Advocate

A person who helps you speak up, understand your rights and have your say. Disability advocacy is free and independent.

What it means

An advocate is a person who helps someone with disability speak up, understand their rights and have their say. This might be about an NDIS decision, a problem with a service, or another situation where the person's voice needs to be heard.

Disability advocacy is independent, which means the advocate is not connected to the services or decisions being questioned, and it is generally free. An advocate acts on the person's instructions and in their interests, so they follow what the person wants rather than what others think is best. This independence is important, because it means the advocate can focus purely on standing beside the person and supporting them to be heard.

In practice

In practice, an advocate can help you understand your rights and options, prepare for meetings, write letters, or speak up alongside you or on your behalf when you ask them to. For example, they might help you challenge an NDIS decision you disagree with, or raise a concern about the way a service has treated you.

An advocate is different from a support coordinator, who helps organise and connect the supports in your plan, and from a nominee, who can act or make certain decisions on your behalf with the NDIS. An advocate does not take over your decisions. Instead, they make sure your views are clear and respected, and that you are treated fairly. Their role is to back you to have your say.

A real example

For example, Liam disagreed with a decision the NDIS made about his plan and felt unsure how to respond. He contacted a free, independent disability advocate who explained his rights, helped him understand the review process and supported him to put his views clearly in writing. Throughout, the advocate followed Liam's instructions and made sure his voice was the one being heard.

Advocate — FAQs

What does a disability advocate do?
A disability advocate helps you speak up, understand your rights and have your say. They can help you understand your options, prepare for meetings, write letters, and speak up alongside you or on your behalf when you ask. This might involve challenging an NDIS decision or raising a concern about a service. They act on your instructions and in your interests.
Is disability advocacy free?
Disability advocacy is generally free. It is also independent, meaning the advocate is not connected to the services or decisions being questioned, so they can focus purely on supporting you. Because it is independent and usually free, advocacy is available to help you have your say and be treated fairly, regardless of your situation. Availability can vary depending on local services.
How is an advocate different from a support coordinator?
An advocate helps you speak up, understand your rights and have your say, acting on your instructions and in your interests. A support coordinator helps organise and connect the supports in your NDIS plan. The roles are different: advocacy is independent and focused on your voice and rights, while support coordination focuses on putting your plan into action and linking you with services.
How is an advocate different from a nominee?
An advocate helps you have your say and understand your rights, but does not take over your decisions. A nominee can act or make certain decisions on your behalf with the NDIS. In short, an advocate supports your own voice and follows your instructions, while a nominee has authority to act for you in specific ways. The two roles serve different purposes.
When should I contact an advocate?
You might contact an advocate when you disagree with an NDIS decision, have a problem with a service, or feel you are not being heard or treated fairly. An advocate can help you understand your rights and options, prepare for meetings and speak up alongside or on behalf of you. Because advocacy is independent and generally free, it is worth reaching out whenever you need support to have your say.

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