On Tuesday, 12th May, BCA’s Inform session on Advocacy in Practice provided a detailed and practical exploration of how advocacy supports people who are blind or vision impaired at both an individual and systemic level.
The session kicked off with Martin Stewart, BCA’s National Advocacy Officer, whose presentation focused on the practice of individual advocacy and the value of equipping people with the confidence and tools to advocate for themselves.
The session then moved to Francois Jacobs, BCA’s Systemic Advocacy Lead, who outlined the priority areas for systemic advocacy work, including audio description, taxi and rideshare refusal for dog guides, aged care reforms, accessible appliances, inclusive employment, and the government response to Disability Royal Commission recommendations. Francois explained the difference between individual and systemic advocacy, emphasizing the role of systemic advocates in changing laws, policies, and systems.
And lastly, Melanie Chatfield, BCA’s Policy Officer discussed BCA’s work on accessible healthcare, including the development of a fact sheet and position paper to assist people in navigating healthcare appointments and addressing accessibility issues.
The session demonstrated that advocacy is both immediate and long term: it supports people in resolving urgent barriers today while also building the case for more inclusive systems tomorrow. Being strongly grounded in lived experience, the session provided attendees with a clearer understanding of BCA’s advocacy work.
Listen to the audio recording of the event.