CDAH

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CDAH

Community Disability Alliance Hunter is a Newcastle-based not-for-profit led and run by people with disability.

We connect people through peer support, workshops and advocacy, amplifying voices and building a more inclusive community. We believe that each person with disability has the right to:
* a good life as a valued and active citizen
* genuine voice, choice and control of his/her life
* recognition for his/her skills, gifts, abilities and potential
* genuine and meaningful inclusion in the social, e

conomic, cultural and political life of the community
*have a collective voice which promotes our common experiences

What we do:
* Increase the knowledge, skills and capacity of people with disability and their families through information, advice, mentoring, peer support, training and development
* Assist people to get the most out of their packages of support
* Build the capacity of the community to welcome all people
* Share our collective lived experience to empower people with disability to have voice, choice and control
* Uphold and be guided by the principles and articles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

What we want to achieve:
Community Disability Alliance Hunter strives:
* for an inclusive and just society where people with disability have voice, choice, control and active citizenship through social, economic, cultural and political participation
* to be an independent, user led organisation committed to the rights and best interests of people with disability
* for people with disability and their families to get the support they need to live the lives they choose
* to be a collective voice of and for people with disability which promotes full inclusion and active citizenship

29/05/2026

What's on @ CDAH this June

Welcome to CDAH (3/06/26)
Date: Wednesday 3rd June 2026
Time: 10:30am - 12:30pm
Where: CDAH office, 437 Hunter Street, Level 2
Who: For people with disability who are interested in learning more about CDAH

Art Group (4/06/26)
Date: Thursday 4th June 2026
Time: 10:30am - 12:30pm
Where: Location to be confirmed
Who: Art group for people with disability

Next Gen (5/06/26)
Date: Friday 5th June 2026
Time: 10:00am - 12:00pm
Where: CDAH Office 202 King Street
Who: People aged 18-30 with disability

Closed for Public Holiday (8/06/26)

Q***r Peers (9/06/26)
Date: Tuesday 9th June 2026
Time: 2:30pm - 4:00pm
Where: CDAH Office 202 King Street and zoom
Who: LQBTQIA+ people with disability

Catch Up Crew (9/06/26)
Date: Tuesday 9th June 2026
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Where: George Darby Hotel (no zoom)
Who: All people with disability and allies welcome

MindCraft (11/06/26)
Date: Thursday 11th June 2026
Time: 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Where: CDAH office 202 King Street and on Zoom
Who: Mental Health Support and Advocacy group for people with disability

Hunter Deafblind Hub (12/06/26)
Date: Friday 12th June 2026
Time: 10:00am - 1:00pm
Where: CDAH Office 202 King Street (no zoom)
Who: Deafblind peers and allies

Healthy Relationships Workshop with Family Planning (12/06/26)
Date: Friday 12th June 2026
Time: 10:30am - 12:30pm
Where: CDAH Office 202 King Street (no zoom)
Who: Open to all people with disability (please RVSP)

Speak Up Hunter (12/06/26)
Date: Friday 12th June 2026
Time: 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Where: CDAH office, 202 King Street and zoom
Who: People with intellectual disability

Art Group (18/06/26)
Date: Thursday 18th June 2026
Time: 10:30am - 12:30pm
Where: "The Place" Charlestown (no zoom)
Who: Art group for people with disability

Members Action Group (MAG) (18/06/26)
Date: Thursday 18th June 2026
Time: 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Where: CDAH Office 202 King Street
Who: Peers who want to be part of an action group

Next Gen (19/06/26)
Date: Friday 19th June 2026
Time: 10:00am - 12:00pm
Where: CDAH Office 202 King Street
Who: People aged 18-30 with disability

Men’s Group (19/06/26)
Date: Friday 19th June 2026
Time: 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Where: George Darby Hotel
Who: Men with disability

Women First (26/06/26)
Date: Friday 26th June 2026
Time: 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Where: CDAH Office, 202 King Street and zoom
Who: Women with disability

Hunter Deafblind Hub (26/06/26)
Date: Friday 26th June 2026
Time: 10:00am - 1:00pm
Where: CDAH Office, 202 King Street (no zoom)
Who: Deafblind peers and allies

Koori Connections (30/06/26)
Date: Tuesday 30th June 2026
Time: 11:00am - 1:00pm
Where: CDAH office, 202 King Street and Zoom
Who: Mob with disability

26/05/2026

Calling all peers who identify as LGBTQIA+ and allies📣

Come along to Bernie's Bar this Thursday to have your say on how Newcastle can be more inclusive and accessible to you.

We're excited to workshop your ideas with the local LGBTQIA+ community and carry them into the next room at the City of Newcastle, as they work with us to create their new DIAP (Disability Inclusion Action Plan).

This is a free event and registering is essential, if you're keen to come, follow this link to register your name and we will see you on Thursday!

https://haveyoursay.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/DIAP

Bernie's Bar, 410 King Street
Thursday 28th May
6:00pm to 7:00pm

+ ***rNewcastle

25/05/2026

CDAH Tip Tuesday!💡🌄💙

Every Tuesday we share a tip or small piece of advice that might help you build new understanding, encourage good habits or challenge assumptions.

Today's Tip is: Many people have different preferences on how they refer to their own disabilities. There is never one label that suits everyone.

22/05/2026

Artist of the Month: Helene Ruma🎨

Meet Helene, a local Lake Macquaire Artist who specialises in paintings and drawings of animals. She loves all mediums of art and has spread her beautiful pieces across murals, children books and teaching art to people of all ages. She has also won several art prizes over the years and even judged competitions!

This May, CDAH has been lucky enough to work with Helene during our fortnightly Art Groups, where she brings a friendly smile and a lovely sense of humour. We have enjoyed learning from her and spending time experimenting under her guidance. Make sure you say Hello if you see her around! ⭐

21/05/2026

Welcome to another CDAH Art Group!🎨⭐💙

Today, everyone had a blast creating scrapbook-style collages with magazines, printed images and markers. There were some amazing artworks and it was great to see everyone having such a fun and relaxed time.

We took inspiration from Helen, CDAH's Artist Of the Month, who gave everyone her awesome tips, tricks and creative guidance. She was even lovely enough to hand out free greeting cards with prints of her own artworks on them!

Thank you to everyone who came along and we hope to see you next time!

Please note next fortnight will be at a different location for a one-off session. More details to come.

21/05/2026

Bryson's Story

Following CDAH's Members Action Group meeting last week, members of our community are stepping forward with stories about how the NDIS affects their everyday lives.

Although the true extent of the NDIS’s support cannot be captured in a short video, these clips aim to show just a snapshot of the important role that NDIS government support has created in the lives of Australians with disability. We are not a number and nobody should be left behind.

CDAH is opening our platform for community members to share their story about the impact of the NDIS in their lives. This is Bryson's story.

If you’re interested in getting involved by sharing your story in a short video, contact CDAH via phone or email to share on our platform. Alternatively, the PWDA is collecting personal stories about the impact the NDIS has on your everyday life if you’re interested in participating in that. The link for the PWDA is below.

https://pwd.org.au/disability-rights/stopndiscuts/

20/05/2026

This month, CDAH took on the Hunter Disability Expo. 🎤💙

We thoroughly enjoyed the two day event, spending it having plenty of friendly chats at our booth, making new connections and supporting our amazing panel team who spoke on the microphones about peer support.

We welcomed many contributions to our 'Community Board' where people shared what the word community means to them by writing it in coloured markers. The board is now displayed proudly in our office ⭐

Congratulations to the panel on their strong, grounded and heartfelt discussion about how peer support has affected their lives and we hope it inspired many to understand how powerful community connection can be.

Whether we met you for the first time that weekend or the thousandth, we enjoyed every interaction we had with the Hunter Disability Community, until next year!💙

20/05/2026

When CDAH members speak, we speak together. This week, we took that voice to the Minister deciding the future of the NDIS.

Members of our CDAH community joined those who would be affected by the NDIS cuts to meet with the Minister at Sharon Claydon's office. We asked him to send the NDIS cuts to an extended Senate inquiry.

The ask was simple: Slow down and make space for the people who'll feel these changes in their everyday lives.

Because right now, decisions are being made quickly, and not enough has been asked of the people who'll carry them: NDIS participants, their families, and the workers alongside them.

The extended Senate inquiry that we asked for would change that. It would put the NDIS cuts proposal in front of a committee that has to listen, on the record, before they report back on 16 June.

Here's where you come in.

If you have something to say about what these cuts will mean for your life, your family, or your work, now is the time. You don't need to be an expert. You just need to keep sharing your story.

CDAH will keep standing with our community. In ministers' offices. At hearings. We will show up alongside our community, offering our greatest supports in the Hunter and beyond.

19/05/2026

Hi - we're just checking in! 📩

We want to know how you're finding your experience with CDAH.

If you have the time, we would love to invite you to fill out a short survey linked at the bottom of this post so that we can have a better understanding of your personal thoughts and experiences with us.

We know things are constantly changing and CDAH values your input more than anything. Thank you for helping us maintain a community supported by all of us.

Link to survey: https://shorturl.at/EygYN

18/05/2026

CDAH Tip Tuesday!💡🌄💙

Every Tuesday we share a tip or small piece of advice that might help you build new understanding, encourage good habits or challenge assumptions.

Today's Tip is: If you’re unsure about how to approach, connect or communicate with someone, just ask. Asking questions is always better than assuming.

Address

Opening Hours

Monday	09:30 - 16:00
Tuesday	09:30 - 16:00
Wednesday	09:30 - 16:00
Thursday	09:30 - 16:00
Friday	09:30 - 16:00

Website

http://www.cdah.org.au/, http://www.discohunter.au/

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