Individual Advocacy

 
We provide advocacy support for and with adults with a disability 
 
We support the advocacy efforts of other individuals (where these efforts are in line with our values). 
 
Provide information to people with disability and their family and friends and other community members. 
 
What advocacy can do for you 
  • Assist you to be treated fairly
  • Promote your best interests
  • Speak up for you
  • Get respect for your rights
  • Assist to stop abuse
  • Listen to you
  • Help you be heard
  • Protect your dignity
  • Provide a free service
 
What will an Advocate do? 
  • Speak and act for or with you on your behalf
  • Be on your side and no-one else's
  • Be loyal
  • Be there for as long as it takes
  • Involve you in the process
  • Be concerned with your fundamental needs
 
What can you expect? 
  • Confidential service
  • Free independent Advocacy
  • Resources and Information
 
What advocacy is not about 
  • Counselling
  • Mediation
  • Interpreting
  • Legal advice
  • Personal care
  • Providing funding
 
We are happy to provide information and answer queries at any time. 
 

Systematic Advocacy

 
Why do we need systemic advocacy? 
 
People often experience or are vulnerable to experiencing: 
  • Discrimination
  • Neglect and abuse
  • Exploitation
  • Erosion of their rights
 
A system’s impact is so far reaching that it requires measures in addition to individual advocacy 
  • "Rights" is a verb – requiring action
  • Its simply not enough to enshrine rights in legislation or policy or procedure
  • The mere acknowledgement of or provision for a person’s rights is not enough
  • A person’s rights must be actively honoured, respected and protected
  • Systems that impact must be flexible and innovative in a way that allows this to happen
  • Not just for one person at one time but for every person every time
 
What is systemic advocacy? 
IAT’s objectives define systems advocacy as 
 
“IAT is to undertake social action that proactively and assertively seeks to influence positive change to law, policies and procedures that affect the lives of people with disability” 
 
Systems that impact 
  • Law/legislation/political policy
  • Government departments – policy/procedures/structure/funding
  • Service organisations – practice
  • Community – opinions and attitudes
 
Tools we use to exert influence: 
  • Education and Information Provision essential, bring issues into awareness
  • Submissions to legislative reviews provisions in the new/amended act
  • Participation in consultation processes
  • Influence policy/procedures/structure/funding
  • Seek to inform and influence key people within stakeholder agencies
 
One person can make a difference! 
  • Commence working groups – link to key people working together
  • Lobby political reps
  • Maintaining a presence
  • Instrument of change
  • Awareness and safeguarding
 
IAT Systemetic Projects are: 
  • Informed and identified by individual advocacy
  • Informed by the values of our organisation
 

Current Systemic Projects:

 
Project 1: People with Disability and the Criminal Justice System 
 
During the process of individual advocacy for persons with a disability within the Department of Corrections and the criminal justice system more broadly, systemic advocacy issues were identified by IAT.  The core issue identified by IAT was the lack of cooperative mechanisms between and within various agencies.  This lack of cooperation constitutes a substantial block in ameliorating additional vulnerability and leads to the erosion of the rights of people with a disability within the criminal justice system.  Both non-conjunctive spheres of responsibility and a rigid work to rule culture from stakeholder agencies leads to additional vulnerability for people with a disability within the criminal justice system.  From this recognition the Criminal Justice System Project was scheduled as a priority for IAT.  
 
IAT’s Position: 
IAT’s position regarding persons with a disability within the Department of Corrections system and the criminal justice system more broadly is that these persons must be provided with appropriate services in a timely manner which meets their individual needs.  Cooperation between and within various Government agencies should form a whole of Government approach to ensure that the rights and needs of individuals within the system are acknowledged, supported and facilitated with the aim of rehabilitation, inclusion and independence within the broader community.  Minimum standards should be congruent to and compliant with the Disability Services Act (Qld) 2006.  Consistent with the purposes of the Act, IAT identifies the necessity of relevant bodies operating innovatively, co-operatively and working toward the development of protocols in provision of supports across all Departments and Agencies in order for people with disabilities to achieve their maximum potential as members of society. IAT supports the position of the Office of the Public Advocate where its efforts regarding this project are consistent with IAT’s position, goals and strategies. 
 
Goal/s 
  • To prevent additional vulnerability or erosion of rights.
  • Ensure people with a disability are supported in their right to be provided with appropriate and timely services.
  • To advocate for intra-agency cooperation and the development of formal protocols between various Government agencies that would ensure a whole of Government approach to the individual and specific needs of people with disabilities within the criminal justice system.
  • To ensure that all involved agencies adhere to and internally promote the standards and ideals contained within the Disability Services Act (Qld) 1992.
 
Project 2: Boarding House Project 
 
Due to a number of contributing factors, such as institutional reform and the dearth of funded supported accommodation options, boarding houses and hostels have been utilised as an alternative form of supported accommodation for people with disability.  People with disability are routinely referred to private residential services by government agencies and community. 
 
Until August 2002, tenants of private residential services had no legislative protection with regard to standards, quality of life, tenancy rights or quality of service provision.  People in such accommodation, particularly that which provides high level support such as personal care, have been exploited, neglected and abused by many service providers, who are able to exercise almost absolute control over every facet of a person’s life.  Consequently these people easily become isolated and vulnerable. 
 
Legislation was introduced in August 2002, setting out minimum standards for the residential services industry. The legislation itself does not safeguard residents to the extent that it could, particularly with regard to provisions that allow boarding house managers and owners to control resident’s finances, and to self-evict residents using necessary force if warranted. 
 
IAT’s Position: 
  • That people with disability should not be placed in boarding house/hostel accommodation due to lack of support options or funds, particularly in the case where such accommodation does not meet their support requirements.
  • That people living in boarding houses and hostels should have the same tenancy rights as outlined in the Residential Tenancies Act.
  • That extensive safeguards need to be built in to the residential services industry to protect vulnerable people from unscrupulous operators.
 
Goal/s 
  • To ensure access to advocacy and other services and resources for people with disability living in boarding houses and hostels.
  • To reduce significantly the isolation and vulnerability of boarding house and hostel residents with disability.