A group representing Australia’s largest disability service providers has formed a new alliance to collaborate on solutions to improve services and lives for participants and their families.

Alliance20 represents disability services providers including Life Without Barriers, Endeavour Foundation, Cerebral Palsy Alliance and House with No Steps. Collectively Alliance20 supports around 75,000 people with a disability in every state and territory, has over 30,000 staff working directly in disability services and represents around $2 billion in funding for disability services. Alliance20 was officially launched today at Parliament House in Canberra.

Alliance20 spokesperson and Chief Executive of Life Without Barriers, Claire Robbs, said that Alliance20 members are strong believers in the NDIS and will work in close partnership with the National Disability Insurance Agency and governments to ensure it is successful for everyone.

“We believe in the NDIS and are deeply committed to the success of the scheme for the participants and our wider community,” Ms Robbs said.

“Only through a joint approach between the National Disability Insurance Agency, the sector and other key stakeholders, will we, as a community, achieve the goals of the NDIS.”

“As a group of the most influential providers of disability services, we have the expertise, the knowledge and the scale to implement broad-reaching changes that are needed to ensure the success of the scheme, in consultation with NDIS participants and their families.

“Between us we have considerable experience and support participants with some of the most complex needs. Alliance20 members have close and often lifelong relationships with families and participants. We can bring practical solutions based on our considerable experience of supporting people with disability.”

“We are pleased to say that we have already established a positive relationship with the National Disability Insurance Agency and we acknowledge the professional work it is doing to establish this major social reform. We look forward to continuing this close partnership with the NDIA’s Board and senior executives as issues and challenges are jointly addressed” Ms Robbs said.

Alliance20 has identified a number of issues where collaboration can lead to participant-focused solutions. These issues include:

• Supporting NDIS participants with high and complex needs
• Servicing participants in rural and regional areas, and
• Boosting employment opportunities for NDIS participants.

“NDIS participants with high and complex needs require detailed plans for the provision of the highly specialised services that they require. Their needs can also change suddenly, which much be accounted for and some participants have numerous interactions with justice and health systems and may need extra assistance to engage with these agencies.”

“We believe there is work we can do in increasing everyone’s awareness about the benefits and opportunities for employment for participants. We can always increase the number of people with a disability accessing employment services. Work promotes social and economic independence, as well as broader benefits for our community as a whole.”

“A third issue is delivering services to NDIS participants in rural and remote Australia, with current provisions not always covering the actual costs of travelling to these areas to support participants.”

Ms Robbs said the NDIA is actively working on all of these issues and the Alliance20 is ready and keen to work with the NDIA, government, NDIS participants and their families to collaborate on these issues.

“We will build on our already strong relationship with the National Disability Insurance Agency and other stakeholders in a positive and cooperative way to ensure that Australia has the best possible NDIS.”