Some of Our Parts

Happy Friday every body! And happy mid-semester break!

• Something from the history archives, meet Baby – the world’s first and only seeing-eye cat!
• Thinking about moving out? A piece on independent living under a Home Care Grant.
• The Accessible Icon Project is taking off! See here for how you can contribute.
• Disability and development goals.
• Boy, 7, hears for the first time and breaks into tears after talking to his family in Guatemala over Skype
• What does the change in government mean for DisabilityCare?
• Check out upcoming play, The Noahs at Irene Mitchell Studio, St Martins Youth Arts Centre in South Yarra. Performance on Thurs 10th Oct will be Auslan interpreted and audio described.
• October Scriptwriting Workshops on the Art of Inclusive Arts

“C’est La Vie” illustration by Tang Yau Hoong.

The Walter and Eliza Hall Trust Opportunity Scholarship has been introduced to support a financially disadvantaged student with a diagnosed physical disability, and allows the recipient an scholarship of $6000 for one year, to be used for study expenses only (text books and equipment).

Candidates will be assessed on academic achievement and need, and must:

• be an Australian citizen
• be a continuing Monash undergraduate student studying a minimum of two subjects per semester
• have completed your first and/or second year of study in any area of study
• have a physical disability (formal diagnosis and in receipt of the Disability Support Pension)
• be experiencing financial disadvantage

This scholarship cannot be deferred, and a report to the donor of the scholarship must also be provided at the end of the year.

See here for more application information.

Applications CLOSE next week September 30!

NEW JOBS LISTED!!

Stepping into… is a paid internship program specifically designed for students with disability, who want to gain paid, hands-on work experience in an industry that is relevant to their degree and chosen field of study.

The internships are offered by participating employers who are members of the Australian Network on Disability. Students in their penultimate or final year (but expect to finish no earlier than June 2014) studying a relevant degree should apply.

The internship will take place in the summer of 2013/2014 during university end of year break.
Internships are available at: Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
Disciplines include: IT, ICT, Computer Science, Law, Communications, Business Admin, Human Resources, Policy and Finance.

Participating organisations include:

• Westpac
• Stockland
• Australia Post
• Dept of Prime Minister & Cabinet
• Lend Lease
• Dept of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
• Dept of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
• Dept of Resources, Energy and Tourism
• NSW Dept of Attorney General and Justice
• NSW Safety, Return to Work & Support Division
• City of Greater Dandenong
• Federal Court of Australia
• Dept of Broadband, Communications and Energy Efficiency
• NSW Dept of Education and Communities
• Australian Trade Commission (Austrade)

APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW and CLOSE on Monday, September 30, by 5pm AEST

Important:

You will be required to attend a briefing session to be considered for an internship, as part of the selection process and determining your suitability. Please refer to the details on the website.

To find out about the opportunities and how to apply, visit AND’s website on the below link:
http://www.and.org.au/pages/stepping-into…-programs.html

• Look under “Apply for Summer 2013/14”
• You can find out more about “Stepping into…” under “Information for Students”
• You can download application form under webpage

Writer and runner up in the inaugural Report it Right and WIN! competition, Glenn Dwyer, has called on Monash University journalism, media and communications students to put pen to paper and enter this year’s competition.

The Report it Right and WIN! competition challenges Victorian media, journalism and communications students to write a news story or feature article about a topic relating to people with disability or the issues people with disability may face.

Glenn says he drew upon his experiences working as a part-time carer to guide his competition entry.

“The way disability is reported in the media affects public attitudes and perceptions of people with disability. The competition made me more aware of the person and not to focus on their disability. A person’s disability is hardly the most interesting thing about them,” Glenn said.

The Report it Right and WIN! competition is open to tertiary students studying journalism, media or communications at a Victorian university or TAFE. Winners will share in $5000 worth of prizes with the overall competition winner’s story being published in their local Leader newspaper.

“The industry can be hard for students to break into without having some experience. So this is a great opportunity for students,” Glenn said.

Entries in the Report it Right and WIN! competition will be judged by a panel of experts that includes representatives from the media, people with disability and a member of the Victorian Government’s Disability Advisory Council.

Judges will be looking for entries that meet the Reporting it Right: guidelines for portraying people with disability. Students are encouraged to consider the guidelines when developing their story.

The Report it Right and WIN! competition closes at 5.00 pm Monday 14 October.
Competition winners will be announced in early November. For competition terms and conditions visit www.dhs.vic.gov.au/reportitright.
The Report it Right and WIN! competition has been sponsored by the Victorian Government and is being administered by the Department of Human Services’ Office for Disability.
For competition enquiries please contact Maria Coates 03 9096 9715 or email Maria.Coates@dhs.vic.gov.au.

Congratulations to making it to week 8 every one! The mid-semester break is in sight!

• Feel like getting fit for summer? A piece on disability and exercise.
• This lady will show us all how it’s done.
• Can this video really make Stephen Hawkins’ quantum physics simple?
• Disability-lit by Robert Hoge.
• What are your post-graduation plans? Ever thought about starting your own business?
• Post-election thoughts on disability reform.
• What have you #heardwhilstdisabled?
• When Disability Discrimination is legal. An important read.

What fun things are you up to this weekend? (Image by Brad Woodard)

Spotted in Monash News this week, DLU student, Caroline Lane, who is studying a Bachelor of Arts and Business at the Monash Caulfield campus, has won a Vision Australia bursary. The bursary has allowed Caroline to buy adaptive technology including a laptop with a Magic screen magnification and speech upgrade, a DAISY player, and large video magnifier and a handheld electronic magnifier.

Congratulations, Caroline!

Read the full story here on Monash News…

Redkite has been supporting children and young people with cancer, and their families, for over 30 years. Redkite recognises the financial and emotional stress that the childhood and Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) cancer experience places on individuals and families.

The Dare to Dream National Scholarship Program aims to support young people who have, or have had a cancer diagnosis in their lives, to remain actively involved and engaged in education and or career planning and pursuits.

Dare to Dream Scholarships are available to young people aged 15 – 24 years who have had a cancer diagnosis and as a result of that diagnosis have had difficulty in reaching or aspiring to achieve their education or vocational goals.

Applicants could win a State/Territory Scholarship of $2000 or one National Award at $5000.

Applications are open now until Monday 4 November, visit www.redkite.org.au/scholarships for full details.

Happy Friday every body!

• It’s also the International Week for the Deaf!
• Amanda Cachia is a curator, PhD candidate and disability activist – read her article on ‘Disabling the Museum’
• Sex and Disability – a BBC special radio show (Warning: This programme contains adult themes and some may find it an uncomfortable listen)
• Eleanor Longden talks at TEDx about her experiences with schizophrenia
• Comedy and Cerebral Palsy?
• Read Disability Employment Australia’s recommendations for our new government.

Beijing, China photographed by Paolo Nespoli

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 have put 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 at Foundation for Young Australians, 21-27 Somerset Place (off Elizabeth St), Melbourne

Eastern Planning Workshop: Saturday 12 October, 2pm – 4pm at World Vision Australia, 1 Vision Drive, Burwood East

For more information, email Chris at chris.r.varney@gmail.com

The Vision Australia Further Education Bursary 2014 is now open for applications.

These Bursaries provide adaptive technology to help ensure that these students can fully participate and succeed in their chosen studies.

Vision Australia has a Tertiary Education Consultant to advise on course selection, study skills, student advocacy and funding opportunities. The Tertiary Education Consultant also coordinates the Vision Australia Further Education Bursary.

Eligibility criteria

Students of any age can apply for a Vision Australia Further Education Bursary.

Applicants must be:

• (or become) a client of Vision Australia
• An Australian citizen or permanent resident
• Living or moving to Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, the Northern Territory or Tasmania
• Enrolling to study at an institution in Victoria, ACT, NSW, Queensland, the Northern Territory or Tasmania
• Enrolling to study in at least Certificate IV or higher accredited courses including undergraduate and postgraduate degrees (not a Foundation or Enabling course) at the start of the year or be already enrolled in such a course (preference may be given to those in the early stages of a course).

Selection Criteria

The Bursary Committee will take the following criteria into consideration when making their selection, thus Applicants are advised to address these factors in their application:

• Future goals
  • Reasoning behind course selection
  • Career prospects on completion of course.
• Potential for success in chosen courses
  • Level of achievement demonstrated in previous results
  • Work experience
  • Academic awards, prizes or acknowledgement
  • Ability to successfully complete course.
• Extra-curricular activities
  • Community service
  • Volunteer work
  • Raising a family
  • Music involvements
  • Languages
  • Sporting or other achievements.
• Demonstrated need for the equipment
  • What if any adaptive technology have you used in the past
  • What if any accommodations have you received (for example alternative format text)
  • Justification of the need for any additional equipment beyond your current equipment
  • Implications of not having the equipment
  • Justification of the types of equipment and its benefits.

Applications are treated in the strictest confidence. All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application. All decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Each year a Victorian Bursary recipient selected by our committee to have best met these criteria will also receive the Fairhall Memorial Scholarship of $150.