Overview
The National Disability Advocacy Program (NDAP) provides people with disability access to effective disability advocacy that promotes, protects and ensures their full and equal enjoyment of all human rights enabling community participation.
The policy and implementation of the NDAP will be guided by the principles and objectives of key legislation, conventions, agreements and frameworks, including but not limited to: the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; the National Disability Strategy; the National Disability Agreement, the National Disability Advocacy Framework; and the Disability Services Act 1986 (DSA).
NDAP disability advocacy agencies receive funding under the DSA. The DSA and its associated Principles and Objectives have a focus on outcomes for people with disability. All disability advocacy agencies funded under the NDAP must comply with the DSA and the applicable Standards
NDAP Program Guidelines
Program Guidelines Documentation
The following is an outline of the components of the Program Guidelines and the purpose of each.
- Part A:
PDF [135Kb] | 
RTF [827kB] Services for People with Disability Program Guidelines provides an overview of the Services for People with Disability Program, of which the NDAP is an Activity.
- Part B: PDF [89Kb] | RTF [814kB] Information for Applicants provides details on the standard conditions and procedures involved in selection processes conducted by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Part B is a standardised FaHCSIA document.
Please note: There is currently no selection process for the NDAP.
Aims and objectives
The objective of the NDAP is that:
- People with disability have access to effective disability advocacy that promotes, protects and ensures their full and equal enjoyment of all human rights enabling community participation.
Target Group
The target group for advocacy support provided by NDAP agencies, as required under section 8 of the DSA, consists of people with disability that:
- ‘is attributable to an intellectual, psychiatric, sensory or physical impairment or a combination of such impairments;
- is permanent or likely to be permanent; and
- results in:
- a substantially reduced capacity of the person for communication, learning or mobility; and
- the need for ongoing support services.
Definition and Models of Disability Advocacy
In broad terms, advocacy for people with disability can be defined as speaking, acting or writing with minimal conflict of interest on behalf of the interests of a disadvantaged person or group, in order to promote, protect and defend the welfare of and justice for either the person or group by:
- Acting in a partisan manner (i.e. being on their side and no one else's);
- Being primarily concerned with their fundamental needs;
- Remaining loyal and accountable to them in a way which is empathic and vigorous(whilst respecting the rights of others); and
- Enduring duty of care at all times.
Approaches to disability advocacy can be categorised into six broad models being:
Specialisation
NDAP agencies may be categorised into generalist or specialist agencies.
- Generalist agencies provide advocacy support to people with any type of disability or cultural background.
- Specialist agencies may provide advocacy support to people with disability:
- with a specific type of disability
- from Diverse Cultural and Linguistic backgrounds (DCALB)
- from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) backgrounds.
Service Area
Agencies are funded to provide disability advocacy support in specific geographic areas. There are two types of geographic coverage:
- Statewide
- Local Government Areas (LGAs).
Contact list for NDAP agencies funded by the Commonwealth
National Disability Advocacy Program (NDAP) Quality Assurance System
In 2007–08, the Australian Government budget provided funding for the introduction of an independent third-party Quality Assurance (QA) system for advocacy agencies funded under the National Disability Advocacy Program (NDAP). During 2007 and 2008, and in order to support this process, FaHCSIA undertook two rounds of consultations with funded advocacy agencies to get their views on the appropriateness of the:
- broad definition of advocacy and current descriptions of the six models of advocacy funded under the NDAP
- draft Disability Advocacy Standards and KPIs to the work of advocacy agencies
- approach to introducing specifically tailored evidence guidelines for each of the different models of advocacy (and examples of the types of evidence appropriate to different models of advocacy) and
- objectives and principles for the change process.
The National Disability Advocacy Program (NDAP) Quality Assurance Consultations Report summarises the outcomes of those consultations.
As a consequence of this consultation process a trial of the new QA system was conducted between November 2009 and July 2010. Following expressions of interest submitted by advocacy agencies, FaHCSIA selected 12 agencies representative of the sector to participate in the trial. An additional 13th agency was included towards the end of the trial to test that the system could work effectively for all advocacy models. Other trial participants included certification bodies, JAS-ANZ personnel and an independent trial evaluator.
The Final Report of the Evaluation of the Trial of the National Disability Advocacy Program Quality Assurance System recommended implementation of the new QA system and a final set of 10 Disability Advocacy Standards and 24 KPIs. It also recommended that a number of practical supports and training should be provided to advocacy agencies, audit team participants, and Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand (JAS ANZ) personnel, in the lead up to implementation.
In 2011 the Australian Parliament passed amendments to the Disability Services Act 1986, as part of the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment Bill (SSOLA Bill), to mandate the introduction of the new QA system. The amendments provided mechanisms independent from government, to assess the compliance of disability advocacy services against the Disability Advocacy Standards. Implementation of the new QA system will commence from 1 July 2012, with every NDAP funded agency being required to achieve a certificate of compliance against the Disability Advocacy Standards by 31 December 2013.
In order to assist NDAP agencies to prepare for the introduction of the new QA system, a number of resources are being developed and services established including:
- a new NDAP Quality Toolkit. This practical guide to quality assurance, containing information and tools to assist agencies to prepare for certification, will be produced, printed and distributed to every advocacy agency in April 2012
- Easy read and Standard read booklets about the quality assurance process, aimed at educating consumers of advocacy services, will also be distributed in April 2012
- two day face-to-face training workshops for advocacy agency staff and other key stakeholders will be offered between April to June 2012 in a variety of locations
- a help desk to support agencies as they work towards certification, and
- regular newsletters and updates.
A NDAP Quality Assurance Reference Group, consisting of key stakeholders including advocacy agencies, Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA), audit personnel and JAS ANZ, has also been convened to work with the Department.
Disability Advocacy and Access Section
The Department's Disability and Carers Programs Branch includes a 'Disability Advocacy and Access' Section that oversees the changes to the NDAP and works with the Department's state and territory offices in the ongoing management of this program.
The Disability Advocacy and Access Section Manager can be contacted via:
- Post:
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs,
Disability and Carers Programs Branch,
Tuggeranong Office Park, Box 7576
Canberra Mail Centre ACT 2610
- Email: Disability Advocacy - FaHCSIA (disabilityadvocacy@fahcsia.gov.au).
Further information about who in FaHCSIA is working in the advocacy area can be found at the Who's Who of FaHCSIA webpage.