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Self-Advocacy

Empowering people with intellectual disability to ensure their voices are heard.
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What is Self-Advocacy?

Self-advocacy is speaking up for yourself. It means speaking up for your rights, your needs, your wishes and your beliefs.

People with intellectual disability often need to self-advocate in their everyday lives. That can be hard to do, especially without practice. 

Fortunately, self-advocacy gets easier every time you try it. We are here to help you learn how to do it.

We hosted our first self-advocacy conference in November of 2025 in Brisbane. Held over three days, it allowed self-advocates to learn new things and develop their self-advocacy skills. 

The people who attended that conference have formed a diverse group of self-advocates, who work together and with Endeavour Foundation to make the world a better place.

The Conference in Action

Hear from some of the conference delegates as they explain what self-advocacy means to them.

Standard Version

 

 

Audio Described Version

 

Self-Advocacy Network

We believe the most powerful voice in a person's life is their own. That is why we have built a network of self-advocates so that the voices of people with intellectual disability can be heard loudly and clearly.

Through this network, we are empowering people with disability to speak up for themselves, make informed choices and have choice and control in their own lives. This powerful initiative is building the self-advocates’ capacity to:

  • Advocate for their rights and needs
  • Influence the decisions that impact their lives
  • Build confidence and skills to inspire change in their communities

Meet Some of Our Self-Advocates

Finn, Lived Experience Advisor

Finn has a passion for advocacy and supports the team of self-advocates. He has a particular interest in intersectionality because of his lived experiences as a person with disability with intersecting identities.
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“Self-advocacy is about speaking up for a cause, and I think it’s about using your voice to make changes.”

– Andrew, Chair, Client Advisory Group.

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“Self-advocacy means, to me, people having a voice, people having a say on what they believe is right.”

– Chloe.

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“Self-advocacy gives us an opportunity to say what we want to say. Everyone has a voice, and if you don’t speak up for yourself, no one can listen.”

– Danielle.

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“Advocacy means people speaking up for themselves and other people. The power of people with disability can make a real impact not only for Australia but for the world.”

– Greg.

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“Advocacy means supporting more people. When I speak up, I feel happy.”

– Jenny.

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“Advocacy means standing up for what you believe in and not stopping until changes are made.”

– Makanaka.

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“Your disability is just another ability.”

– Nick, Deputy Chair, Client Advisory Group.

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“I want people to know that we’re here and we want to be heard.”

– Chloe.

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“Advocacy means helping other people to have a voice and empowering them.”

– Telina.

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Handy Resources

We have compiled a list of organisations across Australia that are invested in promoting self-advocacy. They have a variety of useful resources to support your self-advocacy journey.

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