COS305 – Skills in Advocacy Practice in Disability.

COS305 – Skills in Advocacy Practice in Disability.

Assessment 2 (40%)

Assessment Type: Individual Written Report (Case Study Essay)
Due Date: Week 9 – 24/10/2025
Open From: Week 5
Word Limit: 2000 words (±10%)
Weighting: 40%
Referencing Style: APA 7th Edition

 Task Overview

Select one (1) case study from the list below. Using advocacy frameworks and theories, analyse the client’s situation, identify barriers to advocacy, and propose strategies and evidence-based recommendations to address the issues. The assessment must demonstrate your ability to apply advocacy principles, ethical practice, and theoretical understanding to real-world disability and discrimination scenarios.

Instructions for Students

1. Select one case study from the list provided.
2. Identify key advocacy issues and barriers impacting the client.
3. Apply relevant advocacy models or frameworks (e.g., self-advocacy, systems advocacy, citizen advocacy).
4. Analyse the situation using relevant theories and concepts from class (e.g., empowerment theory, social justice, human rights).
5. Propose realistic and ethical recommendations supported by evidence and theory.
6. Include APA 7th Edition referencing for all in-text citations and references. Minimum 5 current (post-2010) peer-reviewed academic sources are required.
7. Structure your report using clear headings and logical flow:
   • Introduction
   • Case Overview
   • Advocacy Analysis
   • Barriers and Challenges
   • Recommendations
   • Conclusion
   • Reference List

Case Studies (Choose One)

1. Overlooked for promotion because of psychiatric disability
2. Denied employment in mine
3. Passed interview but not hired after medical check
4. Not suitable for job because of mental health conditions
5. Woman with autism intimidated by fellow tenants and lease terminated
6. Bathroom modifications to fit walking frame rejected by housing provider

Purpose of the Assessment

To demonstrate the student’s capacity to apply advocacy theory and practice in real-world disability discrimination contexts, analyse barriers to effective advocacy, and develop informed and ethical recommendations that promote inclusion and human rights.

1. Overlooked for promotion because of psychiatric disability

Ivan has a psychiatric disability and was employed as a process worker for a food manufacturer.

Ivan applied for a supervisor position which had become available at work. He was interviewed for the position but was not successful. Ivan’s psychiatric disability meant that he did not perform well in the interview, and he felt this is why he didn’t get the job. When other opportunities for promotion became available, Ivan felt he was then overlooked, despite having the necessary experience.

Ivan says that his employer was aware of his disability and should have made allowances for him in the recruitment process.

Ivan lodged a complaint of disability discrimination with ADNSW.

During conciliation, Ivan’s employer said that they were not aware of his disability when he was applying for a promotion.

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2. Denied employment in mine

Bob* is an experienced underground miner. He sought employment in a local mine which was recruiting workers. Employment at this particular mine would provide Bob the benefit of working close to home without the need for camp life.

Bob made it through several stages of the recruitment process. However, the recruitment process did not continue after the mine was dissatisfied with Bob’s spirometer readings, which measure the amount of air Bob was able to breathe in and out and the time it takes him to exhale completely after a deep breath.

Bob lodged a complaint with ADNSW alleging disability discrimination. ADNSW investigated the complaint by obtaining relevant information from both parties.

The mine owner said the recruitment process was unable to progress further. Mine employees are required to have a full unrestricted medical clearance. The mine said it had serious concerns about Bob being able to carry out the inherent requirements of the position. The mine claimed that the information they had was unclear about whether allowing Bob to work could aggravate any underlying lung weakness, and as a result they were unable to determine whether he could carry out the inherent requirements of the position.

Bob maintained that he had no underlying medical condition other than a very mild degree of airflow limitation. He saw a respiratory doctor who confirmed this and reported that Bob may have been born with the condition.

3. Passed interview but not hired after medical check

Sylvana*, a person living with Fibromyalgia and Hypermobility, applied for a clerical job. She was successful at interview but did not get the role after a medical check.

Sylvana lodged a disability discrimination complaint with Anti-Discrimination NSW (ADNSW). ADNSW investigated the matter by speaking with both Sylvana and the hiring company.

The company said that Sylvana’s employment depended on her passing the medical assessment. They said that while the job was mostly office work, some lifting was required. According to the medical assessment, lifting would put Sylvana at risk of injury. They also said it would cause unjustifiable hardship to the company to change the role by removing lifting duties.

Sylvana said her medical conditions do not affect her ability to do the office work and that she was able to lift within limits set by SafeWork guidelines.

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4. Not suitable for job because of mental health conditions

Sarah applied for a job as a community care worker with an aged care provider. She had previous experience in similar roles with other employers.

Sarah was interviewed for the position and felt it went well. It went longer than the allocated time and she felt the interviewers reacted positively to her responses. During the interview, Sarah disclosed that she lived with anxiety and depression.

Sarah progressed to the next stage of recruitment, providing further information and submitting to a police check and pre-employment medical.

A week later, Sarah got an email advising her that she didn’t get the job. When she rang the employer for an explanation, she says she was advised that her level of anxiety and depression made her unsuitable for the position.

Sarah lodged a complaint of disability discrimination with ADNSW.

When ADNSW investigated the complaint, the employer denied that Sarah’s disability was the reason she didn’t get the job. The employer said that Sarah’s responses to some questions raised concerns about her ability to maintain appropriate boundaries with clients. They apologised for any miscommunication of its reasons for not employing Sarah.

5. Woman with autism intimidated by fellow tenants and lease terminated

Amelie* is a woman living with autism. She is a tenant of social a housing accommodation provider. Amelie said she felt preyed upon, socially isolated and vulnerable to harassment and intimidation from other tenants because of her disability.

Amelie requested to transfer to different accommodation and was placed on a transfer request list. However, Amelie’s accommodation provider later removed Amelie from their transfer list and began to process a termination of Amelie’s lease.

Amelie made a complaint of disability discrimination to ADNSW.

The accommodation provider denied unlawfully discriminating against Amelie. They said they removed Amelie from their transfer request list and began to terminate Amelie’s lease because they were responding to multiple complaints from other tenants about Amelie’s alleged anti-social behaviour and her breach of the Residential Tenancy Agreement.

6. Bathroom modifications to fit walking frame rejected by housing provider

Seth* lives in subsidised housing. He has physical disabilities and uses a walking frame. Seth approached his housing provider to make changes to the layout of his bathroom so that he could use his walking frame inside the bathroom.

The housing provider was reluctant to make the recommended modifications that were supported by Seth’s Occupational Therapist and instead suggested that Seth move to alternative housing.

Seth had lived in the house for several years and did not want to move away from the area. He made a complaint with ADNSW of disability discrimination by his housing provider.

Formatting Requirements

• Word processed, 1.5 spacing, 12-point Arial or Calibri.
• Include student name, ID, unit code, and assessment title.
• Use page numbers and consistent heading levels.
• Submit as a Word or PDF document via LMS.

Academic Integrity

All submissions must be original. Plagiarism or AI-generated content without proper acknowledgement will be reported under the Academic Integrity Policy.

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End of Assessment Task 2 – COS305

Introduction

Advocacy in disability contexts is not merely about representation—it is about promoting equity, human rights, and empowerment for individuals who experience systemic and attitudinal barriers. Within Australia’s legal and social frameworks, advocacy plays a vital role in ensuring that people with disabilities enjoy fair treatment, particularly in workplaces where discrimination can be subtle yet deeply damaging. This case study explores Ivan’s experience—a process worker overlooked for promotion due to his psychiatric disability—and analyses it through the lens of advocacy theories and frameworks.

Psychiatric disabilities, such as depression, bipolar disorder, or anxiety disorders, often attract social stigma and misunderstanding, influencing workplace decisions and perpetuating inequality. Ivan’s case, where an employer allegedly failed to provide reasonable accommodations during the promotion process, underscores a broader challenge faced by many individuals with psychosocial disabilities: the lack of systemic understanding and inclusive practices in employment settings.

Using advocacy frameworks such as self-advocacy, systems advocacy, and citizen advocacy, this report examines the ethical and theoretical dimensions of Ivan’s situation. The discussion integrates empowerment theory, human rights principles, and social justice frameworks to highlight how advocacy can challenge discrimination and promote inclusion. The analysis identifies key barriers—such as stigma, inadequate policy enforcement, and limited awareness of legal obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)—that prevent individuals like Ivan from accessing equal employment opportunities.

Ultimately, this report aims to propose evidence-based and ethical recommendations for both individual and organisational advocacy interventions. These strategies will demonstrate how advocacy can be used to uphold Ivan’s rights, improve employer accountability, and foster a more inclusive workplace culture.

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