Illawarra Advocacy

20/11/2025

Many of our followers may know us very well, after having been supported by our team of knowledgeable, proactive and supportive advocates on a number of matters. However, some of you may be freshly following along, or not know a lot about us.

Illawarra Advocacy is part of a group of disability advocacy organisations throughout Australia. Our office is in Wollongong CBD, on Keira Street, however we support those with disability living across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven.

We are funded by the federal government to provide free and independent advocacy support to people with disability in our community.

We can help people with disability in a number of ways including:

-To help them understand their rights and how to assert them
-To help them to self-advocate and to support them to develop their own advocacy skills
-To help them access services and support to improve their health, safety and wellbeing in all areas of their life
-By acting on their behalf to solve issues before they escalate to a crisis or cause them harm

If you, or someone you know needs to access disability advocacy the link to our website is below. To make a referral, simply go to the contact us page, click on "Make a Referral" and follow the prompts.

We provide free, independent advocacy to support people with disability in navigating challenges, upholding their rights, and accessing essential services. Our person-centred approach ensures fair treatment and meaningful outcomes.

14/11/2025

We were so excited when this e-vite landed in our inbox last week!! What a great initiative - Monthly Movement Monday. A chance for people with disability to get down to Albion Park Bowling Club to have some lunch, socialise and the best part of all... dance! Tickets $20

22/10/2025

Couldn't resist sharing this post from Aruma, as the sentiment resonates so deeply with all of us at Illawarra Advocacy. We see only too often how our clients can be misunderstood through their invisible disability.
This week is invisible disabilities week, a time to bring awareness to disabilities that are often disregarded.

If you would like to read a little more about Australians living with an invisible disability head on over to https://invisibledisabilities.org/seminarsandevents/invisible-disabilities-week/

This week is Invisible Disabilities Week.

Did you know that around 5 million Australians live with invisible disabilities? Yet too many are called lazy, judged unfairly, or accused of faking it simply because their disability can't be seen.

Invisible doesn't mean imaginary. It doesn't mean less real. And it definitely doesn't mean less deserving of respect.

17/10/2025

We would like to say thank you, and we see you to all of the carers we work with on a daily basis. The tireless empathy, support and understanding that carers of our clients show constantly is truly amazing.
Please reach out to those carers around you with a simple "how are you?" or a "thank you."
"You are one, know one, or will be one."

National Carers week is a chance to recognise, celebrate and raise awareness for the 3 million Australians who provide unpaid care to a loved one, family member or friend.

If you’re an unpaid carer, don’t forget there’s always support available for you at Carer Gateway.

To learn more, please see comment below.

09/10/2025

Sharing this powerful reminder from SBS Australia:
"Every single person is just one day away from being a person with a disability."

Disability is part of our shared humanity. It's time we challenge ableism and create a more inclusive world. 💬💙

🎧 Listen to the full episode: https://bit.ly/3IMJrXE

30/09/2025

A big thank you to Carol Berry MP for joining us at our 35th Anniversary fundraiser, for your wonderful speech, and for sharing such a thoughtful post celebrating our keynote speaker, Lily Piccolo! 🌟

Lily’s powerful words and incredible achievements as a paracyclist truly inspired us all. We’re so grateful to have had the support of such strong voices in our community. 👏👏

Learn more about Lily’s journey: https://lilypiccolo.com

The key note speaker at the 35th Anniversary of Illawarra Advocacy was an amazing Illawarra local - paracyclist extraordinaire and motivational speaker Lily Piccolo!

Here’s a list of some of Lily’s achievements!!

1st place – Women’s Para-triathlon Super Sprint
NSW State Championships
🥇 GOLD MEDAL 🥇
Women’s B Time Trial Champion
1st place – Women’s Para-Aquabike
National Road Championships
🥉BRONZE MEDAL 🥉
Women’s B Time Trial
4th place Road Race
Para-cycling World Cup
4th place Women’s B Time Trial
Oceania Cycling Championships
🥇 GOLD MEDAL 🥇
Women’s B Time Trial Champion
🥇 GOLD MEDAL 🥇
Women’s B Road Race Champion

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

You can find out more about Lily here: https://lilypiccolo.com

30/09/2025

We were honoured to have Alison Byrnes MP join us at our fundraiser this past weekend. Thank you for your support and for sharing such kind words in your recent post! We truly appreciate your ongoing commitment to our community. 🙏

Illawarra Advocacy has stood beside people with disability and their families for 35 years – making sure voices are heard, rights are respected, and choices are supported.

This afternoon I was delighted to join their fundraising High Tea – raising funds for this vital service and the difference it makes in our community. ☕💙

Illawarra Advocacy relies on community support to keep this work going. If you’re in a position to help, please consider making a donation:

👉 givenow.com.au/illawarraadvocacy

29/09/2025

A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who joined us on Sunday for our High Tea Fundraising event and 35th Anniversary celebration! ✨

Your presence and support helped us reach our fundraising target, ensuring Illawarra Advocacy can continue making a difference in the lives of people with disability and their families. 💜

We are especially grateful to have been joined by Alison Byrnes MP, Carol Berry MP, and our Lord Mayor, Tania Brown. We are so fortunate to have such strong and empathetic voices for people with disability in our region. Your commitment inspires us and gives strength to our advocacy. Together, we are building a community where every person is valued, included, and heard.

We have experienced an unprecedented demand for our service and it is in times like these that free and independent place-based disability advocacy is of utmost importance. We don't just work in this community - we live here. That connection makes us uniquely placed to understand the issues impacting people with disability in our region and to advocate for them.

It has been our honour and privilege to advocate for people with disability in the Illawarra, Shoalhaven and South Coast regions for over 35 years and we look forward to continuing our vital work ensuring that every person's voice is heard and rights are protected into the future.

22/09/2025

Just five more sleeps until our Fundraiser High Tea! 🫖✨
Doors open at 10:30am, with formalities beginning at 10:45am sharp. We’d love for everyone to arrive in time to grab a cuppa, find your seat, settle in and enjoy the full experience. We’ve got a full and fabulous morning planned and don’t want you to miss a moment! 💐
Looking forward to seeing you all there! 💖

11/09/2025

Just came across a great list of the Top Ten Inclusive Playgrounds in the Illawarra. These spaces are designed to be accessible for children of all abilities, with features that encourage safe and inclusive play. A fantastic resource for families in the region. 🛝

Healthy Cities Australia and Play Illawarra have compiled a list of the Illawarra’s Top 10 inclusive playgrounds.

Parents and carers from the MyTime group were consulted as part of this project.

For more information: https://playillawarra.com.au/2025/09/04/play-for-all-inclusive-playgrounds-in-the-illawarra/

09/09/2025

🍰☕ Just a reminder! Our Fundraiser High Tea is coming up soon, and so is the RSVP deadline – Monday, 15/9/25!
Join us for a lovely morning of treats, tea, and togetherness from 10:30am to 1:30pm. 💐

If you haven’t RSVP’d yet, now’s the time! We’d love to see you there. 💖

22/08/2025

Parents of children with developmental delay or autism are facing more uncertainty than ever.

The government’s latest changes may have the appearance of an NDIS cost-saving measure, but at what price?

✅ Early intervention isn’t a luxury – it’s an investment in children’s futures.
✅ Cutting supports now risks bigger challenges – such as increasing costs to health, education, justice and social services over the longer term.
✅ Carers are already exhausted - these changes will only increase carer fatigue if not addressed.

And the impacts will be even greater in regional, rural and remote areas like the Illawarra, Shoalhaven and South Coast, where autism rates are above the state average and access to services is already limited.

Families deserve stability, not short-term fixes. Read why this decision is sparking serious concern:

Angelique May-Bennett says the NDIS has been a game-changer for her two daughters. She wonders whether the proposed changes will produce the same benefits.