“True inclusion means listening to the voices of people with disabilities, ensuring their perspectives shape our Church practices, policies, and programs,” writes Elga Rodriguez.
By Elga Rodriguez
I am delighted to step into the role of Disability Inclusion Advocate for the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, bringing with me over 12 years of experience in the disability sector.
I also have family experience of disability.
Throughout my career, I have worked in systemic and individual advocacy, local government, and tertiary education, striving to ensure that people with disabilities are not only seen but meaningfully included in their communities.
Now, in this new role, I am committed to fostering safety, accessibility, empowerment, and belonging within the Synod, ensuring that all people, regardless of ability, can fully engage in the life and mission of our Church.
My path has been shaped by a deep commitment to equity and inclusion.
Over the years, I have supported individuals with blindness and low vision in achieving meaningful employment, ensuring their access needs were met and linking opportunities according to their career goals.
I have also worked in systemic advocacy, working to influence and change policies, procedures, and service delivery to create environments where people with disability can access services, exercise their rights, and engage fully in society.
I have assisted people with disabilities, their families, and caregivers in navigating barriers to inclusion, ensuring they feel heard, supported, and valued.
My experience in local government and tertiary education has allowed me to collaborate with diverse communities and stakeholders to develop disability action plans, ensuring accessibility is not an afterthought but an integral part of planning and decision-making.
Working on multiple co-design projects, where the outcomes were more effective, has taught me the importance of working alongside people with lived experience of disability as a valued skill that strengthens design processes, ensuring solutions are practical and truly meet diverse needs.
As Disability Inclusion Advocate, my role is to ensure that the Synod remains true to its commitment to being welcoming and accessible to communities. This means:
- Working alongside congregations, presbyteries, Synod Ministries and Operations to promote disability awareness, accessibility, and inclusion through the Synod Disability Action Plan and resources available.
- Developing educational resources to support the implementation of the action plan.
- Advocating for safe church environments for people with disabilities and working with the Culture of Safety Unit.
- Promoting awareness of communication tools that help everyone participate, like Braille, large print, Easy English, plain language, sign language (Auslan), interpreting, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), and the National Relay Service
- Encouraging church communities to embrace accessibility in worship, leadership, and social interactions.
My hope is that this role creates lasting change, and that every congregation, ministry agent, leader, volunteer, and lay staff embodies a spirit of inclusion.
Disability is not a limitation but an opportunity to foster adaptability, learn from our community members, and open the doors to new possibilities.
It is an integral part of life and human diversity.
True inclusion means listening to the voices of people with disabilities, ensuring their perspectives shape our Church practices, policies, and programs.
With faith and determination, I look forward to seeing the Church and our communities lead the way in accessibility, where every person feels welcomed, valued, and empowered to participate and contribute.
Elga can be contacted by email at Elga.Rodriguez@victas.uca.org.au
Elga Rodriguez is the Synod’s Disability Inclusion Advocate
