Disability Connections Bimonthly Meeting Minutes

Date: 17th February 2011 Chair: Christine Williams & Peter Thomson Venue: Hobsons Bay City Council

Time: 10.33am – 12.57pm Minute Taker: Clare Mackie – Information Officer DCV

Attendances / Christine Williams – Chair DCV, Peter Thomson – Vice Chair DCV, Helen Adams – DCV Executive Officer, Clare Mackie – Information Officer, Prue Kelly – DHS, Karyn Boot – DHS, Jason Anderson - DCV Committee Member, Jeanette Robertson – Centrelink, Angela Bruzzese – DCV Committee Member, Narelle Staub – DCV Committee Member & DHS, Barry & Ros Fitton, Tina Polizzi, Ron Burgess, Steve & Carol Bennett, Betty Tuohey, Marion Delbridge, Ian Gray, Kaye Wnek, Jenny Cater, Pam Botha, Bree Sheldon – Metro Access Officer Hobsons Bay
Apologies / Delia Portlock – DCV Committee Member, Adam Carrozza - annecto, Luba Heath, Bernadette Carey, Jan De Witte, Andrew Tranter – Metro Access Officer Hume, Silvana,
Welcome / Christine thanked Hobsons Bay City Council for hosting the bimonthly meeting. Christine acknowledged the traditional land owners and their elders past and present. As some members felt uncomfortable introducing themselves this will be deferred until the June meeting as to whether this will be reinstated. A special welcome to Ron Burgess for attending today’s meeting. Ron supported our Committee Member Robyn Hansen through her battle with cancer.
Update from the DCV Executive Officer. / Thank you to all who supported Robyn Hansen through her battle with cancer.
Robyn passed away on the 23rd January 2011. She will be missed.
Our new website has gone live. A big thank you to DHS, Infoxchange, Christine, Peter and Clare. We are now able to do surveys. We hope to do our first survey next week seeking feedback from the members about the website. Our aim is to make them short, sharp and to the point. 10 minutes at the most. The second survey will be about voting for the upcoming elections. The third one will be seeking questions for our April meeting with Senator Mitch Fifield.
We are also looking at doing a Podcast of our Bimonthly meetings. We would like to video our Guest Speakers or record forums that DCV hold. This way we hope to engage our members more.
Our April Bimonthly meeting is special. Our Guest Speaker is the Shadow Minister for Disabilities, Carers and the Voluntary Sector, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate, Senator Mitch Fifield. Details are still to be worked out as to whether we have set questions or the Senator takes questions from the floor. As yet we still have no response from Senator Jan McLucas, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities.
April Bimonthly meeting will finalise results of elections. Each year half of the Committee will resign, the following year the other half will resign. Positions vacant this year are:
1 Youth (25 years old at time of election or younger),
1 Organisation or Community member,
2 Carers or Family members and
3 Individuals with a disability (any age, any disability)
Persons of any age can apply for any position. It will involve 11 meetings and some training. Nominations close the 14th April 2011.
We have a new look Newsletter. Thank you to Josh from annecto for designing the front cover. Any feedback is welcome, especially if we need to change something.
The VEC (Victorian Electoral Commission) are looking to write their next Disability Action Plan and are seeking feedback re: accessibility, employment etc. from people with disabilities and carers. Please talk to Helen.
Relationships Victoria is looking at new sessions about Wills and Estates. More information will follow at a later date.
The VEC is also looking for feedback about voting venues. Some members stated Altona Meadows Primary School not user friendly. Maybe they should look at another doorway for wheelchair users. Sunshine North Primary School has two (2) steps to enter the building.
DCV will be holding forums for NDIS. Still in planning stage at the moment. The draft report is due at the end of the month. Forums will be held in the North (Hume) and West (Maribyrnong or Wyndham) possibly early April. Please keep an eye on the website.
Post meeting note: Meetings will be in Hume and Yarraville
Update from DHS / A welcome to Bree Sheldon who is filling in for the next 6 months for Megan Salisbury.
DHS have been running the Metro Access Program now for 7-8 years. Metro Access assists the community to include people with a disability and their families and carers. There are Metro Access workers for the metro area, Rural Access for people in Rural areas and Deaf Access workers. Narelle will forward a list of all Metro Access workers Victoria wide to Clare to be put on the website.
Congratulations to VALID on the Having a Say Conference. There has been terrific feedback on the conference. For next year’s conference there is work being done on CALD and Aboriginal backgrounds. DHS just released a plan increasing access to mainstream services for Aboriginal families in the region. The Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre has a new program for recently arrived refugees to gain access to services for people with disabilities. Community elders have been employed to get the information out.
Narelle complimented DCV on their new website, it is terrific. DHS was pleased to provide the funding. They are looking forward to working with DCV to get the Speakers bank up and running. Narelle encourages everyone to look at the Skills Victoria website. The Department of Education will now be paying for Certificate 1 Work Education at TAFE whereas in the past people had to pay this themselves or take the money from their support packages.
Member Information Sharing / Christine raised the issue about the venue for today’s meeting. Concern has been expressed about the slate tiles outside the building. When they are wet they are slippery. Not very Disability friendly. Also, the lights in the Disabled toilet are on a timer. Some people need extra time to attend to matters. If was then pointed out the lights are on a sensor. Bree Sheldon will follow up.
Update on Ann del Borello – Ann has managed to get a package of care through DHS. Now in the process as to what services they can buy for her niece. Ann is determined people know their story so it doesn’t happen to others.
Angela Bruzzese - The NDIS rally held in Geelong was very positive. Great Guest Speakers, there will be other rallys. A great day. Funding from the Brimbank City Council to fund an Arts Show. Please contact Angela or Christine for more information.
Christine went to a Melbourne forum for the Federal Minister for Ageing on Mental Health. Christine was proud to present to the Minister information from DCV member Ann del Borello about her situation.
Bree introduced herself. She had previously worked within Hobsons Bay Council in Community Care. Bree is filling in for Megan Salisbury who is on a 6 month secondment to DHS. Bree is focussing on the Recharge Scheme. Invitations have been sent to approximately 50 businesses in the region to sign up to the program. To check who in your municipality is participating go to www.rechargescheme.org.au (Check website for more information). Hobsons Bay also has the Tradies Guide available. It’s all about making buildings accessible.
Ian Gray suggested that Submissions should be on the website and any updates and status of Submissions should be
added to website to keep members informed.
Guest Speaker / Our Guest Speaker was Anne Dillon from Western Region Health Centre Footscray. Attached is a copy of Anne’s presentation. Anne did point out that the Footscray building is not disability friendly. The counselling rooms are disability friendly with accessible toilets. Where people are unable to get an appointment they can do outreach at people’s homes, coffee shops etc.
Anne’s presentation is attached
Next Meeting / Peter again thanked Hobsons Bay City Council and Bree Sheldon (MetroAccess Officer) for hosting and catering for today’s meeting, much appreciated. The next DCV Bi-monthly meeting will be held on 28th April 2011 at the Wyndham City Council.
MEETING CLOSED AT 12.53 PM

IF YOU NEED SUPPORT TO ATTEND THE NEXT BIMONTHLY MEETING AT WYNDHAM CITY COUNCIL DON’T FORGET TO RING CLARE ON 9687 7066 (Monday - Thursday 9-2pm) or email her at:

TAXI VOUCHERS, INTERPRETERS, ATTENDANT CARE, RESPITE (OR WHATEVER YOU NEED) CAN BE ARRANGED.

**DCV receives a grant from DHS North and West specifically to pay for these supports**

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