Side By Side Advocacy Incorporated

Advocacy agency

Side By Side Advocacy Incorporated

The NDAP should provide adequate geographical Advocacy coverage for Individual, Citizen, Self and Legal forms of advocacy which means statewide and local/community coverage. Adequate coverage will help to reduce social,economic and legal issues for people with disability.
At this juncture it is important to ensure that the currently state funded Advocacy agencies are brought into the NDAP fold to ensure no loss of coverage.
That the allocation of NDAP funds occurs via a select tender process open to organisations experienced at delivering Disability Advocacy.
That organisations allocated NDAP funds are independent of any form of service provision or perceived conflict of interest..
That NDAP contracts be drafted flexibly, enabling organisations to be responsive to need, rather than being constrained by particular ‘deliverables’.
That the NDAP fund a national peak Advocacy body to undertake functions such as highlighting opportunities for systemic change and working towards this change, recording emerging trend but primarily advocating for Advocacy.
That an adequate Systemic Advocacy network be supported to allow for unmet needs to be communicated clearly to the Government of the day.
That additional medium term support be provided over the transition to NDIS to cover both increased demand and shortfalls in service provision.