DISABILITY BRISBANE EMPLOYMENT AUSTRALIA’S CONFERENCE DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AUSTRALIA’S CONFERENCE BRISBANE 2017 6 - 7 SEPTEMBER HILTON BRISBANE 1 DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AUSTRALIA’S CONFERENCE 2017 Hilton Brisbane, 6 - 7 September 2017 General information Registration desk open times Mobile phones The registration desk is located on level five of Hilton Brisbane. As a courtesy to all delegates, mobile phones and other electronic devices must be turned to silent during all conference sessions. Tuesday 5 September (in Vintaged Bar, level 6) 5:30pm – 7:30pm Wednesday 6 September 8:00am – 5:00pm Twitter Thursday 7 September 8:00am – 4:00pm • Delegates are encouraged to join the Twitter conversation, using the If you require assistance please contact Meaghan Warner from conference hashtag #DEAC2017 Conference Works on 0430 289 553. • Find Disability Employment Australia on Twitter at @disabilityemplt Meaghan will be onsite throughout the conference. Name badges Conference venue All conference participants are requested to wear their conference name Hilton Brisbane badge throughout the conference to facilitate admission to sessions and networking functions. 190 Elizabeth Street, Brisbane, Queensland, 4000, Australia T. (07) 3234 2000 Gala Dinner venue The Welcome Reception will be held onsite at Hilton Brisbane at the 6 September 2017 Vintaged Bar, on level 6, on Tuesday 5 September from 5.30pm - 7.00pm – 11.00pm 7.30pm. The annual Gala Dinner, to be held at the Hilton Brisbane Ballroom on 6 September 2017, is a much anticipated event throughout the Disability Employment Services sector. Guests will enjoy fine food at a formal three-course sit-down dinner, drinks and music to dance the night away to. The evening will also feature the Hall of Fame Award Ceremony, acknowledging excellence, innovation and long-term commitment to the evolution of disability employment in Australia. The theme for this year is Seize the Day! This is your chance to shine on the dance floor. We encourage delegates to come dressed in your glamorous and brilliant best! Tickets If you have purchased tickets to the conference Gala Dinner, these tickets are in your name badge pocket. All delegates must bring their ticket with them in order to gain access to the Gala Dinner. About Disability Employment Australia Disability Employment Australia is the peak industry body for Australia's Disability Employment Services (DES). We are recognised internationally as the pre-eminent organisation representing, supporting and resourcing the disability employment sector throughout Australia. As a membership organisation, we exist to represent the interests of Disability Employment Services at a national level to government and a range of other stakeholders, such as consumer and employer groups. Disability Employment Australia supports the Australian Government to deliver high quality employment support to people with disability in Australia. We have a unique responsibility to foster innovation and flexibility of service within the Disability Employment Services program. We support our members to achieve best practice service provision in their role to find employment outcomes for people with disability. We advise, advocate, train, inform and undertake events to strengthen and promote the sector. We believe in the right of every member of society to be included fully in the community and to have control over their own life choices. Participation in the open labour market is a crucial factor in realising this goal. We strive to inspire, challenge and celebrate the Disability Employment Services sector. 2 DISABILITY BRISBANE EMPLOYMENT AUSTRALIA’S Welcome CONFERENCE Chairperson’s Address Chief Executive Officer’s Address At Disability Employment Australia’s (DEA) Leaders’ Forum in April On behalf of the Board, I welcome you to Disability Employment 2015 the then Disability Minister, Senator The Hon. Mitch Fifield, Australia’s Conference, the 2017 premiere event for disability publically discussed the DES Review. It was the most significant review employment in Australia. of the DES programme in its 25 year history; a review that would We are particularly pleased to welcome you to Brisbane this year and look to redesign DES to align with NDIS principles. The Hon. Jane an opportunity for all (especially those in less blessed climates) to thaw Prentice, the Assistant Minister for Social Services and Disability out and take a breath in what is a very busy period for us all. Services, and DSS, maintained the Review, including a comprehensive consultation process. Then, as part of the 2017/18 Federal Budget the Our conference program will highlight the opportunities and the new DES was announced. challenges the new DES Framework will bring to our sector. For the first time in the extended planning process for the new DES we will This year’s DEA Conference, Australia’s pre-eminent disability have all the details in front of us which will enable realistic sharing of employment conference, looks at what the results of the DES Review knowledge, strategy and approach. We will have guest speakers from mean in real terms for DES providers. The conference addresses both Australia and overseas and there will be many opportunities to Stage 2 of the DES Grant application process, the transition, and the explore different approaches to our common goal. new DES. In fact our conference looks beyond the new DES to an emerging disability employment field that incorporates the new DES, The new DES will bring some different thinking and approaches to our the intersection with the NDIS, and the refocused expectations that sector, not least of which the application process to gain a ‘guernsey’ DES providers will go deeper into local communities and develop new to operate in the new world. Many of you who are attending the and innovative employer engagement models. Phew! That is a lot to conference will be well into the process and we trust we can add value consider. to your pitch for the future. Competition and contestability is the new framework. Providers We have a lot of work to do to ensure that people with disability will adapt, bringing with them their best practices and changing to continue to be supported in whatever way they need to be, in order to meet the new structure. The DES program and the sector have been gain and maintain employment, and to advance in their careers. competitive since way back when. The program was originally called A successful conference is a result of the combined efforts of many ‘Competitive Employment Place and Train/Individual Supported Jobs’ people. I would like to thank Rick Kane and his team for the great work (CEPT/ISJ). In fact if you consider the origin name story (CEPT/ISJ) in organising this conference. Conferences of this magnitude do not against the two main goalposts for the new DES (improved participant just ‘happen’! choice and control, and the market model) you can draw a line from the late 80s to 2020 quite easily. I also thank the Directors of the Board for their full support of the DEA team in this and all their endeavours throughout the year. We will We have designed this conference to acknowledge that intersection all be present at the conference so please introduce yourselves to us. – something old/something new – to ensure we are the future of disability employment specialist support. We trust our conference Last but not least I thank our sponsors, exhibitors and speakers – your gives you discussions and presentations enough to build your capacity contributions are valued and appreciated by all of us present here to strategise, plan, and deliver. We trust our conference gives you the today. space and people to network with about such substantial and imposing considerations. We trust you also find time at our conference to chill, David Coles laugh, enjoy the company of your peers, and remember that you work Chairperson in a terrific sector doing admirable work for your community and Disability Employment Australia Australia. I want to acknowledge and thank the DEA Board for its guidance and support to both me and DEA. David Coles became the Chair late last year and together we have maintained a very good relationship with the Government and DSS. I want to thank Helen Roland and Sharlie Wise who are the engine room of DEA and the drivers behind our wonderful conference (with thanks to Mark and Meaghan and Conference Works). I want to also thank David Best, DEA Senior Policy Officer, for his terrific contribution. Rick Kane Chief Executive Officer Disability Employment Australia 3 DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AUSTRALIA’S CONFERENCE 2017 Hilton Brisbane, 6 - 7 September 2017 Wednesday 6 September - Day One Welcome Why react to change when you can lead it? 9.00am in Ballroom A & B 9.15am - 9.45am in Ballroom A & B Day One Conference MC: Brett de Hoedt You’ve no doubt heard it said that ‘People Hate Change’; you’ve Brett de Hoedt has once again finagled his probably said it yourself more than once. But it’s not quite true: people way onto our stage. If the claims on his love making change, we just don’t like being changed, especially when website are accurate he’ll deliver his “signature no-one can tell us how or, more importantly, why. blend of comedy and penetrating analysis It’s not change that’s the issue but our role within it; are we drivers or alongside awe-inspiring displays of humility just passengers? How do we make the transition from change surfers to and humanity.” You be the judge. When not change makers, and how can we move from coping to driving without inspiring awe, the former tabloid hack and leaving good people behind? Learn simple, battle-tested tools to help radio presenter helps people and companies your people appreciate the difference between innovation and change communicate better in person, online and in the media via his agency and how to harness their passion and intellect to actually Make A Hootville Communications.