Some of Our Parts

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.

Applications for Policy Futures 2024 are Closing Soon

Reminder! Policy Futures Graduate Program – applications close soon. 

Applications for the 2024 Policy Futures Graduate program are still open and close on Wednesday 5 April 2023.

This program is open to graduates from all degrees and disciplines who have graduated or will graduate between 1 January 2022 and 1 February 2024. 

We wanted to make sure you were aware that this year they’re offering specific career pathways for candidates with disability.

They will also be hosting information sessions for candidates where they will share more information about our program and run through the application process and provide information on each phase of the recruitment process.

• Further information and session dates are available on Eventbrite.

Please see this link to a PDF flyer which includes information on how to apply.

• Further detailed information can be found on their website, Policy Futures graduate program | Employment and jobs | Queensland Government (www.qld.gov.au).

Survey – Disabilities and the Universities Accord Universities as Disability Champions of Change

The Universities Accord is billed as “a once in a decade opportunity to transform the higher education sector.”

Researchers are seeking information to feed into research and advocacy as part of this process.

The project is being led by Dr Paul Harpur, who is an Associate Professor at the University of Queensland and member of the Universities Accord Ministerial Reference Group.

The research component of this part of the project is being supported primarily by Professor Katie Ellis from Curtin University and Dr Lisa Stafford from the University of Tasmania. All researchers identify as people with disabilities.

They intend to use the data from the anonymous online survey to prepare a submission to the Universities Accord Discussion Paper and for use in research into higher education and disability.

• The Universities Accord Discussion Paper is available here.

Disability is on the agenda, and the intent is to ensure that all disability rights are realized including rights to education, work, access, and participation at all levels.

The researchers have created a short anonymous 8 question survey for students and staff with a disability and their allies to complete about their experience and what’s needed to improve universities.

• To provide feedback into the Universities Accord Discussion Paper your survey response is needed by 6 April 2023.

Register for AND’s Stepping Into Winter Information Session this Thursday!

Want to know more about Stepping Into paid internship opportunities?

• Attend a FREE Information Session this Thursday 23 March!

Calling All Students and Graduates with Disability!

We are pleased to announce that Stepping Into Internship program is now taking applications.

Learn more about Stepping Into Internship program:

• Gain paid and valuable career-relevant work experience
• Learn on the job
• Grow your knowledge of your chosen industry
• Develop networking and soft skills
• Support provided throughout the program

FREE information session next Thursday, 23 March at 2:00PM (AEDT), more info below.

Register your interest to join our Zoom session.

• See you there!

Submit an application form early to gain paid work experience this Winter break before midnight on Sunday 2nd of April.

Apply NOW for Stepping Into Winter Program!

About the Stepping Into Internship Program

• Internships will run between 4 and 8 weeks and comprise of 152 hours in total (with the opportunity for flexible work hours to manage your disability or other commitments).

Are You Eligible?

• Stage of study: final or second last year of university students (undergraduate or postgraduate degrees) and graduates up to 36 months
• TAFE students are encouraged to apply, however, eligibility requirements vary dependent on role
• Discipline of study: All are encouraged to apply
• Citizenship status: Australian citizen, Permanent Resident or international student with full working rights in Australia
• Location: Open to students located in metro and regional areas across Australia

We welcome previous Stepping Into applicants to re-apply for the program!

AND accepts applications from students with all types of disability including, but not limited to:

• physical disability
• mental health conditions
• sensory impairments
• immunological conditions.

Find out more about disability types here.

How do you apply?

Read the details on AND’s information page for students and complete their online application form here by midnight 2nd of April 2023.

Already applied previously?

There is no limitation on how many times you can apply or participate in the program.

AND is happy to reconsider previous applicants of the Stepping Into program.

• Contact them on 1300 36 36 45 or email applications@and.org.au to request your previous application be copied.

Please review the positions available and submit at least three position preferences to applications@and.org.au.

Find out more about the Stepping Into Program on our website here.

Join AND’s Information Sessions

Want to learn more about the program and if you’re eligible?

In the session, AND will discuss:

• how the program works
• how to prepare for an interview
• discussing workplace adjustments
• office etiquette
• what to expect from the program and answer any questions you have about Stepping Into program.

So join AND using the link below!

The session will be held online through Zoom.

• Thursday 23rd March 2023, 2pm – 3pm (click here to register)
  *all in Sydney/Canberra/Melbourne time (AEDT)

More sessions:

• Wednesday 29th March 2023, 11am – 12am (AEST) (click here to register) *all in Sydney/Canberra/Melbourne time (AEDT)

You can view the session times and access details here!

• Please let AND know if you would like any adjustments for this session.

Neurodiversity Celebration Week: What is Dyslexia?

*From the blog of UK company, Inspiration Software

Over the last year, there has been a lot of talk about dyslexia in the media and in parliament, but there is still a lot of misunderstanding about what dyslexia actually is.

So, as it’s Neurodiversity Celebration Week we decided to shed some light on the topic.

It is estimated that about 10% of the population in the UK, and in fact the world, has some degree of dyslexia; that’s 1 in 10 people or globally 780 million people, diagnosed and undiagnosed.

Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty that causes problems mainly with reading, writing and spelling.

• Click here to learn more about what it means to live with dyslexia.
• Click here to learn about the assistive software available for library users with a disability at Monash University, including Inspiration

Public Consultation for the Review of the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport is Now Open!

Complete an online survey by 7 April 2023 – have your say on the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport.

You can now complete a short online survey to have your say as part of the review.

• If you are a person with disability, a carer or a support worker, click here to complete the survey.
• If you are a public transport operator or provider, click here to complete the survey.

It will take between 15 and 20 minutes to complete the survey, depending on the length of your written responses.

The survey will be open until 11.59pm AEST, 7 April 2023.

• Further information about the Review is available at www.infrastructure.gov.au/transport-standards-review.

Monash User Study on Accessible Floorplans

• Are you colour blind, have dyslexia, low vision, or are a wheelchair user?
• Do you visit public spaces such as train stations, hospitals, and shopping centres?

We would like to hear about your experience in visiting these complex public spaces and how you pre-plan the trip eg: floor plans?

If this applies to you, and you are interested in providing your feedback, we would appreciate 15-20 mins of your valuable time to be spent on answering this online survey for our research project titled: ‘Developing Adaptive Graphics (SVG) for Disabled Users‘.

The next step would be for you to be available for 30-45 minutes so we can talk to you about your experiences in using the floorplans and get feedback on a web based floorplan we’ve developed.

• We offer a $20 gift card as a show of our appreciation to participants in this project

If you are interested, please contact these Monash University researchers:

• Mr Yutan Huang (yutan.huang@monash.edu) or
• Dr Anuradha Madugalla (anu.madugalla@monash.edu)

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.

New Workshop Series: Let’s Talk Assessment

Student Academic Success is excited to invite you to their new series of workshops to help you succeed in your assessments at Monash.

Each workshop is based on a fundamental assessment skill or a particular type of assessment that you may encounter in your studies at Monash.

They take you through key features, characteristics and effective ways to approach them.

Decoding your first assessment (15 March)

Stuck trying to make a start?

An understanding of assessment task requirements, and what they are asking you to do, is essential for academic success.

This workshop provides hands-on strategies to address assessment tasks.

Register here for the online workshop

Structuring your writing (16 March)

Trying to improve your structure and flow?

Paragraphs are the building blocks for your assessments.

This workshop will help you to structure your paragraphs and to convey your ideas more clearly and logically.

Register here for the online workshop

How to write excellent essays (20 & 21 March)

Having trouble with essays?

Get practical tips to plan and write essays, hone your academic English skills and adapt your academic style and writing for the essay type.

Book into the workshop for argumentative essays, reflective essays, or come to both!

Register here for the online workshop

Present with impact (29 March)

Getting ready for a presentation?

Attend this workshop to get top tips for delivering engaging and impactful oral presentations.

You will learn key presentation skills, such as planning and structuring, as well as language strategies.

Register here for the online workshop

How to write an excellent report (30 March)

Writing a report?

Learn about the unique features of reports including typical report structure, balancing description and analysis, communicating your position and persuading your audience while using tables, figures, and graphs effectively.

Register here for the online workshop

How to write a literature review (3 April)

Not sure where to begin with a lit review?

Understand the unique features of reviews and the main processes involved in completing this common assessment task.

Learn key strategies to use when planning, reading for and writing up your review.

Register here for the online workshop

The secrets of successful teamwork (5 April)

Ready to ace groupwork?

Working in a team is a crucial part of university assessment.

Learn effective teamwork strategies for planning, goal setting, key interpersonal and communication skills, active listening, and team dynamics.

Register here for the online workshop

STUDENT ACADEMIC SUCCESS: HERE TO HELP YOU SUCCEED!

• Book in with one of our learning advisers for a one-on-one consultation over Zoom to receive personalised learning and academic language support.
• Access study advice and online resources.
• Register for workshops to help you develop your academic learning and language skills.
• Get feedback on your academic language.