SDA Tenants Reference Group - The First Meeting
The all new SDA Tenants Reference Group was formed to give tenants a way to be heard when it comes to the writing of policies that affect SDA. The group allows tenants to voice their opinions so that SDA remains a place where people can live their most extraordinary lives.
The first meeting of the SDA Tenants Reference Group was held on 19 November 2020. Members discussed SDA and their experiences in their own properties. All current members of the SDA Tenants Reference Group have negotiated their own housing journey from group homes, aged care, or living with their parents, to now living independently in their new SDA properties.
Some of the members are new to their SDA dwellings, having only moved in over the past couple of months. Others have been living in SDA for over a year. The processes that it takes to get SDA into your NDIS plans have changed over time, so these differences in the length of time living in SDA provide both fresh and longer-term perspectives.
Our current members mainly live in high physical support apartments. As time goes by, we would love to see new members join the group that are tenants from all SDA design categories and in all states of Australia. This would include tenants living with partners, family, friends, or living independently.
The SDA Tenants Reference Group will be holding online meetings every three months. We already have topics lined up for discussion at our next meeting in February. Each member will have ideas that could possibly help to shape the future policies relating to SDA.
About the Author
Belinda has worked as a Lived Experience Facilitator in the Summer Foundation's Housing Hub Team since June 2020. She brings the experience of navigating her own housing journey which sees her now living in an SDA apartment. Belinda has a Bachelor of Commerce from Deakin University.
Belinda is passionate about people with disability having a voice and a say in their own housing journey, which will lead them to have the best support, choice and flexibility in how they live.
Belinda is also the SDA Tenants' Reference Group Lead. Learn more about the group here.
Questions about NDIS Housing?
Call our NDIS Housing Advice line
For people with disability, families, and supporters. Monday – Friday 10.00am – 3.00pm AEDT. You can also email us anytime at housingoptions@housinghub.org.au.
