The Vision Australia Further Education Bursary 2015 is now open for Applications. In 2015, Vision Australia will award Further Education Bursaries to a select number of students who are blind or have low vision. These Bursaries provide assistive technology, laptops, magnification, audio or Braille devices tailored to the individual student’s needs.

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
• Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident
• Be living or moving to Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, the Northern Territory or Tasmania
• Be enrolling to study at an institution in Victoria, ACT, NSW, Queensland, the Northern Territory or Tasmania
• Be 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).

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.

The closing date for applicants is 31 October 2014.

See the Vision Australia website for more.

Have you ever had a lecturer or tutor who went that extra mile to ensure you were accommodated for in class? The MSA Teaching Awards are now open, and include a new category for Inclusive Teaching.

Make your vote count here!

GOOD NEWS! There are now new access parking bays  in C2 at Clayton. Please note that  the signs are not up yet, but its very clear by the markings on the ground.

Also good to know – people who require access parking will not be booked for parking in yellow bays provided the disability permit is properly displayed. If you are having difficulties finding a close access car park contact Monash security.

For Diversity and Inclusion Week this year Disability Services and Employment and Career Development are launching a new virtual Moodle space providing exclusive careers resources for students with disabilities, mental health and medical conditions.

Jam packed with resources, the unit gives you access to handouts, career seminar presentations, videos, document samples and external links to internship and mentoring opportunities.

Disability Services is seeking volunteer student mentors as part of our Disability Services Peer Mentor Program. Successful registered students who are willing to share their knowledge and experience are encouraged to apply. We also welcome applications from mature-age students.

The program matches students with a student mentor who is also registered with Disability Services for regular meetings throughout semester. Mentors provide support, encouragement and information to their mentee to assist them successfully navigate university life. This could mean attending university social events together, referral to appropriate Monash services, navigation around campus or simply having a chat over coffee.

Mentors are trained and supported by the Disability Liaison Unit. Participants will receive a certificate of appreciation at the end of semester.

Why be a mentor?

Being a mentor can:

• Enhance your personal and professional development
• Add skills to your résumé to enhance employability
• Introduce you to new friends and social activities
• Increase your networking potential across the University

Peer mentors should:

• Be a registered Disability Services student
• Be available to attend a 1-hour training and induction session
• Be able to meet with your mentee regularly for the duration of the semester (this can also be in an online capacity)
• Be able to provide the details of a referee upon request
• Have knowledge of Monash academic and social life
• Complete the application form to register your interest in becoming a DS Peer Mentor.

We will be in touch with further information before the beginning of semester. Participation in the program is obviously dependent upon finding a suitable student for you to be matched with.

If you have any questions about the program please contact Sarah Mander on 03 9905 3857 or email sarah.mander@monash.edu

The Disability Liaison Unit (DLU) is seeking volunteer student mentors as part of our PEERS Program. Successful registered students who are willing to share their knowledge and experience are encouraged to apply. We also welcome applications from mature-age students.

The program matches students registered with the DLU with a student mentor for regular meetings throughout semester. Mentors provide support, encouragement and information to their mentee to assist them successfully navigate university life. This could mean attending university social events together, referral to appropriate Monash services, navigation around campus or simply having a chat over coffee.

Mentors are trained and supported by the Disability Liaison Unit. Participants will receive a certificate of appreciation at the end of semester.

Why be a mentor?

Being a mentor can:

• Enhance your personal and professional development
• Add skills to your résumé to enhance employability
• Introduce you to new friends and social activities
• Increase your networking potential across the University

Peer mentors should:

• Be available to attend a 1-hour training and induction session
• Be able to meet with your mentee regularly for the duration of the semester (this can also be in an online capacity)
• Be able to provide the details of a referee upon request
• Have knowledge of Monash academic and social life
• Complete the application form to register your interest in becoming a DLU PEERS Mentor.

We will be in touch with further information before the beginning of semester. Participation in the program is obviously dependent upon finding a suitable student for you to be matched with.

If you have any questions about the program please contact Sarah Mander on 03 9905 3857 or email sarah.mander@monash.edu

From Monash Sport News:

As a part of our ongoing commitment to provide for all our member’s and customer’s needs, Monash Sport is proud to continue to improve accessibility specifically for those with limited mobility or wheelchair access requirements.

As a part of this commitment, we have refurbished the Change Rooms at the Doug Ellis Swimming pool to feature two dedicated accessible change rooms. The male and female change rooms also feature an ambulant toilet.

Additionally, the accessible ramp and adjacent stairs at the main entry to the Monash Sport building (Building 1) has been updated to include a compliant hand rail and tactile tiles.

With refurbishments to the Stadium Change Rooms finishing in February, the accessible change room was open to also provide great accessibility to Monash Sport for all. This change room has been reconfigured so that the entry is located directly on the main corridor, rather than near the entry to the male change rooms. The male and female change rooms also feature an ambulant toilet.

To further this commitment, we are also currently constructing an accessible lift to allow access from the ground floor to the first floor of the Gym at Clayton. These works are already underway and will be finished by February/ March 2014.

Monash Sport looks forward to further improving our environment in 2014 to provide greater accessibility access.

As part of our support services for newly registered students at Monash, we would like to invite you to participate in one of the new DLU Campus Tours around the Caulfield and Clayton campuses during O Week.

The tours are open to all registered students.

We will take you around the campuses to assist you to familiarise yourselves with the campus environment, as well as to highlight the DLU support services, library facilities for students with disabilities as well as important access points. This is also a great opportunity to meet other DLU students who are also new to the university.

As part of the DLU Open House running in O Week, tours will operate as a drop-in service with no formal registration required. However, if there are any specific parts of the university or DLU services you are interested in visiting on one of these tours, please let us know in advance and we will try our best to cater for your requests.

• Clayton tours will run from 2pm on the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of O-Week (26th, 27th and 28th February)

Tours will meet outside Building 55 at 1.50pm for a 2pm start

• Caulfield tours will run from 2pm on the Tuesday of O-Week (25th of February)

Tours will meet outside Monash Connect (Building A, ground floor) at 1.50pm for a 2pm start

Campus maps will be provided on the day and it may be advisable to bring your own pen and paper to take notes.

Please let us know in advance if you require Auslan interpreters, electric scooters or have any other accessibility requirements.

If you have any further questions or concerns about the tours, please contact Sarah Mander at sarah.mander@monash.edu or on 9905 3857.

The Disability Liaison Unit (DLU) is seeking volunteer student mentors as part of our PEERS Program. Successful registered students who are willing to share their knowledge and experience are encouraged to apply. We also welcome applications from mature-age students.

The program matches students registered with the DLU with a student mentor for regular meetings throughout semester. Mentors provide support, encouragement and information to their mentee to assist them successfully navigate university life. This could mean attending university social events together, referral to appropriate Monash services, navigation around campus or simply having a chat over coffee.

Mentors are trained and supported by the Disability Liaison Unit. Participants will receive a certificate of appreciation at the end of semester.

Why be a mentor?

Being a mentor can:

• Enhance your personal and professional development
• Add skills to your résumé to enhance employability
• Introduce you to new friends and social activities
• Increase your networking potential across the University

What is required

Peer mentors should:

• Be available to attend a 1-hour training and induction session
• Be able to meet with your mentee regularly for the duration of the semester (this can also be in an online capacity)
• Be able to provide the details of a referee upon request
• Have knowledge of Monash academic and social life

Complete the application form to register your interest in becoming a DLU PEERS Mentor.

We will be in touch with further information before the beginning of semester. Participation in the program is obviously dependent upon finding a suitable student for you to be matched with.

If you have any questions about the program please contact Sarah Mander on 03 9905 3857 or email sarah.mander@monash.edu.

Just a reminder to complete the DLU annual student survey if you haven’t already done so. Your feedback is important and helps shape DLU services.

Survey closes on 31 December 2013