Regional Disability Advocacy Service

22/07/2025

We are very proud to have worked with Recite Me Australia to make our website accessible. With features that increase the text size, convert text to speech, change the colour theme and font, provide language translation, simplify the content, summarise each page and more, there is sure to be an accessibility tool that meets your needs.

ReciteMe Australia has even featured us in a case study on their own website! Check it out here: https://reciteme.com/au/case-study/regional-disability-advocacy-service/

Recite Me is proud to be working with the Regional Disability Advocacy Service (RDAS) to make the web more inclusive for everyone 🌐

RDAS, a not-for-profit championing the rights of people with disabilities across North East Victoria and Southern NSW, understands the importance of accessible digital spaces.

As their Executive Officer, Ben Foley said:

💬 “If our online shop front is not inclusive to everyone, it defeats the purpose of having a website at all.”

By integrating the Recite Me Toolbar, RDAS is setting a powerful example!

Read the full case study here 👇

https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0lQN8r0

16/07/2025

"I've regained my will to live."

These are the kinds of cases our Advocates live for.

14/07/2025

We're honoured to announce that we've been selected as a finalist for the Optus Albury Wodonga Business Awards in the Employer of Choice (21 employees and over) category!

Congratulations to all finalists across all categories - what a fantastic way to recognise and celebrate the excellence of individuals, businesses and organisations throughout the region. 🤩

Winners to be announced on the 15th of August.

📣 We’re excited to announce the 2025 Optus Albury Wodonga Business Awards finalists!

The calibre of entries has been outstanding, showcasing the passion, innovation, and resilience of organisations across Albury-Wodonga and the wider region.

Check out the full list of finalists on our website ➡️ link in the comments below

Optus Optus Business Albury Business Connect |

09/07/2025

A huge thank you to both Dr Joe McGirr MP and Justin Clancy MP for their continued support and Advocacy in highlighting the lack of accessibility options on proposed redeveloped pedestrian bridges in both Wagga Wagga & Albury as part of the Inland Rail upgrade.

What is being proposed by Inland Rail is simply not good enough and does not meet community expectations. To say otherwise simply demonstrates that they have not adequately engaged with impacted communities, nor have listened to what has been said.

If there were no accessibility lifts at Central Station in Sydney there would be a public outcry, so why does Inland Rail think residents of Albury and Wagga Wagga should be treated differently?

Dr McGirr and Mr Clancy have written to the NSW Minister for State Planning Paul Scully MP, asking him to ensure Inland Rail does not receive final approval on the pedestrian bridges without the inclusion of lifts.

As the NSW Government ultimately has approval authority for Inland Rail developments within the state of NSW, we hope that the Minister can demonstrate true leadership similar to what has been achieved in Victoria for the communities of Wangaratta & Benalla.

09/07/2025

Do you know about the Savings Finder program? This is a state government initiative to help you reduce the cost of living by helping you discover discounts, rebates and benefits you might be eligible for.

Our SAILS Wagga group was lucky enough to have a guest speaker from Service NSW, Caroline Wilson, who came to talk about Savings Finder and how it can help people with disability.

If you live in NSW, here is where you can find out more: https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/campaign/savings-finder

And if you're in Victoria, this is where you need to start: https://service.vic.gov.au/find-services/personal/savings-finder

09/07/2025

It's vital for people with disability to not only have the same rights to access public spaces and social gatherings as everyone else, but to actually use those rights.

Our Wodonga SAILS group knows this very well. We recently caught up for lunch at Commercial Club Albury and discussed the importance of accessing social events and building confidence in social spaces.

It was great to see everyone again!

09/07/2025

For our community in the Wagga area, from Spinal Cord Injuries Australia:

Do you have a spinal cord injury or neurological condition, live in Wagga Wagga and surrounding areas and are passionate about community issues?

We have a Meet and Greet session happening on Wednesday the 23rd of July 2025 from 2-4pm at the Rules Club, 188 Fernleigh Rd, Wagga Wagga.

To register for the event click on the link below or call David on 0428 289 562. Family members and carers are welcome.

https://scia.org.au/about-us/events/wagga-wagga-advocacy-community-network-event/

03/07/2025

The latest edition of our stakeholder newsletter, InfoTree is available here - https://mailchi.mp/rdas.org.au/infotree-july2025

03/07/2025

Great news for people with access needs in the Wangaratta area. 😍

02/07/2025

PLACES STILL AVAILABLE IN GRIFFITH - DEADLINE EXTENDED!

Have you heard about our women's leadership program, SPARK?

SPARK supports a small group of women to discover and develop their individual leadership skills and enhance their knowledge of human rights, self-advocacy and self-care.

The program is for women who:
* identify as having a disability or chronic health condition (no formal diagnosis required)
* are interested in discovering and developing their own unique leadership skills
* are aged 18+ and have lived experience of family and/or domestic violence (FDV)

Want to learn more and apply for the program? We are taking expressions of interest until Friday, 11th of July - go to our webpage at www.rdas.org.au/spark for more details and/or to fill in the online form.

Below are some comments we received during a mid-program feedback survey from our current cohort of participants in Wodonga and Wagga.

30/06/2025

26/06/2025

Looking to make an EOFY donation which will give back to your community? Support a person with disability to take up a leadership opportunity and/or help RDAS continue their amazing advocacy work: https://mailchi.mp/rdas.org.au/looking-to-make-an-eofy-donation