Advocacy

We represent the Deafblind community, their families and people who work to support them across legislative, policy and program design/implementation at the national level. We are the only dedicated voice advocating for the needs of Deafblind people at this level. 

Deafblind people, their families and those who work with and support them give information to DBA about barriers and challenges they are experiencing. This could be to do with their housing, education, healthcare or supports u

nder the NDIS. They also share with DBA about ways they think things could be done better. 

DBA collects these stories and ideas and brings them to different meetings, forums and working groups with the NDIA and different departments in the federal government (such as the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing). We push for new laws, programs or information to consider Deafblind people and their needs. 

Government makes decisions based on feedback from DBA and other Disability Representative Organisations (DRO’s) as well as the general public and other groups. 

Once new programs or laws commence, the Deafblind community gives information to DBA about whether these changes have been positive or negative for them, as well as any ideas for how these things can be further improved. 

DBA collects this feedback and brings it to forums and working groups to continue the cycle of feedback and improvement. 

Key Pillars of Systemic Advocacy: 

1. We support and promote the mission of the UNCRPD to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all people with disability. 
2. We endeavour to ensure that all policies, legislations and service systems that impact the lives of Deafblind people embody and uphold the UNCRPD core principles of dignity, non-discrimination, autonomy, equality of opportunity and inclusion in society. 
3. We seek to remedy the historic marginalisation and underrepresentation of Deafblind people in academic literature and the design of policy, service systems and legislation. 
4. Our work is founded in the social/human rights model of disability. We assert that impairments are a natural and expected aspect of human diversity and that disabling experiences primarily result from a lack of environmental capacity rather than impairments alone. With this in mind, we seek to advocate for inclusive policies, systems and services and reject the historic hyper-fixation on medical cures and remedies as a means to improve outcomes and quality of life for Deafblind people. 
5. We believe that Deafblind people need to be considered early in the design of relevant policy, service systems and legislations not only as a way of making sure these are appropriate for the Deafblind community but to set a baseline for accessibility that will ultimately lead to better outcomes for all. 

We do this by: 

1. Representing the needs of Deafblind people in high level policy discussions and design of service systems and legislation that impact their lives. 
2. Increasing Deafblind awareness among key professions and service systems that Deafblind people regularly engage with including but not limited to the education, health, aged care and disability sector. 
3. Advocating for the sustainable resourcing and support of Deafblind peer groups and for community development activities in regions where these groups do not yet exist or are not yet formally structured. 
4. Collaborating with researchers, academics and think tanks to work to address the historic lack of representation of Deafblind people in academic literature. 
5. Connecting Deafblind people, their families and professionals who support them with relevant, helpful information and services to improve outcomes and quality of life for Deafblind people across the lifespan.