Consulting and Contract Services

Offering a range of services to support you to model and advocate for true inclusion.

General Advisory and consulting Services

Heidi La Paglia Reid leverages her extensive experience in the disability sector to provide expert advice on disability rights and inclusion. She serves on several Boards and high-level committees, where her insights help shape policies and practices. In addition to ongoing roles, Heidi offers one-off or short-term consulting services, providing tailored support and guidance on specific projects or challenges related to gender equity, intersectionality, neurodivergence, disability rights, inclusion and accessibility.

Research and Report Writing

With over a decade of experience in research, report writing, project management and evaluation, Heidi has the skills to assist you with reporting on projects, consultations and grant acquittals, as well as with responding to government inquiries and issues papers.

Two people sitting at a table with laptops, books, paper, an iPad and a smart phone.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in governance and operations

With experience managing multiple organisations and serving on the Boards of a number of community organisations, Heidi can help you to ensure your organisations policies and governance frameworks meet the needs of your members or audience, including those who are from marginalised communities. Whether you're looking to refine existing frameworks or develop inclusion plans from scratch, Heidi can work with you to meet your needs.

Image showing different coloured lines leading to a person at the end.

Feminist MEL

With experience in project management, data collection and participatory evaluation, Heidi can assist with developing and implementing Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) frameworks and services that centre the perspectives of the people most impacted. Whether you're looking to assess a specific project or enhance your overall impact on the work you trying to achieve, Heidi’s expertise in MEL will guide you toward achieving meaningful and sustainable results.

Presentations and Facilitation

A wall of sticky notes in yellow, orange and pink.

Workshop Facilitation, Co-Design and Lived Experience Consultations

With extensive experience facilitating and participating in lived-experience representation, Heidi has a passion for helping organisations to build collaboration and co-design into projects, programs and governance frameworks.

Photo of Heidi La Paglia Reid speaking into a microphone on a stage. She is wearing blue and has wavey dark hair. Behind her is a large banner with logos of different organisations.

Public Speaking and Presentations

As an Autistic woman, parent and disabled person, consultant and researcher, Heidi offers public speaking from a unique lived experience perspective on a wide range of issues including disability, mental health, gender equality, neurodivergence and institutional violence.

Easy Read and Accessible Content Creation

Drawing on experience in the disability sector, Heidi offers a wide range of accessible content creation services. These include crafting screen reader-friendly documents, creating inclusive social media posts, and providing translations into Plain English, Easy Read, and Easy English. Heidi’s services ensure that your content is accessible to everyone, regardless of ability, helping you effectively reach and engage a diverse audience.

Examples of Past Projects

Research and Reports

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Report on Autistic Experiences

(June 2023)

Prepared comprehensive report for the Australian Autism Alliance (AAA) on the experiences and disadvantages faced by Autistic Australians throughout the life span. from early childhood development through to ageing.

Literature Review of the Disability Royal Commission Research Reports

(September 2023)

Completed a desktop review and analysis of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability research report program, drawing out evidence relevant to the primary prevention of violence against women and girls with disabilities.

Photo showing a person on the left crouching down to excitedly talk to a another person. The person on the right is smiling and using a wheelchair.

Submission to the Consultation on the NDIS Amendment Bill No. 02

(December 2024)

Prepared a submission for People with Disability Australia (PWDA) to submit to the NDIS Commission consultation on the NDIS Amendmnet Bill No. 02 While the submission outlined support for the need to prevent harm to people with disability, it outlined a need to balance safeguarding measures with ensuring that they do not decrease access to supports for people with disability, nor delegate unchecked power to the NDIS Commissioner.

Close up photo of a First Nations dot painting.

NDIS Review Submissions representing the experiences of First Nations people with disability.

(August 2023)

Prepared two submissions for First People's Disability Network (FPDN) to submit to the NDIS Review. The submissions outlined the experiences of First Nations people with disability accessing and navigating the NDIS.

Six people of different ages standing on a beach looking out over the water

Submission in response to the proposed Community Protection (Offender Reporting) Amendment Bill 2023

(February 2024)

Conducted consultations with adult victim survivors of sexual violence and sector stakeholders and prepared a submission on behalf of the Tasmanian Family and Sexual Violence Alliance in response to the Community Protection (Offender Reporting) Amendment Bill 2023.

Woman in Red Blazer using Wheelchair sitting at a desk with a laptop

Submissions to DSS and NDIS Commission Consultations on NDIS Reforms

(December 2024 - March 2025 )

Drafted and launched a member feedback survey and drafted three separate submissions for People With Disability Australia (PWDA) to submit to the Department of Social Services (DSS) consultation on the registration of self-directed supports and NDIS Commission consultations on proposed mandatory registration of Platform Providers, Support Coordination and Supported Independent Living (SIL).

NDIS Review Workshops Summary Reports

(July - August 2023)

Prepared a number of reports for People With Disability Australia (PWDA) summarising focus groups that were held with people with disability about their experience with the NDIS.

Submission in response to the NDIS Amendment Bill 2024

(July 2024)

Prepared a submission for People With Disability Australia (PWDA) summarising the results of a survey with people disability on the NDIS Amendment Bill 2024.

A solitary green tree blossoming during early Spring, in a dry and dusty agricultural field,

NDIS Review submission: 'Why is the NDIS an Oasis?'

(August 2023)

Prepared a submission for national Disability People's Organisation (DPO) to submit to the NDIS Review. Drawing on the experiences of people with disability with the NDIS, the report discusses why the NDIS has become an ‘oasis’ and how actions can be taken to overcome this.

women sitting a table talking. One has a laptop in front of them,

Submission in response to the Parliamentary Inquiry into ADHD services in Tasmania

(August 2024)

Designed a survey and collated the results into a a submission for Women's Health Tasmania to submit to the Parliamentary Inquiry into ADHD services in Tasmania.

Consultation and workshop facilitation

A person looking at a computer screen with lots of different people in a zoom meeting.

Disability Accessibility Training Facilitation

(Ongoing)

Facilitation of training sessions to businesses in the hospitality and tourism industry. These sessions were designed by the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO) in co-design with people with disability.

White background with blue, purple and green shapes and blue and white text reading: 'Foundational Supports. Have your say on foundational supports.' On the right is an image of four people walking down a corridor smiling. One of them is holding workbooks. On the right is an icon of a speech bubble. At the bottom is URL text: 'engage.dss.gov.au/foundational-supports'

Foundational Supports Consultations

(October 2024)

Collaborated with The Social Deck to facilitate community consultations on behalf of the Department of Social Services on the implementation of Foundational Supports.

Consultation on the Community Protection Amendment Bill.

(February 2024)

Worked with the sexual assault support service in northern Tasmania, Laurel House, to consult with victim-survivors and sector representatives about the proposed amendments to the Community Protection (Offender Reporting) Amendment Bill. The feedback from the consultations was summarised into a report that was submitted to the Tasmanian Government.

NDIS Pricing Consultations

(October 2024)

Collaborated with The Social Deck to facilitate community consultations on behalf of the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA) on NDIS Pricing.

Facilitation of Workshops on School to Work Transitions

(December 2023)

Co-facilitated two National Disability Services (NDS) workshops on transitions from school to work for young people with disability.

Co-designing
IncludeAbility 2.0

(June-August 2024)

Worked with the Centre for Impact and Change (CIC) and the Australian Human Rights Commission to co-design the second iteration of their employment program, IncludeAbility 2.0. The project involved co-facilitating three workshops with people with disability and employers to co-design a Project Logic and Theory of Change.

Public Speaking and Presentations

Photo of panel on 'Collaborating to design the policy and legislation that is conducive to a strong, safe and sophisticated sector' at the Disability Care Quality, Safety and Reform Forum in Melbourne. Photo shows a stage with four people. One facilitator on the left and three panellists on the right. Heidi La Paglia Reid is the panellist on the far left wearing a pink jacket and black top, speaking into a microphone. Above the panellists is a projector screen with bios and photos. In the foreground is the audience.

Panel Presentation on designing good disability policy and legislation

(September 2023)

Spoke on a panel at the Disability Care Quality, Safety and Reform Forum about the importance of involving disabled people at every stage of policy development, from design through to implementation.

Webinar on Autism, Food and Nutrition

(May 2024)

Spoke on a webinar for dieticians on how being Autistic impacts eating, diet and nutrition.

Pink background with white text: 'Tell Me About It.'

Consent Panel

(June 2024)

Spoke on a panel at the Laurel House event: ‘Tell me about it! A new tool for starting difficult conversations about consent and sex.’

Group photo in front of the Australian Government Department of Health building in Woden, Canberra. Photo description: From left to right, Dr. Elizabeth Deveny, Chief Executive Officer of the Consumers Health Forum, stands wearing a black top, black-and-white checkered pants, and black shoes. Next is Justan Singh, Consumer Advocate, in a black shirt and light pants. Morgan Lee Murphy, Consumer Engagement Officer at the Consumers Health Forum, stands next, wearing a pale yellow top and navy blue skirt. On the far right is me, Heidi La Paglia Reid wearing a bright pink blazer, a patterned top and colourful pants.

'You Can Ask Me That' Panel with the Federal Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHAC)

(Dec 2024)

Spoke as part of a panel discussion for over 500 staff hosted Department of Health hosted by the Consumers Health Forum of Australia (CHF) and the DoHAC. The session, ‘You Can Ask Me That,’ aimed to create a space for honest dialogue between consumers and government staff about meaningful engagement in health policy.

Easy Read Translations

Screenshot of front page of Australian Women's Health Alliance Easy Read form.

Easy Read Membership Form: Australian Women's Health Alliance

(September 2023)

Provided advice on the accessibility and design of the new Women's Health Hub and co-developed the Easy Read membership form.

Two people with disability sitting a table covered in books. They are smiling and laughing.

Easy Read Terms of Reference

(October 2023)

Developed an Easy Read version of a Disability Advisory Panel Terms of Reference document for disability service provider in Western Australia.

Photo of three people smiling and embracing.

Easy Read Disability Inclusion Plan and Consultation Agenda

(July - August 2024)

Created and produced Easy Read versions of the Tasmanian Government Disability Inclusion Plan and Agenda and Evaluation form for the Tasmanian Forum on the Australian Disability Strategy 2024.

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