Who is IDEAS?
We are a not for profit organisation working to support people with disability and people with age-related disability, their families, carers and other supporters to self-advocate, enabling them to make informed decisions about matters of importance to them. We do this by providing a range of free information services and products. IDEAS stands for Information on Disability, Education and Awareness Services.
How do the services operate?
All services are operated by IDEAS, which is overseen by the Board of Directors members of which are elected annually. The day-to-day operations are carried out by paid staff under the supervision of the Executive Officer.
How do I get Assistance?
If you need help to find disability information, you can contact us by phone, email, website, regular mail or by visiting our offices. You can also contact us by calling the Translating and Interpreting Service or TIS, (a phone solution for people who do not speak English) on 131 450 or the National Relay Service (a telephone access service for people who are Deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment) on 133 677. You can contact us through our number 02 6947 3377 or email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
What are your rights?
As a user of our service, you have the right to:
- privacy
- be dealt with without discrimination
- any information about yourself or your situation
- be treated as an individual, and to have your preferences taken into account
- have a say in decisions made about your rights
- complain or take action to resolve a dispute
What are your responsibilities?
So that we can continue to provide you with great service, it is important that you:
- provide staff with accurate and complete information about your situation
- respect the rights and needs of other people using our services
- let staff know if you need an interpreter or have any other special needs
- be polite to our staff
What are IDEAS responsibilities?
We have a responsibility to provide a service that:
- respect your independence and ability to choose
- respect your privacy
- allow you to access information about yourself
- informs you of your rights and responsibilities
- informs you about services that are available and any other choices
- talks with you before making decisions regarding services
- ensures your safety when visiting our offices
- considers your views when planning, managing, and assessing our services
What if I'm not happy with the service provided?
We aim to provide high-quality service, so we would like to know if you have any problems. Your service will not be stopped if you complain. If you do not feel comfortable with a staff member, please ask to speak to the Team Leader of Individual Support or our Executive Officer.
Remember, it is your right to make a complaint or to voice any concerns you may have with the services received from IDEAS.
How do I make a complaint?
If you feel your rights are not being respected or if you have any other complaint or concerns about the service you have been receiving, you can do any of the following:
- if you feel comfortable, discuss the problem with the staff member involved - this may lead to a quick solution
- if this does not work, you can contact the Information Lead or the Operations Manager on 02 6947 3377
- If you are still unhappy you could speak to a member of the Board of Directors (the telephone numbers will be given on request)
- or you may write to the Chairperson of the Board at PO Box 786, Tumut NSW 2720
- If you are still unhappy you may wish to speak to the NSW Ombudsman on 1800 451 524 or IDEAS will provide you with other choices for assistance.
Can someone speak on my behalf?
Yes! You can ask a family member, carer or friend to advocate on your behalf. You have the right to an advocate if you are a person with a disability or their supporter, family member, friend or carer.
Privacy Complaints
All privacy complaints will be handled in the terms of our Privacy Complaints procedure, a copy of which may be requested from IDEAS.
How much will the services cost?
IDEAS is a free service for people with disability, their families, carers and other supporters.
Information on Disability Education Awareness Services Ltd. receives funding from the NSW and Commonwealth Governments, to provide a service to people living in NSW.
Please note IDEAS is required to release information about service usage (without identifying your name or address) to our funding bodies to enable statistics about disability services and their clients to be compiled. The information will be kept confidential. This information is used for statistical purposes only and will not be used to affect your entitlements or access to services.
IDEAS Privacy Statement
Personal information collected by IDEAS - Information on Disability & Education Awareness Services Ltd (ABN 73 877 964 532) ("IDEAS") is treated as confidential and is protected by the Privacy Act 1988 ("Act"). Personal information is any information that can be used to identify you. This includes any personal information or opinions about you, whether true or not, no matter how the information or opinions are recorded. IDEAS has developed a Privacy Policy to protect your privacy in compliance with the Act. This Statement contains some important information regarding the application of our Privacy Policy and more information is contained in our Privacy Policy, which is available on request.
Our policy is to inform you:
- How we collect and use your personal information
- What personal information is being collected
- Your right of access to your personal information
- Your right to inspect and, where necessary, correct the personal information that we hold about you
- Your rights to have your privacy complaints investigated and resolved
- Your right to have your personal information protected from misuse or unauthorised access
The Privacy Policy applies to all members of IDEAS, Board members, advisory committee members, service providers, clients and interested persons contacting IDEAS on behalf of clients, individuals, job applicants and prospective employees who provide us with their personal information.
On this website, we will record personal information only for the purposes requested by you when registering as a returning user of this site. We will only record your email address and other details if you send us a required to do so through the links provided on this site. Your email address will not be placed on any mailing list or any other contact register unless your request it to be so.
IDEAS does not have any responsibility for the privacy policies or practices of any third party linked to this website.
Download your copy: Customer Information and Privacy Brochure
