Some of Our Parts

The New Access Hub Site is Here!

Testing has finished on the Beta version of Access Hub and recently the final website was launched – accesshub.gov.au.

Access Hub provides information about communication options (including the National Relay Service) for people who are d/Deaf, hard of hearing and/or have speech communication difficulty.

On Access Hub you’ll find:

• information in plain English, Auslan, pictures and videos
• accessibility features such as high contrast text
• easy ways to find the information you need
• They have closed the old Accesshub pages on infrastructure.gov.au, but don’t worry if you’ve saved any of those old pages as favourites – they’ve set up automatic redirects to the same information on accesshub.gov.au.

And if you use the call pages for NRS Chat and NRS Captions – those URLs have stayed the same.

Feedback about Access Hub will always be welcome so the website can be its best. You’ll find the feedback link on the top left-hand side of every Access Hub page.

• Sign up to Access Hub news and alerts to get the latest news straight to your inbox.

Participants Needed: Clinical trial – Diet and the Microbiome

If you have ever wondered about the connection between your diet and what lives inside you – your microbiome – then here is a chance to find out! 

The project is aimed at understanding the connection between diet and the gut microbiome (population of trillions of bacteria in our gut).

This Monash/Hudson Institute research clinical trial will look to see if food microbiome can survive digestion and colonise our gut microbiome.

• For more information: https://www.hudson.org.au/clinical-trial-diet-and-the-microbiome/

Applications For The 2024 NSW Government Graduate Program are Now Open

Please be aware that applications for the 2024 NSW Government Graduate Program are now open.

The 18-month Program offers three unique rotations across government agencies, and allows graduates to build their own career, no matter what degree they studied.

They are looking for talented and passionate graduates and final year university students from all disciplines and backgrounds looking to launch their career in NSW Government.

There are exciting roles on offer across Sydney metro and regional NSW.

As a proud employer who values diversity, NSW Government is committed to reflecting the community they serve, and they would like to encourage people with disability to apply to the Program.

Increasing the representation and inclusion of people with disability in their workforce is a priority, and the Graduate Program is well-placed to provide a supportive work environment with opportunities for graduates to shape their skills and career how they would like.

Their recruitment process has been designed to be inclusive and accessible for all candidates. Applicants with disability can request a reasonable adjustment at any stage during the recruitment process. More information on how they support applicants with disability is available on their website.

What does the NSW Government Graduate Program offer?

Those selected for the 2024 Graduate Program will gain:   

• 18 months’ experience working across three different roles in NSW Government
• Meaningful work that contributes to the future of NSW
• A supportive environment with a personal mentor and executive sponsor
• Exposure to the largest professional network of leaders, analysts, policymakers and educators in Australia
• Ongoing (permanent) role offer on successful completion of the Program.

In 2024, the Program will employ graduates in five streams: Primary, Legal, Digital, Social Work and Engineering streams.

Vision Australia’s 2024 Bursary Applications Now Open

Each year, Vision Australia awards Further Education Bursaries to a select number of students who are blind or have low vision.

The bursaries provide adaptive technology to help students fully participate and succeed in their chosen studies.

Assistive technology can eliminate barriers to education and enhance access to information. It enables students to read course material, conduct research and improve their student life.

• For more information and details on how to apply, please visit: www.visionaustralia.org/bursary
• Applications close strictly on 30 September 2023.

If you have any queries or would like to speak with the bursary co-ordinator, please feel free to make direct contact:

• Joy King
• 03 8378 1220
• bursary@visionaustralia.org

Internship Program with Aurecon Available in August

There is an Internship Program with Aurecon now available in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

Aurecon is a design, engineering and advisory company. They are committed to diversifying their workplace and culture to make a difference for the community.

If you have a disability, visible or non-visible, mental health condition, medical conditions or injuries and are interested in connecting with supportive and inclusive employers, you are welcome to register on the Field and apply for this opportunity.

• Applications close on 13th August 2023.
• For more details about this internship opportunity please click here and select your preferred state.

If you’d like to learn more about the Field, please contact them at support@thefield.jobs or call 03 9830 0190 Mon-Fri between 9am and 5pm AEST.

Professional Development for Young Deaf and Disabled Artists

Arts Access Victoria is providing a free program ‘Nexus’ starting in August 2023 for young people who are deaf or who have a disability.

• Nexus: Learn how to support yourself as an artist, hear from industry professionals and connect with other Deaf and Disabled artists.
• What: Facilitated by Jax Brown, Nexus is a free professional development program to tools they need to be a professional artist. This includes budgeting, bios, public speaking, grant writing and more. Guest speakers include Jes Layton, Kath Duncan, Caroline Bowditch and more.
• Who: For Deaf and Disabled artists between the ages of 18-25
• When: Starting August 3, Thursdays 1pm-4pm until September 21 (overall 8 sessions)
• Where: Online and Arts Access Offices at 222 Bank St South Melbourne.
• Price: This program is free.
• Link: https://www.artsaccess.com.au/nexus-2023/

Nexus aims to give artists the tools to create a sustainable career in the arts.

Nexus was originally created with mental health in mind, and that is still a strong part of the program.  It’s suited to emerging artists, however, even more established artists need a refresher every now and then.

This is also a chance to meet other Deaf and Disabled artists and build your community.

If you are interested, please fill out an expression of interest form. 

If you have any question or want to know more, you can email Arts Access Victoria’s Creative Producer/Coordinator for Youth Programs Arty Owens: Aowens@artsaccess.com.au

NDIS Review has Participants and People with Disability on Edge

*From ABC News Online

• By the Specialist Reporting Team’s Evan Young and national disability affairs reporter Nas Campanella
• Posted Fri 30 Jun 2023

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has improved hundreds of thousands of lives across Australia.

However, there have been complaints about bureaucracy, inequality, a lack of transparency around decision making and more for years.

That led to a wide-ranging review of the scheme. It has sought input from thousands of people, but also left some participants nervous about how the scheme might change.

Financial Sustainability

The NDIS currently supports nearly 600,000 participants. Annual spending on the NDIS has reached $35 billion.

At the current growth rate of around 14 per cent each year, spending is projected to reach $97 billion by 2032-33.

The authors of the report emphasised the difficulty of balancing the needs of people with disability with the scheme’s finances.

“The NDIS is an uncapped, needs-based scheme. However, the NDIS must also be sustainable and its costs predictable for governments and the public. It also must provide certainty for participants and their families.”

What’s Next?

The review will make its final report in October.

But before then, now key areas for reform have been identified, the report’s authors want feedback from the Australian public, especially people with disability.

“We need your help again,” they said.

“Together, we can get the scheme we fought for back on track.”

• To give your feedback you can visit ndisreview.gov.au.

Submissions close on August 25 2023.

You can read the whole ABC News article here.

Are You an International Student with a Disability Living in Victoria?

Impact Co. is undertaking a project on behalf of the Department of Health to engage international students to better understand their experience studying in Victoria, with a particular focus on their mental health and wellbeing.

This project aims to improve the existing support services available to international students during their time in Victoria.

To accomplish this, they are seeking the participation of international students with disabilities.

They plan to conduct a 1.5 to 2-hour interview with participants to explore their unique experiences of living, working, and studying in Victoria.

They are particularly interested in understanding international students’ interactions and experiences, if any, with mental health and wellbeing support services.

• Additionally participants will also be reimbursed $175 for their valuable time.

Who Are They Looking For?

• You are 18+ and international student, living in Victoria. (This includes High school, TAFE, University, English Language Course, or other)
• You have a disability

What is Involved?

You will participate in one 1.5-2 hour interview which will explore:

• Your experience living, working and studying in Victoria
• Your interactions and experience (if any) with mental health and wellbeing support services

Will You Be Compensated?

• Participants will receive $175 for their time – *IF they are asked to participate in an interview – not for completing the survey
• If you wish to receive one, participants can receive a certificate of appreciation from Impact Co, The Department of Health and Study Melbourne
• If you are interested, please follow this link.

How to Improve Digital Accessibility at Your Workplace

It’s vital to ensure that your organisation’s digital platforms are accessible to everyone.

This can help people with disability who are your employees, customers and external stakeholders.

NDRC Professional Advisor Rob Crestani shares tips on becoming digitally inclusive and accessible.

Here are some do’s and don’ts to follow:

Do’s:

• Use alt text for images: Screen readers cannot see images. Alt text descriptions help people use screen readers to understand the image’s content.
• Use captions, transcripts and audio description for videos: making videos accessible to people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, and people who are blind or low vision.
• Test digital content with assistive technology: This will help you identify any barriers to accessibility and make necessary changes to ensure everyone can access your content.
• Use simple and clear language: Avoid technical jargon or complex sentence structures that can be difficult for some people to understand.
• Use responsive design: Ensure digital content is accessible and looks good on all devices, including smartphones and tablets.

Don’ts:

• Don’t use colour alone to convey information: People with colour vision deficiency may be unable to differentiate between colours, so it’s important to use text or symbols.
• Don’t use flashing or moving content: This can cause seizures for people with epilepsy or other photosensitive conditions.
• Don’t use small font sizes: Small font sizes make text difficult to read, especially for people with visual impairments.
• Don’t use auto-play for videos or audio: This can be disruptive and overwhelming, especially for people with sensory sensitivities.
• Don’t use inaccessible PDFs: PDFs can be difficult for screen readers to navigate, so it’s essential to provide accessible versions or alternative formats.

JobAccess Celebrates 17 Years of Service and Innovation this July!

Since 2006, JobAccess has been the first port of call on everything related to disability employment.

Over the years:

• JobAccess has assisted more than 440,000 people – including jobseekers with disability, employers and service providers – with expert advice, support and information.
• JobAccess has managed over 63,000 applications for funding workplace modifications. And each one has made a difference in supporting the employment and retention of people with disability in the workforce.
• The National Disability Recruitment Coordinator (NDRC) has partnered with over 380 large organisations to build their disability confidence and competence.
• Since 2012, the CRRS and the Hotline have lodged more than 15,700 complaints or reports of abuse to improve outcomes for people with disability and service providers.

You don’t have to go it alone when getting support or supporting someone at work. JobAccess is here to help.

• To find out more about how JobAccess could help your organisation, visit their website, call them on 1800 464 800 or email them at: JobAccess@workfocus.com.