Some of Our Parts

• Have fun, make new friends and hang out with other young adults who ‘get’ you
• Challenge yourself and share your Autistic talents and quirks
• Contribute your ideas for the growth of the I Can Network
• Wow us at the ‘Dress to Obsess’ dance-off
• Be trained as an I Can mentor so you can make a difference to other young people
• Cook up a storm in I Can Master Chef
• Engage with great storytellers including Chris Varney, Tim Chan, Jim Anderson, Lyndel Kennedy and Julia Wake

See the I Can Camp 25 – 27 April promotional leaflet here for more details.

What is this all about? Well, our story is simple. We began in September 2013 when three university students said they were sick of Australia missing out on the gifts of the Autism Spectrum. That we’re missing out is plain to see: only 34% of Australians with Autism are employed.

Since then we’ve used our ‘I Can’ attitudes to ignite a movement. A movement that isn’t about ‘high-functioning’ or ‘low-functioning’ but a movement that’s about all of us! Now we give talks every week. Now we’re over 500 people who believe that Autism means ‘I Can’, not ‘I Can’t’. Now we want to take the ‘I Can’ belief and unleash it in every school, university and TAFE. That’s what we’re starting at the I Can Camp.

Thank you and keep believing in us!

The I Can Team

PS: Keep an eye out for our upcoming Grapevine coming out on World Autism Awareness Day, Wednesday 2 April

Last night ABC’s Lateline aired Rosie Anne Fulton’s story.

Ms Fulton is an Aboriginal woman, and has an intellectual disability. For the past 18 months she has been held in Kalgoorlie prison, accused – but not convicted – of crimes relating to the use of a motor vehicle. She was found unfit to plead as a result of her disability. Ms Fulton and her guardian have sought her return to a care facility in Alice Springs, but this has been refused by the Northern Territory Government.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Mick Gooda and Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes are urging the WA and NT governments to immediately resolve Ms Fulton’s situation, to carry out an audit of how many other Australians were being treated in this way, and to quickly address the problem.

You can read the Australian Human Rights Commission’s report, Equal Before the Law: Toward Disability Justice Strategies which was launched in February. The report addresses the lack of equal access to justice for Australians with disabilities and how we can work toward implementing better policies and strategies.

We made it – it’s Friday!

Hope you all got out onto the campus lawns to enjoy some sunshine this week!

• Happy World Down’s Syndrome Day!
• How has the internet changed your life?
• Have you ever wondered about the history of Deaf  TV? The BBC provides.
• Ever considered turning disability into an academic interest? Check out the US universities where you can  disability studies.
• Speaking of academic disability… check out this new peer-reviewed journal, Disability and the Global South.
• Thinking about going to the Melbourne Comedy Festival? Check out which shows can be Auslan interpreted.

Happy weekend-ing!

(Photo from Cameron Charles Lewis)

Take a look at the amazing documentary, Deaf Teens: Hearing World, directed by Claire Braden. The film follows five deaf teenagers as they take their first steps into the hearing world. It follows some extraordinary young people who have some extreme and surprising attitudes towards their deafness, highlighting how not all deaf teens want to be able to hear and are often defiant against being part of the hearing world, but also the lengths some deaf teenagers will go to to improve their hearing.

The Sound of Nature by Tang Yau Hoong

Welcome to the first Friday DLU Round Up of 2o14!

Each Friday morning we will post up some of the most interesting and important disability related news from around the world.

• Find out why Stella Young is obsessed with toilets.
• Want to head to the Melbourne Comedy Festival and need an Auslan interpreter?
• Check out the Guardian‘s photo series on school children in Uganda with vision impairments to assist the Sightsavers charity campaign  to change attitudes about living with disabilities
• Meet Australia’s Winter Paralympic team for Sochi 2014!
• Does the international symbol for disability need a re-design?
• The cutest ever little boy and his cutest ever three-legged dog. EVER.

And that’s it for this week. Hope you all had a fabulous first week back!

Happy weekend!

Youngcare is an organisation that supports people with high needs and provides ‘At Home Care Grants’ allowing high needs young people aged 18-65 to live at home, preventing the need for them to move into aged care facilities.

One off grants can be used for provision of essential support items such as hoists, wheelchairs, emergency respite care and renovations to make homes disability friendly.

This year, $200,000 is available to young Victorians needing assistance.

Applications close on Friday 4th April, 2014.

See the Youngcare website for more details including Victorian grants.

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.

Welcome to the Monash O -Week for 2014!

The sun is out, the festivities are buzzing, the music is pumping and the lines for free food are growing! Make the most of the week by checking out all the various events and activities and events on your Monash campus.

Just a reminder, as well – the Monash Disability Liaison Unit is running an Open House all this week. That means if you have any questions at all about disabilities or mental health conditions that you feel might impact on your studies, pop into the DLU in Building 55 (right at the bus loop, near the Law Building and Menzies). You can speak to one of our friendly Disability Liaison Officers who will be able to assist you with any inquiries you might have.

Also, starting tomorrow, we will also be running DLU Campus Tours around the Caulfield and Clayton campuses. Tours are open to all registered students, and 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.
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.

A message from I CAN Network co-founder, Penny Robinson:

The I CAN Network was started by Monash alumnus Chris Varney, and current student James Ong, and we had our first meeting on Thurs 19 Sept 2013. We have had a busy few months since we started.

Social get-togethers at Monash Caulfield

Last year, a few people expressed their interest at some I CAN meetings being at the Monash Caulfield campus. Penny Robinson, Monash staff member + student, will be at Caulfield campus on the following dates for a coffee get-together for anyone interested in meeting up and having a chat (Note: She has a block day from 10am – 4pm, so might be slightly late.) Please let Penny know via email (Penny.Robinson@monash.edu) if you plan to come.

• Wed 19 Feb from 4 pm, Gryph Inn Bistro & Bar, Caulfield campus
• Tues 25 Feb from 4 pm, Gryph Inn Bistro & Bar, Caulfield campus
• Wed 12 March from 4 pm, Gryph Inn Bistro & Bar, Caulfield campus
• Fri 4 April from 4 pm, Gryph Inn Bistro & Bar, Caulfield campus

We’ve got a strong social media presence now:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/I_CAN_Network

Facebook for the I CAN Network (Australia). [Open group, so everyone can see the group and can see your posts.] https://www.facebook.com/groups/icannetwork.au/

Facebook for the I CAN Network (Monash). [Currently a secret group – it will be changed to a “closed” group soon. Your friends can see the group, but can’t see what you post within the group.) https://www.facebook.com/groups/The.ICAN.Network.MonashUni/

Basic website: www.icannetwork.com.au

Email address: the.ican.network@gmail.com

We have also produced two editions of a newsletter, which we’ve called “The Grapevine”. If you want to subscribe to The Grapevine mailing list, send an email to the I CAN Network.

The Nov edition is here.

The Dec/Jan edition is here.

Thanks,
Penny

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.