with disability with access to effective disability advocacy that promotes, protects and ensures their full and equal enjoyment of all human rights enabling community participation.
Advocacy for people with disability can be defined as speaking, acting or writing with minimal conflict of interest on behalf of the interests of a disadvantaged person or group, in order to promote, protect and defend the welfare of and justice for either the person or group by:
- Acting in a partisan manner (i.e. being on their side and no one else's);
- Being primarily concerned with their fundamental needs;
- Remaining loyal and accountable to them in a way which is empathic and vigorous(whilst respecting the rights of others); and
- Ensuring duty of care at all times.
Approaches to disability advocacy can be categorised into six broad models being:
- 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.
More information about independent advocates is available at the National Disability Advocacy Program and Disability Advocacy Finder.
