Today, we’re launching the NCDA’s Advocacy Sector Workforce Survey 2024 Results Report: a sector-wide snapshot that brings together the voices and experiences of advocates and organisations across Australia. 

Now in its second year, the annual NCDA workforce survey continues to illuminate our sector’s strengths and pressures. The 2024 survey combined individual and organisational responses for the first time in response to feedback from previous participants. The result is a more streamlined, sector-informed resource that captures both big-picture workforce challenges and the realities of day-to-day advocacy. 

The survey draws on responses from 158 individuals and 35 organisations, representing nearly half of all individual disability advocacy organisations and around 40% of the estimated full-time equivalent workforce. 

Key insights 

Our sector is rich in professional skills and lived experience: 

• One in three respondents identified as a person with disability, an increase of 12% from 2023;  
• 37% provide unpaid care for a person with disability; 
• Over three-quarters of respondents hold a diploma or higher qualification, with many citing community services, social work, or law as their area of training. 

As demand for services continues to grow, experience and expertise remain vital. 77% of organisations have reported increased demand over the past 12 months, and 35% said demand had surged by 26% or more. In many cases, demand has outpaced available resources, with 69% of respondents listing unmet demand as the most challenging aspect of their work. 

The impact on workforce wellbeing is clear: 42% of respondents reported that their work affects their health and wellbeing daily or weekly. Managing client expectations, navigating complexity, and working under time pressure were identified as the top stressors. 

Retention and recruitment remain significant concerns. Two-thirds of respondents have worked in the sector for less than five years, and a third are considering leaving their current organisation within 6–12 months. 71% of organisations reported recruitment challenges, particularly in attracting qualified staff with advocacy experience in rural and remote areas. 

But the data also offers direction. Advocates and leaders alike pointed to shared priorities for professional development, including:  

• working with clients with complex needs;  
• delivering culturally safe advocacy for First Nations and CALD communities;  
• developing disability leadership, measuring outcomes, and understanding public policy. 

More than half of the respondents also called for advocacy-specific templates and practical guidance: resources that support good practice and make day-to-day work more manageable. 

A perspective on our sector 

The report affirms advocates’ deep commitment to delivering rights-based support in a rapidly changing environment around Australia. It also reinforces the need for ongoing investment, collaboration, and workforce development across our sector. 

Join us as we continue to build a stronger, more sustainable advocacy sector together. And don’t miss your opportunity to participate in the NCDA’s next advocacy sector workforce survey when it opens on 26 August 2025.