About DARU

DARU is unique in Australia as a dedicated resource unit funded to work with disability advocacy organisations to promote and protect the rights of people with disability. We develop and distribute resources and provide training opportunities to keep disability advocates informed and up-to-date about issues affecting people with disability in Victoria. DARU also hosts regular professional development events including;

dialogue speech bubbles icon  Advocacy Sector Conversations forum series and

flame icon colour  Strengthening Disability Advocacy Conference

 

DARU Update

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Find an Advocate

Directory of organisations for agencies delivering disability advocacy as well as complaints bodies, campaigners, support groups and useful referral and information services.

Find an advocate

What is disability advocacy?

Info sheet with overview of advocacy  types, what disability advocates do, why we need advocacy, shifting social models and how advocacy is funded in Victoria.

Find out more

In the news

  • Deep scars from abuse in disability homes

    "My daughter is fearful of everything, she's had so much abuse," the mother, referred to as Ms G, told a hearing in Melbourne on Monday. "She didn't ask to be born with the problems she's got, but as a result of what she's been through in the system, she is a very damaged person."

  • Teaching your child about disability and difference

    Every time I step foot outside my door, I steel myself for public reactions. It's natural to stare. Having a visible facial difference (along with multiple disabilities) means prying eyes and a constant stream of comments and questions.

  • No outrage over disability restraints use

    Dr Spivakovsky questioned the lack of public outrage over the use of what many researchers and activists call "disability-specific lawful violence".

Latest tweets

  • Villamanta is seeking a Disability Advocate who can design and implementing a project to assist people with a disab… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

  • VALID and Writers Victoria are running the Dulcie Stone Writers Competition. This competition is designed to showc… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

  • Defiant Lives now available on iView! The story of the rise and triumph of the disability rights movement, with exc… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

  • The Scope-Uni of Melbourne Partnership is presenting a keynote address by the Commonwealth Disability Discriminatio… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

  • Hear from a panel of experts engaged with self and systemic advocacy as well as participatory research to discuss t… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…