Some of Our Parts

This February there were some fascinating articles from the Centre for Inclusive Design newsletter.

Highlighted below are a few you might find interesting.

Nike Launches its First Hands-Free Shoe

Recently Nike launched a new shoe that takes accessible fashion to a whole new level.

The Nike GO FlyEase features a bi-stable hinge, making it possible to get into the sneakers without the use of hands, and midsole tensioner, which allows the shoe to remain secure once it’s on.

This article explores the letter Matthew Walzer wrote to Nike, which inspired the shoe. It’s a great story about why Inclusive Design works.

Lego Braille Bricks come to Australia

Lego Braille Bricks allow children with vision impairment to learn maths and literacy by touch.

The Lego kits each contain 304 bricks featuring letters, numbers, punctuation and symbols in braille, together with the printed version.

Vision Australia has been gifted 1,000 kits of the braille bricks by the Lego Foundation and will be distributed to schools that have students with vision impairment across the country.

View the full story by ABC here.

AccessibilityOZ – Disability Factsheets for Australia

The Accessibility Factsheets were commissioned by Australian Government and have been released under Creative Commons.

The factsheets have detailed information on how to make certain content accessible.

AccessibilityOz worked with the Australian Government to develop these readable interpretations of how to make forms, images, interactive maps, mobile etc accessible, along with information on how inaccessible content affects people with disabilities.

‘Take the Pledge’ and Celebrate the Intelligence and Ability of Neurodivergent Students and Staff

Monday 15 March to Saturday 21 March 2021

In May 2019 over 300 schools and colleges and 294,000 students participated in Neurodiversity Celebration Week. This year schools and universities from around the world are participating in Neurodiversity Celebration Week.

In New Zealand and Australia local members of the Autistic Collaboration Trust with the support of S23M are assisting schools with neurodiversity education resources leading up to the event.

For more information see: 

• Neurodiversity Celebration Week – The advantages of perceiving the world differently
• Autistic Collaboration Trust – Equipping autistic people for collaboration for life
• Neuroclastic – Information about the autism spectrum from autistic people

NCSEHE-led Project to Establish Australia’s First Dedicated National Career Development Learning Hub for Students with Disability

A new National Careers Institute (NCI) Partnership Grant project led by the NCSEHE will establish Australia’s first Career Development Learning (CDL) Hub for students with disability.

The CDL Hub will provide an accessible range of resources, as well as practical examples of programs addressing CDL for students with disability across the student life cycle.

One of 13 projects funded under the first round of the NCI Partnership Grant program, National Career Development Learning Hub for students with disability will direct over $400,000 to improving careers outcomes for students with disability.

Chief Investigator Professor Sarah O’Shea will collaborate with an expert group of researchers1 from the NCSEHE, Curtin University, the University of Wollongong, La Trobe University, the University of Tasmania and Swinburne University of Technology.

The research team will be guided by key stakeholders from relevant bodies including the Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training (ADCET), Centres for Disability Studies and leaders of University Diversity and Student Equity units.

“This project is an exciting opportunity to draw upon major NCSEHE commissioned research as well as the work of NCSEHE Equity Fellows Tim Pitman and David Eckstein,” Professor O’Shea said.

“While students with disability bring valuable qualities to the workforce, this cohort faces unique challenges which often result in disproportionately poor employment outcomes. This project will identify best practice, based on a national audit of existing CDL programs, which will inform a series of pilot programs to enable students with disability to fulfil their potential.”

• For more information see: https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/ncsehe-research-career-development-learning-hub-disability/

Soundfair is Launching The HearMe Report

What does a world of hearing equality look like and how can we work together to bring it closer?

To commemorate the close of Hearing Awareness Week, on Friday 5 March Soundfair is launching The HearMe Report – a document that centres the lived experiences of people with hearing conditions and identifies ten priority areas for society-wide action.

The report will be launched at midday with support from The Hon Mark Coulton MP and keynote speakers including Suzanne Waldron, and Dr Caitlin Barr.

• When: 5 March 2021
• 11am: Welcome
• 11.15am–11.45am: Art Exhibition
• Midday–1pm: Speakers
• 1.15–2.45pm: Networking lunch
• Where: Crown Melbourne, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank VIC 3006

The Hon Mark Coulton MP is the Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government in Australia’s Federal Coalition Government. He has served in the House of Representatives as the Member for Parkes since 2007.

Suzanne Waldron is a deaf behaviouralist with a Master’s Degree in Coaching and Neuro-Linguistics. Her research focusses on pro-social leadership and the psychological aspects of inner fulfillment through moving significant ideas(beyond self) into action.

Suzanne works with individuals, organisations and influencers to build cohesive relationships in community, government and not for profits.

Dr Barr is an international leader, researcher, and advocate for putting people with hearing conditions at the centre of systemic and societal change. As CEO of Soundfair Australia Ltd and as an honorary senior clinical researcher at the University of Melbourne, Caitlin brings together consumer voice of people living with hearing conditions with clinical and research perspectives for a common cause of catalysing change.

Ultimately, Caitlin is driven to see a society where having a hearing condition poses no barrier to living connected and healthy.

• Don’t miss out on this fantastic experience of meeting these people and RSVP today! The HearMe Report launch will also be livestreamed, so you can join online too!
• To find out more about the HearMe Report, speakers and to register for the event, visit the website.

Take the Library Survey and Go Into the Draw to Win a Prize

What do you use Monash University Library for?

Tell us what matters most to you by completing a short survey, and enter a draw to win 1 of 3 $50 eGift Cards!*

With your help, we can work toward an improved online Library experience.

• Visit bit.ly/librarywebsurvey

*Terms and conditions apply.

See here for details:
monash.edu/library/about/library-survey-prize-terms-and-conditions

Department of Justice and Community Safety 2021 Disability Scholarship Program NOW OPEN

Partners In Wellbeing Program

Neami National, EACH and ACSO are proud to announce the launch of the DHHS funded Partners In Wellbeing Program from now until June 30, 2021. 

The Partners in Wellbeing program will provide specialist psychosocial and wellbeing supports across Victoria via telephone and video technology to people with experiencing poor psychosocial health and mental-ill health in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The wellbeing coaching and practical supports delivered through this program will assist people experiencing psychosocial distress and mental ill health due to the COVID-19 physical distancing and isolation measures, including those who are required to self-isolate for whatever reason.

This includes people with lived experience of mental illness, as well as those experiencing poor psychosocial health for the first time due to the impacts of COVID-19.

The initiative will also support carers in the context of their own psychosocial health and the caring role, acknowledging the negative and fatiguing impacts of COVID-19 on carers wellbeing and resilience.

The Program opening hours are Monday-Friday 9am-10pm and Saturday/Sunday 9am-5pm

Target Group

The target group for the Partners In Wellbeing program is Victorians 16 or over who are:

• experiencing increased life stressors and their usual coping strategies are not working
• noticing signs of anxiety and/or depression that have lasted more than a few weeks, such as:
  *low mood i.e. feeling down
  *feeling overwhelmed and unsafe
  *low energy
  *feelings of hopelessness
  *fear, nervousness or worrying
  *avoidance of social situations
  *thoughts of self-harm or harm to others.
• not currently receiving a Commonwealth or state funded community mental health psychosocial support service, including the disability support from the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Note: This is a voluntary service and diagnosis of mental illness is not an eligibility requirement. 

*Priority will be given people at high risk of relapse in their mental health condition or psychological state to prevent avoidable relapse, ED presentations and hospital admission and/or risk of self-harm or suicide.

They are now open for referrals so please get in touch via the following contact methods:

• Central Phone Number: 1300 375 330
• www.partnersinwellbeing.org.au

Campaigns and Awareness Days for Inclusion of People with Disability at Work

Campaigns and awareness days related to the inclusion of people with disability are listed below (thank you to AND for this list). 

Awareness days can help promote a culture of inclusion and demonstrate your commitment to a workplace that is accessible, safe and supports everyone to reach their full potential. 

This guide is designed to help you plan for and contribute to key global and national campaigns for inclusion of people with disability in 2021. 

• World Hearing Day
• International Women’s Day 
• World Autism Awareness Day 
• World Day for Safety and Health at Work 
• Global Accessibility Awareness Day 
• R U OK?Day 
• International Day of Sign Languages 
• International Day for Universal Access to Information 
• National Safe Work Month 
• World Sight Day 
• World Mental Health Day 
• International White Cane Day 
• International Day of People with Disability 
• Human Rights Day 

*For more information, see the full article at Australian Network on Disability.

Stepping Into Internship Program – Nominations Open for Winter 2021!

The Stepping Into Program has connected 1,508 students with disability to leading Australian employers since 2005.

87% of Stepping Into supervisors agreed that they were ‘more confident about managing or supporting a team member with disability’ after participating in the program.

Engaging with the Stepping Into program is simple. Australian Network on Disability (AND) find talented students with disability and assess their eligibility.

They’ll manage student and workplace briefings prior, as well as the evaluation and feedback process after internships are completed.

Dates for the Winter 2021 Program

• Complete the Stepping Into Participation Form with a detailed position description by 28 February 2021.
• Commence interviews in May after AND has completed screening and shortlisting.
• Run internships in July

Dial in to a free webinar for more information

Isabel Heiner, Program Manager, will discuss the Stepping Into Winter 2021 process, timeline, the support AND provides hiring managers and supervisors, and great outcomes from our last Program Evaluation.

• When: 2:00-2:30pm Tuesday 2nd February 2021
• How: Click Here to Join the Webinar (or dial in to the audio at 1800 571 212, Conference ID: 575 182 743#)

*Please advise if you have any accessibility requirements for the session. We can arrange live captioning with 72 hours notice.

Still working from home due to COVID-19?

Reach out to AND to discuss how you can still plan for a Stepping Into intern with flexibility in work arrangements.

• Contact Isabel Heiner on 03 9614 2089 or isabel.heiner@and.org.au if you have any questions.

Specialist Disability Accommodation Apartments Coming to Clayton South!

• Do you need to find a new place to live because your current home isn’t meeting your disability needs?
• Do you need a lot of disability support (more than 6 hours every day)?

Then Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) might suit you.

Here are some short videos that explain SDA.

Our SDA Housing Advice Line can answer your questions about SDA – call 1300 61 64 63.

Huntington Apartments at Jacksons Green – Clayton South

This development includes 10 SDA apartments.

The SDA apartments are High Physical Support and Fully Accessible design category, which means they are for people who use a wheelchair.

If required, the High Physical Support apartments are also able to have a ceiling hoist installed and things like doors, lights, blinds and air conditioning can be automated.

Huntington Apartments will have an onsite hub for 24/7 ‘concierge’ support. This means there is always support close by if you need it, but not in your apartment. You choose who provides your day-to-day supports.

You can read more about these SDA apartments here.

Are these apartments right for you?

• Are you over the age of 18 and eligible for the NDIS?
• Do you use a wheelchair?
• Do you want to live on your own?
• Do you want to use technology to do more things for yourself, so that you don’t need as much support?
• Can you spend time on your own in your home without support (but with access to on-call support if you need it)?
• Can you live close to your neighbours (sharing lifts, corridors and common spaces)?

If you answer ‘yes’ to the questions above, then these apartments might suit you.

But I don’t use a wheelchair!

There are other SDA properties in other locations that are for people who can walk unaided but who still need a high level of support each day.

More information

• To find out more call our SDA Housing Advice Line on 1300 61 64 63 or contact Penny Stevenson directly on 0477 714 317 (Voice or SMS) or email penny.stevenson@summerfoundation.org.au