Advocacy for Inclusion (incorporating People with Disabilities ACT) and Women with Disabilities ACT, on behalf of the community-controlled I-Day Steering Committee, invite you to join in our first ever Celebration Pass program – a key stone of this years community lead celebrations for the UN International Day of People with Disability in the ACT (I-Day). I-Day is a United Nations mandated day which falls on 3 December every year. The Australian Government has marked I-Day since 1992.
What is on offer
2025 sees ACT events for I-Day hosted by the community for the first time and lead by people with disabilities. To foster and promote the Day we have formed a partnership with The Canberra Weekly for the first time in Canberra. The Canberra Weekly is a free magazine style weekly publication with reach across the city.
The centrepiece will be a dedicated edition of the magazine in the week leading up to 3 December. This will include a multi page supplement supported by advertising which will include articles, an arts showcase and an advertorial feature. We will also be publishing a multi page Celebration Pass in a lift out style at the centre of the supplement.
This will enable readers to find events and actions across the city. This is a practical way to align your brand with inclusion and welcome people with disability to your service, offering or venue in the week leading up to I-Day on 3 December. We invite you to feature your service, offering or venue in the Celebration Pass for this occasion.
You do not need to advertise to take part. You do need to have an ‘offer’ (see ideas in the menu of options) and to be willing to have your logo published and to follow through by making your offer available on or around the 3 December. You can advertise and do more if you wish.
How you can be involved: Join the IDAY Celebration Pass Programme
The pass is a high-visibility feature that reaches households, venues, and public spaces across Canberra. Bearers of the pass who present it during the offer period will be able to use it to access discounts, events, offers and information*. This is a great way to extend your reach and connect with a wider audience. You can be involved by:
- Promote an I-Day action (e.g., low-sensory hour, access tour, service launch).
- Promote an I-DAY offer (discount, freebies and other offers).
- Promote an I-DAY event (come-and-try session, film screening, performance).
Benefits If you include an offer in the Celebration Pass, you will:
- Have your logo and offer in the centre spread.
- Attract customers/visitors with disability (research shows people with disability are more likely to travel with a family group).
- Align your brand with the International Day of People with Disability, the ACT’s biggest disability celebration event.
*This is not a disability or carers concession scheme. Offers are for anybody who wants to celebrate the Day. The IDAY Celebration Pass will operate as a goodwill scheme, and entrants should shape their offers accordingly – it will entitle the bearer to the benefits and discounts offered to celebrate IDAY either as a person with a disability, ally or family member. It is not linked to concession cards or other entry criteria.
Why you should participate
December 3rd is the International Day of People with disability (IDPWD). It is observed by the United Nations and celebrated worldwide. The Day provides an opportunity for the community to open its doors to people with disabilities, their families, and caregivers. The ACT is the first and only jurisdiction where IDPWD, or simply I-DAY as we call it, has been handed from the government to be community controlled.
People with disability are an important audience for your service or business. The last census included new figures on the extent of chronic illness and disability for the first time and shows that at least 177,302 Canberrans experience some illness or condition. At the same time, around 86,800 people, about 19.4% of the ACT’s population, live with disability requiring some regular assistance. The proportion of people with disability in the ACT has increased over time, rising to 19.4 per cent in 2022. The ACT also has a greater prevalence of reported disability across all age groups compared to Australia.
There is considerable investment and community interest in disability, largely driven by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The ACT Government is also involved in designing a new support system, while specific strategies are attracting funding, focus, and attention in areas such as health, education, and justice. There are also important initiatives underway in employment and housing for people with disability.
The Canberra Weekly has a significant reach across Canberra and can be found in shops, venues, and public spaces throughout the ACT. As a trusted lifestyle publication with a strong reach into Canberra households, Canberra Weekly offers a unique opportunity to connect directly with people with disability, their families, carers, and the broader community.
The Canberra Weekly is everywhere – just like disability is experienced everywhere – and this is your chance to show support, be involved and connect with a large audience who may not be aware of your services or venues.
So OK, I’m interested. What do I do?
Here is what you need to do
- Decide on your ‘offer’ – what discount, freebie or event do you want to provide on I-Day?
- Provide your email, logo and text (100 words or less) to IDAY@advocacyforinclusion.org
- Let us know if you also want to advertise
Sample offer text:
- ‘Joan Smiths Golf Club 2 free clinics 9am – 11.30am. Booking essential email joan@golf.org
Valid 2-3 December (your logo)’
- “Mood Art Gallery – Free entry for bearer 1 December to the Joan Smith exhibition. Find out more on our website
Valid 1 – 5 December”
- “Peters Cafe – Free coffee for bearer to celebrate I-Day 2025. 1 Smith Lane, Phillip
Valid 3 December”
- “Open Day and Free I-Day morning tea – Joan Smith’s Employment Service welcomes you to our morning tea and open day. Check our services and new publications on disability employment. 1 Smith St Barton ACT. Valid 12 noon 3 December”.
You can also submit a statement of support from your organisation to be considered for the pass.
Deadline 10 November 2025
Would you like more information about being involved with the Celebration Pass, or would you like to learn more about advertising? Please contact: Carla Millner-Bradley, Project Lead, by emailing IDAY@advocacyforinclusion.org or calling 02 6257 4005.
Want to do more?
Enhance Your Reach: Exclusive Advertising Opportunity
You can also pair your inclusion in the Celebration Pass with an advertisement in the I-Day feature. This is a powerful way to highlight your services in a positive, community-wide demonstration of inclusion. The packages are exclusive to this feature and represent significant savings compared to regular pricing. You can also advertise without joining the pass programme.
- Advertising options include:
- Full page ad + editorial feature
- Half page ad + editorial feature
- Quarter page ad + short feature
Email us for more information.
The Steering Committee and its co-chairs endorse this opportunity; we hope you will join us in celebrating I-DAY together.