Dacssa - Disability Advocacy

27/05/2026

Join our NDIS External Appeals Group Online Session to learn essential tips and strategies to effectively self-advocate at the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). This session provides a detailed overview of what to expect at each stage of the tribunal process and how to best prepare to ensure you are well informed.
We can offer valuable insights on presenting your need for support confidently and effectively, to ensure your voice is heard throughout the process. We also cover a range of support services available to you including legal aid, advocacy and mental health supports that can assist you along the way.
Please email us at [email protected] to register your interest for our next session on Tuesday 23/6/26 at 10am.

22/05/2026

Additional Session!

Join the NDIS Bill Community Forum!

This Legal Explainer session will be hosted by Villamanta Disability Rights Legal Service.

Come along if you want to understand what has been written in the NDIS Bill, share your thoughts about the changes and hear what others in the disability community are thinking.

Speakers:

Victor Korng, Deaf lawyer - Villamanta (He/Him)

William Ward-Boas, Chair of VALID (He/She/They)

The forum will be held on Zoom.

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/ndis-bill-community-forum-legal-explainer-tickets-1989803813771?aff=oddtdtcreator

There will be closed captioning available. Please contact Villamanta if there is something we can do to make the event accessible for you.

The zoom link will be sent out by email 2 hours prior to the event.

Please note that this a general information session about changes to the NDIS bill and we cannot give you legal advice about your individual case.

DISCLAIMER: Submissions close Friday the 29th of May.

*Please note this session will be covering similar content to the other NDIS Bill forums we are running this week, you do not need to register for more than one*

18/05/2026

Australia’s next Census is on Tuesday 11 August 2026.

Census data helps plan local services, where and when they are needed. It informs important decisions about transport, schools, health care, infrastructure and business.

More than 16,000 Field Officer positions are now available all over Australia, and no prior experience is required.

These jobs are temporary, flexible and close to home. ABS are looking for people from a broad range of backgrounds and ages, who know and care about their community, to apply.

Applications are open now:

https://www.livehire.com/careers/abscensus/job/DKJG7/E6H06AQWA7/field-officer

18/05/2026

Inclusive Expressions is Interact Australia’s national art competition, created to support and encourage people living with disability to express their creativity, experiences and perspectives.

This competition has been intentionally designed to be accessible and inclusive. At its heart, Inclusive Expressions is about voice, participation and recognition — celebrating the diverse talents and lived experiences of people with disability.
Selected artworks will be showcased as part of a national art roadshow, with the overall winner to be announced later this year and awarded a $5,000 cash prize.

Full details, including eligibility and entry information, can be found here:
👉

Celebrating artists with disability. You do not need experience, just a love of creating. Inclusive Expressions is a national art competition created by Interact Australia. It is open to people living with disability across Australia and is designed to be welcoming, accessible and inclusive. There i...

18/05/2026

Join our NDIS External Appeals Group Online Session to learn essential tips and strategies to effectively self-advocate at the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). This session provides a detailed overview of what to expect at each stage of the tribunal process and how to best prepare to ensure you are well informed.
We can offer valuable insights on presenting your need for support confidently and effectively, to ensure your voice is heard throughout the process. We also cover a range of support services available to you including legal aid, advocacy and mental health supports that can assist you along the way.
Please email us at [email protected] to register your interest for our next session on Tuesday 26/5/26 at 10am.

16/05/2026

🚨 FEDERAL BUDGET 2026: DACSSA warns reform without stronger safeguards risks increased harm

Australia is entering one of the largest disability reform transitions in decades.

Projected NDIS savings are measured in the tens of billions of dollars.

Yet supplementary NDIS Appeals funding equates to only a few dollars per Australian with disability over two years.

At DACSSA, we see every day what happens when people are left to navigate fragmented systems alone:
⚠️ unsafe transitions
⚠️ gaps in support
⚠️ rights failures
⚠️ confusion
⚠️ people falling through cracks

If government is redesigning:
• access
• eligibility
• appeals
• foundational supports
• and mainstream pathways
then independent advocacy is not optional infrastructure.

🛡️ It is the harm-prevention mechanism.

The Disability Royal Commission showed what happens when safeguards fail.

Reform cannot repeat those mistakes.

📄 Read DACSSA’s full Federal Budget 2026 media release here:

May 13, 2026 Media Statements DACSSA warns Budget disability reforms require stronger safeguards to prevent harm The Disability Advocacy and Complaints Service of South Australia (DACSSA) says the Federal Budget confirms Australia is entering one of the largest disability reform transitions in decad...

27/04/2026

Seeking to make a difference through a Board role?

DACSSA are seeking expressions of interest for at least two new Board Directors to strengthen their governance, diversity and lived-experience representation.

DACSSA are interested in people who bring:
✅ Lived experience of disability;
✅ First Nations and/or CALD perspectives;
✅ Experience in disability advocacy, community leadership, or stakeholder engagement;
✅ Knowledge of the South Australian disability or social services sector.

If you are passionate about human rights and want to contribute to systemic change, we encourage you to apply.

See the links below:

https://www.seek.com.au/job/91748469?ref=search-standalone&type=standard&origin=showNewTab =ec694e106e465a0195ac4e1c91ec87ea8bd576ef

https://www.ethicaljobs.com.au/members/sullivan/board-directors-x2-voluntary?locations=9

09/04/2026

🌟 Clinical Program Manager – Disability Advocacy | Adelaide
Are you a clinically qualified professional ready to step into—or step up in—leadership while staying connected to practice?
DACSSA is seeking a Clinical Program Manager to lead our advocacy services and support a dedicated team making a real difference for people with disability.
✔ Lead and support a passionate team
✔ Provide clinical oversight on complex matters
✔ Maintain a small advocacy caseload to stay connected to practice
✔ Drive meaningful, rights-based outcomes
👥 This role is ideal for:
• Experienced clinicians ready for program-level leadership
• Emerging leaders with supervision experience looking to step up
🧠 You’ll bring:
• A clinical background (e.g. Social Work, Psychology or similar)
• Experience supporting people with disability or vulnerable populations
• Confidence managing complex situations and guiding staff
We strongly encourage applications from people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and people from all backgrounds.
✨ Flexible work | Salary packaging | Supportive team
📍 Adelaide | Contract to Jan 2027 (possible extension)
👉 Apply via Seek or Ethical Jobs or contact [email protected] for the full position description.
📅 Applications close: COB Sunday 10th May 2026

The Program Manager combines leadership, clinical oversight and advocacy to deliver safe, ethical, person-centred services for people with disability.

18/03/2026

Join our NDIS External Appeals Group Online Session to learn essential tips and strategies to effectively self-advocate at the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). This session provides a detailed overview of what to expect at each stage of the tribunal process and how to best prepare to ensure you are well informed.
We can offer valuable insights on presenting your need for support confidently and effectively, to ensure your voice is heard throughout the process. We also cover a range of support services available to you including legal aid, advocacy and mental health supports that can assist you along the way.
Please email us at [email protected] to register your interest for our next session on Tuesday 28/4/26 at 10am.

28/01/2026

Join our NDIS External Appeals Group Online Session to learn essential tips and strategies to effectively self-advocate at the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). This session provides a detailed overview of what to expect at each stage of the tribunal process and how to best prepare to ensure you are well informed.
We can offer valuable insights on presenting your need for support confidently and effectively, to ensure your voice is heard throughout the process. We also cover a range of support services available to you including legal aid, advocacy and mental health supports that can assist you along the way.
Please email us at [email protected] to register your interest for our next session on Tuesday 24/2/26 at 10am.