Disability Support Coordinator Vs Disability Advocate

 So I am sharing this post to give you a bit of information between the two roles and share why I chose advocacy rather then the support coordinator role for now anyway but never say never there is plenty of opportunity out there.

A support coordinator is not an independent advocate. In line with the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (Cth), an independent advocate cannot be:

• A staff member of the NDIA
• A staff member of the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
• A registered or unregistered NDIS provider, including support coordinators.

Support coordinators should help participants engage with community and other government services. 

However a participant’s support coordinator should not be acting as their formal advocate. A support coordinator’s role is to refer and connect a participant to advocacy services where necessary. 

Some questions which might help identify when a support coordinator might be moving into the role of an advocate include:

• Have I done all I can to help the participant make their needs clear to the provider, worker or government system through the established processes?
• Is the participant entering into a dispute, especially where there is legal involvement or escalation to administrative appeals?
• Have I fallen into dispute in a way that undermines my role and effectiveness as a support coordinator?
• Does my involvement in an NDIS review process create a conflict of interest, especially if I am requesting more support coordination funding at the participant’s plan reassessment?
• Is the level of complexity or time required to adequately represent the person beyond the level of support allocated to support coordination?
• Is the level of representation required beyond my skills and capacity, and the participant would benefit from an experienced advocate?
• Is there an appropriate formal advocacy service to refer the participant to?

If the answer to some of these questions is ‘yes’, then a support coordinator should consider whether their participant might benefit from formal advocacy and assist them to find a suitable advocacy service. 

The National Disability Advocacy Program (NDAP

 supports people with disability to access effective advocacy that promotes, protects and ensures their full and equal enjoyment of human rights and participation in our communities.

How a Disability Advocate can help

 Read the disability advocacy for individuals fact sheet to learn more about how an advocate can assist people with disability. 

An advocate can provide information, help an individual explore their options and work through issues, and make informed decisions. Through NDAP, an advocate can assist individuals to: 

• understand and exercise their rights 
• self-advocate, wherever possible 
• identify and address situations of violence, abuse, neglect or exploitation 
• make a complaint 
• understand and/or access the NDIS, Centrelink and other government services 
• find and use community services, including legal services 
• request extra support (such as reasonable adjustments) at school or work. 

I have gone down the advocate path for now to follow my journey and how I gained help when I needed it and I hope to use my experiences to help and advocate for others I still need on going permanent help due to my permanent disabilities but the more I can share my knowledge and help others gain the support they need and are entitled to I feel empowered and inspired by their strength wanting to seek support too.

Services for specific needs and/or backgrounds  

Some NDAP organisations provide support for specific needs and/or backgrounds, including people: 

• with a specific type of disability (for example intellectual disability) 
• seeking help for a specific issue (for example housing, education or employment) 
• from a culturally and linguistically diverse background 
• who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. 

We also fund the NDIS Appeals Program to provide advocacy support for individuals affected by reviewable decisions of the National Disability Insurance Agency. Learn more about the NDIS Appeals Program. 

The Disability Advocacy Support Helpline provides phone-based disability advocacy support wherever you live in Australia. Based on your individual needs, the Helpline may refer you to other supports in your local area. 

To request disability advocacy support through the Helpline, contact the Disability Gateway: 

• Phone 1800 643 787 Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm 
• Fill out the Contact us form. 

Visit our resources page for information about the Helpline in accessible Easy Read, Auslan and languages other than English. 

NDAP providers are available in every state and territory. 

Visit Ask Izzy - Disability Advocacy Finder to find a Disability Advocate provider in your area. 

Find an NDAP provider in your state and territory below. 

For information about the services they provide, their service coverage area and contact details, please go directly to the provider.  

Reference

https://www.dss.gov.au/disability-advocacy/national-disability-advocacy-program#how-a-disability-advocate-can-help