There has been discussion recently about whether people with intellectual disability are able to be members of Boards and Committees. These are bodies which make decisions about and oversee organisations like disability advocacy organisations, disability services and lots of other organisations.
At VALID, we think most people with intellectual disability can make excellent Board members, when provided with the right training, support and adjustments – much like other Board members who don’t have a disability. People with intellectual disability have in-depth knowledge about, and lived experience of, disability.
We asked a prominent Melbourne barrister, AD (Tony) Lang for his advice on this question, and he provided the advice below, which strongly supports VALID’s position.
There is also a summary of his advice below in Easy Read format.
We will be providing more information on this important issue soon – for now, please have a look at our legal opinion or the Easy Read summary.