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Australians with disability could lead the next wave of disability research as the Albanese Government gets set to splash an approximated $5.4 million investment via the National Disability Research Partnership.
The $5 million dollar figure is proposed to empower researchers to explore ways to strengthen the safety of people with disability, increase accessibility and build more inclusive communities - following key recommendations made by the Disability Royal Commission, according to a statement published by Minister for the NDIS, Senator Jenny McAllister.
The Minister claims that the funds will help create and navigate clear pathways for emerging researchers with disability, “ensuring disability expertise is valued and embedded in the future of Australian research.”
We’re building the evidence base to design services that promote safety and independence, centred around the needs of people with disability
Minister for the NDIS, Senator Jenny McAllister
Jen Hargrave is a community researcher living with disability. She explains how she has seen firsthand how people with lived experience driving research can impact the types of programs that receive funding, which in turn can influence which policies are passed.
“What makes it different is that it's promoting disability leadership from the beginning of the project, which I think shapes projects in a really different way so that you're …setting up a better methodology,” she says.
It makes the impact stronger because people with disabilities are going to see themselves in the work more, and it helps answer…some really big knowledge gaps that we have…about Australians with disabilities.
Jen Hargrave
Professor Christine Imms is an occupational therapist and research director at the University of Melbourne’s Healthy Trajectories Child and Youth Disability Research Hub. She is also part of one of the teams to have received early funding via the National Disability Research Partnership.
“That opportunity means that young people with disability and their families are driving the direction of the research about psychological safety so that we focus on building contexts that are supportive of the wellbeing of all young people,” she explains.
Professor Imms believes the funding boost is a valuable opportunity.
It's a really good opportunity for the community to learn…how to authentically engage and work together to do research that's focused on the priorities of people with disability.
Professor Christine Imms
However, Professor Imms did question whether the overall $5.4 million dollar amount allocated towards disability led research could be higher given the number of Australians living with disability, which happens to be 5.5 million people nationwide.
“If we think about that five and a half million in the context of say health research where there's nearly $6 billion allocated, it's not a lot,” she says.
However, community researcher Jen Hargrave says she has not seen this level of funding given to the disability research sector.
“I have not seen such a big investment in disability led research ever before. I've never seen anything like this, so I hope it's a sign of trends changing.”
“Grants that support disability led research give us opportunities as people with disabilities to build up skills. It's creating opportunities and career pathways for people with disabilities in the industry,” Ms Hargrave claims.
According to the statement released by Ms McAllister, the federal government is also backing a new Leadership Program to support the next generation of disability researchers.
Fourteen participants will receive up to $30,000 each to help fund their postgraduate research, build peer networks, and strengthen connections with disability sector organisations.
Mary Sayers, CEO of the National Disability Research Partnership (NDRP), Australia’s first independent research organisation co-led by people with disability, believes the investment will support research projects led by and designed for people with disability.
This funding recognises the expertise that comes from lived experience and invests directly in building the leadership, capability and influence of researchers with disability to inform real world change.
Mary Sayers
“It’s a significant step towards a more inclusive and impactful research system that delivers better outcomes for Australians with disability.”
Applications for the research fund are open until 20 April.
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