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What is DAS? What we do Strategic Directions and Goals Current Issues Contact us

das \\ What does Disability Advocacy Service (DAS) Do?

The Disability Advocacy Service provides advocacy to individuals who have a disability and reside in Alice Springs and Tennant Creek Urban areas. These people are aged from 0-64.

What is a disability?

Defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1996 (DDA)

Disability includes

• Loss of physical or mental functions, for example a person who has quadriplegia, brain injury, epilepsy or who has a vision or hearing impairment
• Loss of part of the body, for example a person with an amputation or a woman who has had a hysterectomy
• Infectious and no infectious diseases and illnesses for example a person with AIDS, hepatitis or TB, a person with allergies or who carries typhoid bacteria
• The malfunction, malformation or disfigurement of a part of a person’s body, for example a person with diabetes or asthma or a person with a birthmark or scar
• A condition which means a person learns differently from other people, for example a person with autism, dyslexia, attention deficit disorder or an intellectual disability
• Any condition which affects a persons thought processes, understanding of reality, emotions or judgement or which results in disturbed behaviour, for example, a person with a mental illness, neurosis or personality disorder
• And includes a disability that:
• Is present; or
• Once existed but does not anymore, for example, a person who has had a back injury, heart attack, or an episode of mental illness; or
• May exist in the future, for example a person with a genetic disposition to a disease, such as Huntington’s disease or heart disease or a person who is HIV positive or
• Someone thinks a person has, for example, assuming a person living with someone with an infectious disease also has the disease or assuming that a gay man has AIDS.

What is Advocacy?

Advocacy is the role of speaking out for or on behalf of a person

Who Works for DAS?

DAS employs two staff members and is managed by a Board made up of volunteers from the community. The Board define the strategic direction of the organisation. Members of the 2007/8 DAS Board are:

• Chairperson: Trish TeKawau 
• Secretary: Joy White
• Treasurer: Michael Loy
• Public Officer: Raelene McEllister
• General Members: Anne Ireland, Trevor Duncan, Christine Grant 

Where does our Funding come from?

We are funded jointly by the Federal (FAHCSIA) as part of the National Disability Advocacy Progrm (NDAP) and Territory Government's (Dept Health and Community Services) as advocacy is deemed to be a joint responsibility.

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the continued support of the Alice Springs and Tennant Creek Communities.

We would further like to acknowledge the continued funding support from The Department of Families, Housing, Communities and Indigenous Affairs and the Northern Territory Department of Health and Families

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