Client Advisory Network

The Client Advisory Network (CAN) is about giving residents in level 3 facilities a voice to share information and ideas with Government about making services better and fairer. ​

CAN members will be paid.  To apply you need to do an expression of interest by phone or email or completing the online form below. 

​Click here to complete the Online Expression of Interest Form 

 If you live in a level 3 residential service (commonly known as supported accommodation, hostels, boarding houses) and want to be part of the Client Advisory Network, we want to hear from you.

If you need help, please contact our Policy Team on 1300 363 783 or 0499 271 035 or qdn@qdn.org.au

What is the Client Advisory Network (CAN)  

The Client Advisory Network (CAN) is a new group that is being set up. It is for people who live in level 3 residential services (commonly known as supported accommodation, hostels, boarding houses).  

CAN is about:  

  • Helping people speak up about their services 
  • Talking together about ideas to help make services better and fairer 
  • Sharing those ideas with Government to improve supported accommodation 

 

Who is doing this work?  

Queenslanders with Disability Network (QDN) has been asked by the Queensland Department that looks after disability services to work with residents to set up the CAN.  

CAN is one of the ideas from the Parliamentary Inquiry and big review about supported accommodation.  

 

What will the CAN do?  

As a group, CAN will: 

  • Share thoughts and ideas that can help improve services and how things work for residents  
  • Get feedback from other residents  
  • Talk about problems and ways to fix them 
  • Give advice to the government through another group called the Expert Disability Housing Advisory Panel (EDHAP) 

The work will focus on the following key principles that are the things that are important:  

  • Every person with disability has a right to speak up 
  • Everyone’s background and culture is important 
  • We treat all people with respect and fairness 

 

Meetings 

  • Meetings are held online using Zoom or Teams 
  • If you don’t have a device, QDN can talk to you about how we can get one  
  • You can get help from a support worker or advocate to join 
  • We will meet 4 times a year or more if needed 
  • CAN will go for 2 years  

 

Who will be part of the CAN?  

We will ask people who are interested to come along to a meeting where they can find out more about what it is and what’s involved.  

We will ask people to answer some questions as part of an Expression of Interest. This means you can say I want to apply to be part of this. There will be 3 people who will look at all the applications and choose 8 people to be on the CAN.  

 

CAN will have 8 to 10 members. 

We want to make sure that people on the CAN include people who:  

  • Are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander 
  • Speak different languages or have different backgrounds 
  • Are women, children, or young people 
  • Are part of LGBTQIA+ communities 
  • Live in the city or in country areas 
  • Live in big or small supported accommodation homes 
  • Get money from NDIS, Disability Support Pension, Age Pension, or other programs 

 

Meeting Support 

  • Some meetings may talk about hard things. If this makes people upset or stressed, help and support will be available. 
  • Some of the things we talk about are private. Members must not share this information unless told it is okay. 
  • If you have any connection to a topic being discussed that could cause a problem, tell the co-chairs so we can handle it the right way. 

 

Getting Paid 

You will get paid for your time. 

 

 

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