Choosing to Speak Up – Why Disability Advocacy Matters

“When disability is on your radar, it’s very hard to get it off your radar… 

Key Points

I think it’s not always relying on others to help out, but actually saying, ‘What can I do to make a difference here?’” says Dr. Louise Gosbell.

Louise is a disability researcher and advocate. She lives with a disability, as do all our expert panellists who have come together for this Helping Hands discussion on disability and advocacy.

Louise is joined for this important conversation by Laura Cowell, TLC Disability Services’ CEO of Australian Operations, and Jamieson Leeson, Paralympian and QANTAS ambassador.

“The big thing for me, as an advocate,” says Louise, “it’s not just about me, it’s not just about my daughter, but it’s also about other people with a disability … I want to be able to see changes that are going to benefit everyone.”

Whether we live with a disability or we don’t, we can all play a part in speaking up to help those living with a disability to feel as connected to society as their able-bodied peers.

Our panellists all agree that disability advocacy needs to happen at every level of society. No matter where we find ourselves connected to it.

In practice, Jamieson says, advocating for disability simply means taking action.

It’s as simple as speaking up

“If you’re the one person that is aware of a disability and is willing to speak up about it, it can change a lot of things … the biggest thing (to remember) is that people living with disabilities want to be a lot more involved than they are … there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done.”

The biggest thing to remember is that people living with disabilities want to be a lot more involved than they are.

Disability advocacy is equally the responsibility of those with and without a disability themselves, Jamieson adds. She specifically encourages those who live with a disability to have the courage to speak up when obstacles arise, so that the path towards change can begin, rather than avoiding them.

Speaking up about disability may start with an important single voice, but large-scale change will only happen, Laura explains, if disability matters are addressed at a higher level – such as within government or organisational policy.

Laura recommends a “broad brush” approach for advocacy because she is mindful that not every individual wants to be advocated for. Instituting change at a higher level means that individuals have choice whether to engage with services offered or not.

Accessible workplaces

TLC Disability Services put this into action across many of their initiatives, including their TLC Impact Certification program.

 Large-scale change will only happen if disability matters are addressed at a higher level.

“Our TLC Impact Certification program is all about going into organisations and working with them to ensure that they feel like they can be accessible for people with a disability, or anybody really, to become employed in their companies.”

The purpose of TLC’s initiatives, and the goal of advocacy, is one and the same, Laura adds.

“It’s all about normalising the fact that people are people, regardless of the challenges that make them unique.”

See the DISABILITY AND ADVOCACY discussion and the full catalogue of Helping Hands panels at helpinghands.tv. 

Article supplied with thanks to Helping Hands TV. Helping Hands is an Australian produced TV program that airs on 9GEM, Channel 9 and 9NOW, and showcases people and organisations who make the world a better place.

Feature image: Screenshot, Helping Hands TV, used with permission