About us Edited on 17 March 2009
Grampians disAbility Advocacy Association (GdAA) is an independent, not-for-profit, community organisation funded by the Commonwealth and Victorian State Government. We provide advocacy and information to people with all types of disabilities and of all ages.
We are not a legal service, but we can link people who need legal advice with community legal centres or legal aid.
Our service is free, confidential and driven by what people with a disability and their carers want.
GdAA is run by a committee of management appointed by the members of our association. We currently have about 100 members across the Grampians region.
History of Grampians disAbility Advocacy Association
Grampians disAbility Advocacy Association was originally called Ararat/Stawell Advocacy Services. We opened for business in 1996 in Ararat, Victoria.
The service was funded by the Commonwealth Government to provide citizen advocacy in Ararat and Stawell, following the closure of the Aradale and Pleasant Creek institutions, and the movement of people with a disability into the community.
Due to a shortage of volunteer advocates the service soon changed its focus to individual and group advocacy. The service's name changed to GdAA in 1999.
In 2003 the Victorian State Government granted recurrent funding that resulted in the opening of GdAA offices in Horsham and Ballarat.
Find out more about where we work.
Our staff
GdAA's co-ordinator is Debbie Verdon, who started in the position in December 2000. Debbie is a former secondary school teacher and journalist. Her job includes managing GdAA's three sites, providing supervision to the advocacy team and some casework. She has lived in Ararat for 28 years.
Bernadette O'Shannessy is our Wimmera based advocate, supporting people with a disability in the Horsham, West Wimmera, Yarriambiack and Hindmarsh Shires. Bernadette does advocacy work on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and is a born and bred Horsham "local". Bernie started work for GdAA in 2004.
Sara Cavanagh joined the GdAA advocacy team in 2005 and is a relative newcomer to Ballarat - but not to advocacy. Sara has considerable experience as an advocate, having worked for Regional Information and Advocacy Council in Shepparton for five years before coming to the GdAA position. She works at the Ballarat office Tuesday to Thursday.
Judi Smith joined the Ararat-Stawell advocacy team in August 2007. She joins co-ordinator Debbie Verdon in providing advocacy services in Ararat Rural City, Northern Grampians Shire and the Pyrenees Shire. Judi hails from the Seymour area and has been a secondary school teacher since 1974. Since becoming vision impaired 10 years ago she has developed a keen interest in disability issues from a human rights perspective, performing the role of equal opportunity co-ordinator at several schools. Judi works one day a week at the Ararat office of GdAA.
Josie Valente is the highly-valued GdAA office administration worker. Josie joined the GdAA team in March 2006. Previous to this Josie spent some years as a Secretary / Finance Officer and worked in the childcare sector. Josie and her family have lived in Stawell since 1981.
