What is the Community Building Program?
Why do we have a community building program?
Over recent years disability supports have been changing to become more self-directed by people with a disability and more community-based. As people choose more individualised lifestyles and participate in their community more, the community sometimes needs support to be inclusive and welcoming. The knowledge and skills required to become inclusive can be developed by working with the right partners. The Community Building Program helps to build those partnerships through the RuralAccess, MetroAccess and deafaccess Officers who are based in local communities. The program is not simply about physical access to buildings, but about access to being a valued member of all aspects of community. The goal of the program is Building Inclusive Communities.
What do Access Officers do?
The Access Officers use a range of strategies to support local communities to become inclusive. Their work focuses on:
Local people with a disability and their families, supporting them to feel empowered as valued community members.
Local community organisations, and businesses helping them to become more accessible and inclusive.
Local disability support providers, assisting them as they work to provide more self-directed supports and to develop closer links with local community.
How do the Access Officers work?
Some community building work takes place “behind the scenes”. This might include:
· Building relationships in local government and in community;
· Building links between organisations;
· Working with people with a disability and carers as citizens, leaders and advocates;
· Advocating for change within councils and beyond;
· Planning and developing local projects;
· Providing strategic advice about access and inclusion to other projects.
Other community building work will be more visible to the public, such as accessible and inclusive arts, sports or community events, or learning and development programs for people with a disability. These events and programs have outcomes not only in empowering and including people with a disability, but also about raising community awareness about the abilities of people with a disability.
Where are the Access Officers located?
The Community Building Program is a partnership between state and local government, recognising the broad responsibility and resources local government has in local communities.
MetroAccess Officers are based in each of the 31 metropolitan councils across Melbourne.
RuralAccess Officers are located in 25 councils and community health services across rural and regional Victoria.
deafaccess Officers are based in five community service organisations across rural Victoria. They have a particular focus on people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
How do I contact the Access Officers?
Contact the DHS Community Building contact in your region:
Barwon South Western Region
Marsha Uppill
Phone: 5226 4540
Eastern Metropolitan Region
Meagan Skehill
Phone: 9843 6778
Gippsland Region
Jill Ayres
Phone: 5150 4500
Grampians Region
Fiona Strahan
Phone: 5333 6530
Hume Region
Ros Nam
Phone: 5722 0555
Loddon Mallee Region
Elinder Moore
Phone: 5434 5555
North & West Metropolitan Region
Ruth Whittingham
Phone: 9412 5472
Southern Metropolitan Region
Deidre Greig
Phone: 9767 8626
Find out more
This is one of a series of four tip sheets exploring the link between self-directed planning for people with a disability and community building. Find out more on the DHS website: http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/for-individuals/disability/self-directed-support