Member stories
We’re profiling the experiences of our members.
We’re focused on amplifying the voices of our members, helping them share their experiences of living with disability and being part of PWDA and the disability rights movement.
If you want to share your stories, please contact us.
- Better off without them
Andy lived in an independent SDA unit, accessing shared SIL supports, but his SIL provider reported issues associated with his alleged ‘challenging behaviour.’ It withdrew support and issued an eviction notice, giving Andy only 24 hours’ to vacate. The SDA… - No more excuses
The parents of Rina, a young woman with autism spectrum disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and severe intellectual disability, applied to the NDIA for funding for bathroom modifications that Rina required. The NDIA refused the request for bathroom modifications, stating Rina… - Out of the bureaucratic maze
Leia tried three times to join the NDIS but was turned down. Leia found the application process particularly difficult due to her attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia and dysgraphia. Frustrated by the experience and the decision as her medical team assured… - Achieving financial independence
John was diagnosed with a cognitive impairment and a neurological disorder and subjected to a financial management order. John received the Disability Support Pension and had modest savings in a Trustee and Guardian (T&G) Trust Account but paid more in… - Escape from exploitation
Until he turned 18, Josh had lived in foster care on a remote country property, sleeping in a tent away from the main house. Josh, who has a speech impairment and mild intellectual disability, became increasingly isolated after graduating from… - Fighting financial mismanagement
Jess was hospitalised while under financial administration and guardianship by the state. The state guardian was delayed in finding appropriate accommodation, so Jess was forced to remain in the public hospital but she was then told she owed the hospital… - The right fit
Casey, a woman with intellectual disability and a history of ‘challenging behaviours,’ was unhappy with the service of her supported accommodation provider. After a year of trying to find some way of changing providers without any success, Casey contacted PWDA.… - The last resort
Judy volunteered for a NDIS independent assessment due to the barriers she faced with her NDIS access request. Judy’s condition had been stable since her brain surgery 20 years ago but was left with a debilitating neurological condition she found… - Legal affairs
Jeremy is a man with disability who was living in supported accommodation through the numerous COVID-19 shutdowns but had suffered a wide range of abuse and harm in the place. During one lockdown, his siblings also attempted to take financial… - Battling discrimination
Despite living in her leased apartment for years, senior citizen pensioner Lin, who lives with disability, had endured long-term elder abuse from her landlord. The on-going physical and mental discriminatory abuse became so intense it resulted in Lee being hospitalised… - The quest for freedom
Against her will, Maria, a woman with disability, was placed in residential aged care by the public guardian. She was not permitted to leave except for occasional supervised outings. Management of the aged care facility submitted an application for Maria… - Building a support network
A young man with disability, Marco spent years fleeing family violence which resulted in stints of homelessness and surviving multiple suicide attempts. He finally managed to secure short-term accommodation funded through his NDIS plan, but due to a change in… - A new review
Muhammad lives with disability, having been diagnosed 10 years ago with the joint condition, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. When he applied for the NDIS due to the increasing impact of his condition, he was declined and informed he was not eligible.… - The right representation
Jennifer approached PWDA for assistance after attending a PWDA Reviews and Appeals training session, where she discovered her supports had been significantly underfunded in her NDIS plan. She believed she was misrepresented at her original planning meeting and her functional… - A matter of communication
Asmaan, a young woman with disability, arrived in Australia 10 years ago as a refugee from Afghanistan, and was diagnosed with intellectual disability, and in desperate need of communication support. However, Asmaan only received a small NDIS package which was… - A better financial future
After a series of financial mishaps, Rob, who uses a wheelchair, had accrued a significant Centrelink debt and despite his best efforts, was struggling to pay them off at the same time as affording day-to-day living expenses. With little hope… - A family re-united
Frances was a victim of domestic violence, and as a result, her baby was removed from her at birth by NSW Family and Community Services (FACS) as they determined the unrelenting domestic violence made the family home unsafe. When the… - New options
Oliver has a psychosocial disability and for 16 years, struggled to survive living on the Newstart allowance. Despite his best efforts to remain in stable home, and the treatment he received for his disability, he had regularly become homeless due… - A safe place
Stan and Allie are both vision-impaired and had been moved from one temporary home to another, until they were finally forced to live together in an abusive environment where neither of them felt safe. After enduring a series of threats… - A place to call home
Leah has an acquired brain injury and psychosocial impairment and was living in an acute mental health unit of a public hospital for over five months. Prior to her admission, she had become homeless when the supports being provided by…
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