The Advocate - Regional Disability ...
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The Advocate Summer 2020/2021
From the EO
Welcome to 2021. We all hope we have a better year
then we had last year.
During 2020 we were told to stay at home. We were
not able to easily cross the Victorian/NSW border
without a permit and we could not travel too far. We
could not meet up with our fiends.
It was disappointing that we even had to cancel the Wagga Wagga
dance party last November. Some people did go out for dinner in small
groups or went to see a movie but it was not quite the same as all being
together.
The RDAS team are ready to travel around the region and reconnect with
everyone. We will still need to stay safe and find a new COVID norm but
we hope to be able to move around again soon.
For the past few years we have been
talking about the Stand By Me
Campaign to persuade NSW
government to continue to fund
advocacy and peak organisation. Last
year the NSW minster for Disability
Services Gareth Ward announce the
inclusion of $112 million in the NSW
budget for disability advocacy and
inclusion services for the next 4 years.
We still do not know the full impact of the funding but what we do know is
that the funding will be allocated to regions and RDAS is in a strong
position to continue to deliver advocacy in Southern NSW. With this news
we are looking at ways to improve our services, particularly to people in
the Albury area.
Martin Butcher
Page 1 www.rdas.org.au
RDAS welcomes your feedback
Your Feedback is important to us - Good and Bad!
You may have been contacted recently and asked about the services you
have received from RDAS.
The information is used:
To help RDAS to provide a quality service which meets the Disability
Service Standards.
For reporting to the board and funding bodies who want to know if you
are happy with the service.
Thank to everyone who participated in the survey
From the feedback you provided we heard that:
Positive Feedback
“The staff are very pleasant and they
assist me with what ever I need”
“I was given a handbook which was very
Helpful”
“I was able to contact RDAS during
COVID, when other services were closed”
“Most of the time the advocates were
able to resolve my issue.”
Areas to improve on
It takes too long to be allocated an advocate/on wait list too long.
Clients not knowing who all the advocates and the area they advocate in
(We are now putting up staff profiles in each newsletter - see Page 4 & 5).
The handbook is hard to understand.
If you would like to tell us about the service you have received from RDAS you
do not have to wait to be asked, particularly if you are not happy with the
service you have received or our staff are not meeting your expectations.
If you wish to provide feedback you can do so by following these steps:
First, talk to the advocate about your concern. If you are not satisfied with the
advocates response, please contact the Advocacy Manager on
(02) 6056 2420 or alternatively via email at paul@rdas.org.au.
If you feel after contacting both the advocate and their manager that your
concerns have not been addressed you can contact one of the following
external complaints services
NSW Aged and Disability Commission on 1800 628 221,
Victorian Disability Commissioner on 1800 677 342
Complaints Resolution Service on 1800 800 052.
Page 2 www.rdas.org.au
Advocacy Team Updates
New Faces on the Advocacy Team
A huge welcome to our new staff who have commenced working in the
Advocacy team since the last newsletter!
Jaide started as a Disability Advocate in Griffith in August and comes to us from
Partners In Recovery where she was a Support Facilitator assisting persons
experiencing severe to persistent mental health issues.
Rhiannon is now back as our Advocacy Assistant after stepping in as acting
Office Manager for 6 months.
Cassandra is the new Justice Advocate based in Griffith. She commenced at
the beginning of December after a previous role in community engagement
with Headspace and will be a valuable member of the JAS team.
Melissa is our newest Advocate in the Wodonga office starting at the beginning
of February. She brings with her a wealth of expertise in the disability sector and
as a Crisis Support Worker with Lifeline.
Katie started in a new role for RDAS on February 17. She is a Peer Group
Coordinator based from Wodonga and Wangaratta and will be working on the
‘Members to Leaders’ Project. Her background is in disability services and more
recently with the NDIA as a Planner, Assessor & Team Leader.
Last December the Wangaratta branch
of the Commonwealth Bank (CBA)
showed their CAN do attitude by
presenting RDAS Advocate Deb with a
cheque of $500
The donation was presented in
recognition of the work RDAS (in
particular Deb), continue to do in
advocating for people with disability in
the Wangaratta area.
The donation will be used to make the
Wangaratta RDAS office more
comfortable for the people who visit.
Page 3 www.rdas.org.au
Interview with an RDAS Board Member
Why did you want to Join the RDAS Board ?
I wanted to make a positive change to the disability/
advocacy sector. I believe in social justice and human
rights and feel that if RDAS is run to its capability then
we can build skills, offer information and advocate for
people to live the life they choose.
What do you think you can add most value as a member of the RDAS Board?
A lived experience and a working knowledge of the disability/autism/
advocacy sectors.
What do you do for a job outside of being on the Board?
I am an adult educator who teachers Community Services/Disability
qualifications. In my role I am also responsible for compliance. I am involved
in many volunteer roles within the disability/autism sector.
Do you have any pets? What’s unique about your pet
Yes I have a dog- he is a whippet named Louie.
What hobbies are you are interested in ?
I enjoy crocheting. I love cricket and anything to do with Harry Potter.
What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about educating the community about Autism and
Advocacy. I am also passionate about supporting our Autism community
because of this I am a very active part of the Albury Wodonga Autism
Community of Practice. This is also why I am involved with RDAS.
What do you see as the most important issue RDAS needs to address?
This is a difficult question to answer as I believe there are many important
issues. In the end I decided that the most important issue to me, is that
advocacy continues to be funded so it can be a free service for those who
require it .
Page 4 www.rdas.org.au
Get to know the RDAS Advocacy Team
What made you want to apply for the Advocacy Team Manager
at RDAS?
Working in Advocacy sounded interesting & rewarding and I
have lived experience of disability through family members.
What do you like most about your job at RDAS?
The people I work with and the feedback I receive from the great
work they do with clients.
If you could change one thing about working for RDAS, what would it be?
I would change the offices to be more like Google headquarters!
What three words would you use to describe your role?
Evolving; Busy; Rewarding.
What is your motto or personal mantra?
Treat others how you want to be treated.
Given a chance, if you could be anyone for a day, who would you be and why?
Mark Rober (check out Youtube) – he does some pretty cool stuff and I would be
my kid’s hero.
What made you want to apply for a job as an Advocate at RDAS?
I applied for an Advocate position with RDAS for a few reasons.. it
sounded like a really interesting job, I needed a new challenge, I
have always tried to stand up for/advocate for people, this job
gives me the opportunity to do it formally.
What do you like most about your job?
The variety of people you meet is awesome, it is never dull – no
two days are the same.
What three words would you use to describe your role?
Challenging, interesting, meaningful
What is your motto or personal mantra?
-You will never grow or change by doing the same thing over and over.
-Just jump in and give everything a go – you never know what adventures you
will stumble upon!
Given a chance, if you could be anyone for a day, who would you be and
why?
Wow tough question! So many people to choose from! I think David
Attenborough. He stands for amazing causes for the environment and has
awesome adventures at the same time! Meaningful and fun!
Page 5 www.rdas.org.au
Online Information Sessions
Kick start your child’s NDIS Plan
When: 08 March 2021 at 8pm Where: Free Online
Info/Bookings: plumtree.org.au/event/kickstart-your-childs-ndis-plan-2/
So, you’ve been through the NDIS planning process, and have received
your child’s new plan. Congratulations!
During this workshop you will learn the next steps in activating, implementing,
and managing your child’s plan including some handy hints & tips.
Please be mindful that this workshop is for families who have either had their
child’s NDIS Planning Meeting and are waiting for the Plan to be approved, or
have an approved NDIS Plan in place.
NDIS: Self Management
When: 22 March 2021 at 8pm Where: Free Online
Info/Bookings: plumtree.org.au/event/ndis-self-management/
Do you want to know what is involved in self-managing your child’s NDIS plan
and are keen to clarify conflicting information about what is involved?
Would you like to have answers to questions like: Is it easy to make claims? Is
the portal simple to navigate? Can I self manage without being out of
pocket? What can I do as a self-manager, that I can’t do under agency
management? What can I spend the different funding budgets on? How can
I make my child’s funds go further by self-managing? Join us.
This is a practical session with lots of information and ideas, including an inside
view of the NDIS portal.
Please be mindful that this session is for families who have either had their
child’s NDIS Planning Meeting and are waiting for the Plan to be approved, or
have an approved NDIS Plan in place.
Page 6 www.rdas.org.au
The Princess Aspien: Australian Autism Advocate
When: Friday 26 March, 6.00pm-10.00pm
Where: Retro Lane Cafe, 525 Swift St, Albury
Price: FREE
Bookings are essential as spaces are lim-
ited due to venue capacity
- Phone: 0409 906474
- Email: rlane@alburycity.nsw.gov.au
Suitable for: All ages
To highlight Autism Awareness Day, Chloe Hayden, aka Princess Aspien, will be
coming to Retro Lane Café with her special presentation Different, Not Less.
After struggling through her childhood and early teenage years by not feeling
included in society, feeling outcast and unable to connect to anyone, she
suffered intense bullying through school, which ended with her spending time in
hospital.
As an eighteen year old, Chloe came to the realisation that she wasn’t the only
child who has felt like this, and there were thousands of other children out there
who had gone through the same things she had in the past & continues to face
in the present. Simply because there was no one who understood.
And that’s how Princess Aspien was born!
Chloe took charge of the situation, and now spends her life advocating for
children on the spectrum through interactive, fun videos and blog posts, which
tackle the harder pressed details of living with Autism. She keeps it light, fun,
encouraging and entertaining for a younger audience, and educational for
their parents.
The evening will include a presentation, musical performances, Q&A and a
chance to mingle with Princess Aspien.
Page 7 www.rdas.org.au
Contact RDAS Officers
Wodonga
132 Melbourne Road,
Toll free 1800 250 292
Wagga Wagga
Email admin@rdas.org.au Suites 104-105,
Wollundry Chambers,
63 Johnston St
Mail PO Box 982,
Griffith
Wodonga VIC 3689. Forrest Community Centre
8/26 Ulong Street
Web www.rdas.org.au Wangaratta
Wang Central
154-17 Ely Street
Regional Disability Advocacy Service provides an independent voice. The information contained in this
newsletter does not necessarily reflect the views of the organisation as a whole or any of its funding bodies.
If undeliverable return to
PO Box 982 Wodonga VIC 3689 PRINT Post
POST Paid
100018944 Australia
Advocacy Plus
The Disability Gateway is now available.
The Disability Gateway is your first step in finding information and services
for people with disability, their families and carers.
www.disabilitygateway.gov.au 1800 643 787.
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