Seeking to influence and change systems and community attitudes

Systems advocacy is a form of social advocacy which seeks to influence or change a policy or practice within society which disadvantages certain groups of people.

This form of advocacy is undertaken by QPPD on a range of issues affecting people with disability. systems advocacy is primarily concerned with influencing and changing the system in ways that will benefit people with disability as a group within society. Systems advocates will encourage changes to the law, government and service policies and community attitudes. Usually systems advocates do not do individual advocacy. To do so can cause conflict around the use of resources, focus and purpose.

How We Do Systems Advocacy

QPPD members and allies strive to influence political, bureaucratic, social and service systems about important issues in the lives of people with disability and their families through:

• Promoting the vision of quality lives for people with disability and their families;
• Promoting disability as a human rights issue;
• Uniting families around a set of key ideas and issues
• Monitoring legislation, policies and practices regarding people with disability and their families;
• Speaking out about systems that oppress, segregate and reject people with disability;
• Lobbying people in positions of power to make positive changes to policies and practices;
• Developing and running campaigns on issues of high priority to families and people with disability.

QPPD’s board sets priorities for its systems advocacy work annually at its Annual General Meeting and workshop.