Some of Our Parts

Special Careers Event for Students Finalising Their Study

From December 7 to 11, Career Connect have arranged a special careers event for students finalising their study.

Monash Career Launch is a week of masterclasses specially designed to help final-year students acquire the skills, knowledge and self-assurance to secure their ideal role.

Featuring a wide range of bespoke workshops and industry panels, this week provides practical advice to students on how to navigate their own employability and job readiness, as well as provide clarity and build confidence when transitioning from education into professional employment.

• For more information about this great student opportunity, go to https://tinyurl.com/y65uf2p5

Good Food, Good Access, Great Results!

*Article reproduced with permission from the Access Institute

The Comfort of Social Distancing

With cafes and restaurants opening up again after the long hibernation it’s time to celebrate with a night out at our favourite eatery.

With social distancing in place it may mean that people will be more comfortable at the dining table without the elbows of the diner next to them prodding them in the ribs and the person opposite spraying them with food every time they laugh. It also gives savvy eatery owners an opportunity to reflect and reset the elements in their spaces that they may have previously ignored or been unaware of before lockdown that deterred patrons from visiting.

Eateries need to implement strategies that will get people back to their establishments. They need to consider new and effective ways to keep patrons there.

We have all had many months of home delivery, for many a new but convenient concept. We have a new understanding of how comfortable it can be.

Why Change Back to Going Out for Dinner?

At home we can order what we want without leaving the couch.

We can choose from 100s of restaurants and menus, experiment with a variety of cuisines, choose where we eat – the couch or the table. We can choose how we eat – cutlery or hands – we can create quite intimate spaces for a romantic dinner or have the Game on the TV loudly and cheer between bites.

We can now of course also invite others over to join us in the comfort of our own space.

Eateries Need to Consider Options for Eating

Eateries need to consider how to compete not just with other eateries but with other options for eating

So, what are some of the issues that eateries need to focus on to get as many diners as possible back?

According to The Age, October 27, 2020 Good Food Guide,

‘The most common complaint about restaurants is not about prices or the food, but about noise levels, or ease of access for those with physical challenges.’

These issues are not new, but the impact is overwhelmingly underestimated and ignored by many eatery operators. If people can’t hold a conversation easily and hear each other without yelling, and they can’t move around easily and use facilities such as a bathroom they won’t come to the eatery regardless of how good the food is.

People won’t necessarily tell the eatery operator that these are issues, they will just go somewhere else that provides better access, Good access and comfort are not just about a person using a wheelchair. However, if we use a wheelchair as a minimum template for space requirements, we will inevitably cater for more people including those using mobility aids such as prams and delivery trolleys.

Hearing, vision, sensory sensitivity are all important considerations for people when they choose an eatery, Often, they will be there for an extended period of time with the aim of enjoying a meal with family and friends.

• If the noise level is reduced by use of softer floor surfaces, noise reducing furniture such as rubber tips on chair legs, and ceilings and walls that have been treated with noise reduction materials, it is more comfortable for everyone.
• If colour contrasts are used to highlight tables from floors so that it is easy to see where to place a glass on the table rather than it falling on the floor, or the menu is provided in a font size large enough for Baby Boomers to read without having to ask someone to help or straining to see the menu, more people will come.

In addition, with the move to more outdoor dining it is essential that ease of access is considered for everyone and that uneven surfaces that create trip hazards, which create risks for everyone, particularly those who have had a few drinks, should be modified. Effective shade and shelter will be critical for eateries who want to attract more patrons.

If Apple and Nike can consider Universal Design in their products and services to appeal to the widest market possible so too can all small businesses, including eateries.

Good Access is Good Business

Access Institute has a range of Good Access is Good Business Handbooks, including those targeted to Cafes and Restaurants and Retail, with loads of hints and tips to make your business more accessible to more people more of the time. We can also provide advice with Parklets for outdoor dining and footpath trading.

• For further details of our services go to http://accessinstitute.com.au or contact us at admin@accessinstitute.com.au

You’re Invited: Webinar on Career Start Graduate Program at Vision Australia

Vision Australia invites students, tertiary education providers, disability liaison officers and career advisors to our Virtual Careers Information Webinar to better understand their  Career Start Graduate program and long-term career offerings.

The webinar on Monday November 16 from 12.30-1.30pm AEDT will be a chance to hear from previous participants and ask any questions to the program organiser Melissa Rattle and Vision Australia CEO Ron Hooton.

Career Start Program

The 12-month Career Start program is for people who are blind or have low vision and allows for an internal placement within a division of Vision Australia and a paid placement (up to three months) with an external employer.

Some of the previous participants have completed paid cadetships and internships at organisations such as Medibank, Channel 31, Seek, Urban List and Bupa – all of which were chosen to match the graduates’ own interests.

• Applications are now open for the 2021 program.
• Please register for the webinar by emailing: careerstart@visionaustralia.org.

2021 Career Start Graduate Program Eligibility

The program is a 12-month opportunity for people who are blind or have low vision and begins in March 2021.

Graduates can expect:

1. An internal placement within a division of Vision Australia; and
2. A paid placement (up to three months) with an external employer

• Candidates must have completed a diploma level or higher in the last four years to be eligible.
• Applications can be found online.
• Candidates will need to complete the application and submit their resume and a cover letter.
• Applications close November 27, 2020.

Vision Australia job opportunities and in-house assistance

For people who are blind or have low vision that don’t meet the qualifications requirements for the program, other opportunities are available at Vision Australia.

Approximately 15 per cent of the Vision Australia workforce is blind or has low vision.

We see it as hugely important to have people with lived experience helping people who are blind, have low vision or are caring for people with eye conditions.

In fact, Vision Australia helps more than 26,000 people each year.

Some of the ways Vision Australia can help:

• Explore suitable career options and create a professional development plan;
• Develop an effective resume, write application letters and address key selection criteria;
• Training to travel independently to and from work;
• Use computers with assistive technology;
• Advocate for job redesign; and
• Identify appropriate employers to directly target (reverse marketing).

Vision Australia also has a vast volunteer program that has allowed people to help and get an idea of potential jobs.

For current job vacancies please visit the Vision Australia website.

For more information please visit: https://www.visionaustralia.org/services/employment-assistance or call 1300 84 74 66.

Ace Your Assessments

Monash has a range of resources and current online sessions to support you in your final assessments or exams.

• Learn how to beat procrastination, ace your take home or open book exams or chat with other students to hear their strategies for assessment success.
• Learn how to study and prepare a study timetable, understand exam questions and view sample questions.
• Improve your study skills, such as reading, note-taking and time management.
• Find out where to get help and what programs and resources are available.

*Please go to the Preparing For Your Exams webpage to register or join in an online session now.

Nominations Open Now!

The Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Awards for Diversity and Inclusion recognise students and staff (individuals and teams) who have made an outstanding contribution to supporting diversity and fostering inclusion at Monash and beyond.

In 2020, the Awards event will be hosted online, with a certificate and trophy presentation to be held in 2021.

The awards give further recognition through a permanent citation on the Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Awards website.

Eligibility for the Awards

The Awards are open to staff and students of Monash University (Australia and Malaysia), including:

• Academic and professional staff (full-time, part-time, ongoing and fixed term)
• Monash University students (full-time or part-time)
• Group projects (teams, committees and work units)

A nominee’s contribution to diversity and inclusion must go beyond the regular scope of their position at Monash, and must exceed the role of volunteer in a program or initiative.

Selection Criteria

These awards embody the University’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, underpinned by our Diversity and Inclusion Framework and the ethos of the Focus Monash Strategic Plan 2015–2020.

Nominations will be assessed and ranked according to the following criteria:

• Diversity and Inclusion goals

The extent to which the nominated initiative has promoted and supported diversity and inclusion at Monash. This may include supporting and enhancing access, recruitment, participation, retention, culture, engagement and success for students and/or staff.

• Impact

The extent to which the nominated initiative has benefitted students, staff and/or the broader community.

• For more information, including how to nominate, see: https://www.monash.edu/vc-excellence-awards/diversity-and-inclusion-awards .

Launch of the ‘Migrant and Refugee Women in Australia Survey’

In partnership with the Harmony Alliance, the Monash Migration and Inclusion Centre is conducting the ‘Migrant and Refugee Women in Australia Survey’.

This is a national survey to increase understandings of the issues of importance to women from migrant and refugee backgrounds, with a focus on safety and well-being. Findings from the survey will inform advocacy for migrant and refugee women from their own views and experiences.

The survey is offered in nine languages (Arabic, Thai, Vietnamese, Farsi, Nepali, Simplified Chinese, Korean, Punjabi and English) and is open for a six week period.

We need your support

If you identify as a migrant or refugee woman living in Australia and you are over the age of 18 years, we encourage you to complete the survey via the survey hyperlink and/or scanning the QR code in the image above.

• The survey should take no longer than 20 minutes to complete, and all responses will remain anonymous.
• We are pleased to offer all who complete the survey, the chance of winning one of 10 Coles-Myer vouchers to the value of $100.

If you work with an organisation that represents or works with migrant and refugee women, we would appreciate your support to disseminate this survey amongst your networks and community members.

Please feel welcome to circulate the image above which contains the survey hyperlink and QR code.

For more information, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Associate Professor Marie Segrave, Deputy Director of the Monash Migration and Inclusion Centre marie.segrave@monash.edu , or our Director, Associate Professor Rebecca Wickes rebecca.wickes@monash.edu

Work Ready Virtual Experiences Are Now Online

Students can choose from a variety of projects aligned to their field of study or try something new, acquiring experience and insight into the organisation’s processes, culture, and what to expect as a graduate employee.

What’s more, students have the option to gain access to future employment opportunities, as well as additional services such as mentoring programs, information sessions or fast-tracked recruitment processes.

• Take a look at what’s on offer for students at https://tinyurl.com/y6a9g4ed

What is WCAG and How to Achieve Web Accessibility Compliance

What is WCAG?

‘WCAG’ is a term you might have heard in conversations about web accessibility for people with disability.

It stands for the ‘Web Content Accessibility Guidelines’, which are global guidelines for the accessibility of websites and web pages.

WCAG was developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), an international standards organization for the internet. The guidelines have undergone multiple updates since their beginning. The latest version governing public compliance is known as ‘WCAG 2.1’.

*Read more about WCAG and why it’s important in this online article from AI Media.

Paid Internships for Students with Disability – Applications Closing this Sunday!

Have Your Say About COVID-19

The National Disability Coordination Officer  (NDCO) Program is inviting tertiary students with disability to take part in a short 5-10 minute survey to better understand their experiences of study during COVID-19 and to explore the elements of access to, and inclusion within the online learning environment.

This will inform the development of tools and materials to support students and the tertiary sector to create an inclusive online learning environment.

Participation in the survey is voluntary and will remain anonymous.

Your feedback is important as it will help to develop tools to support students with disability in the online learning environment.

In completing the survey you will also go into a draw to win 1 of 5 $100 vouchers.

The survey will close on Friday 30 October.

To take part in the survey please visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZWS6NWH