About NEDA

• What NEDA is
• What NEDA believes
• What NEDA does
• NEDA Membership
• Supporting NEDA

What NEDA is:

The national peak organisation representing the rights and interests of people from non-English speaking background (NESB) with disability, their families and carers throughout Australia.

A community based, non-government organisation funded by the Commonwealth Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.  NEDA has a small secretariat and is governed by a Council of state and territory representatives.  The majority of Councillors are people from NESB with disability, their families and carers.

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What NEDA believes:

• People from NESB with disability, their families and carers are individuals who have the right to be respected for their human worth and dignity, and to be free from all forms of discrimination.
• People from NESB with disability, their families and carers are experts in knowing how they want to receive services and supports.
• All our activities must take into account the views and experiences of people from NESB with disability, their families and carers.
• The interests of all people in society are best served by establishing equal rights and opportunities for people from NESB with disability, their families and carers.
• We are accountable to people from NESB with disability, their families and carers and to the agencies who provide our funds.
• We are open, honest and transparent in our relationships.

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What NEDA does:

NEDA advocates at the federal level for the rights and interests of people from NESB with disability, their families and carers so that they can participate fully in all aspects of social, economic, political and cultural life.

NEDA provides policy advice to the federal government and other agencies to secure equitable outcomes for people from NESB with disability, their families and carers.  NEDA undertakes projects relating to the NESB and disability communities.

NEDA works closely with its state and territory member organisations to ensure that its policy advice reflects the experiences of people from NESB with disability, their families and carers.  In states and territories where no NESB-disability advocacy agency exists, NEDA undertakes development work to try to establish a structure that can support and represent people from NESB with disability, their families and carers.

The work of NEDA is guided by its Strategic Directions 2008.

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NEDA Membership

NEDA admits one voting member per a state/territory in accordance with the Constitution.  The current member organisations are:

New South Wales

Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW (MDAA)

MDAA is the only advocacy service in NSW available specifically to people from NESB with disability, their families and carers.  MDAA aims to promote, protect and secure the rights and interests of people from a NESB with disability and their families and carers in NSW.

MDAA provides a range of services including individual advocacy to people from a NESB with disability, their families and carers.  MDAA is also a Registered Training Organisation.

Post: PO Box 381 Harris Park NSW 2150

Northern Territory

Multicultural Community Services of Central Australia (MCSCA)

MCSCA is a community-based organisation in Alice Springs that responds to the settlement and multicultural needs of persons from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds in Central Australia.  MCSCA assists migrants, refugees and others from the CALD community to settle in Alice Springs.

Post: PO Box 1160 Alice Springs NT 0871

Queensland

AMPARO Advocacy Inc.

AMPARO Advocacy Inc. is a not for profit community based independent social advocacy organisation. It has a volunteer Management Committee made up of people with disability from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB) and family members of people with disabilities from NESB.

Post: 9 Chippendall Street Milton QLD 4064

Tasmania

Multicultural Council of Tasmania (MCOT)

MCOT represents culturally and linguistically diverse communities by advocating their collective needs and giving strength to diversity and tolerance in a multicultural society.

Post: GPO Box 798H Hobart TAS 7001

Victoria

Diversity and Disability (DnD)

DnD is a self-advocacy project to support and enhance the participation and representation of people with disability from CALD backgrounds living in city, rural and regional Victoria.  It is auspiced by the Migrant Resource Centre -North West Region.  DnD aims to develop the self-advocacy skills of its members, promoting attitudinal change, engage with policymakers within both the multicultural sector and the disability sector, and provide consumer representation at local, regional and national forums 

Post: 45 Main Road St Albans VIC 3022

Western Australia

Ethnic Disability Advocacy Centre (EDAC)

EDAC was established in 1995 to advocate for and empower people with a disability from non-English speaking backgrounds.  EDAC aims to safeguard the rights of ethnic people with disabilities and their families.  EDAC provides information, advocacy and cross-cultural training.

Post: 320 Rokeby Road Subiaco WA 6008

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Supporting NEDA

You or your organisation can support the work of NEDA by becoming an Associate Member.  To download our Associate Membership Form, click on either of the links below, then complete the form and post it to us .

Download Associate Membership Form:

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