Welcome to AMPARO Advocacy Inc

Thanks for dropping by

AMPARO Advocacy is a non-profit community organisation which provides independent individual and systemic advocacy on behalf of vulnerable people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds with disability. AMPARO is governed by a voluntary management committee, the majority of whom are people from a culturally and linguistically diverse background with disability. The organisation receives funding from the Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services.

AMPARO Advocacy defends, protects and promotes the rights and interests of vulnerable people from a culturally and linguistically diverse background with disability.

The Objects of AMPARO Advocacy are:

  • To provide individual advocacy for vulnerable people from a from a culturally and linguistically diverse background with disability to defend, protect and promote their rights and interests so that their fundamental needs are met
  • To influence positive sustainable change to attitudes, policies practices and resources within governments and communities
  • To develop links with others who can strengthen our advocacy efforts
  • To be an effective, accountable social advocacy organisation
  • To undertake activities that furthers the objects of the Association and social advocacy.

AMPARO Advocacy’s vision is that people from a culturally and linguistically diverse background with disability are accepted as part of Australian society, with access to information and all services and benefits, so that they can be included, and participate and contribute in family and community life.

AMPARO Advocacy believes that people from a culturally and linguistically diverse background with disability have the same right to live valued lives that are comparable to those of other members of society where they:

  • are respected and valued
  • can experience valued relationships with friends, family and community
  • have access to interpreters and information in their preferred language
  • have supports and services provided in a culturally sensitive and responsive ways
  • have natural authority to influence the direction of their own lives, or where they have limited capacity, that their family if possible retains this authority
  • are welcomed and have opportunities to live an ordinary life
  • are participating and contributing members in the social, economic and political life of broader Australian society

AMPARO Advocacy takes our mandate from the following important declarations, laws and principles which promote the rights of all people, as well as expectations for the lives of people from a culturally and linguistically diverse background with disability.

  • Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2006
  • Disability Services & Other Legislation Amendment Act (Qld) 2008
  • Disability Services Act, (Qld) 2006
  • Disability Discrimination Act, (Clth) 1992
  • Anti-Discrimination Act, (Qld) 1991
  • Racial Discrimination Act, (Clth) 1975
  • United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons, 1975
  • Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, 1966
  • United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948

The objects of AMPARO Advocacy are:

  1. To provide individual advocacy for vulnerable people from a culturally and linguistically diverse background with disability to defend, protect and promote their rights and interests to that their fundamental needs are met.
  2. To influence positive sustainable change to attitudes, policies, practices and resources within governments and communities.
  3. To develop links with others who can strengthen our advocacy efforts.
  4. To be an effective, accountable social advocacy organisation.
  5. To undertake activities that furthers the objects of the Association and social advocacy.

We believe that people from a culturally and linguistically diverse background with disability have a rightful place in community where they:

  • can experience valued relationships with friends and family
  • have access to interpreters and information in their preferred language
  • have supports and services provided in culturally sensitive and responsive ways
  • have their gifts and strengths recognised
  • have natural authority to influence the direction of their own lives, or where they have limited capacity, that their family retains this authority
  • are welcomed and have opportunities to live an ordinary life
  • are participating and contributing members in the social, economic and political life of broader Australian society.

You can help
make a difference

Membership

I agree with the Mission Statement, Objects and Values of AMPARO Advocacy Inc. and would like to become a member.

Membership options include:

Ordinary membership is for people from a culturally and linguistically diverse background with disability. Ordinary members have voting rights and are eligible for management committee membership.

Is open to all people who support the mission and objects of the Association and who apply for and are accepted for membership of the Association. Associate members have voting rights and are eligible for management committee membership.

Is open to organisations who are allies of the Association. Organisational members do not have voting privileges. Once your membership has been approved, AMPARO will provide the membership payment method.

Is offered, via nominations and election, to individuals from either the ordinary or associate membership category.
Staff membership shall be open to current staff, however they do not have voting privileges and are not eligible for management committee membership.

Strategic goals

Provide vigorous individual advocacy
Engage in strategic systemic advocacy
Ensure strong organisational governance
Be an effective, accountable advocacy organisation
Strengthen organisational capacity

2023 Committee Members

Sean Gomes

President

Shahram Jazan

Vice President

Shahram Jazan

Secretary

Julie King

Treasurer

Masoumeh Ahmedi

Committee Member

Andres Angulo

Committee Member

Nazim Ahmed

Committee Member

Grazia Catalano

Committee Member

The Team

Maureen Fordyce

Manager

Liz Martyn-Johns

Advocate

Murka Smiechowski

Advocate

Keiko Omi

Advocate | Multicultural Engagement

Jo McCarthy

Senior Administrator

Jenny Ryan

Multicultural Engagement Coordinator

Ange Boyd

Assertive Outreach Program Coordinator

Louisa Devadason

Multicultural Support Officer

Maree Anderson

Multicultural Engagement, Brisbane

Julie Dunn

Multicultural Engagement, Cairns

Sylvie H

Multicultural Engagement, Toowoomba

Venantie Niragira

Multicultural Engagement, Logan
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