Overview
Action
for Community Living works primarily as a systemic advocacy organisation with
a smaller part of its resources directed to individual advocacy. Our individual
advocacy work is targeted at issues that are linked to systemic advocacy work
and are used to inform our systemic work. This last
year saw further development of the operational structure set out in
our last strategic plan. While the expansion of the operational structure
that facilitates membership involvement in our systemic advocacy work looks
imposing and impressive, there is a great deal of hard work put into each
action group, resource group, Board sub-committee.
A new staffing structure was put in place to assist us develop ACL's direct
advocacy work from its broader umbrella role, coordinating various projects
and developing new initiatives. Cath McNamara took up the role of Coordinator
for the ACL team consisting of Patti Bradbury, Maree Ireland and Tania Williams
(projectposition). David took over coordination of our involvement in other
partnerships and alliances such as Disability Rights Victoria, Disability
Media and Leadership Plus.
Our Vision
Our vision
is an inclusive society in which people with disabilities are valued members
of the community, have opportunities to achieve their full potential and have
ownership of their own destiny.
Our Mission
Our mission
is to build capacity among people with disabilities to:
- Increase self-determination;
- Develop empowering relationships and networks between people with disabilities;
and
- Eliminate disabling structures in society.
Our
Purpose
ACTION FOR COMMUNITY LIVING exists for the purpose of promoting empowerment, independence and the rights of all people with disabilities to a life in the community through:
- Campaigning
for the right to a level of disability support and income security that enables
_all people with disabilities to live in the
communities of their choice;
- Ensuring that principles of community living are enshrined in Commonwealth
and State _legislation;
- Maintaining close links with member organisations in the development of
models of _community living which value human
diversity;
- Promoting a system that provides disability support as an entitlement, and
gives individuals _with disabilities a flexible
range of delivery options to meet a variety of needs; and
- Actively promoting the co-ordination of community living initiatives between
the three levels _of Government and with non-Government
organisations, self-help groups and Action for _Community
Living members at a statewide level.
Our
Work
- To advocate
for community living for all people with disabilities in all areas of community
_life by providing support to individuals with
disabilities to pursue their rights; by facilitating _collective
action by people with disabilities and by Influencing structural changes and
_systems that are vital to community inclusion.
- To promote and support the development of strong alliances with individuals,
groups and _organisations at a local, regional,
state and national level who are committed to the _principles
of community living for all people with disabilities.
- To research and develop policy concerning community living issues for people
with _disabilities.
- To provide training and education that develops skills needed to foster
leadership _empower people with disabilities
in their relationships and networks.
- To recognise and acknowledge good practice in supporting community living.
Action For Community Living website
