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Systemic Advocacy 

Changing The System

Systemic advocacy is about improving laws, policies, and services.

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It focuses on fixing problems that affect many people — not just one person.

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Why Systemic Advocacy Matters

Systemic advocacy:

  • addresses big, ongoing issues

  • creates long-term change

  • improves systems for future generations

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Parts of Systemic Advocacy

Policy and Law Reform
Advocacy works to influence laws, policies, and systems to better protect the rights of people with disability.
This includes contributing to reforms and promoting fair and inclusive policy development.

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Public Awareness and Education
Advocacy increases understanding of disability issues in the community.
This supports more inclusive attitudes and reduces stigma and discrimination.

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Accessibility and Inclusion
Advocacy promotes improvements in access to buildings, transport, services, and information.
It also supports greater inclusion in education, employment, and community life.

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Addressing Discrimination
Advocacy highlights patterns of unfair treatment and works to change practices that negatively affect people with disability.

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Community and Government Engagement
Advocacy involves working with governments, organisations, and communities to influence decision-making.
Partnerships and collaboration strengthen impact and drive change.

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How Systemic Advocacy Works

Systemic advocacy involves:

  • identifying patterns and common issues

  • using real experiences from people with disability

  • working with government and organisations

  • promoting better policies and practices

 

What Systemic Advocacy Can Do

  • improve laws and policies

  • make services more accessible

  • reduce discrimination

  • increase inclusion in community life

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Examples 

  • advocating for accessible public transport

  • improving inclusive education policies

  • influencing disability support systems

  • raising awareness of barriers and discrimination

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What Does Speak Out Do? 

Speak Out uses what people tell us through:

  • self-advocacy meetings

  • consultations

  • conferences

  • individual advocacy

 

We then:

  • raise issues with government

  • contribute to policy discussions

  • work with partners and networks

  • push for better systems and services

 

Advocacy by people with disability, families, and organisations has helped drive major reforms in Australia, including improvements in community living and national disability supports.

Closure of Institutions - 1990's

  • For many years, people with disability were placed in large institutions, including places like Willow Court in Tasmania.

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  • These environments often limited people’s choice, safety, and quality of life.

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  • Advocates, families, and people with disability worked together to raise awareness about these issues.

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  • They shared lived experiences, reports, and evidence about conditions and lack of rights.

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  • This advocacy contributed to growing recognition that people with disability should be supported to live in the community, with dignity and choice.

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  • Over time, this helped influence governments to close institutions and invest in community-based supports.

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  • As a result, more people now live in community settings with greater independence, inclusion, and control over their lives.

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WARNING: The following video may contain images and voices of deceased persons. Due to how old these are, consent may not have been provided; please tell us if you would like us to remove any images.

WARNING: The following video may contain images and voices of deceased persons. Due to how old these are, consent may not have been provided; please tell us if you would like us to remove any images.

Moving into Communities - 2000's

  • As disability institutions like Willow Court began to close, people needed support to transition safely into the community.

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  • Advocates, families, and people with disability worked together to influence how community living options were planned and delivered.

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  • They spoke up for people’s rights to choose where they live, who supports them, and how they want to live their lives.

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  • Advocacy highlighted the need for safe housing, appropriate funding, quality support services, and a well-trained workforce.

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  • This work contributed to improvements in how people were supported to move from institutional settings into community-based living.

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  • As a result, more people were able to live in inclusive, supported homes with greater independence, safety, and choice.

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NDIS 2010's

  • In Australia, people with disability, families, and advocacy organisations worked together to advocate for a fairer, national system of support.

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  • They shared lived experiences to show that previous systems were not meeting people’s needs.

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  • Advocacy efforts included engaging with government, contributing to public discussions, and building awareness of the need for change.

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  • This collective advocacy helped shape the development of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, which focuses on choice, control, and long-term support.

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WARNING: The following video may contain images and voices of deceased persons. Due to how old these are, consent may not have been provided; please tell us if you would like us to remove any images.

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