"For the past 25 years, the Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW has been supporting people with disability. Its main aim is to promote, protect and secure the rights and interests of all people with disability in New South Wales," shares MDAA community connector Charlotte Dela Roca.
Highlights
- There are now 400,000 Australians participating in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) program.
- Approximately 21.9 % of NDIS participants should come from a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background. But only 8.4 % of the total NDIS participants are from CALD communities.
- NDIS Community Connectors, like MDAA, aim to increase the number of people with disability from non-English speaking background to benefit from NDIS.
A National Disability Insurance Agency report released in June 2019 shows that only 24,023 of all the NDIS participants are from CALD communities. That's only 8.4 % of the total scheme participants.
The Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW (MDAA) is working to help people with disability from the culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community to better understand and utilise services available for them through the government's National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
In New South Wales, MDAA is one of the organisations chosen to implement the NDIS program and it is focussed on CALD communities.
Who is eligible?
Funded by the Australian Government, MDAA caters for all people with disability, their families and carers from the culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community and non-English speaking background in NSW eligible to benefit from the NDIS program.
There is no age limit for any one needing assistance from MDAA.
"If you feel like you need support especially for advocacy – for various issues such as if you are experiencing challenges relating to housing, immigration, school, work, disability services and many other issues, reach out to us," Dela Roca told SBS Filipino.
Assisting CALD Community through MDAA Community Connectors Program
The MDAA Community Connectors Program is one of MDAA services to support people from CALD and non-English speaking backgrounds to access the NDIS.
The MDAA Community Connectors help to raise awareness of the NDIS in the community, support people with disability to get connected to the NDIS, and assist those who are already on NDIS but needing additional support.
Other MDAA Programs and services include individual advocacy, systematic advocacy, advocacy with the Royal Commission among others.
MDAA Community Connector Ms. Dela Roca identifies "other MDAA programs catering different groups like women’s network, seniors stay connected where seniors are being trained IT-related matters, especially now during the pandemic where our main mode of communication is almost all online, for seniors to stay connected."
"If you need support in better understanding what you need to do or where to get help from – say, to support your independent daily living, just call us or connect with the Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW.
MDAA attended City of Sydney Disability Expo at Sydney Town Hall on 22 June 2019. (L-R) MDAA staff Natalie, Mely, Anthony, and Arnold. Source: Supplied by Charlotte Dela Roca/MDAA
Implementing the NDIS program
"As one of the organisations chosen to implement the NDIS program, MDAA's main aim is to promote, protect and secure the rights and interests of all people with disability in New South Wales," Dela Roca said.
NDIS is a national program that can help people with permanent and significant disability to access reasonable and necessary support.
“NDIS gives you support and it gives you choice and control on what support you need giving you more independence, able to participate with your community," says MDAA's Ms Dela Roca.
A call for more CALD community to participate in NDIS
In June 2016, it was estimated that across Australia, approximately 21.9 % of NDIS participants should come from a CALD background.
However, a National Disability Insurance Agency report released in June 2019 shows that only 24,023 of all the NDIS participants are from CALD communities. That's only 8.4 % of the total scheme participants.
There are now 400,000 Australians participating in the demand-driven NDIS program.
"Based on statistics, there's a low NDIS participation rate of people with disability from the CALD community. And MMDAA is working to increase awareness about NDIS and encourage people with disability to check if they are eligible to receive assistance through the program," adds Dela Roca.
She furthers that as community connectors, MDAA is tasked to share information for people to "better understand what NDIS is and what benefits they can get from it."
If you require assistance of a Community Connector to provide you additional support to access the NDIS, you may refer to your own state and territory or refer to the NDIS National Community Connectors Program.
MDAA’s Chairperson, Vivi G Koutsounadis, received the Medal of Recognition for Individual Best Achievement in Human Rights under the Australian Aspire Awards 2020 on 09 October 2020. In photo are the members of the MDAA Governance Committee and Commissioner John Ryan, Royal Commission and MDAA community connector Charlotte Dela Roca (seated, front). Source: MDAA
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