The research conducted for Exploring the Feasibility of a Citizen Advocacy Program in the ACT Community has found that a Citizen Advocacy program would make a significant contribution to increasing the range and capacity of disability advocacy programs available in the ACT to support people with disabilities. We also found that it is feasible to set up a Citizen Advocacy program in the ACT.
Citizen Advocacy would complement existing Individual and Systemic Advocacy activities that are currently provided in the ACT for people living with a disability. The provisions of DisabilityCare, and the expectation of more consumer choice and control, will increase the need for advocacy. Citizen Advocacy programs cannot and should not replace existing advocacy programs, activities and services, nor on its own can provide a sufficient advocacy resource to meet the community’s needs.
The establishment of a Citizen Advocacy program in the ACT will contribute to building a platform on which people living with disabilities in our community can have rights as a citizen respected, exercised and upheld.
