Some of Our Parts

Good morning everyone, and happy Friday! It’s been Survival Week – did you get yourself some dumplings and ASOS gear?

Here’s a wrap up of the week’s disability-themed news:

• Just over a week until the Federal Election – what does this mean for DisabilityCare?
• Speaking of the election – we’ve blogged about it before and we’ll blog about it again – telephone voting for blind and low vision voters!
• Have you been to Monet’s Garden at the NGV yet? There is an accessible evening next week!
• More art – next Saturday is the opening of By Women, Of Women at Arts Project in Northcote.
• Over in the UK, the Swindon wheelchair street dance project has been awarded a grant!
• More UK news; one year on, there’s a lot of discussion about the legacy of the London Paralymics. What do you think?

I think spring has finally sprung!  (via~astapot)

Thank you all for your votes and comments! We were inundated with responses and are currently working on the next phase of development with the DLU staff.

Watch this space!

Daniel Daulton, a student in Computer Science has been awarded a very prestigious Further Education bursary from Vision Australia, as well as a Fairhall Memorial Scholarship.

“I was able to upgrade my computer and now have a laptop with refreshable braille display and Omnipage OCR software. This allows me to interact in class, which has been really good,” Daniel said.

See the full article on Monash News.

The Harvard World Model United Nations (WorldMUN) is the world’s most diverse Model UN conference and gives students the opportunity to simulate leading organisations such as the United Nations and World Health Organisation. Students work in teams called delegations and propose solutions to many of the world’s pressing issues and gain skills in negotiation, communication and leadership.

Become a delegate

Monash Abroad will select a delegation made up of 20 students from all Monash campuses. The delegations will travel to the Harvard WorldMUN conference in Brussels, Belgium from 17-21 March 2014. We are looking for students with excellent leadership and debating skills, who will be our Monash University ambassadors at an internationally renowned conference. Students who are passionate about making a difference and keen to take on challenges are encouraged to apply. Delegates will be offered the following package:

Free conference registration

• 5 nights of accommodation in Brussels (for the duration of the conference)
• Travel scholarship amounts of:
  • Australian campuses AU$1000 per student
  • Sunway, Malaysian campus AU$1400 per student (approximately 4,119 MYR)
  • South African campus AU$1700 per student (approximately 15,263 ZAR)
  • Complimentary travel insurance (students from Monash Australia only)*

Apply now

• To be eligible for the Harvard WorldMUN 2014 Conference you must meet the following eligibility criteria:
• Be an undergraduate/postgraduate full degree student from any Monash University campus
• Have completed 48 credit points of study in your degree (postgraduate students need to have completed at least 24 credit points)
• Have a minimum weighted average mark of 65%

Complete the online form to apply to become a delegate. The application deadline is 30 August 2013. Late applications will not be considered.

Selection and acceptance

If your application is selected you will be required to attend an interview. Australian candidates will have their interview at the Clayton campus in Australia, South African and Malaysian candidates will attend the interview at their home campus.

Successful candidates will be required to attend fortnightly training sessions from mid-September 2013 to the end of February 2014 (exam period excluded). Australian candidates will undertake their training sessions at the Clayton campus in Australia, South African and Malaysian candidates will undertake their training sessions in their home campus. Past WorldMUN participants will mentor and train future delegates and help them enhance their debating and public speaking skills. Students will take part in mock discussions and get familiar with the structure of the conference. All candidates must be available to attend the conference from the 16 to 21 March 2014 and independently obtain a valid visa for travel to Belgium (if required).

*Selected candidates from the Malaysian and South African campuses will need to purchase comprehensive travel insurance.

Happy Friday every body!

• DisabilityCare and tertiary education – something to think about before the election?
• Speaking of DisabilityCare – dyslexia has just been recognised under the Better Schools plan!
• Some insights on a sticky situation.
• It’s no secret that adaptive clothing tends to be geared toward the older age brackets, however Dressability in the UK has just received a substantial grant to get some projects in motion!
• In more news from the UK – No Go Britain is working to improve access to beaches!
• ArtsAccess Victoria has some exciting positions open at the moment – check them out grads!

Sun and a Joke Make Me Happy – Stephen Berry

Check out more ‘Postcards from the Edge’

IMPORTANT:

Due to the implementation of a new library system, there will be interruptions to the loans, holds, renewals and reading lists services and to Search,between the 17th August to 4th September.

See here for more information on how this may have an effect you.

Join Monash students James Ong and Chris Varney, both of whom have Autism Spectrum Disorder, for a free lunch where you can learn about the vision for ‘I CAN Monash’ – a network of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder who support each other to achieve personal goals.

I CAN Monash is a community of students who share a good laugh about the Autism Spectrum and the interests, talents, quirks and coping strategies that come with it. We exist to ensure that students and staff together create an enabling environment for you to get the most out of uni life!

These upcoming gatherings will provide a way for you to meet like-minded others and just hang out with a cool bunch of people!

WHEN?

Thursday 19 September & Thursday 10 October
12pm – 1pm
Building 6 (Faculty of Education)
Level 1, Room TLS110
Clayton campus

WHO?
Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

George Bernard Shaw

In response to some enquiries we’d had over here at the DLU regarding clubs and societies on campus, we decided to share with you the process of how you can start your own Monash associated club.

Firstly, you’ll need to see the Development Officer in the Club and Societies Office on Level 1 of the Campus Centre to discuss your options and the formal application process.

Be warned, it can take almost a semester to start up a new club. This includes the time taken for the aims and objectives to be submitted and approved; the club constitution written; 20 names (minimum) of Clayton enrolled Monash students collected on the ‘Expression of Interest’ form; convening the Inaugural Meeting; and new club committee training.

For more information on how to start a club, or to get involved with one of the many existing clubs, see the Monash Clubs and Societies page.

Monash Alumni and all-round superstar Chris Varney and Monash Student, James Ong are planning to run a camp for young people and young adults on the Autism Spectrum in February 2014. The camp/s will be targeted to 15 – 24 year olds, and they are looking for your contribution to the content, messaging, facilitation and promotion of this camp.

They are putting together some planning workshops for any young person on the spectrum or any person supporting young people to come along and make a contribution. Any piece of advice – however big or small – would be GREATLY appreciated.

The purpose of the camp is to bring together young people and young adults on the spectrum and engage in personal development. It’s going to be fun, and encourage you to push yourself to be bold, share talents, quirks, positive messages, coping strategies and develop a sense of community. This will be a positive experience for young people that grows everyone’s confidence!

They are seeking your input, and there are two workshops to cater to everyone’s different geography.

City Planning Workshop: Wednesday 9 October, 5.30pm – 7.30pm (CBD, Venue TBC)

Eastern Planning Workshop: Saturday 12 October, 2pm – 4pm (Venue TBC)

This is a Save the Date until venue are secured. Light refreshments will be provided during each workshop. Please spread the word far and wide.

Please RSVP to chris.r.varney@gmail.com

Hi everyone! It’s Friday again….!

• RMIT proposes controversial new ‘Fitness to Study’ tests for mental health
• In more higher education news, some UK schools are moving online.
• Tackling the Kokoda Trail is no big deal, right?
• Sex ed? Zambia? Deafness? It’s a thing, and it’s happening now.
• New hopes to walk again in a robotic exoskeleton. Watch this space!
• Are you technologically savvy? The Australian Human Rights Commission is going to sponsor an award for an accessible app that accommodates the needs of people with disability.

What happens when you give stickers to thousands of kids?