Disability Consultation on the Draft Urban Master Plan to Revitalise Central Dandenong

WELCOME

EVENTS

Disability Consultation on the Draft Urban Master Plan to revitalise Central Dandenong

VCOSS Disability Services Sector Consultation

Cerebral Palsy Support Network Information Session

VDAN National Disability Advocacy Conference

National Symposium: Community Building – Critical Voices, Alternative Strategies

Early Bird Registrations for VCOSS Congress now open

TRAINING

Asset Building Community Development Workshop

Disability Awareness Training

Mobility and Transport Training Course

Personalised Inclusion Workshop

Best Results™ Workshop: Overcoming Practice Dilemmas in Restorative Community Care

Leadership Course in Optimal Individual Service Design

SECTOR WIDE ADVOCACY

Letter to the Federal Government regarding the CSTDA

Accessible Transport Watch Project – Looking for people to report on public transport accessibility

CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS

Nominations for Inaugural National Disability Awards Open

Carer Payment (child) Review

Quantum Technology/Freedom Scientific 2008 JAWS Scholarship

NEWS

Position Vacant: Receptionist at VCOSS

‘No Limits’ Returns to Channel 31

New National Accessible Tourism Website Project

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 Sharonor Leah.

EVENTS

Disability Consultation on the Draft Urban Master Plan to revitalise Central Dandenong

When: Thursday 21st June, 3:30 – 5:00

Where: Training Rooms, City of Greater Dandenong, 39 Chow Street Dandenong

RSVP: By Monday 18th June to Chris Stewart on (03) 9329 5153 (phone and TTY) or email Chris.

Council’s Disability Reference Group would like to invite you to a forum to review the draft plans to revitalize central Dandenong.At the forum speakers will be on hand to explain the Draft Plan and your input will be encouraged.

The forum will provide you with an opportunity to work with us to find ways to promote greater access and inclusion for people with disabilities in our City. Copies of the draft plan are available at the Revitalising Dandenong websiteor by attending any of the public consultation opportunities below:

June 4th – 29th

One Stop Shop, 39 Clow Street Dandenong

9:00am – 5:00pm

Dandenong Library, Stuart Street Dandenong

9:00am – 9:00pm Mon – Fri

10:00am – 5:00pm Saturday

12:00 noon – 5:00pm Sunday

June 5th and 8th

Dandenong Market

Cnr Clow and Cleeland Streets Dandenong

9:00am – 5:00pm

June 6th and 7th

DandenongPlaza

Level 3, outside Katie’s

Cnr McCrae and Walker Streets Dandenong

9:00am – 5:00pm

VCOSS Disability Services Sector Consultation

When: June 21st 2007, 2:00 – 4:00pm

Where: VCOSS Board Room, Level 8, 128 Exhibition StreetMelbourne

Registration: Rivkah Nissim, (03) 9654 5050 or email Rivkah by 14th June

The Government will start making decisions about next year’s budget in November this year. Rather than prepare a short submission based on election commitments as we did after the election late in 2006, VCOSS wants to refresh a broader set of policy positions that reflect the many issues and priorities facing low income and disadvantaged Victorians, and the organisations who are working with them. In addition there will be a review of the Government’s Fairer Victoria social policy framework during this winter and VCOSS seeks to influence the priorities of this major Government framework.

A series of consultation meetings to refresh our policy platforms will be held in late June and early July, open to all VCOSS members. You are of course welcome to participate in consultations on other VCOSS policy areas – the dates for these are listed in this month’s edition of the VCOSS newsletter ‘Noticeboard’.

Cerebral Palsy Support Network Information Session

When: 27th June, 7:30pm

Where: Cerebral Palsy Support Network Office, 177 Glenroy Road, Glenroy

Registration: RSVP is essential. Call Judy on (03) 9300 3901

Cost: Members free, non-members $10, organizations $20

Cerebral Palsy Support Network is holding an information session with Mr Paulo Selber, MD, SBOT, FRACS from the Royal Children's Hospital.
Paulo is an orthopaedic surgeon from Brazil who previously worked at AACD - Sao Paulo - Brazil, and was involved in planning, starting and co-ordinating the Gait Lab from 1996 until 2000.
He moved to Australian in 2001 to take a Fellowship in Paediatric Orthopaedic Trauma at the Royal Children's Hospital. His main interest is on the treatment of children with Cerebral Palsy, myelomeningocele and muscle dystrophy.
He is part of the Hugh Williamson Gait Laboratory team in the reporting process and in the treatment of those children at the Royal Children's Hospital.

Topics to be covered include:

What does the future hold afterdiagnosis with cerebral palsy in terms of medical treatments for children?
Developments in Surgeries;
Gait Laboratory;
Where to go after Royal Children's Hospital?

VDAN National Disability Advocacy Conference

When: July 16th – 17th 2007

Where: Melbourne

Registration: Visit the conference website. Any further queries should be addressed to VALID on (03) 9416 4003 or via email.

Cost: $275 (inc GST) for advocates and Board members; $440 (inc GST) for government officers

The Victorian Disability Advocacy Network (VDAN) is pleased to advise that registrations are now open for the National Disability Advocacy Conference. This will be a unique opportunity to network and influence the national disability advocacy agenda. We hope to see representatives of all funded disability advocacy organisations coming together to discuss, debate and collaborate!

National Symposium: CommunityBuilding – Critical Voices, Alternative Strategies

When: June 19th 2007

Where: Darebin Arts and Entertainment Centre

Registration: Register online.

Cost: Unpaid community members and full time students: $44, community organization worker: $99, researcher: $154, government officer: $220

This one-day symposium will bring together community leaders, activists, researchers, policy makers,and workers in community agencies who are interested in authentic community building, critiques of government sponsored community building programs and models, and alternative community building strategies which have a stronger emphasis on empowerment, participation and self-determination.

Includes alaunch by Brian Howe of Building Stronger Communities, published by the University of NSW Press, a primer for communities on strategies for building stronger community relationships, authored by Philip Hughes and Peter Kaldor.

Papers, presentations and workshops will address the following symposium themes:

- analysis of the current 'community building' trend, its origins andphilosophical underpinnings;
- evaluation of actual practice, participationand outcomes;
- use and misuse ofconcepts of social capital, participation,civil society;
- the relationship between service deliveryagencies and community building processes;
- the relationship between local government and community building processes;
- critiques of place management;
- communities and institutions: whose capacity is being built?;
- elaboration and refinement of 'civil society'vs 'managerial' approaches to community building;
- comparative critique of indigenous and non-indigenous approaches to community building.

Early Bird Registrations for VCOSS Congress now open

When: August 1st and 2nd 2007

Where: RACV Club, 501 Bourke StreetMelbourne

Registration: Download a PDF early bird registration form here.

The theme for the 2007 VCOSS Congress is ‘Beyond Citizenship: Visions for Rights and Real Engagement’. 2007 marks the 40th anniversary of the 1967 Referendum recognising Indigenous Australians as citizens. The anniversary provides an opportunity to reflect on the true meaning of citizenship in Australia, and to consider whether all communities in Victoria have the rights and resources to engage in all aspects of our society.

TRAINING

AssetBuilding Community Development Workshop

When: Tuesday 19th June 2007

Where: Swinburne Conference Centre, TD120 Building, Park Street, Hawthorn 3122

Cost: $250 including GST (lunch, morning and afternoon tea provided). Special rates are available for concession card holders and people with disabilities.

Registration: Jasmine Sapolu, phone (03) 8809 3010

This workshop explores principles, processes and skills for community capacity building. It focuses on strengths-based ways of responding to the concerns, interests and aspirations of communities.

The workshop will also looks at ways in which an awareness of and engagement with people’s community context can improve their lives. Using a strengths-based framework the workshop will explore what is known about what makes communities strong and what processes can be used by workers to go ‘beyond casework’.

Topics include:

initiating community action,
developing a community vision,
doing community consultations and supporting and sustaining change.

For further details of the workshop please refer to the Asset building Community Development Flyer.

Disability Awareness Training

When: Session One – Monday 16th July 10:15 – 12:15

Session Two – Tuesday 24th July 10:00 – 12:00

Where: Session One – Wheeler’s Hill Library, 860 Ferntree Gully Road, Wheeler’s Hill

Session Two – Room 5, Maroondah Federation Estate, 32 Greenwood Ave, Ringwood

Registration: Contact Wina Kung on (03) 9285 4888 or via email.

This disability awareness training is for workers who provide services to CALD (culturally and linguistically diverse) communities.It aims to give workers confidence when communicating with people who have a disability, and provide workers with tips and techniques to ensure effective communication.
The presentation will incorporate a presenter with physical and multiple disabilities alongside a Scope Victoria staff member, allowing for practical application of strategies, plus increased awareness.

Mobility and Transport Training Course

When:The course is run two days a week, Mondays and Tuesdays for nine days, commencing on Monday 23 July. All nine days (9am to 4pm) must be attended and a date for Practical Assessment will be arranged.

Where: Ground Floor, Yooralla, 244 Flinders Street, Melbourne

Registration: Applications close Monday 16th July. Contact Mary Vella on (03) 9916 5811 oremail Mary.

Cost: $500

The Mobility and Public Transport Training course is designed for professionals and key workers to learn to identify the risks encountered when supporting people with a disability to travel independently in the community.
What you will learn:

Why public transport training is a risky business:
What needs to be in place before you travel with your client;
How to ensure your client is safe on the road;
The importance of learning how to assess your client’s abilities by using assessment tools that work;
How to develop a transport training program for clients who have a range of disabilities and abilities.

The course is being run by specialist staff from Yooralla’s Community Learning and Living Service.

Personalised Inclusion Workshop

When: 24th July and 28th August, 9:00am – 4:00pm both days

Where: Level Consulting Services, Suite 3, 410 Burwood Highway Wantirna South

Registration: Form available here.

Cost: $242

This workshop is aimed at individuals who are endeavouring to develop the necessary attitudes, skills and strategies to enhance inclusion for people with a disability.The workshop will explore what inclusion is, elaborate on principles and strategies towards inclusion and identify inclusive strengths and weaknesses.
Participants are required to attend both days, with a workplace task between sessions.

Best Results™ Workshop: Overcoming Practice Dilemmas in Restorative Community Care

When:Registration 9.00am Workshop 9.30 am – 4.00pm.

Wangaratta - 27 July 2007

Bendigo - 31 July 2007

Geelong - 3 August 2007

Kooyong - 7 August 2007

Warragul - 16 August 2007

Registration: Register online or contact Valerie O’Brien on (03) 9579 2437.

Cost: $187 (inc GST)

Talking Solutions will be holding a number of Best Results™ workshops throughout Victoria.

The Best Results™ workshop presents the Best Results™ approach to overcoming practice dilemmas in restorative community care.

The BEST RESULTS™ Toolkit provides a simple and effective way of understanding how ideas and activities fit together to maximize restorative care options. Both workers and clients can use the Best Results™ toolkit to select the most useful response to any given situation. The toolkit also provides a way of spotting unhelpful assumptions and habitual responses which may undermine restorative practice goals.

The Best Results™ workshop will present firstly, a new framework for understanding how restorative practice tools can be put together in professional practice, and secondly, many specific tools to use within that framework.

Each participant will receive a FREE copy of the Best Results™ toolkit.

This workshop will prompt you to consider many questions, including:

How do my actions influence client self-efficacy?
When is the RIGHT time to speak or stay silent?
How to keep task focus in complex situations?
Do actions ever speak louder than words?
Thoughts V Feelings – which to follow and when?
What is MY usual way of dealing with high demand situations?
How does non-verbal behaviour influence restorative practice?

Leadership Course in Optimal Individual Service Design

When: The course consists of one full week from Monday 13 to Thursday 16 August, then a three week gap, with the second full week of training on Monday 10 to Friday 14 September.

Where: Campion Centre of Ignatian Spirituality, 99 Studley Park Road, Kew

Registration: Contact Deb Rouget on (03) 9723 3656, 0412 001 388 oremail Deb.

Cost: $2,145

There has been much concentration on person-centred approaches to supporting people with disabilities and other vulnerable people.
However even with the best of intentions it still appears that we are scratching the surface and people struggle to genuinely gain uniquely tailored supports that meet their fundamental needs, wants and aspirations in the community.
This service design course is unique and aimed at bridging the gap between what is hoped for, and what is actually realistic for services to deliver on, by way of individualised person-by-person lifestyle arrangements.
It is a very challenging, in-depth and practical course held over 10 days, that is orientated to notably talented and motivated people who are committed to and likely to play a decisive role for years to come in assisting with the better implementation of genuine person-centred solutions.

SECTOR WIDE ADVOCACY

Letter to the Federal Government regarding the CSTDA

The Australian Association for Families of Children with a Disability recently sent a ten page letter to the Prime Minister and Treasureroutlining their concerns about the current negotiations of the CommonwealthState and Territory Disability Agreement (CSTDA). A PDF version of the letter is available for downloadhere.

Michael Gourlay, the Association’s CEO says, “We have been asked by many people what they can or should do to assist in the campaign for a better CSTDA. Apart from joining the CSTDA Alliance which individuals and organisations can do to ensure they get regular updates, we would also suggest that individual letters to the Prime Minister and Treasurer (and their Labor Opposition equivalents) might be of assistance. With your letters, don’t feel obliged to agree with our policy position 100%, I would simply suggest that you say what you want to say about the CSTDA in your own words. All contributions pointing out the importance of the CSTDA to children and adults with a disability and their families will be of great benefit.”

The Prime Minister and Treasurer, Kevin Rudd MP, Leader of the Opposition and Wayne Swan MP, Shadow Treasurer can all be reached at the same snail mail address:

Parliament House

Canberra, ACT 2600

You can email all four directly:

The key decision-makers within the Victorian government are Gavin Jennings, Minister for Community Services, and Peter Bracks, Victorian Premier. They can be contacted as follows:

The Hon Gavin Jennings MLC

Level 22, 50 Lonsdale Street

MELBOURNE VIC 3002

The Honourable Stephen Bracks MLA

PO Box 524

WILLIAMSTOWN VIC 3016

Accessible Transport Watch Project – Looking for people to report on public transport accessibility

We are pleased to inform you that the Accessible Transport Watch project is up and running again. Maree Kelly and Margaret Stevens have commenced working as the new project workers and may be contacted at VCOSS on Fridays on Ph: 96545050 or email .

The VCOSS/DRC/DAIS Accessible Transport Watch Project is investigating the accessibility of public transport to people with disabilities. To do this we need to recruit 60 to70 people with a wide range of disabilities and ages from across Victoria to fill out a short survey about their experience of their local public transport. We are recruiting people urgently through June and early July.

People who are interested in being involved will be asked to attend an informal information session, and will receive a small payment in recognition of their experience and time.

The surveys will then be collated and fed into a report to be presented to various government departments and the transport operators, and will form a submission to the Review of the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport (see

For further information please contact Margaret or Maree on 9654 5050 or email .

CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS

Nominations for Inaugural National Disability Awards Open

Achievements of people with disability and contributions to the disability sector will be recognised in the Inaugural National Disability Awards, to be announced on International Day of People with Disability, 3 December 2007.

Minister for Community Services, Senator Nigel Scullion, today officially launched the awards, announcing nominations would open on 2 June 2007 and close on 20th July 2007.

“There are five award categories, Community Contribution Award, Young Community Contribution Award, Inclusion Award, Go Getter Award and the Personal Achievement Award,” Senator Scullion said.