Whaikaha announces investments in disability community capability and leadership
Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People would like to congratulate the five organisations who have successfully applied for funding to support disability leadership through community-led initiatives informed by the Enabling Good Lives approach and principles.
On the 30 March 2023 Whaikaha invited organisations committed to working with disabled people to respond to a Request for Proposals (RFP) to support disability leadership and networks.
Total funding of $1 million was available to organisations to develop leadership skills, resources, and capability to ensure disabled people have greater choice and control over the services and supports available to them.
Whaikaha received a huge response to its request, with more than 60 proposals submitted for consideration. All proposals were carefully considered, and we would like to thank all those who applied.
The panel making the funding decisions had a difficult task in narrowing down many very strong proposals. They also had to consider how the proposals would reach communities in a range of locations, especially those rebuilding from the severe weather events in early 2023.
They five successful organisations are:
- Enabling Good Lives Taranaki working in Taranaki
- My Life My Voice working in Tairawhiti, some Auckland locations, Invercargill and Nelson
- Tiaho Trust working in Te Tai Tokerau
- Standards and Monitoring Service (SAMS) focusing on West Auckland and Hawkes Bay
- People First Aotearoa – who will be working with the other organisations and activating the learning disabled community to be involved in all locations.
The successful proposals demonstrate a strong commitment to:
- working in a way that engages disability led organisations
- having disabled people and tāngata whaikaha Māori as community leaders and
- creating space for tāngata whaikaha Māori and family/whānau voices.
“A key message associated with the Enabling Good Lives approach is that disabled people, and family/whānau national networks are key in the leadership of the system’s transformation and the new approaches that are created,” says Whaikaha Chief Executive Paula Tesoriero.
“The projects funded through this process are about both assisting this leadership where it has been emerging and further equipping some new areas in the process of developing Enabling Good Lives-based leadership by disabled people.
“Strong and connected communities work for all people, they are particularly important for disabled people. This funding creates the opportunity to invest in alliances, influence, advocacy collaboration and leadership within communities.
“These five organisations are already working together to support each other in this mahi. They welcome contributions from other organisations who will strengthen their work. “I’m particularly pleased to be making this announcement, which demonstrates our commitment to building disability leadership, ahead of this weekend’s United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities which works to promote the rights and wellbeing of disabled people,” Paula Tesoriero says.