Disability Advocacy ServiceSession 8 · 9 July 2026
PATH Leadership Group · Cohort 1 · Module 12
Session 8.
DAS · Mparntwe / Alice Springs01 / 23
Disability Advocacy Service11:00 · Welcome back
First, the most important thing
Acknowledgement of Country.
We acknowledge the Arrernte people as the Traditional Custodians of Mparntwe (Alice Springs).
We pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging.
We also acknowledge all the language groups across the Central Australia and Barkly region this program serves.
We pay our respects to all First Nations peoples whose knowledge, leadership, and lived experience guide this work.
We pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging.
We also acknowledge all the language groups across the Central Australia and Barkly region this program serves.
We pay our respects to all First Nations peoples whose knowledge, leadership, and lived experience guide this work.
Session 8 · Acknowledgement02 / 23
Disability Advocacy Service11:00 · Welcome back
Last group session
Welcome back.
- Last group session today. After this it's your own PATH Plan days, one each
- We'll talk about that at the end
- Today is meetings - chairing one, and speaking up in one
- Later this morning Mandy chairs a real pretend meeting - your job is to catch her doing good chairing
Quick round: one thing since we last met. Mandy goes first. Pass is fine.
Session 8 · Welcome back03 / 23
Key Word Signwelcome
Disability Advocacy Service11:06 · Housekeeping
Before we start - quick check
Housekeeping.
Toilets
We'll point them out. Ask any time - someone will walk you.
Assembly point
We'll show you where on the day.
Phones
Silent please. Step out if you need to take a call. No drama.
Photos
Only if your Photo OK is ticked. A cohort photo is on today's meeting agenda - still only with your OK.
Cards
Keep them handy today. The chair is going to ask you to use them in the meeting.
Food
Lunch around 12:00.
Session 8 · Housekeeping04 / 23
Key Word Signtoilet
Disability Advocacy Service11:06 · Today
Here's the plan.
11:00
Welcome back & Acknowledgement
11:06
Housekeeping
11:12
Meetings - why we practise + the menu
11:20
Mandy goes first
11:25
Leadership Bingo - set-up
11:33
The mock meeting - Mandy chairs
11:40
Bingo! + debrief
11:50
Try it yourself - pair chairs
12:00
Lunch
12:15
Which card goes to your PATH Plan day?
12:25
End-of-program reflection - in pairs
12:45
Take-home · appreciations · standing ovation
12:54
After the program · acknowledgements · close
Venue[confirm at day-before huddle]
Assembly[confirm for venue on the day]
Session 8 · Today05 / 23
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Disability Advocacy Service11:12 · Module 12
Module 12
Meetings.
Chairing a meeting.
Speaking up when it matters.
Speaking up when it matters.
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Session 8 · Meetings06 / 23
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Disability Advocacy Service11:12 · Why we practise
Meetings - why we practise
Why meetings?
- Leaders run meetings. Leaders sit in meetings
- A good chair makes everybody's voice count
- Speaking up when something's not right is a skill - we'll practise
Mandy: "I've chaired meetings. I've been quiet in meetings. Both are hard. We get better with practice."
Session 8 · Why we practise07 / 23
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Disability Advocacy Service11:15 · The menu
What we'll cover
Two things today.
Chairing a meeting
- Leadership Bingo
- Master sheet for the chair
- Practise running 5 minutes of meeting
- What a good chair does
Speaking up
- Chair prompt cards - sentence stems
- Stems you can borrow
- What to say when the room goes off-track
Quick vote with your cards - green means "I want to do this one". Good news: we're doing both today. Chairing this morning, speaking up after lunch.
Session 8 · The menu08 / 23
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Disability Advocacy Service11:20 · Mandy first
Before we open the cards
Mandy goes first.
Mandy shares one meeting where she chaired, and one where she had to speak up when it was hard.
Session 8 · Mandy first09 / 23
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Disability Advocacy Service11:25 · Bingo set-up
Activity · Leadership Bingo
Leadership Bingo - let's play.
- Pick a Bingo card (1, 2, 3 or 4)
- Watch the chair - tick what they do
- First to fill a card calls out "Bingo"
- Talk about what was easy and what was hard
The chair has a master sheet too - 14 things a good chair does. At the end we compare.
Session 8 · Bingo set-up10 / 23
Key Word Signexcited
Disability Advocacy Service11:33 · Mock meeting
Activity · The mock meeting
The mock meeting.
Mandy chairs.
- 1. Welcome
- 2. What should we do for lunch on PATH Plan day?
- 3. Should we have a cohort photo?
- 4. How do we celebrate the end of the program?
5 minutes. Real meeting rules. Tick your Bingo card as you watch.
Session 8 · Mock meeting11 / 23
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Disability Advocacy Service11:40 · Bingo + debrief
Activity · Bingo! + debrief
Bingo! What did the chair do?
- First to fill a card calls "Bingo!" - we pause the meeting
- Read out the items you ticked - do we agree?
- Mandy shows her master sheet: "These are the ones I used. Did it match what you ticked?"
- Which were easy to spot? Which would you find hard to do as the chair?
Session 8 · Bingo + debrief12 / 23
Key Word Signgood
Disability Advocacy Service12:00 · Lunch
Short break
Lunch.
Tea, food, fresh air.
Back at 12:15.
Back at 12:15.
★
Session 8 · Lunch13 / 23
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Disability Advocacy Service12:15 · Your card
Activity · Your PATH Plan day
Which card goes to your PATH Plan day?
Your PATH Plan day is a meeting. It's about you, with your team in the room. You can chair parts of it - with the chair cards you practised last week.
- "Can we slow down a bit? I want to follow." (card 2)
- "Can we take a 5-minute break?" (card 6)
- "I'd like to hear what [name] thinks about this." (card 3)
Go-round: name the ONE card you're taking to your plan day. We'll write it down and make sure it's honoured on your day.
Session 8 · Your card14 / 23
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Disability Advocacy Service12:25 · Reflection
20 minutes · in pairs · we listen
End-of-program reflection.
- Looking back at when you started, what is different now?
- What is the most important thing you have learned?
- What was the best moment? What was hard?
- Who is on your team now?
- What is your big goal? Your first small step? Your second?
- One thing DAS could do differently for the next group?
Then a quick-fire - smiley · neutral · sad: I feel more confident as a leader · I know more about my rights · I have a clearer picture of my future · I have more people in my team · I would recommend this program.
Mandy partners anyone without a buddy. We listen - we don't steer. The sheet goes home with you.
Session 8 · Reflection15 / 23
Disability Advocacy Service12:46 · Take home
To take with you
Take your cards home.
- Your Bingo card - signed. It's yours
- Your chair prompt set - including any own-words cards you made
- Use one at your PATH Plan day
- That's the homework. And it's the last one
Session 8 · Take home16 / 23
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Disability Advocacy Service12:48 · Close
A good chair finishes with an appreciation
One good thing
that happened.
From the whole program, not just today. One sentence each. Mandy, Metia and Lukas go first. Pass is fine.
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Session 8 · Appreciations17 / 23
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Disability Advocacy Service12:52 · Standing ovation
Eight sessions · one cohort
Standing ovation.
You showed up.
You did the work.
You got to know yourselves and each other.
You did the work.
You got to know yourselves and each other.
Session 8 · Standing ovation18 / 23
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Disability Advocacy Service12:54 · After the program
We stay with you
After the program.
Your PATH Plan day
One day each, with your team and two facilitators. If your date isn't locked, we'll ring you this week
This week
A printed letter in the post - your end-of-program letter
One month after
A phone call. How is it going? Anything getting in the way?
Three months after
A postcard or call, and an invite to the next cohort celebration
Ongoing
DAS Community Leadership News - quarterly. You are part of the DAS leadership network
Questions before then? Call DAS on (08) 8953 1422, or message your support worker.
Session 8 · After the program19 / 23
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Disability Advocacy Service12:57 · Acknowledgements
The people behind this program
Acknowledgements.
Curriculum. PATH (Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope) was developed by Jack Pearpoint, John O'Brien and Marsha Forest (Inclusion Press, Canada). The leadership-group preparation curriculum was developed by Inclusion NT (Darwin) under DSS funding. The Head/Hands/Heart/Connections frame was originally adapted with permission from Imagineer.org.uk. This Central Australian adaptation was prepared by DAS in partnership with Inclusion NT under the PATH MOU 2025-26.
Co-facilitator and peer review. Mandy Knight - paid PWID co-facilitator and peer reviewer. Metia - DAS Programs Support and primary PATH facilitator.
Cultural review. Acknowledgement of Country wording: pending review by Lhere Artepe Aboriginal Corporation (Mparntwe). Cross-region Acknowledgement cross-checked with NT Aboriginal Interpreter Service. DAS does not author Aboriginal cultural content - cultural authority sits with the relevant referee.
Session 8 · Acknowledgements20 / 23
Disability Advocacy Service12:58 · Feedback
Two minutes before you go
Feedback forms.
Your traffic-light feedback form - 2 minutes, hand it in at the door.
Support workers - your form too. Drop it back, or email peersupport@das.org.au.
Anonymous is fine. Honest is better.
Support workers - your form too. Drop it back, or email peersupport@das.org.au.
Anonymous is fine. Honest is better.
Session 8 · Feedback21 / 23
Disability Advocacy Service13:00 · Close
Last group session · Mandy closes
Thank you.
"Thanks team. Mandy here. Good work today."
See you at your PATH Plan day. Bring your cards.
Session 8 · Close22 / 23
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Disability Advocacy ServiceEnd · Session 8
Thank you
Disability
Advocacy
Service.
DAS · Mparntwe / Alice Springs23 / 23