Children and Young People with Disability Australia
Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA) is the national peak advocacy body for children and young people with disability aged 0–25 in Australia, delivering policy advocacy, training, research, and programs such as the DREAM Employment Network and Take Charge of Change.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersClifton Hill, Australia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Children and Young People with Disability Australia does
Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA) is the national peak advocacy body representing children and young people with disability aged 0–25 in Australia. Founded circa 2002 and headquartered in Clifton Hill, Victoria, CYDA operates as a registered non-profit funded primarily through Australian Government grants — including core funding as a Disability Representative Organisation (DRO) from the Department of Social Services — together with donations and project-specific grants. Its remit spans policy advocacy on education, inclusion, NDIS-related issues, and human rights for children and young people with disability and their families.
CYDA's core service offerings include the Take Charge of Change empowerment program, the DREAM Employment Network supporting employment pathways, the Young Leaders Program, the National Youth Disability Summit, training and resources for families and educators, and nationally distributed surveys and research that inform policy submissions. The underlying technology stack is a conventional digital platform (website, CRM-style member/stakeholder engagement tools, online survey and event delivery) rather than proprietary software. Revenue mechanics are grant-driven: multi-year DRO core funding from DSS, project-based government grants, philanthropic donations, and limited event/training revenue. There is no commercial pricing model; the "customer" base is a coalition of government funders, member organisations, and the children, families, and young people CYDA advocates for and serves.
Children and Young People with Disability Australia firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Children and Young People with Disability Australia
- Legal name
- Children and Young People with Disability Australia
- Website
- https://cyda.org.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA) is the national peak advocacy body for children and young people with disability aged 0–25 in Australia, delivering policy advocacy, training, research, and programs such as the DREAM Employment Network and Take Charge of Change.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Children and Young People with Disability Australia industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Disability Advocacy Services
- NAICS
- Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Professional Organizations (81392)
- SIC
- International Affairs (9721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (MNCAH) NGOs (HLAJAKAG)
Keywords
Where Children and Young People with Disability Australia is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Clifton Hill
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Children and Young People with Disability Australia business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Government Funding: CYDA receives core funding from the Australian Government Department of Social Services as a Disability Representative Organisation (DRO), with additional support from NDIS and other government programs.
- Donations: CYDA accepts tax-deductible donations from the public, with options for one-time or recurring monthly contributions. Registered charity with Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).
- Membership Fees: Full membership is free for young people with disability and families; associate (non-voting) membership available for a small annual fee.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Free membership for eligible beneficiaries |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Public training workshops on disability inclusion |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Children and Young People with Disability Australia product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CYDA is Australia's national peak body advocating for children and young people with disability aged 0-25. It delivers systemic advocacy through policy submissions to government, co-designed accessible resources (such as Take Charge of Change), the DREAM Employment Network, annual National Youth Disability Summits, Young Leaders Programs, and fee-based workplace disability inclusion training for employers and educators.
Product overview
Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA) is a not-for-profit advocacy organization and national peak body (not a technology company) offering a portfolio of programs, resources, and services for children and young people with disability aged 0-25. The core offerings include: advocacy and policy submissions to government; Take Charge of Change (co-designed transition resources); the DREAM Employment Network for workplace inclusion; National Youth Disability Summit annual events; Young Leaders Programs; workplace training modules (Disability Inclusion, Hiring & Recruitment, Engaging with Young People); the South Australia Roadmap to Inclusive Education; NDIS navigation resources (In Control My Way); and various surveys, research reports, and policy explainers. CYDA does not offer a software platform, SaaS product, or technology-based service.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Take Charge of Change: A free collection of practical, accessible resources to help children and young people with disability, parents and caregivers feel more confident during major life changes like starting school or moving into employment.
- DREAM Employment Network
- National Youth Disability Summit
- Young Leaders Program
- LivedX
- In Control My Way
Products and services
- Take Charge of Change A free collection of practical, accessible resources co-designed with children and young people with disability, parents, and caregivers to help build confidence, knowledge, and skills for major life transitions such as starting school, finding work, or moving towards independence.
- DREAM Employment Network A network bridging the gap between young people with disability who want to work and employers, providing resources, workshops, events, and networking opportunities to build leadership skills and inclusive employment pathways.
- National Youth Disability Summit CYDA's annual event where young people with disability gather online and in person to discuss issues that matter to them, learn about and develop their advocacy skills, and have a real say about their futures.
- Young Leaders Programs Programs supporting young people with disability to develop leadership skills, with regional/rural programs run in partnership with local organisations.
- Workplace Disability Inclusion Training Training delivered by young people with disability covering experiences of disability, models of disability, language around disability, and confident conversations about disability, with public training dates available.
- Hiring and Recruitment of People with Disability Training Training covering challenges people with disability face in the workplace, appropriate disability conversations, reasonable adjustments, and retention strategies, with public training dates available.
- Engaging with Young People with Disability Training Training covering experiences of young people with disability, their rights, engaging communications and marketing approaches, and real-world scenario case studies.
- South Australia Roadmap to Inclusive Education A comprehensive roadmap adapted from the ACIE National Roadmap, developed through extensive consultation, setting out three stages of reform from 2026 to 2040 to build a truly inclusive school system, with co-designed resources for students, families, and educators.
- In Control My Way Resources co-designed by young people with disability to help navigate the NDIS system, including guides on finding information, advocacy, engaging service providers, and understanding NDIS terminology.
- Social Media Ban Survey Survey research examining how Australia's Social Media Minimum Age restrictions impact the rights, well-being, and safety of children and young people with disability.
- Federal Budget Explainer Document breaking down the Federal Budget into key topic areas (NDIS, Thriving Kids, Education, Employment, Health, Safety) explaining what measures mean for children and young people with disability and their families.
- LivedX Series of videos and papers where young people with disability share their perspectives on issues including tertiary education, healthcare for LGBTQIA+ youth, inclusion, decision-making, financial security, and employment.
- Child Safety Resources Factsheets and information on child safety and preventing violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation of children and young people with disability, developed during the Disability Royal Commission.
Quantifiable outcome
- 79% of surveyed families believed Thriving Kids rollout was too rushed and risked children falling through gaps
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Children and Young People with Disability Australia
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Children and Young People with Disability Australia technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Children and Young People with Disability Australia partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Thriving Kids Advisory GroupcoreCYDA is a member of the government-appointed advisory group providing input on the Thriving Kids program design and implementation.
- The University of MelbourneminorAcademic research partner conducting studies on issues affecting children and young people with disability.
- University of New South WalesminorAcademic research partner collaborating on policy research and disability studies.
- Australian Coalition for Inclusive Education (ACIE)coreCoalition partner working on the National Roadmap to Inclusive Education. CYDA contributed to developing the roadmap and adapts it for state-based reform including South Australia's first state-specific roadmap.
- Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA)coreNational coordination body for Disability Representative Organisations. CYDA participates in joint advocacy, coordinated submissions, and collective advocacy campaigns including NDIS reform responses.
- Australian Autism AllianceminorAlliance partner collaborating on autism-specific policy and NDIS eligibility reassessment concerns.
- First Peoples Disability NetworkminorIndigenous-led disability network partner addressing intersectional needs of First Nations children and young people with disability.
- Inclusion AustraliaminorNational disability organisation partner collaborating on policy positions, submissions, and systemic advocacy.
- Joint DROs coalitioncoreCoalition including Australian Federation of Disability Organisations, Down Syndrome Australia Consortium, National Ethnic Disability Alliance, National Mental Health Consumer Alliance, People with Disability Australia, Physical Disability Australia, Women With Disabilities Australia. Joint advocacy on NDIS reforms and systemic change.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Children and Young People with Disability Australia competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- JFA Purple Orange: South Australian-based disability advocacy organisation where CYDA board member Tessa Deak is employed; comparable in advocacy and project delivery but operates primarily in a single state, complementing CYDA's national scope.
Direct peers
- Australian Federation of Disability Organisations: National cross-disability peak body that coordinates joint DRO submissions and collective advocacy; directly comparable in advocacy function and acts as both peer and coordination counterpart to CYDA.
- Physical Disability Australia: National advocacy organisation for people with physical disability and fellow Joint DROs coalition member; comparable in advocacy remit, government consultation role, and reliance on DSS DRO funding.
- Women with Disabilities Australia: National disability advocacy organisation and Joint DROs coalition member focused on women and girls with disability; comparable in systemic advocacy, government consultation role, and co-design methodology.
- People with Disability Australia: National cross-disability peak/advocacy organisation and fellow DRO with a similar systemic advocacy remit, government submissions program, and UN engagement; directly comparable as a peer for funding and policy influence.
- Down Syndrome Australia: National peak body for people with Down syndrome and fellow Joint DROs member; directly comparable as a condition-specific advocacy peer with similar funding model and policy engagement.
- Australian Autism Alliance: Alliance of autism-focused organisations collaborating on NDIS reform and policy; comparable to CYDA in advocacy posture, government consultation, and interest in NDIS eligibility reassessment issues.
- Inclusion Australia: National disability advocacy organisation focused on intellectual disability and part of the Joint DROs coalition with CYDA; comparable in advocacy model, government-funded structure, and policy submission activity.
- First Peoples Disability Network: Indigenous-led disability advocacy organisation and CYDA coalition partner; directly comparable as a peer DRO representing a defined constituency in systemic advocacy and policy submissions.
Broad incumbents
- National Disability Services: Australia's largest peak body for disability service providers; operates at industry-association scale with broader provider focus, but overlaps with CYDA on workforce, inclusion, and policy advocacy relevant to NDIS reform.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Children and Young People with Disability Australia social profiles
Digital presenceChildren and Young People with Disability Australia financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Children and Young People with Disability Australia leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Children and Young People with Disability Australia funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Children and Young People with Disability Australia M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Children and Young People with Disability Australia
What does Children and Young People with Disability Australia do?
CYDA is Australia's national peak body advocating for children and young people with disability aged 0-25. It delivers systemic advocacy through policy submissions to government, co-designed accessible resources (such as Take Charge of Change), the DREAM Employment Network, annual National Youth Disability Summits, Young Leaders Programs, and fee-based workplace disability inclusion training for employers and educators.
Is Children and Young People with Disability Australia a public or private company?
Children and Young People with Disability Australia is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Children and Young People with Disability Australia founded?
Children and Young People with Disability Australia was founded in 2002. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Children and Young People with Disability Australia based?
Children and Young People with Disability Australia is headquartered in Clifton Hill, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Children and Young People with Disability Australia make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government Funding is the primary driver. The others are donations and membership Fees.
Who are Children and Young People with Disability Australia's main competitors?
JFA Purple Orange is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Australian Federation of Disability Organisations, Physical Disability Australia, Women with Disabilities Australia, People with Disability Australia, Down Syndrome Australia, Australian Autism Alliance, Inclusion Australia and First Peoples Disability Network. National Disability Services is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Children and Young People with Disability Australia have an API?
No public API is recorded for Children and Young People with Disability Australia.
What industry is Children and Young People with Disability Australia in?
Children and Young People with Disability Australia's product category is Disability Advocacy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAJAKAG, Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (MNCAH) NGOs. Its NAICS code is 62412 and its SIC code is 9721.