The PDCN Board, guided by invaluable input from staff, PDCN members and other stakeholders, has spent quality time in the first half of this year reviewing our strategic priorities and setting a new strategic plan for the upcoming three years – not an easy task when surety of funding is still a long way off!
It’s clear from much of the feedback we received that people value the work that we do, and the voice we provide to our members in the wider community. But we still feel we can do better, particularly in achieving long-term change for our members.
To that end we’ve identified a number of proactive systemic advocacy projects that we will focus more of our time on over the next three years (or however long it takes!) to really push for broad change that will make a concerted difference to the lives and inclusion of our members, and all people with physical disability.
We want to champion nationally consistent road rules for motorised and personal mobility devices; we’re also focused on working with NSW Health to develop a disability specific admission care plan, ensuring all disability specific needs are met during any hospital stay; and are looking to work with Local Governments to mandate a higher standard of accessibility in new housing builds. None of these projects are simple, all will take time and effort, but we’re committed to pushing forward and achieving some very real outcomes for our members.
As previously mentioned, funding for PDCN is still in limbo. Our strategic plan allows us to divert some of our efforts towards attracting partners and sponsors from outside of government, to assist in remaining a sustainable organisation and in supporting the vital work that we do.
We will also still provide information and education opportunities. The major ILC grant we successfully attained in February gives us the ability to achieve individual capacity building outcomes for people with disability through a suite of workshops, peer groups or one-on-one individual support sessions. You can read more on these in detail later in the newsletter.
Providing expert, accurate commentary on the issues that affect your lives is paramount, both in communications to members, and in our dealings with government and the broader community, and this too remains a key strategy for the upcoming years.
You can read our strategic plan at this link.
