Advocacy WA

23/12/2025

Our office will be closed on 24th December 2025 and will reopen on 5th January 2026.
Advocacy WA’s Board and staff wish everyone a Merry Christmas and happy festive season.
If this is an emergency call 000.
For crisis support contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

23/12/2025

We wrapped up 2025 with our End of Year Lunch to celebrate a year of dedication, teamwork, and impact✨

As we head into the Christmas season, we wish everyone a safe, restful, and joyful break, and we look forward to what 2026 holds.

— Advocacy WA 🤍

22/12/2025

Our team at Advocacy WA will be working right up until Christmas Eve. From 25 December to 5 January, we will be taking a short break to rest and recharge after a big year supporting our community.

If you need support while we are closed, help is still available:
• In an emergency, call 000
• Lifeline: 13 11 14, available 24 hours
• 13YARN: 13 92 76, 24 hour support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

We wish our community a safe, restful, and gentle holiday season. We look forward to reconnecting with you in the new year.

22/12/2025

The holiday season can bring extra challenges for many people. Feeling overwhelmed, navigating sensory overload, or managing changing routines is a real and valid experience.

We have shared some additional practical tips and reflections on how to create more accessible, respectful, and welcoming holidays for everyone. You can read the full article here:
https://www.advocacywa.org.au/news-updates/creating-accessible-and-welcoming-holidays-for-everyone

Your wellbeing matters. It is always okay to set boundaries and do what works best for you.

19/12/2025

Holiday Office Closure Notice 🎄

Advocacy WA will be closed for the Christmas and New year period from 25 December to 5 January.

If you need support while we are closed, help is still available:
• In an emergency, call 000
• Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7)
• 13YARN: 13 92 76 (24/7 support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people)

We wish our community a safe, restful and peaceful holiday season. We look forward to reconnecting in the new year ✨

18/12/2025

Every day, Milligan shows what community care and inclusion truly look like.

Through their work, Milligan supports people to feel safe, connected, and valued — not just in everyday moments, but especially during times that can feel harder for many people.

Over the holiday period, when routines change and some supports pause, Milligan continues to show up. Their team works tirelessly to make sure people are not left out, overlooked, or forgotten. They create spaces where people feel welcome, respected, and included, no matter the time of year.

Inclusion does not take a holiday, and neither does Milligan’s commitment to people and community. Their work makes a real difference to individuals, families, and the broader community, and we are grateful for the care, compassion, and dedication they bring every single day.

Thank you, Milligan, for the important work you do and for helping ensure everyone belongs, especially when it matters most.

🎄 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 @ 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐧 🎄
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐎𝐔𝐓 💛

We’re so grateful to have received funding from Albemarle to host a Christmas Day lunch for our community.

We’re inviting our community to a relaxed Christmas Day lunch focused on connection, kindness and sharing good food together.

This is a smaller, registered event (no walk-ins).
Registrations are now full, and we’re really grateful for the beautiful response from our community.

📅 Thurs 25 Dec | 11am–2pm (lunch from 12pm)
📍 Milligan, 35 Milligan St, Bunbury

Thank you to everyone who registered — we can’t wait to share the day with you 🎄💛

17/12/2025

✨ Mini Self Advocacy Series ✨

Alongside our Roadshow, Advocacy WA is running a Mini Self Advocacy Series, short, online sessions designed to fit into real life.

These are bite sized workshops, each running for 30 minutes, and they break self advocacy down into clear, practical pieces. You can choose the sessions that matter most to you, or attend them all.

The four sessions include:

🗣️ Self Advocacy Basics
Learn what self advocacy is, why it matters, and how to start using your voice
https://events.humanitix.com/advocacywa-mini-workshop-self-advocacy-basics

🤝 Shaping Your Supports
Understand how to communicate your needs and be involved in decisions about your supports
https://events.humanitix.com/advocacywa-mini-workshop-shaping-your-supports

💼 Getting and Thriving in a Job
Build confidence to speak up at work, ask for what you need, and navigate employment
https://events.humanitix.com/advocacywa-mini-workshop-getting-and-thriving-in-a-job

💪 Confidence and Resilience
Develop skills to back yourself, handle challenges, and keep going when things feel hard
https://events.humanitix.com/advocacywa-mini-workshop-confidence-and-resilience

These sessions are designed by people with disability, for people with disability, and are open to anyone who wants to learn alongside us — including family members, supporters, and workers.

You can also access this learning through our on demand options if live sessions do not work for you.

👉 To find out more or access on demand learning, fill out this form or email us at admin@advocacywa.org.au
https://forms.office.com/r/fDJsjM73Ky

Because self advocacy looks different for everyone — and you deserve options, choice, and control.

12/12/2025

Our awesome Youth Consultants 👏

11/12/2025

Sunset Festival 2025 is this weekend and Advocacy WA will be on site to join in the celebrations and connect with the community.

Our team will also be completing an All Access Events Review on the day and we would love to hear about your experience, you can also come by for a chat, learn more about self advocacy, and share your thoughts.

Accessible, inclusive events help create communities where everyone can participate in a way that feels comfortable and respected. Your feedback is incredibly valuable in shaping future festivals across the South West.

If you would like to share your thoughts online, you can complete our quick feedback form here: forms.office.com/r/iER25BWpSq
Or come say hello to us on the day.

For full event details, visit the Shire of Harvey website:
www.harvey.wa.gov.au/community/youth/sunset-festival?viewmode=0

Cant wait to see you there.

11/12/2025

Today was the first ever meeting of the NDIS WA Community Advisory Council!

Establishing the Council is an outcome of WA's Full Scheme Bilateral Agreement on the NDIS, and the new advisory body will represent the interests of participants in the NDIS to make sure it’s working well for everyone.

The group of 12 highly qualified individuals were chosen from a strong field of over 130 applicants and include people with lived experience, including families and carers, and those with advocacy and disability provider sector backgrounds.

It is crucial that people with disability are central in shaping the systems, policies and legislation that impact their lives, and I look forward to a productive working relationship with the Council going forward.

11/12/2025

Advocacy WA is incredibly proud to announce that our CEO, Stuart Schonell, has been appointed as the Chairperson of the NDIS WA Community Advisory Council for a three year term commencing 1 December 2025.

This appointment recognises Stu’s lifelong commitment to disability rights, regional equity, and community-driven change across Western Australia.

✨ A leader grounded in community
Stu has consistently championed the importance of creating spaces where people with disability feel respected, heard, and empowered to influence the decisions that affect their lives. His work strengthens rights, service quality, and true choice and control.

His systemic advocacy already shapes policy and practice across the region, with a strong focus on ensuring regional and remote voices are included in statewide reform.

✨ Strengthening NDIS governance for WA
The Minister for Disability Services has formally announced the Council’s inaugural members, acknowledging the depth of experience that Stu and Deputy Chair Jacquie Thomson bring to this important role.
Read the government’s full announcement here:
https://www.wa.gov.au/government/media-statements/Cook%20Labor%20Government/Inaugural-members-welcomed-to-WA-advisory-body-on-the-NDIS-20251210

The Council includes people with disability, family members, carers, and representatives from First Nations communities, culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and regional WA. Under Stu’s leadership, it will help strengthen NDIS governance and uphold rights, dignity, and choice for all Western Australians.

🔍 Learn more about Stu’s systemic advocacy
We’ve shared more about this appointment and Stu’s work on our website:
https://www.advocacywa.org.au/news-updates/our-ceo-appointed-as-chairperson-of-the-ndis-wa-community-advisory-council

💛 A proud moment for Advocacy WA and our community
We are thrilled to congratulate Stu on this well earned appointment. His leadership reflects the values we carry every day: respect, inclusion, collaboration, and a shared commitment to ensuring every person with disability can exercise their rights and access supports that truly meet their needs.

We look forward to the positive impact Stu will bring to the NDIS and to communities across Western Australia over the coming years.

10/12/2025

Harvey, we are rolling in this Friday and you do not want to miss this one

The Advocacy WA Roadshow lands at the Harvey CRC this Friday, kicking off at 9:30am in the morning. This is our final stop before the holiday break, so if you have been thinking about coming along, this is your moment.

We have planned a full day that is engaging, practical, and genuinely useful for anyone wanting to feel more confident navigating the NDIS or building their self advocacy skills. It is also a great chance to connect with our team and your local community.

And yes, morning tea and lunch are provided for everyone who RSVPs through Humanitix.

RSVP here: https://events.humanitix.com/advocacy-wa-roadshow

10am: NDIS Access and Appeals with Sue
Sue will break down the process, answer all your questions, and help you understand what really matters when applying or appealing.

11am: Self Advocacy Skills
A friendly, hands on session where you can practice simple ways to use your voice and stand up for what you need.

1pm: Your rights, your supports, your service.
Learn what good support looks like, how to spot red flags, and how to speak up safely and confidently.

Between sessions, you can chat with our team, grab resources, ask questions, and enjoy a relaxed morning tea and lunch with others in your community.

If you are in or around Harvey, come along for a day that is informative, supportive, and genuinely enjoyable. We cannot wait to see you there.