People with Disability Australia Incorporated

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Photo of a woman sitting in a wheelchair at a train station. A train is going past.

Individual & Group Advocacy

PWD offers free individual and group advocacy support to people with disability:

  • living anywhere in NSW with Advocates based in Redfern;
  • living in three regions of NSW with locally based Advocates in Queanbeyan, Sutherland and the Southern Tablelands and Southern Highlands;
  • living in five regions in Queensland with locally based Advocates in Logan, the Fraser Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Bundaberg, Mount Isa and Lower Gulf Communities.

Individual Advocacy Service

Provide short to medium term, non-legal, issue-based advocacy support to people with disability who have serious and urgent issues. Priority is given to people with disability experiencing abuse and neglect, discrimination, homelessness or lack of any or appropriate services and supports. Specific consideration is given to groups of people experiencing increased disadvantage:

  • women with disability
  • children with disability
  • people with multiple disability
  • people with disability who are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
  • people with disability living in segregated settings (boarding houses, institutions, prisons and detention centres)
  • people with disability living in regional or remote areas.

A PWD Advocate stands up for a person's rights, is on their side and helps to sort out their complaint, issue or problem. The Advocate takes direction from the person with disability, keeps the issues and information private and confidential and only releases information with permission from the person. Advocacy support may include going to meetings with or for the person, writing letters, making phone calls or assisting them to lodge complaints. PWD Advocates work tirelessly to resolve issues and improve the quality of life for people with disability.

For advocacy support please call us on (02) 9370 3100
Toll Free on 1800 422 015 or TTY Toll Free on 1800 422 016 or email dris@pwd.org.au

Areas covered

click here for office locations

Brochures

Disability Rights and Information Service

The Disability Rights and Information Service at PWD provides information to people with disability and their associates, supporting, mentoring and empowering the person with a disability to self advocate and seek out the most appropriate service to address their issue.

This Disability Rights Information Service also receives and assesses requests for advocacy support where people feel unable to resolve issues or complaints for themselves or require representation.

Anyone is able to ring us on behalf of a person or group of people with disability this may include family members, carers, friends, neighbours, disability support workers and any other professionals. We are happy to receive requests for advocacy support for a person with disability from any associate of a person or group of people with disability. We also provide advice, support and information to associates of people with disability that may help the person with disability.

Please ring the Disability Rights Information Service between 9:30 am and 4:30 pm (AEST) Monday to Friday on (02) 9370 3100 or
Toll Free on 1800 422 015 or TTY Toll Free on 1800 422 016
or email dris@pwd.org.au

 

Recent PWD Publications

PWD Media Releases

PWD E-bulletin #62, June 2010