Kerry Potter

Our organisation: DJA provides quality individual and systemic advocacy on behalf of people with a disability who have high support needs.

My responsibilities: Employment, support and supervision of staff. Implementation of strategic direction set down by the Board. Responding to members’ requests in relation to systemic issues. Financial management and policy updates.

Our team: We have 5 PT employees and 2 people to do training on a casual basis. We also provide an employer/support role to a Project Worker under the direction of the Aides and Equipment Alliance.

Our greatest challenges: Remaining viable in the unstable funding environment over the past 18 months. Keeping up to date with the changing industrial environment and managing administration tasks given lack of time and resources. Then there are the many problems for people with a disability – finding affordable, accessible housing and viable, interesting employment; coping with inadequate attendant support and costly aides and equipment.

How we manage skilled volunteers: It’s important to be honest and upfront about why you are seeking support. We would not have been able to carry out many tasks without the time, energy and effort of goodcompany volunteers in areas such as logo design, legal advice, information analysis, website design.

Tips for working with skilled volunteers: Let them know how refreshing it is to have the benefits of their skills and knowledge. Invite them along to your organization’s events, even the AGM. We always acknowledge volunteers in our quarterly newsletter.

What inspired you to get involved in DJA? A family member has a disability and I have never been happy to see people going without the most basic rights. Advocacy tries to ensure that people with a disability will be included and treated as equals in our society.