Celebration of Ability Dandenong Events

WELCOME

EVENTS

Celebration of Ability – Dandenong Events

Access and Equity Showcase: Wodonga

Pursuing Purpose Expo: Wodonga

International Day Lunch for People with Disabilities from Multicultural Backgrounds

TRAINING

Community Work Careers Information Session

Swinburne University of Technology TAFE – Certificates and Advanced Diplomas in Disability Work

PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES

Election 07: Political Party Policies on Disability

Election 07: Disability Election Forum Highlights on YouTube

Election 07: Electronic Voting Locations

Publication: What is the deaf equivalent to voice telephony?

CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS

Call for Input: Yooralla CALD Respite Project 07/08

Deafness Forum Post Secondary Education Scholarships

PAID AND VOLUNTARY POSITIONS

Disability Accommodation Service: Disability Development and Support Officer

Office of the Public Advocate: Manager, Community Based Programs

Melton Shire Council: MetroAccess Officer

Action for Community Living: Disability Advocate (30hrs p/wk to April 2008)

VCOSS: Administration Assistant, Sector Development

Disability Professionals Victoria: Admin Assistant (0.4 FTE)

Parkinson’s Victoria: CALD Project Worker, 12 months 0.4 FTE

City of Whitehorse Disability Advisory Committee

WELCOME

Hello, and welcome to the weekly update from the Disability Advocacy Resource Unit (DARU). If you would like to be removed from this list or kept up to date another way, please reply to this email and let us know.

DARU has been funded by the State government. It is run by a governance group, including members of the Victorian Disability Advocacy Network (VDAN), and the Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS). DARU’s staff currently includes a Co-ordinator, Sharon Granek, and a Project Administration Officer, Leah Hobson.

We are always happy to hear from people who are interested in what we do. If you have a question, an idea, some news you’d like to see in the next update, or even if you just want to tell us something we’re doing is good or bad, get in touch! Call us on 03 9639 5807 or email Sharon or Leah.

Please note that material contained in the DARU Update copy does not necessarily reflect the policy of DARU or the views of any staff members. Statements in the DARU Update do not comprise advice and readers should avail themselves of professional advice where appropriate.

EVENTS

Celebration of Ability – Dandenong Events

When: 26th November – 7th December

Where: City of Dandenong and surrounds

The City of Greater Dandenong will host a program of free or low cost events to celebrate ability and promote awareness of disability issues.

You can among other things take bus trips to learn more about our city and visit the Independent Living Centre to see equipment for people with disabilities. You are invitedtoattenda live theatrical production by people with disabilities, experience a puppet show for children and introduceyourself to a computer at the library.

A forum for scooter and wheelchair users has been arranged and you can take a walk in a local accessible park. A musical event has been arranged for young people and children and parents are welcome to hear a story teller at the library. You could visit oursporting and recreational facilities and carers areinvited toa morningtea to relaxand enjoy the company of othercarers.

A detailed schedule of events is available here (Word format).

For more information, contact Chris Stewart (03) 9329 5153 (phone or TTY), or via email.

Access and Equity Showcase: Wodonga

When: 9:00 – 3:00 29th November 2007

Where: Blazing Stump, Anzac Parade, Wodonga

The showcase will provide a unique opportunity for service providers to focus on the diverse range of accessibility issues that consumers experience when they try come into contact with service disability agencies. The showcase will educate service providers in the practical measures that they can take to ensure that access barriers are reduced or eliminated for vulnerable groups in our community.

Pursuing Purpose Expo: Wodonga

When: 9:30 – 3:30 November 30th 2007

Where: Civic Centre, Wodonga

This event will have a focus on the opportunities available in our community for people with a disability in areas includingeducation, recreation, employment and general community life.

Shelley Taylor-Smith, seven time world champion marathon swimmer,author, motivational speaker and businesswoman will chair the event.

A panel of local identities will share their stories highlighting theirindividual achievements and the challenges they have faced along their journey. A range of performances by local community and school groups will complete the day’s activities.

For more information please contact Jason Ballerini on 02 6056 2420.

International Day Lunch for People with Disabilities from Multicultural Backgrounds

When: 11:30 – 1:30 December 3rd 2007

Where: Traveller’s Aid Society, Level 2, 169 Swanston Street Melbourne

Registration: RSVP to Traveller’s Aid by 16th November by calling (03) 9654 7690 or by email.

People with disability and their carers, from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, are encouraged to attend. A light lunch of multicultural food will be provided. Disability support workers and interpreters are available upon request.

TRAINING

Community Work Careers Information Session

When: 10:00 – 12:00 Tuesday 20th November

Where: Carnegie Library Meeting Rooms, Shepparson Avenue, Carnegie

Registration: To register, or for more information, contact Leasa on (03) 9564 1000 or via email.

The information event is being hosted by the EW Tipping Foundation, a not-for-profit community care organisation, and its partner organisation, Victorian Person Centred Services.
"Lots of people are interested in a career helping others, but they don't know exactly what it entails," said Senior Coordinator David Williams.
"Community support work can be incredibly diverse – it can range from taking someone out fishing to helping people become more independent in their home."
The information event will feature experienced speakers talking about working with older people, people with disabilities, and children.

Swinburne University of Technology TAFE – Certificates and Advanced Diplomas in Disability Work

Certificate IV in Disability Work – Traineeship and Industry Delivery

Information Session: Thursday 6th December 2007, 10-11am (please call to confirm before attending)

Course Commences: Thursday 7th February 2008

Course Completes: December 2008

Course Delivery: Four hours once a week (excluding school holidays) over approximately twelve months.

Times: 10.00am - 2.00pm

This is a twelve month fast track course for workers in the Disability, Home and Community Care and Aged Care industries.

Workers must be working at least fifteen hours per week throughout the course. And for workers with a Certificate III in Home and Community Care or Aged Care this is a chance to gain a dual qualification with recognition of current competencies.

Government funded traineeship places and employer incentives are available for those eligible.

Advanced Diploma Disability Work & Advanced Diploma Management

Information Session

When: Wednesday 14 November at 6.30 - 8.00pm
Venue: Croydon Campus, 12-50 Norton Road, Croydon

These courses are designed to meet the needs of workers currently employed in the community work/aged care/disability work sectors who want to gain a higher qualification toward a management position.

There are opportunities for students to apply for either course or to study both courses concurrently. The Advanced Diploma of Disability Work offers electives in either a management or practitioner stream.

Classes are conducted with Saturday workshops once a month and through flexible online delivery.

Eligibility - To gain entry to the Advanced Diploma of Disability Work students should be currently employed in the sector and should have a Certificate IV in Disability Work or equivalent qualification.

For the Advanced Diploma Management students should have a relevant qualification and be currently employed in the human service/community work/aged care sectors.

PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES

Election 07: Political Party Policies on Disability

Coalition (Liberal Party and National Party):

More Support for Pensioners (PDF)

Australian Labor Party

Disability and Carers Policy (PDF)

Australian Greens

Disability Policy (Online version and PDF)

Australian Democrats

People with Disabilities (PDF)

Family First

Supporting People with a Disability (PDF)

Christian Democratic Party

There are no disability specific policies from the CDP. General policy information can be found here (online version and Word).

Carers Alliance

The Carers Alliance has created a wiki for policy issues affecting carers. You can contribute to the wiki here. If you are unfamiliar with the wiki format, you can find out how to contribute here.

Pauline Hanson’s United Australia Party

This party has no disability specific policies at the date of publication. General policy information can be found here.

Socialist Alliance

This party has no disability specific policies at the date of publication. General policy information can be found here.

Election 07: Disability Election Forum Highlights on YouTube

In conjunction with their AGM on Tuesday 30 October, the national Australian Association for Families of Children with a Disability (AAFCD) held an election forum ‘Disability Election Policies: Who is promising what?’.

In addition to coverage in The Age newspaper (and The Australian) on Wednesday 31 October, for those of you who weren’t there, can view some video ‘highlights’ which have been posted on a AAFCD page on YouTube. You can get there via a link on the front page of either www.aafcd.org.au or www.acd.org.au

For those of you unfamiliar with YouTube you might find it all a bit confusing, and be warned you’ll need to have a half decent computer to be able to view the videos, so if your computer is a bit on the old side, you might struggle. You can provide feedback on the Forum contents to Michael Gourlay via email.

Election 07: Electronic Voting Locations

A list of all locations for the electronic voting trial for people who are blind or vision impaired can be found here. Pre poll voting is now available at these centres for people who are blind or vision impaired.

Publication: What is the deaf equivalent to voice telephony?

This paper outlines the views of Australian Association of the Deaf (AAD) and its members in relation to accessibility in the telecommunications environment in Australia, with particular focus on what the Deaf community perceives to be equivalent to voice based telephony.

You can read the full paper online here.

CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS

Call for Input: Yooralla CALD Respite Project 07/08

What are the Aims of the 2007/08 CALD Project?

• Strengthen respite services in the East to be more CALD responsive.
• Identify best practice models & strategies for enhancing access by CALD clients and delivering culturally inclusive respite services.
• Identify agency & staff needs (e.g. staff training) to implement best practice model.
• Develop a tool, such as a CALD Service Guide, to be used by respite providers to assist them in delivering culturally inclusive services.
• Produce a report informing on project findings.
How you can assist this project:

• Complete the respite service providers’ survey (10mins) if applicable, and email / fax to Susan on numbers below.
• Email / phone project worker with your ideas, challenges, experiences and strategies that worked well for including CALD clients in your respite programs. If you are a service user from CALD background, we would welcome your feedback on respite services within the Eastern Metropolitan Region.
• Service Providers: be willing to trial the CALD respite service guide at your service, and give feedback.
Contact Details – Susan Marryatt, CALD Project Worker (Monday, Tuesday andThursday).
Tel: (03) 9831 5643
Fax: (03) 9830 0003
Email:
Address: RIDE - Yooralla
Suite 2, 587 Canterbury Road
SURREY HILLS 3127

Deafness Forum Post Secondary Education Scholarships

Closing date: February 8th 2008

Deafness Forum provide educational scholarships to facilitate the participation of people who are Deaf or people who have a hearing impairment in post secondary education.

Deafness Forum delivers these scholarships to:

§ Provide financial assistance to Deaf and hearing impaired people to enhance their participation in further education

§ Increase the number of Deaf and hearing impaired students in further education

§ And in particular to increase education opportunities for Deaf and hearing impaired students from the indigenous community, regional communities and non-English speaking backgrounds.

In 2008 two Scholarships will be available for support such as tuition, text materials or any other support considered necessary and approved by the Selection Panel for the Scholar(s) to successfully undertake an educational program. Typically between $1,000 and $2,000 will be provided to any one Scholar. Support services such as interpreting, transcription typing and purchase of assistive listening devices or other services deemed the responsibility of the tertiary institution, under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, will NOT be considered under this scholarship. Scholarship recipients will receive complimentary membership of the Deafness Forum for 12 months.

The scholarships are available to students planning to undertake further education and are expressly designed to support students who are deaf or hearing impaired by contributing to ongoing costs for their tuition.

For more information please visit:

http://www.deafnessforum.org.au/scholarships.htm

PAID AND VOLUNTARY POSITIONS

Disability Accommodation Service: Disability Development and Support Officer

Closing date: 16th November 2007

Are you interested in a rewarding career where you can make a difference?
Looking for a challenge?
The Southern Metropolitan Region, Disability Accommodation Services (DAS) currently has a number of Disability Development and Support Officer ongoing part-time positions available in the Bayside, Dandenong and Peninsula Areas.
DAS program provides high quality, community-based supported accommodation to people with a disability. This support encourages developmental opportunities and client choice, enabling maximum integration and a lifestyle that emulates the general community.
We are seeking applications from people who have a qualification or experience working with people with a disability. However an applicant may be appointed as an unqualified DDSO or trainee working towards gaining a qualification. (Note: Selection to ongoing roles will be conditional upon applicants committing to commencing a traineeship to obtain Certificate IV in Disability Work qualification).
If you are interested in applying for one of the ongoing part-time positions and require further information, please phone the DAS Recruitment Number on 03 9767 8834. Leave your name and a contact number and our Recruitment Officer will get back to you to provide further information about the positions on offer.
Interviews will commence in the week starting 26 November 2007.