Some of Our Parts

NDIS Workshops in November

AFDO (Australian Federation of Disability Organisations) is running workshops on the National Disability Insurance Scheme in November in the Southern Melbourne area for people with disabilities. More details are provided in the attached flyer.

Their November workshops will be held in Cranbourne as a weekday evening session (5pm–8pm), and in Narre Warren as a weekend session (10am–1pm).  You can learn more about AFDO’s NDIS workshops and register, by visiting their Disability Loop website “events” page:

https://www.disabilityloop.org.au/events.html

This three-hour workshop will cover lots of different parts of the NDIS, including knowing who is eligible for the NDIS, working out what support you can get in your NDIS plan, to actually using the funds in your NDIS plan to live a better life in the community.

A light dinner/morning tea is included. AFDO is also providing a wide range of accessibility supports for attendees with disability, free of charge, to make it easier to participate.

Please register, preferably no later than one week prior to your chosen workshop for one of the following sessions:

Understanding the NDIS workshops

Cranbourne (Southern Melbourne)

• Thursday 8th November, 5pm – 8pm

Narre Warren (Southern Melbourne)

• Saturday 10th November, 10am – 1pm

If you have any questions or would like assistance with registering, please email disabilityloop@afdo.org.au or call on (03) 9662 3324.

APPLY NOW! Australian Network on Disability, Summer Program: Applications closing soon to gain paid internship

How an internship helped Sabine regain confidence

Sabine Elvy, from Dickson, ACT, was nearing the end of her postgraduate studies when she realised that she lacked the confidence she needed to get started in the workforce. When she found out about the Stepping Into internship program for students with disability, she saw an opportunity to get involved in work she was interested in with a flexible and inclusive employer.

Continue reading Sabine’s Story Here.

Internships are available for students in their final or second last year of university around the country studying Finance, Law, Social Sciences, IT, Science, Engineering and many more, for a full list of disciplines covered, and eligibility please visit our website. https://www.and.org.au/pages/current-internships.html Stepping Into has placed over 1000 students since 2005.

Dial in to an Information Session

As part of the program, for STUDENTS to please attend a Plan For Success Webinar in order to gain a better understanding of Stepping Into, and learn how to write cover letters, prepare for interviews and make the most of networking opportunities. All students should attend one of these sessions:

 Friday 05/10/2018 – 10:00AM – 11:00AM

• Wednesday 10/10/2018 – 12:00PM – 1:00PM
• Monday 15/10/2018 – 1:00PM – 2:00PM
• Tuesday 23/10/2018 – 3:00PM – 4:00PM
• Thursday 01/11/2018 – 11:00AM – 12:00PM

 To participate in the webinar you will need to dial in to the teleconference for audio and the webinar for visuals.

Login details are below for you.

Step 1:  Webinar Login

Go to the Webinar Login Page

Enter this code in the ‘I am a participant’ field: 6367393293

Step 2: Teleconference

Phone: 1800 896 323

Participant Code: 6367393293

Please advise if you have any accessibility requirements for the session. There is no need to RSVP to the webinar.

Level 3, 80 Clarence Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000

PO Box Q203, QVB Post Office NSW 1230

T 1300 363 645  |  W www.and.org.au  |

The I CAN Network is now officially five-years-old

An Update from Monash Alumni Chris Varney, Founder and Chief Enabler, I CAN Network

It is incredibly humbling to see how our network has grown from the story of one determined Mum (my Mum, Lisa) and a trio of three Autistic graduates: myself, Penny Robinson and James Ong.

In our five years of operation we have employed 34 Autistics to deliver 113 mentoring programs to 1,608 Autistics aged 8-50+ so that they can feel proud of their Autism, a sense of belonging and are confident and optimistic about their future.

You can view this video which shows the impact we have achieved in our five years.

The vision of I CAN Network is a world that benefits from embracing Autism.

We have four strategic goals:

• To grow a sustainable social enterprise with a 50% Autistic team
• To ignite a movement to drive a nation-wide rethink of Autism
• To build a national mentoring program by and for Autistics
• To partner with organisations who are ready to leverage the strengths of Autism

In our immediate future, we will be implementing the below strategic initiatives:

1. Creation of a formalised mentor traineeship program
2. Phased expansion of our online mentoring programs
3. Phased expansion of our individual mentoring pilot
4. Pilot of an I CAN Schools subscription, to complement our existing school program
5. Creation of an award for school staff who embrace Autistic students: ‘Horvath Wake Medal’

Our successes would not have been possible without you.

If you would like to help us power our mission, we invite you to make a tax deductible donation via www.icannetwork.com.au/donate. Every bit helps and we are so grateful for your support.

Here’s to the next five years of I CAN Network!

Recruiting Participants for Research Project on Disability and Employment

Paul Williamson is a Research Associate in the Centre for Disability Research and Policy (CDRP) at the University Of Sydney.

New research is being undertaken into the workplace experiences of people who develop a disability in the mid-career stage to build a better understanding of their experiences. With a large disability employment gap, the belief is that more can be done to support people to stay in the workforce after developing disability.

Attached is a copy of the Media Release, and here is a short ‘talking-head’ explainer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aff6sM6wKkw&feature=youtu.be.

The direct link to the survey is at https://redcap.sydney.edu.au/surveys/?s=4YPC9TJWDX.

Please feel free to give Paul a call on 0402-974-010 if you would like more information on the project.

Students Offered Internships with Melbourne Stars During Summer Break

University students with disability will have the opportunity to work with Melbourne Stars cricket team on match days, and if they would like, in the office of Cricket Victoria.

Some benefits include but aren’t limited to Player Interaction, Tickets, Stars Uniform and Reference letter at completion of Internship.  This is a great opportunity if you’ve been looking to gain experience in the sports industry.

Attached are the dates required during the internship.

Any students that want to register can sign up using this link:

https://cricketvictoria18.wufoo.com/forms/m1by88x40febd98/

*For more information contact:

Griffin Sprague
Cricket Victoria
CitiPower Centre, Lakeside Drive
St Kilda VIC 3182
Australia

T +61 3 9085 4000
www.cricketvictoria.com.au

Applications now OPEN: Gain paid experience for the Australian Network on Disability, Summer program of Stepping Into

Are you a university student with disability looking for paid work experience that counts?

The Australian Network on Disability (AND) is offering students with disability the opportunity to intern with leading and forward-thinking organisations across a range of disciplines as part of Stepping Into.

What is Stepping Into?

Stepping into is a paid internship program designed for university students with disability who want to gain paid, hands-on work experience in their chosen field of study. Students benefit by gaining valuable experience in their desired field of work, and by having the opportunity to develop professional networking and social skills.

About the Internships

Stepping Into internships are offered across a range of industries in both the public and private sector.

Internships are available for students around the country studying Finance, Law, Social Sciences, IT, Science, Engineering and many more. For a full list of disciplines covered, please visit our website.

Internships will generally last 4 to 8 weeks (with the opportunity for flexible work hours to manage your disability or other commitments).

Am I eligible?

• Stage of study: final or second last year of university
• Discipline of Study: All are encouraged to apply
• Citizenship status: Australia Citizen, Permanent Resident or International student with full working rights in Australia

AND accepts applications from students with all types of disability including but not limited to physical disability, mental health conditions, sensory impairments and immunological conditions.

How do I apply?

Read the details on our information page for students and complete our online application form by 14^th October 2018.

Who do I contact if I have more questions?

To speak to a member of the Stepping Into team call 1300 36 36 45 or email applications@and.org.au.

Dial in to an Information Session

Over the upcoming weeks, we will be facilitating information sessions online. If you have applied, or are considering applying, for the Summer 2018/19 Stepping Into internship program we encourage you to dial in to one of the sessions.

The presentation will offer an overview of the Stepping Into program and top tips on Job Applications, Preparing for Interviews & How to Network.

All applicants should attend one of the following sessions in order to best prepare for the next steps of the Stepping Into process.

• Wednesday 12/09/2018 – 3:00PM – 4:00PM*
• Monday 17/09/2018 – 12:00PM – 1:00PM*
• Thursday 27/09/2018 – 12:00PM – 1:00PM*
• Friday 05/10/2018 – 10:00AM – 11:00AM*

*All times are Melbourne/Sydney time*

To participate in the webinar you will need to dial in to the teleconference for audio and the webinar for visuals.

Login details are below for you.

Step 1:  Webinar Login

Go to the Webinar Login Page

Enter this code in the ‘I am a participant’ field: 6367393293

Step 2: Teleconference

Phone: 1800 896 323

Participant Code: 6367393293

Please advise if you have any accessibility requirements for the session. There is no need to RSVP to the webinar.

Interested in Joining Powerchair Sports?

Victorian Powerchair Sports League (VPSL) is set to be launched on October 14!

VPSL is the showcase for powerchair sports in Victoria. The league displays the all-round skills of each athlete in the three sports of Football/Soccer, Hockey and Rugby.

The league is open to all ages, genders, disabilities and they most definitely welcome beginners! Please see links to a poster, information pack and calendar of events. Information can also be found on the website: http://vewsa.org.au/2018/08/21/launching-the-victorian-powerchair-sports-league/

VPSL is distributing a survey aimed at gauging the community interest for powerchair sports. The survey is aiming to give an indication of interest to see if any new players are interested in joining their newest league. It is also hoping to indicate what areas they can expand their programs to in the future.

The survey can be completed here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VictorianPowerchairSportsLeague.

For more information contact:

Luke David
President

Victorian Electric Wheelchair Sports Association (VEWSA)

Phone: 0424 160 174 | Email: info@vewsa.org.au

Learn more about VEWSA on their website

Understanding the NDIS workshops

AFDO (Australian Federation of Disability Organisations) Disability Loop is rolling out more NDIS workshops across Victoria. Our “Understanding the NDIS” workshops are designed by people with disability, for people with disability and their families and carers.

Their next set of workshops will be held in the Bayside Peninsula and Southern Melbourne regions, located at a few different venues, in September.

They will be holding week-day sessions (1pm – 4pm), week-day evening sessions (5:30pm – 8:30pm), and weekend sessions (10am – 1pm).

You can learn more about ADFO’s NDIS workshops and register, by visiting their Disability Loop website “events” page: https://www.disabilityloop.org.au/events.html

This three-hour workshop will cover lots of different parts of the NDIS, including knowing who is eligible for the NDIS, working out what support you can get in your NDIS plan, to actually using the funds in your NDIS plan to live a better life in the community.

There are workshops on different days and times. However each workshop covers the same topics. So you can choose the workshop that best suits you.

Elsternwick (Bayside Peninsula)

• Wednesday 12th September, 1pm – 4pm
• Wednesday 12th September, 5:30pm – 8:30pm

Mornington (Bayside Peninsula)

• Saturday 15th September, 10am – 1pm

Dandenong (Southern Melbourne)

• Wednesday 19th September, 1pm – 4pm
• Wednesday 19th September, 5:30pm – 8:30pm
• Saturday 22nd September, 10am – 1pm

 If you have any questions or would like assistance with registering, please email disabilityloop@afdo.org.au or call on (03) 9662 3324.

How Google has stepped up its efforts to make its own tech more accessible to people with disability (US)

CNBC, 18 August

Sydney Morning Herald, 22 August