Disability advocacy is about being heard and creating equal opportunities.
Across Australia, young disability advocates are pushing for fair employment, better accessibility and stronger representation in decision-making.
Advocacy services for people with disability play a vital role in making sure those voices shape real change.
Kurtis is one of those voices.
Through his work experience and growing confidence in public speaking, Kurtis shows that disability advocacy begins with belief. It also takes persistence and people who are willing to listen.
Kurtis has been working since 2018. He began in mainstream employment, but not every workplace understood his needs.
After connecting with a disability employment program, he joined Endeavour Foundation. He then started a traineeship with the Fundraising team.
Today, Kurtis works on events and is completing a course in events management. This is his first traineeship, and he describes it as exciting and something new.
His goal is simple: keep learning, support his team and build his skills.
“I’d like to help wherever I can,” he said.
Outside of work, Kurtis has a passion for medieval re-enactment and combat training. He is part of a group that welcomed him and encouraged him to take part in combat, something other groups had previously told Kurtis he could not do because of his disability.
For Kurtis, it is another reminder that with the right support, communication and opportunity, people with disability can pursue the same passions as anyone else.
Inclusive employment has given Kurtis confidence and direction. It has also strengthened his passion for disability advocacy and for speaking up to create greater understanding in workplaces and communities.
Kurtis has type 1 diabetes and uses an insulin pump. In a previous job, he explained he needed to check his phone to monitor his blood sugar levels. Even after explaining his needs, he was told he could not use his phone.
That moment stayed with him.
“I feel like people don’t really listen,” Kurtis said. “They sort of treat you like a child. But you’re the same as everyone else.”
This is why disability advocacy services are so important. Advocating for disability services starts with everyday understanding – listening to people with disability and respecting their lived experience.
Kurtis believes open and honest communication makes a difference. Explain your needs. Speak up. Connect with the right people.
Kurtis has stepped into advocacy in practical ways.
He attended a disability advocacy conference and workshop with Endeavour Foundation and helped set up the event.
He also became a member of Endeavour Foundation, which allowed him to attend the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and better understand how decisions are made.
These experiences matter. Advocacy groups for people with disability create spaces where voices are heard, not ignored.
He also stepped onto a stage in front of more than 300 people at Endeavour Foundation’s inaugural Business Excellence and Impact Awards. This was his first time speaking to such a large audience.
“I would never have done something like that if I didn’t come to Endeavour Foundation,” he said.
That moment was proof of growth – proof that confidence builds when people are supported.
When Kurtis first started at Endeavour Foundation, he worked three days a week. Over time, he increased his working hours. That was one of his personal goals.
He describes his supervisors as understanding and easy to talk to. That support has helped him grow both professionally and personally.
This is what effective disability advocacy should look like. Employment pathways. Skills development. Leadership opportunities. Real inclusion.
Kurtis keeps his advice simple.
“Just go for it,” he said.
“If people tell you you can’t do something, believe in yourself that you can.”
For employers and organisations wanting to be more inclusive, he says the answer is clear. Take the time to listen. Ask questions. Understand what people go through every day.
Inclusion begins with listening. Advocacy begins with belief.
Disability advocates like Kurtis are helping shift Australia from ‘can’t’ thinking to ‘can’ thinking. Through employment, public speaking and participation in decision-making, he is proving what is possible.
At Endeavour Foundation, we are committed to strengthening our advocacy efforts and expanding disability advocacy services across Australia. We work alongside people with disability to build skills, amplify voices and break down barriers.
Learn more about our advocacy efforts and how we are supporting disability advocates to create lasting change.