Collaboration across the sector

DPA wants strong partnerships with all key stakeholders and a shared commitment to the priorities in the Agenda for change.

From the DPA Agenda for change.

The push for collaboration centres on improving the cooperation between disabled persons organisations (DPOs), including DPA. (DPOs represent particular disability groups and DPA represents the views of disabled people, across the board.)

In recent years, a lot of work has also been done to improve the collaboration between DPOs and government.

DPA also has ongoing relationships with many other organisations.

Current Work

The Disability Action Plan

Disabled Persons Organisations (DPOs), including DPA, worked alongside government to write the Disability Action Plan that was released May 2014.  They are also helping oversee it's implementation. This four-year cross government plan lists the priorities for New Zealand to advance implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  The Disability Action Plan will be formally reviewed in the second half of 2015

Go here to read more about the Disability Action Plan

Collaboration that contributed to this new way of working

DPO's working together

In 2012 DPA pulled the DPOs together to begin a conversation about how to work together to fulfill the role of representatives of disabled people as outlined in Article 4.3 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This Article is about consulting and involving disabled people in decision making through their representative organisations.

Since then the DPOs, including DPA, have agreed on areas they will work on to improve their capacity to deliver on Article 4.3. (These areas include: strategic governance, financial sustainability with limited resources, adaptive leadership, responsiveness to disabled people's rights, an outcomes framework and team building.)

Government working with the DPO's

Government agreed in August 2013 to work with DPOs in a new way by involving them early in policy design, and monitoring new initiatives.

DPOs involved in this agreement include: DPA, Balance NZ, the Association of Blind Citizens, People First, Deaf Aotearoa, Nga Hau e Wha, Ngati Kapo o Aotearoa and Deafblind NZ.

As DPA and the DPO's work with  Government agencies to progress the Disability Action Plan they also meet with a group of Government Chief Executives to assess how work is progressing and make any required adjustments.

DPA has many other working relationships

DPA also works with many other disability organisations. These are listed on Our Partners
We also hold two yearly forums and invite leaders from across the disability sector. Read about the 2015 DPA forum
 

The DPA Agenda for Change
United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities



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