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If you are a student with disability – or a parent, teacher or carer of a student with disability – the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission would like to hear from you
This research aims to gather information about the issues and challenges experienced by students with disability in the Victorian school system and to identify potential solutions.
Regional ‘have a say’ days are being held in
Bendigo
Wednesday 22 February, 10am–12pm
Sandhurst Room at Best Community
Development Bendigo
26-28 St Andrews Avenue
Traralgon
Monday 27 February, 10am–12pm
Traralgon Business Centre
55 Grey St Traralgon
Ballarat
Wednesday 29 February, 10am–12pm
Kohinoor Community Centre
417 Errard St South
Shepparton
Thursday 1 March, 10am–12pm
North Shepparton Community and Learning
Centre (North Shepparton Hub)
10-14 Parkside Drive
Geelong
Friday 16 March, 10am-12pm
Encompass Community Services
400 Pakington St Geelong.
Have asay day for students with intellectual disability and their parents
Tuesday 14 February 2012, 1pm to 3pm
Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission
Level 3, 204 Lygon Street Carlton
RSVP
To register, call (03) 9032 3430 or email rsvp@veohrc.vic.gov.au
Please advise when registering if you have any accessibility or dietary requirements.
If you would prefer to speak to us privately while we are in your area, contact us to book a time.
Can’t make it?
You can still have your say by filling out our confidential online survey at humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/disabilityinschools
Or you can call us on 1300 292 153 or (03) 9032 3583.
If you need an interpreter, you can call the Commission using the interpreter service on 1300 152 494 or TTY at 1300 289 621.
More information
To find out more visit humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/disabilityinschools or contact the Commission on (03) 9032 3422 or atresearch@veohrc.vic.gov.au
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Helping Hand Is Here
“Motherhood started eight weeks early for me. One minute I was working full time as a Graphic Designer, and the next I went into labour and didn’t turn up for work ever again.
The surprise of meeting my son eight weeks early was a small shock compared to being thrown on a huge roller-coaster which suddenly spun out of control. I look back now and see hours of sitting by Bailey’s humidicrib, worrying whenever a specialist walked in the room and waiting for every test result.
My beautiful daughter Jasmine wanted to beat her brother’s record and come into the world eight weeks and four days early. When I woke up the next morning after a caesarean birth, I was wheeled down to her room full of other babies. I asked, “Which one is mine?” She was so little, and in a humidicrib where I could not hold my baby … again. Jasmine came eight weeks early and the fear began all over again.
All I wanted was to have a baby born full term. To have a room filled with flowers and balloons and only family and friends coming and going. Not nurses pinching for blood, doctors looking over my babies and taking them away. My heart still mourns those missed precious few moments of meeting your child for the first time and holding them. Unable to move, I just watched as they were whisked away from me.
Out of my journey so far, meeting the many other parents who have been thrown into parenthood with a child with additional needs has been the most challenging. For years my heart has heard so many tear jerking stories from parents about what they have been through and the lack of support they experienced.
Hearing these stories over and over, grew my passion to help others to source information to assist them. Not only for their child with additional needs, but for the whole family.
So, Helping Hand Is Here was born out of my heart for other carers. Hearing their exhausted cries for help and assistance gave birth to an online disability directory that has been flooded with users from all over Victoria.
The directory has proven to be a powerful information platform for carers, families, health professionals, teachers, nurses, child care centres and therapists. Please look over our directory and use it as a daily resource to assist you caring for the additional needs people in your life.“
Michelle Jankovic
For more information visit www.helpinghandishere.com.au
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Parent input needed: Research into experiences of students with disability in Victorian schools
The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission is conducting research into the experiences of students with disability in Victorian schools. This follows an increase in complaints to the Commission relating to disability discrimination in education, and concerns raised by parents of children with disability, advocacy groups and members of the Commission’s Disability Reference Group.
The purpose of the research is to gather information about the challenges experienced by students with disability in the Victorian school system and to identify potential solutions to improve access to education for students with disability.
The Commission is keen to hear from parents and students about what works and what could be improved when it comes to the education of students with disability in Victoria. There are several ways you can have your say, including completing an anonymous online survey at humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/disabilityinschools.
If you work in a community organisation or provide support to families, children and young people with disability, you can send an email to research@veohrc.vic.gov.au
For more information about how you can contribute phone 1300 292 153 or 9032 3583. If you need an interpreter, phone the interpreter service on 1300 152 494 or TTY at 1300 289 621 or visit www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au
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State Disability Plan 2013−16
Development of the next State Disability Plan for 2013−2016 is underway, and the Disability Act 2006 (Vic) requires that a new State Disability Plan is in place by 1 January 2013.
The Plan will focus on a whole of government approach to improving the economic and social outcomes for Victorians with a disability, their families and carers.
The Victorian Government has said that it, “continues to do everything we can to drive the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The State Disability Plan will assist us in outlining a vision for reforming disability support and laying the foundations for an effective transition to a NDIS.”
The draft State Disability Plan 2013−2016 will be released in early 2012 for public consultation, and opportunities for families and carers to have input will be included in our NoticeBoard magazine and on our website.
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$1.18 million to research NDIS
At International Day of People with Disability celebrations in December, the Victorian Minister for Community Services Mary Wooldridge MP announced a commitment of $1.18 million for research into national disability reform, with a focus on what is required to establish a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
The Victorian Government is playing a leading role in advocating for an NDIS to replace the existing service system and the $1.18 million represents Victoria’s contribution to the $10 million National Disability Research and Development Agenda.
To keep up to date with developments in the campaign for an NDIS visit www.everyaustraliancounts.com.au
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Communication Access symbol
The Communication Access Symbol will be displayed at places and services in the community that meet specific criteria for communication access. When people see this symbol, they will know that the place or service is communication accessible.
The symbol will be awarded to those businesses and services that successfully complete a Communication Accessibility Assessment and demonstrate their preparedness to work with people who have a communication disability and communicate in ways other than speech. This includes displaying clear signage, providing information in a variety of formats, providing extra time for service, as well as staff interaction.
Scope’s Communication Resource Centre has driven the development of the symbol to represent Communication Access. Scope’s vision for the symbol is to create communities that are universally accessible. Two cafes so far in Victoria have been awarded the Communication Access symbol with other states to follow by 2013.
For more information visit www.scopevic.org.au
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Send your items for Diary Dates and News in Brief to Fiona Gullifer by email fionag@acd.org.au or phone the Association office on 9818 2000. A selection of News in Brief items also appears in our NoticeBoard magazine.
Infoxchange
Visit the Disability News section of the Infoxchange Australia website for more news, events, activities, publications, research, services and programs.
Classifieds
The Classifieds listing is a free service for families of children with a disability in Victoria who want to buy or sell equipment that relates to their child's disability.
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