Disability Services Minister Stephen Dawson has today announced $3.44 million for advocacy services which are crucial to ensuring the rights and interests of people with disability in Western Australia.
This funding will support the delivery of community initiatives in WA which will increase the capacity of people with disability, their families and carers, and local champions within the community, to advocate for improved outcomes for people with disability, including access to services.
Disability advocacy is important because it enables people with disability to participate in the decision-making processes that safeguard and advance their human rights, as defined in the National Disability Advocacy Framework.
In 2020/21, $8 million has now been allocated for advocacy for people with disability and their families. Of this, $4.56 million is now available for existing advocacy providers to continue to achieve outcomes for people requiring independent, individual and specialist advocacy services.
The additional funding will be allocated through an Expression of Interest (EOI) process open to all advocacy providers in the State and is now advertised on Tenders WA.
The EOI will close on February 25, 2021 at 2:30pm with the successful proponents expected to be announced in April this year.
As stated by Disability Services Minister Stephen Dawson:
“The McGowan Government is committed to ensuring that quality supports and services are maintained for people with disability and their families in Western Australia.
“Access to advocacy services is absolutely critical to ensuring the rights and interests of people with disability, their families and carers are upheld.
“A properly funded and well-resourced advocacy sector is also critical to ensuring that the NDIS works for everyone.”
