People with disability from multicultural communities often face racism, language barriers, and complex, inaccessible systems. We support peer networks in these communities to build connection, share knowledge, and strengthen support. We also create opportunities for people to share their lived experience through advocacy and research. At the same time, we push for inclusive, culturally safe services that reflect the diversity of our communities.

A group of people from a Spanish-speaking background sitting at a table, talking to each other and smiling.

Understanding the barriers

Multicultural communities face unique challenges

People with disability from diverse cultural backgrounds often face complex and layered barriers. These challenges arise from the intersection of ableism, racism, and cultural misunderstandings, including:

  • Negative attitudes – People from culturally diverse backgrounds are more likely to be treated unfairly, especially those who have recently arrived in Australia, including refugees and people with complex access needs.

  • Communication access needs – Language and cultural differences can make communication harder. Others may mistake a person with disability’s communication access needs as language differences, and make harmful assumptions. This means their communication access needs might go unmet.

  • Limited access to services – Public services are often difficult to find and understand. Many people with disability who are new to Australia learn about support options through their community—not from the services themselves.

People from a Bhutanese community sit around a table talking and sharing food

Building connection through peer networks

Community-led spaces support inclusion, safety, and belonging

JFA Purple Orange works alongside Bhutanese and Hispanic peer networks in Adelaide. These groups meet monthly in their local areas, providing space for people with disability and their families to:

  • Connect with others

  • Share lived experience and knowledge

  • Learn about changes in the disability sector

  • Participate in community events

These peer networks help people stay connected to both their cultural and disability communities. This is especially important for people new to Australia.

It’s often through community that people find out about vital services, including housing, education, employment, English language classes, and disability supports.

Most importantly, these networks offer safe, welcoming spaces where people can build confidence, make friends, and feel a strong sense of belonging.

View our peer networks

Projects

Projects

Human Rights & Justice
Leadership & Self-Advocacy
LGBTQIASB+
Multicultural Communities
NDIS & Foundational Supports
Regional Communities

SKILL SA

SKILL SA is a capacity building project all about peer networks, learning self-advocacy skills and leadership development for people with disability and their supporters. Peer network meetings are for people...

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Stories

Stories

Graphic with circular lines in green, purple, and white. Photo of Khadija, sitting, centre of screen with a fountain behind and her cane in front. Australian Podcast Awards (2024 nominee) and Purple Orange logos at bottom.
LGBTQIASB+
Multicultural Communities
Youth, Children & Families

Podcast: Black people can be disabled – Breaking the cycle of disability stereotypes

Published: 5 September 2025. When Khadija Gbla was finally diagnosed as autistic at 34, they weren’t surprised — they were relieved. What followed was a powerful reckoning with a lifetime...

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Light purple spotted background with circular dark purple accent around a photo of Esther, wearing a red dress and seated on her walker, smiling at the camera.
Multicultural Communities

Podcast: The burden of low expectations – Challenging disability stigma across cultures

Published: 2 February 2024. Have you thought about how other countries and cultures view disability? Esther takes us through her journey of battling cultural stigma around disability in Sudan, Uganda...

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Media releases

Media releases

Two people seated on chairs. Alexandra (left) holds the microphone and reads her story.
Multicultural Communities

Local Spanish speaking communities celebrate people with disability at Refugee Week event

About 60 members of the Spanish speaking communities in Adelaide came together to celebrate the achievements of people living with disability from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds at a...

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Group of six people stand together smiling at the camera. From the left they are: Support worker Emily, police officer Taryn Trevelion, Shadow Minister for Multicultural South Australia Jing Lee, JFA Purple Orange Project Officer Esther Simbi, Denis Yengi, and Mohan Bhattarai.
Multicultural Communities

Local Bhutanese community celebrates people with disability at Refugee Week event

About 80 members of the Bhutanese community in Adelaide came together to celebrate the achievements of people living with disability from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds at a Refugee...

Learn more
Photo of Esther smiling at the camera. She has her hair pulled back and is wearing a printed top.
Multicultural Communities

Purple Orange set to celebrate CALD communities living with a disability during Refugee Week

JFA Purple Orange, in partnership with the Hispanic Women’s Association of South Australia (HWASA) and Bhutanese Australian Association of South Australia (BAASA) (Nepali speaking) community, are hosting Refugee Week celebrations...

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