Self-advocacy involves learning the skills and confidence to speak up and be empowered.
VALID’s Self Advocacy projects gives people with intellectual disability opportunities to:
- Talk about what matters to them
- Give feedback to VALID’s Board of Management
These opportunities aim to:
- Develop people’s self advocacy skills
- Create links between VALID’s Self Advocacy groups and other VALID programs like Keys to Success and our Peer Action Groups
VALID Self Advocacy Networks
The Self Advocacy Networks give people with intellectual disability a forum where they can speak up about what matters to them. VALID supports 3 Self Advocacy Networks across Metropolitan Melbourne. These Networks meet monthly and give people the opportunity to:
- Speak up about their rights
- Develop and use their advocacy skills
- Talk about issues and problems to create change
- Learn new things and get information
- Meet new people and socialise with participants from other services
The Networks invite guest speakers to deliver information that is specific to local communities or the disability sector. They also give government and other groups seeking feedback an opportunity to talk to groups of people who have intellectual disability.
Learn more:
Northern Network (2024)
Eastern Network (2024)
Western Network (2024)
VALID Self Advocacy Forum
The Self Advocacy Forum is part of VALID’s governance. This means members give feedback to VALID’s Board of Management about how to run VALID.
It meets once every 2 months. Forum members are selected from the Self Advocacy Networks and Peer Action Groups to represent their peers.
Get in touch!
Rick is VALID’s Self Advocacy Manager.
You can email or call him to learn more about VALID’s Self Advocacy work:
03 9416 4003