WWDA, in partnership with Women With Disabilities ACT and Women With Disabilities Victoria, submitted a comprehensive response to the Government’s consultation on General Foundational Supports.
The submission, informed by extensive community engagement and a survey of nearly 200 women and gender-diverse people with disabilities, highlighted the need for an inclusive and intersectional approach to foundational supports.
Key recommendations from the submission included:
- Broadening the scope of supports: Including advocacy and employment supports within the foundational supports system.
- Addressing diverse needs: Ensuring supports are culturally safe and appropriate and address the specific needs of marginalised groups within the disability community.
- Improving information and advice: Moving beyond a centralised hub model and resourcing existing community organisations to provide accessible information and referral services.
- Strengthening capacity building: Designing capacity building supports with a gendered lens, addressing systemic gaps and providing disability rights education and training on violence against women and gender-diverse people with disabilities.
This joint submission emphasised the importance of co-design and meaningful engagement with women and gender-diverse people with disabilities in the development and implementation of the foundational supports system.
This collaborative approach will be crucial to ensure that the system effectively addresses the diverse needs of the community and promotes their full participation, inclusion and wellbeing.
