Your Story Disability Legal Support update—Issue 30, April 2024

An important update about our service and future legal support for people with disability

I am writing with an important update about legal support for people with disability.

You have played a significant part in the delivery of our services, and I am keen to inform you about the changes and new opportunities that lie ahead.

This update covers:

  1. an independent evaluation highlighting the effectiveness of Your Story
  2. the closure of Your Story later this year
  3. a proposal for a new national legal service for people with disability.

Media coverage of this change

ABC radio current affairs today broadcast a report about the work of Your Story and the proposed new service. You can listen to the report on the ABC website.

The ABC coverage highlights the good work that has been done by Your Story and our determination to create a new national service.

Continuing support for clients

Some of the changes outlined below might be unwelcome news. However, please be assured that:

  • our top priority is to support our Your Story clients who continue to need legal support
  • we are working hard to ensure the proposed new legal support service can soon be in place after Your Story ceases operations at the end of June.

Thank you for your support, patience and understanding as we work through these changes. Your continued backing is greatly appreciated.

Best wishes,

Susannah O'Reilly
Director, Your Story Disability Legal Support

Independent evaluation

We commissioned an independent evaluation of Your Story to assess its effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.

The results were positive and informative.

The evaluation found Your Story has:

  • “provided high-quality legal services that were relevant, tailored and accessible for people with disability”
  • “delivered consistent service quality across Australia… 6,431 legal services that reached more than 2,800 clients”
  • been “highly effective at providing an accessible, welcoming and inclusive environment, offering a tailored and flexible service to meet the diverse needs of people with disability”
  • “built a recognisable and trusted brand, strong networks and collaborative relationships in the disability sector”.

Your Story to close in June but there is a proposal for a new service

Your Story was set up to support people with disability and, in particular, their participation in the Disability Royal Commission.

Our Commonwealth funding has now ended and, as a result, Your Story will close on 30 June this year. In the meantime, please be assured:

  • we will contact our stakeholders, and our clients who have continuing legal matters, about the closure and their options regarding continuing legal support if it is required
  • plans are being prepared for a proposed new national service (see details below).

Proposed new service

The independent evaluation highlighted the need for an ongoing national service.

In light of that, we are working with National Legal Aid on a proposal for a new legal service for people with disability as well as their families and carers.

The proposed new nationwide service would require Federal government funding. However, we do not yet know if that funding will be provided.

As mentioned earlier in this newsletter:

  • our top priority is to support our Your Story clients who continue to need legal support
  • we are working hard to ensure the proposed new legal support service can soon be in place after Your Story ceases operations at the end of June
  • we appreciate your support, patience and understanding as we work through these changes.

Accessible information about the Voice & voting

Please contact us if you require legal support or if you have questions about the changes outlined in this email.

Call us on 1800 77 1800 Monday to Friday (free call), talk to us online via our webchat or go to our Contact Us page for other ways to reach us.

If you need an interpreter, we can arrange one for you free. Tell us your language and we will organise it for you.

If you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person, we can connect you with an Aboriginal legal service.

If you are hearing or speech impaired, you can contact us by calling the National Relay Service on 133 677 or TTY 02 9219 5126.

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