How will the disability sector be represented as part of a co-design process?
Disability representative and carer organisations
In Australia, there are peak bodies that are recognised as representing people with disability and carers, have members who are people with disability or family members and hold valued roles on many advisory groups.
This includes representation to the United Nations, the Australian Human Rights Commission, international disability peaks such as Disabled People’s International and International Disability Alliance.
The membership of these organisations and their broad inclusion by trusted institutions demonstrates the legitimacy of the national peaks representing people with disability in a number of forums.
Many of the identified organisations played a significant role in the formulation of the NDIS.
Independent Advisory Council
The IAC has 13 members who are recognised leaders in the disability sector with lived experience or expertise of disability.
Its membership advises the NDIA Board on the most important issues affecting participants, carers and families from the perspective of the participant and their family and carers.
Why is representation important?
Representation is important because many people with disability, particularly people with intellectual disability, often do not have a chance to have a say about Government reforms and policy. The consultation that happens usually focuses on the views of their parents, carers or service providers.
Peak bodies represent a diverse background of people with a disability who may otherwise not be heard. As a result, they offer valuable insights and knowledge of the issues facing people who have a disability and consult in methods and formats that are preferred by those they consult. This makes their reach profound and significant.
How will the NDIA continue to work with the wider disability community?
We will continue to engage with participants, families, carers, the disability sector and other stakeholders through a wide range of activities in addition to co-design workshops.
Find out more about our existing activities:
Reference groups
The NDIA has several sector reference and advisory groups which meet regularly.
Participant Engagement Panel
The Participant Engagement Panel helps us hear a diverse range of views from people with lived experience of disability, particularly in traditionally harder to reach communities.
Participant First
Participants, carers, nominees and people with disability can register for Participant First, to hear about opportunities to get involved in improvement projects.
Research and evaluation
Participants help design and evaluate our research and quality improvement projects. We also engage with the disability sector, government, research bodies and other stakeholders.
Independent Advisory Council
The Council represents the voice of participants at the highest level. It gives independent advice to the NDIA Board on the most important issues affecting participants, carers and families.
Have your say consultations
We regularly release consultation papers and seek advice through written submission, workshops and focus groups.
Local community engagement
Our engagement teams connect with people in local communities across Australia.
We share information about what’s happening in the Scheme and what’s changing – and most importantly, we listen.
We talk to people around the country, at NDIA information and consultation meetings, disability expos, in person and online.