Some of Our Parts

International Student Careers Summit Kicks Off Next Week!

This program is designed to help international students make their mark in the employment market.

From Monday 3 April to Thursday 6 April Career Connect will bring together a series of workshops and online keynotes to maximise our students’ competitive employability and prepare them for the transition into the workforce.

• The full program can be found here.

Students can register via UniHub here: monash.edu/careers-summit.

Inclusive Bookshelves Championed at Vision Australia’s Children’s Book Launch

Vison Australia has launched the first book in a series championing underrepresented role models with blindness and low vision has been launched at the Melbourne Museum last week.

Surfing in the Dark, a fully integrated braille and illustrated children’s book, chronicles the story of Matt Formston, a pro blind surfer who ignored naysayers to tackles waves bigger than a five-storey building.

“The world has told me and my family you can’t, you shouldn’t, because you have a disability it’s not an option for you,” Matt said.

“But my life experience has been that I can.”

The highlight of the day designed to start a bigger conversation about diversity and inclusion in the books we read was when 11-year-old Ethan Bradley got to interview his role model Matt Formston.

Ethan has vision loss himself and stole the show by asking some tough questions to the fearless surfer, who said it was the best interview he had all year.

The book is the first of three to be released this year from Vision Australia’s ground breaking Big Visions book series.

A series written and published with the ambition to highlight positive role models and inspire inclusivity and acceptance in all Australians.

Disruptive Comedy: Breaking Barriers with Laughter

Join a panel of comedians, hosted by Adam Hills, as they explore the realities of working in comedy as people with disability.

To coincide with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival on 5 April, the Wheeler Centre (in the city), is hosting a panel of comedians who will discuss matters relating to disability.

This event is in-person and also live-streamed.

It is described as a panel that explores the realities of working in comedy as people with disability.

Together the panel “will share their personal and professional experiences, delve into the barriers that exist in the comedy industry, and discuss how laughter can be used as a tool for empowerment and education.”

• For more information check out the website.

Join Us for an Information-Packed in-person Careers Session

Are you ready to take the first step towards an exciting career?

Grab yourself a free donut and join us for an hour-long, information-packed in-person session that will change your career trajectory!

• As an added ‘sweetener’, there will be free donuts for everyone who attends this in-person event!

We’re thrilled to present GradWISE and Australian Network on Disability [AND] – two career-support powerhouses that are committed to empowering students and graduates living with disabilities to achieve their full potential.

• When: Tuesday March 28, 2023 – 3pm -4pm
• Where: Room G20 – Career Connect Training Room (Opposite Artichoke & Whitebait and near the Cinema), 21 Chancellors Walk, Downstairs in the Campus Centre, Monash University Clayton Campus

Register here

This is your chance to learn about GradWISE’s ground-breaking program, which provides tailored support to help you succeed in graduate and entry-level employment.

GradWISE understands that the journey to finding your dream job can be challenging, especially if you’re living with a disability or chronic health condition. That’s why they’re with you every step of the way, helping you to build resilience and navigate the application process with confidence.

The Australian Network on Disability [AND] offer the PACE Mentoring Program and Stepping Into Program that offers paid Internships. Find out more and how to apply!

And if that’s not enough, you’ll also get to hear from a recent Monash University Alumni who benefited from GradWISE, sharing their incredible journey to securing employment aligned to the area of student and aspiration!

• This session is open to all Monash students who have a disability, mental health, or chronic health condition.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to kick-start your career and unleash your full potential.

Join us for an exciting and informative session- we’re looking forward to meeting you!

• Click here to REGISTER NOW!

MGA Competition for Graduate Students with a Disability

Ability Fest is Australia’s first all-accessible music festival with some great acts on their line-up this year.

• Enter now to win x2 General Admission tickets to Ability Fest for you and a friend!

Ability Fest is all about the music, but has the added bonus of being one of the most inclusive events in the country.

Everyone can enjoy the universal love of live music!

Find out more about Ability Fest here.

This year’s festival takes place on Saturday, 25 March, 2023 from 12.00pm at Birrarung Marr in the Melbourne CBD.

It will host some of the biggest names in Australian music including Hilltop Hoods, Sampa the Great, Meg Mac and YO! MAFIA.

Accessibility features include:

• elevated platforms
• pathways
• dedicated sensory areas
• quiet zones
• companion ticketing
• ramps
• friendly volunteers
• Auslan interpreters
• accessible toilets and more.

We think this awesome festival needs one more person… and maybe it’s you!

But we’re not just going to send you alone.

We have TWO General Admission tickets to Ability Fest for you and your mate!

• Competition opens: Wednesday, 8 March 2023 @ 12:00pm
• Competition closes: Friday, 17 March 2023 @ 12:00pm
• Winners will be selected by an online random name picker and notified via email by Monday, 20 March 2023.
• They will also be announced via MGA social media.

ENTER HERE!

To be in the running for this amazing prize, all you have to do is:

1. Be over 18 years of age.
2. Be enrolled in a graduate degree at Monash University Australia (Grad dip, Grad Cert, Masters or PhD). We will require confirmation of enrolment in a graduate degree.
3. Identify as student with a disability or a chronic illness.
4. Submit your entry before 12:00pm on Friday, 17 March 2023 using one of the methods listed below:

• Complete the online Google form and send here.
• Pre-record yourself answering the following questions and email your video to mga@monash.edu.
• Your name / Student ID / Degree / Faculty / Do you identify as living with a disability or chronic illness? / Are you registered with the Monash Disability Support Services (DSS)?
• Arrange a time for a phone or video call application by emailing mga@monash.edu with ‘Ability Fest’ in the subject heading.
• To read the Terms and Conditions click here.

Disability Disclosure & Reasonable Adjustment Workshop

On Thursday 23 March 2023 GradWISE will be partnering with Career Connect to invite students living with a disability to a Disability Disclosure & Reasonable Adjustment workshop.

GradWISE is a graduate program, developed by WISE Employment in conjunction with Australian Universities.

The program is designed to empower graduates and tertiary students living with a disability, mental, physical health condition or injury to aspire, develop and thrive in graduate jobs and entry level employment.

GradWISE would like to invite you to a Disability Disclosure & Reasonable Adjustment workshop, designed to provide you with valuable information and resources related to living with a disability in the world of work.

The workshop aims to create a safe space for students living with a disability to discuss their experiences, concerns and questions with GradWISE Career Coaches who can provide support and guidance.

The workshop will focus on the following topics:

• Understanding disability disclosure: the benefits, risks, and legal rights involved
• Reasonable adjustments: what they are and how to request them
• Accessible resources and accommodations available in organisations
• Best practices for self-advocacy and support networks

In this workshop, we encourage you to come with an open mind and be willing to participate in discussions.

We look forward to seeing you at the workshop!

GradWISE Disability Disclosure & Reasonable Adjustment

• Thursday, 23 March
• 10.00am – 11.00am
• Registration link: Register here

You Are Invited to a Careers Presentation by GradWISE and Australian Network on Disability

Join this session on 28 March 2023 (3 – 4:30pm) to learn about the successful GradWISE program for students/graduates living with a disability and gain insights from Monash University Alumni’s experience with their transition from Academia to a successful career.

You will also hear from The Australian Network on Disability (AND), which will provide information on the PACE mentoring program and the Stepping into internship program.

Careers Presentation Details

You will learn about the successful GradWISE program that is designed to empower students living with a disability, mental or physical health condition, or injury to aspire, develop and thrive in graduate and entry-level employment.

• GradWISE is with you every step of the way, helping you build resilience throughout the application process and helping you to navigate your first year of work.

You will also hear from a recent Monash University Alumni linked to GradWISE speaking of their journey to successfully being offered employment in 2022!

This session is open and recommended to all Monash students with a disability, mental health or chronic health conditions.

Topics include:

• Graduate application process and available reasonable adjustments
• Application and interview tips from Alumni
• How to ensure you are competitive for graduate and entry-level opportunities

*Please note: this is an in-person event only

• Go to the Registration Page to register for this important careers event
• Venue: 21 Chancellors Walk, Campus Centre, Room G150 (Career Connect Training Room), Australia – Clayton campus

GradWISE Industry AccessABILITY Week – February 2023

Summer is here and the festive period is upon us.

It’s time to start preparing for GradWISE’s 2023 graduate application season!

The Industry AccessABILITY Week from Monday 13 February to Friday 17 February 2023 is an opportunity for students/graduates to hear from disability-confident employers on their various roles and early career pathways.

They will help prepare recent and soon to be graduates with tips to succeed in navigating the graduate recruitment process and choosing organisations that align with their values and career aspirations.

These employers are interested in you because of your diversity of thought and solutions, and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where people living with a disability can thrive and engage in meaningful employment aligned with their degree of study.

• Click here for a full calendar of events
• Register HERE

Education Faculty Study on Neuro-diverse People

Monash University’s Faculty of Education is interested in the social-emotional characteristics of people who are twice exceptional, to influence positive outcomes for them through psychological and educational research.

If you have been identified with an IQ (or GAI) of 120 or above with Autism, ADHD, or a Specific Learning Disability (such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, or dyscalculia) we invite you to participate.

Online Interview

The adult study will require approximately an hour of your time for an online interview.

You will be asked for documentation confirming your exceptionalities for the purposes of research integrity.

• For further information and a copy of the project’s Explanatory Statement (Monash University Project ID 28288), please contact Candice James (PhD Candidate from the School of Educational Psychology & Counselling, Faculty of Education) at candice.james@monash.edu

This project is funded by the Federal Government Research Training Program and the Mensa Australia Richard Johns research fund (year 2021).

Call For Survey Participants – Accessible Floor Plans Study

Further to the promotion of Monash University’s Accessible Floor Plans Study, researchers are keen to know more about access to complex public spaces from a user experience perspective.

They have developed a survey with relevant questions, including:

• Do you enjoy going to shopping centres and theatres?
• Do you visit train stations, airports and libraries a lot?
• Are you colour blind/have low vision/dyslexia or are you a wheelchair user?

They would like to hear about your experience in visiting these complex public spaces and your support material such as floor plans to pre-plan your trip, and are asking for 15-20 mins of your valuable time, to be spent on answering this anonymous online survey

For more information, or to request participation in this study, please contact:

• Dr. Anuradha Madugalla (anu.madugalla@monash.edu)
• Research Fellow, HumaniSE Lab, Faculty of IT, Monash University