Some of Our Parts

For the month of August, participants will be choosing and undertaking an “everyday challenge”, to raise awareness of the everyday challenges faced by people on the spectrum.

For instance, you could give up coffee, meat, or television for the month. You could confront a fear of yours, such as riding a roller coaster or making a speech to a crowd.

Participants seek sponsorship to achieve these goals, and the funds raised will be used to expand I Can’s operations so we can reach more young people on the spectrum and help them achieve their full potential.

Here’s a short video the I Can Network have made explaining it in more detail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0V7JIZgXCXM

And here are some of the fundraising pages already set up:

https://awegust.everydayhero.com/au/max

https://awegust.everydayhero.com/au/mazcanridetrack

https://awegust.everydayhero.com/au/paul-micallef

https://awegust.everydayhero.com/au/stacey

By undertaking a challenge of your own, or donating to someone else’s, you can help build a better future for people on the autism spectrum.

You can find more information at the I Can Network website.

Happy Friday every body,

• Inspired by a woman in Tasmania that remakes old Bratz dolls, Maria Kently is repairing discared toys and transforming them into dolls that better represent children with disabilities and illnesses.
• Frozen Light is creating theatre for audiences with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD).
• Holiday and volunteering assistant, Martyn Dunn, discusses deafblind charity Sense’s supported holidays. ‘Whether it’s horse riding or canoeing, supported holidays give people with complex disabilities the chance to get away from it all.’

The transition from school to adult life for people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families is one of the most difficult periods to traverse.  Services and support are fragmented, and this stage of life for individuals with an ASD remains poorly coordinated and poorly researched.  Researchers from the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre the Autism Cooperative Research Centre (Autism CRC) are together conducting the longitudinal study, A unique profile of school leavers with Autism.

The main aim of this study is to better understand the process of transitioning from school to adult life for Australian students with an ASD and their families.

We would also like to understand how students who DO NOT have an ASD transition from school to adult life, in order to understand the unique ASD profiles and issues associated with this period.

Who can participate in this study?

• 15-25 year olds who have an Autism Spectrum condition
• Students with an ASD, finishing school or in their first year post-school
• Students without an Autism Spectrum condition finishing school or in their first year post-school
• A parent/guardian of one of the above young

What is involved?

As a participant you will be asked to:

• Complete one survey when you first agree to participate, followed by two further surveys, one 12 months later and again at 24 months.
• If you are a young person, you will be asked to complete questions about yourself.
• If you are a parent of a young person, you will be asked questions about yourself and your child, including questions about your well being.
• You will not need to complete all of the survey questions at once; you will have one month from commencement date to complete the entire survey.
• The survey can be completed either on-line or as a hard copy (paper booklet).

To find out more about the project, please contact Dr Mirko Uljarevic (M.Uljarevic@latrobe.edu.au) or Ms Ru Ying Cai (R.Cai@latrobe.edu.au) or you can follow these two links:

http://www.autismcrc.com.au/longitudinal-study-school-leavers-autism

http://otarc.blogs.latrobe.edu.au/longitudinal-study-of-school-leavers-with-autism-invitation-to-participate/

• Are you a student with disability who wants guidance on how to pursue your career goals?
• Are you looking to network and advance your career opportunities?
• Are you interested in honing your job seeking skills and learning from an industry professional?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then participating in PACE Mentoring could be the experience you’re looking for.

PACE is the Australian Network on Disability’s (AND) vibrant and dynamic mentoring program developed to mutually benefit employers, and students with disability. PACE offers the opportunity to develop jobseeking skills and confidence in a workplace setting, and can assist with planning your career journey, as well as aiding personal and professional development. PACE recognises that students with disability frequently find themselves with little or no work experience, and may not be fully aware of the skills and attributes they can offer an organisation. PACE aims to assist you to become ‘job-ready’ and reduce some of these hurdles.

How does it work?

PACE is a three month program which takes place twice a year. The Spring program is due to commence in September and we are now accepting applications. Mentors and mentees will meet approximately 6-8 times during the 12 weeks. It is free to mentees, and the Australian Network on Disability (AND) will manage the program from start to finish.

During the program, the mentee and mentor will set goals and outcomes, discuss experiences, skills, and career pathways. Other activities may include:

• Reviewing resumes and cover letters
• Mock interviews
• Worksite visits
• Networking with other professionals
• Discussing workplace adjustments
• Building confidence.

For more information on the PACE mentor program, visit the Australian Disability Network website. For instructions on how to become a mentee click ‘Become a PACE mentee‘.

Youth Disability Advocacy Service (YDAS) currently has a part-time vacancy for a Project Officer.  Please see details below and link for further information. The positions may suit a current undergraduate / recent graduate.

POSITION: Project Officer 15.2 to 22.8 hours per week (negotiable) until the 18th of December 2015, with the possibility for extension, subject to funding.

SALARY: $26- $29PH (SCHADS Level 3, above award rate)

The Youth Disability Advocacy Service (YDAS) is seeking a Project Officer who, under the supervision and guidance of the YDAS manager and the YDAS steering committee, is responsible for achieving a range of advocacy projects.

To succeed in the role you will have the ability to build relationships with key stakeholders, a desire to work with young people with disabilities, and a sound knowledge of the rights of young people with disabilities.  You will also have excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to coordinate workshops targeting young people with disabilities.

The position will be based in Melbourne’s CBD at the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria, the peak body representing the youth sector. The successful applicant will be offered a 6 month contract with the possibility of extending, subject to ongoing funding.

For a position description, visit the YDAS website.

There is something for everyone at WinterFest! Live music, comedy shows, a snow party, delicious food and more. A full program is to be released over the coming weeks.

Everyone who joins the Facebook event page before midnight on Friday 3 July goes into the draw for an all shows festival ticket including refreshments. Refer to the WinterFest website for terms and conditions.

Tickets on sale towards the end of June.

You join and invite others to the event on Facebook. For more information visit the WinterFest website.

Coles Supermarkets are offering a paid internship to students with disability in Melbourne through the Stepping Into Winter 2015 program.

Stepping Into is a paid internship program designed specifically for university students with disability. The program is designed to help students gain experience in the job application and interview process, develop a network of contacts within a professional organisation, and gain valuable paid work experience which they can include on their resumes, and have the opportunity to showcase their skills and knowledge.

A Digital Intern at Coles can potentially gain exposure to a wide range of teams and roles across the Digital function, such as:

• Coles Online
• Flybuys
• Store systems & technology
• Data & Insights

The tasks and responsibilities the intern will undertake:

• Development
• Testing & QA
• Business analysis & requirement gathering

Ideal candidates will be studying IT or a related discipline.

Applications for this position will close on Monday 15 June 2015 at 11.59PM AEST.

For information on how to apply visit the Australian Network on Disability website.

An exclusive employment event for people who are blind or have low vision. Attendees will have the opportunity to gain an excellent understanding of the employment pathways available to you, meet and network with corporate organisations and universities, get job seeker support (career counselling, advice adaptive technology and orientation and mobility) and learn practical skills you can use right away.

Light dinner and water provided for registered attendees.

To register visit the Vision Australia website or call 1300 84 74 66. All attendees have a chance to win an iPod.

Event Details:

Date: Wednesday, 22 July 2015
Time: 5:30pm to 8:00pm
Locations: The NAB Village, 700 Bourke Street, Docklands VIC

Guest speakers:

• Key note speaker: Mark Wild – CEO of Public Transport Victoria
• Nastasia Campanella – ABC News Journalist will share her experiences about being blind and searching for employment
• Jack Tyrell – Recent university graduate and Vision Australia Graduate Program participant

The Education Encouragement Awards recognise the effort and level of commitment required from students who are deaf and hard of hearing. The Awards aim to encourage students in their pursuit of training and qualifications.

Two awards are presented annually. These are:

• Secondary student award of $2,000 which is open to students in years 10, 11 & 12
• Post-secondary student award of $3,000 which is open to students enrolled in post-secondary studies, including university, TAFE institutes, apprenticeships and traineeships.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

Applicants must: –

• be deaf or have a permanent hearing loss in both ears.
• If the student wears hearing aids or has a hearing loss, a current audiogram, performed by a qualified audiologist must be provided with the application.
• If the student uses a cochlear implant, a statement from the Cochlear Implant Clinic, a Teacher of the Deaf, or a Disability Liaison Officer that a cochlear implant is used must be provided.
• be currently attending a Victorian educational institution or be enrolled with an educational institution in Victoria.
• be nominated by a person who can provide supporting evidence for the nomination (teachers, aides, interpreters, tutors, course coordinators, families/caregivers).
• be a permanent resident of Australia

APPLICATIONS:

Application forms to be completed and submitted to the Education Committee of Deafness Foundation for consideration, appraisal and final selection by 30th June.

Happy Friday every body!

• This month’s Ouch Blog talk show features funny people Felicity Ward, Stuart Goldsmith and Harriet Dyer, discussing the links between comedy and mental health.
• ‘Career advisers told me to hide my disability on applications, but being open and turning it into a strength helped me get a graduate job’.
• By narrating their own experiences, brain injury survivors are tackling discrimination, developing their skills and building confidence.
• The Ricky Stuart Foundation plans to build second respite centre, for teenagers with a disability.