Want to understand more about the experiences of people with disability from diverse backgrounds?
A view from the back of the bus: a reflection on the need for a culturally responsive NDIS
Summer 2017 edition of Inner Sydney Voice.
Written by Diana Qian, President of DDAlliance
People with disability from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds make up only a small proportion of people who are currently disability service recipients. Diana Qian argues greater resources are needed to ensure people from CALD backgrounds have equal access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Summer 2017 edition of Inner Sydney Voice.
Written by Diana Qian, President of DDAlliance
People with disability from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds make up only a small proportion of people who are currently disability service recipients. Diana Qian argues greater resources are needed to ensure people from CALD backgrounds have equal access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Diversity and Inclusion – Are we there yet?
Sept 2017: Keynote address at the LCSA Connecting Communities Conference
Given by Diana Qian, President, Diversity and Disability Alliance
Sept 2017: Keynote address at the LCSA Connecting Communities Conference
Given by Diana Qian, President, Diversity and Disability Alliance
"How will the NDIS talk to a quarter of the disability population?"
a blog for the Every Australian Counts Campaign
Written by Diana Qian, President of DDAlliance
"While everyone talks about getting services and people with disability ready for the NDIS, no effort has been made to combat the severe disadvantages of people from NESB to equip them for a consumer driven environment."
a blog for the Every Australian Counts Campaign
Written by Diana Qian, President of DDAlliance
"While everyone talks about getting services and people with disability ready for the NDIS, no effort has been made to combat the severe disadvantages of people from NESB to equip them for a consumer driven environment."

"Translating Rhetoric- Consumer rights from a CALD Perspective"
July 2015: keynote address at Cultural Competency in Disability Conference
Given by Diana Qian, President, Diversity and Disability Alliance
July 2015: keynote address at Cultural Competency in Disability Conference
Given by Diana Qian, President, Diversity and Disability Alliance
5 low cost strategies the NDIS can implement now:
1. Put the TIS (Telephone Interpreter Service) contact number prominently on the website
2. Make the new NDIA website best practice in terms of access for people from CALD communities
3. Make sure every fourth story told by the NDIA focuses on someone from a diverse culture and make sure this is somehow
identified in the story
4. Actively recruit staff from diverse backgrounds (particularly planners and Local Area Coordinators) and train all, in
particular frontline staff, in cultural competence (including culturally competent planning)
5. In each trial site, identify Local Area Coordinators to work with at least one relevant ethnic community forming mutually
beneficial partnerships:
2. Make the new NDIA website best practice in terms of access for people from CALD communities
3. Make sure every fourth story told by the NDIA focuses on someone from a diverse culture and make sure this is somehow
identified in the story
4. Actively recruit staff from diverse backgrounds (particularly planners and Local Area Coordinators) and train all, in
particular frontline staff, in cultural competence (including culturally competent planning)
5. In each trial site, identify Local Area Coordinators to work with at least one relevant ethnic community forming mutually
beneficial partnerships:
- To enable the particular community to be equally prepared to utilise the NDIS (and help NDIA spread the word about the NDIS); and
- To assist the trial site understand the diversity of the community and how that impacts on the work of the Agency.
#fecca 2015 : DDAlliance President Diana Qian talks about Equity in Disability:

Diana said:
"Getting an individual support package under the NDIS is not going to buy me a good life. What is more critical is having meaningful relationship with family, with friends, with people in my community, and how inclusive the community is. I call on all of you here as leaders of your community to demand a fair and equitable disability support system, and ....
to read the full speech, please click here
"Getting an individual support package under the NDIS is not going to buy me a good life. What is more critical is having meaningful relationship with family, with friends, with people in my community, and how inclusive the community is. I call on all of you here as leaders of your community to demand a fair and equitable disability support system, and ....
to read the full speech, please click here

July 2015: DDAlliance President Diana Qian speaking about inequities in accessing the NDIS on SBS National Television (Click here)