Advocacy for people with disabilities and their families - Townsville

Unfortunately people with disability are not offered the same opportunities as others in our community and they regularly need to speak up or have people to speak up for them to get a fair go. Often, families must become advocates because their family member faces rejection, discrimination or low expectations.

This workshop will help people with disability and family members to 'find their voice', stand their ground, and become more effective in influencing what happens in their life, or for their family member.

This workshop, led by presenters with experience in advocating for and alongside people with disability, will introduce participants to the principles and fundamentals of social advocacy.

This workshop will help you with:

• Principles of advocacy to guide your thinking.

• Strategies for advocacy to guide your actions

• Identifying pitfalls and barriers

• Becoming more effective in influencing what happens in your life, or for your family member.

• How to stay focused on your best interests, or those of your family members.

The workshop covers similar material to The Meaning of Advocacy workshop previously offered by CRU.

Download the flyer here (pdf)

Download the accessible flyer here (word)

About the Presenter/s:

Jenny Smith has been involved in disability advocacy for several decades, primarily operating as both an individual advocate and Citizen Advocate.  She was a founding member of Capricorn Citizen Advocacy in Rockhampton and remains actively involved on that board to this day. She was herself a Citizen Advocate for 12 years before her much loved Protégé passed away in 2025.

Jenny also has her own small business focussing on supported decision-making.

Deb McNair is a Facilitator at CRU. She has experience in both family and systemic advocacy, through advocating for her school-aged daughter with disability in various educational settings. Deb is also an experienced teacher who has lived and worked in remote, rural and regional Queensland. Her work and advocacy have always been grounded in a strong vision for inclusion and equity. She has a deep passion for inclusion and values diversity and developing connections in communities.

Who Should Attend?

This workshop is for people with disability and family members, as well as close friends and allies, who take up an unpaid advocacy role, or would like to learn where to begin. It is not suitable for workers.

Cost to attend:

• Standard price for this workshop is $30.

• If the cost is a barrier, please choose the Concession Rate, $10.

• If you would like to support CRU’s work you can choose the Supporter Rate, $50.

Every person who attends needs to register.

Due to venue and catering costs, CRU is not able to fully participate in the companion card scheme, however if this would create a problem for an attendee with disability, please contact us to discuss before registering.

Using Your NDIS Funding at CRU

For self-managing and plan-managed NDIS participants, you can see the Learning Objectives below to decide if this is a reasonable and necessary support to help you (or your family member) achieve their goals.

Learning Objectives 

By the end of this workshop you will: 

• Understand why people with disability need social advocacy.

• Recognise what to advocate for: inclusion and ‘the good life’ for people with disability.

• Know what common forms of social advocacy there are and what they mean and understand what may be called advocacy that is not.

• Be able to describe the elements or principles of social advocacy and their importance.

• Look at the costs of advocacy and consider where potential conflicts of interest lie.

• Identify barriers to social advocacy and how to overcome them.

• Develop strategies to support effective advocacy.

About CRU:

For over 35 years, Community Resource Unit has been working across Queensland to help people with disability take control of their lives and take their place in their community. 

This event is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.

Please contact CRU if you require assistance to register, attend or participate in this event. 

Ph: 07 3844 2211 or Email: cru@cru.org.au

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