Established in 1991, Advocacy WA is a regionally based community not for profit Western Australian agency that provides a range of (individual) advocacy services for people with disabilities living in the South West of Western Australia who find themselves in vulnerable or marginalised situations.
What we stand for:
Advocacy WA believes in justice and human rights for people with disabilities. We believe in the importance of choice, equality of opportunity, and inclusion in society. We believe that each person ought to be respected and heard and able to participate in their community. We believe in fairness and that each person should be empowered to exercise independence over the choices and direction of their life.
Advocacy WA advocates for social change and service improvement focusing on, but not limited to, the areas of accommodation, employment and financial security, education and training, transport, and access to specialist health services, so that people with disabilities will be recognised and treated as valued citizens within their community.
Advocacy WA assists and supports people with disabilities to achieve social and individual change, empowerment, justice and human rights.
We believe that advocacy means “standing by” or “speaking out” for someone’s rights when they are treated unfairly and that people with disabilities have the same rights and responsibilities as people who do not. Advocacy WA advocates with and for people with a disability to safeguard (and protect) their capacity to speak out and ensure that those rights are negotiated in practice.
Advocacy WA’s model of Individual Advocacy works to empower and support people with disabilities to achieve positive outcomes and make informed decisions when faced with difficult situations. We do this by listening and consulting; sharing information; assisting access to agencies and services; encouraging self-advocacy through empowerment and generally working with the client. All this is done whilst maintaining client confidentiality. Each client is assigned an Individual Advocate (IA) who assists and supports the client until their issue has been resolved.
We are governed by a volunteer Board of Directors with many years’ experience working in disability sector and we employ highly trained professionals and volunteers to manage the agency and its operations. Many of these dedicated people are also people with disabilities.
AWA operates throughout the South West Region, including Harvey, Collie, Dardanup, Capel, Donnybrook, Balingup, Boyup Brook, Greenbushes, Bridgetown, Busselton, Margaret River, Nannup, Manjimup and has offices in Bunbury and Busselton.
The main office in Bunbury is open to the public Monday to Friday, with regular visits to Outreach offices in Collie, Manjimup, Margaret River and Busselton.
Advocacy WA is currently part-funded through the Commonwealth Department of Social Services (DSS) National Disability Advocacy Programme and the Department of Communities (WA). The agency has the ability to seek funding (grants, sponsorships and donations) from other public and philanthropic sources for discreet projects.
Advocacy WA entered into a Consortium Agreement with People with Disabilities WA (PWdWA) and Sussex Street Legal Services which successfully attracted funds from WA Government to deliver individual advocacy services throughout WA and other partnerships with similar “like-minded” agencies such as South West Legal Services, Carers WA and Forrest Personnel are considered from time to time depending of the projects and required outcomes.
Through the consortium partnership between AWA, PWdWA and Sussex St Community Legal Service, Advocacy WA maintains a presence and opinion on a number of Committees that focus on issues relating to systemic advocacy, including the WA Disability Coalition. The Disability Coalition comprises a group of advocacy organisations and peak bodies working in the disability and mental health sectors, which believes that, as a collective, we are well placed to identify the priority systemic advocacy issues that need to be progressed.
Broad areas of attention include Justice, Housing, Health, Carers, Financial (Disability Support Pension) and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Advocacy WA invites new members. We are seeking to attract people with skills, energy and commitment to our core values. Fill in the form to become a member.