GLOSSARY of TERMS

Advocacy – is speaking, acting, or writing to promote the rights, needs, and interests of those who are disadvantaged by society with minimal conflict of interest.
Block funding – is funding given to a service to provide a service to x number of people.  It is not tied to the person.
Conflict of Interest – occurs when actions or decisions are influenced or seen to be influenced by another.  It is often useful for families to identify where a conflict of interest exists and ask themselves who benefits most by this decision?      
Discrimination – is where someone is treated differently because of their disability.  There are many other areas affected by discrimination including race, religion, sex, age, marital status etc.
Forced Co-tenancy – is where a person is denied the basic right to choose where and with whom they live.  
Individual Funding – is where the funds are attached to a particular person who is able to direct where the funding goes, and how it is used.  It is portable, in that it can be moved from one service to another.  There are some packages that are totally self-managed and within set guidelines.   
People with disability – CRPD definition -  “includes people who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which may hold them back from doing things or sharing in society in the same way other people do.”
Self-directed funding – is where funds are held by an agency (not the person), but the person is able to direct how the funds are spent.
Social Role Valorisation (SRV) is a theory developed by Wolf Wolfensberger that addresses devaluation.  He defines SRV as "The application of what science can tell us about the enablement, establishment, enhancement, maintenance, and/or defense of valued social roles for people"  
Systems Advocacy – Is when a group of like-minded people join together to influence political systems in an effort to bring about change in laws and policy that ensure long term benefits in the lives of people with disability.       
Family Advocacy – refers to the information and support given to parents that enables them to advocate with or on behalf of their family member with disability.  
Natural Authority –  is the unintentional knowledge,  wisdom, and relationship that a parent holds from knowing their child throughout their lifetime and it is this that gives them the “Authority” to speak on their behalf.  It is not something learned from a book.     
UN CRPD – The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  
Universal Design – refers to designing all things in a way that they are accessible to all people.  Examples could include having all housing built with doorways wide enough to allow a wheel chair to pass through, or having beepers on all traffic lights.