Some of Our Parts

It’s been a really busy couple of weeks, but here are some disability related link to take you through the long weekend.

• A Critical Disability Studies Workshop is being run at La Trobe University on Wednesday 8 April 2015
• It’s Autism Awareness Day! And these young people are challenging media stereotypes to see the person behind the disability in some beautiful photos.
• And Tracey Spicer suggests that we need to change the way that we talk about Autism.
• Been to any great gigs lately? Thought about how venues and bands can work together to improve access?
• A fascinating read on Disability and Technology at Slate.
• ‘I can have sex and I can have babies. I am a cheap drunk.’ When a performer challenges her audience.

HAPPY LONG WEEKEND!

Luke King and Geoff Riding are putting their hands up to teach a weekly class in the basics of Australian Sign Language. Learn how to communicate in everyday Auslan over six Thursday evening classes, which has got to be one of the coolest skills a person can have. Be quick as spaces are limited.

26 March 2015 – 30 April 2015
Thursdays 6:00pm – 7:30pm
Schoolhouse Studios, 81 Rupert Street, Collingwood

Schoolhouse Residents $90 / Non-residents $120 Limited places.

• Feminism and Disability at the Wheeler Centre
• Studies in Ableism: Illuminating Disability Jurisprudence – a public lecture by the Melbourne Law School
• Designers at Tokyo Fashion Week are stepping up for models with physical disabilities
• Chantelle Winnie really is hot right now
• Get Out There – literally!
• Have you got any more questions? Disclosing disability and getting the job
• Meet the heart melting Winter, Autism Assistance Dog.

I’ll let Iggy take it from here…

beyondblue is bringing its big blue bus ‘Roadshow Rhonda’ to Monash University, Clayton for Survival Week! Currently on a 50,000km journey around Australia to encourage and support people everywhere to ‘Take 1 step’ for better mental health, the beyondblue team will set up at Monash University, Clayton:

Wednesday 25th March
11am-1pm
Free BBQ and activities
Law Building Forecourt, 15 Ancora Imparo Way
No bookings required

The visit is a great opportunity to find out more about depression and anxiety and where to get support. For more details, visit www.beyondblue.org.au/take1step

The Hallmark Disability Research Initiative presents a free one hour lecture with speakers Beth Gaze and Lisa Waddington. This lecture will cover current disability discrimination law for European and Australian jurisdictions. It will then cover the current major gaps in law and suggestions for future law reform. There will be a discussion on the future directions in the field of disability discrimination law.

Professor Lisa Waddington

Maastricht University

Lisa Waddington holds the European Disability Forum Chair in European Disability Law. Professor Waddington’s principal area of interest lies in European and comparative disability law, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and European and comparative equality law in general. In 2000, she received an ASPASIA award from the NWO (Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research). Between 2004 and 2007 she coordinated a large EU research and education project on European non-discrimination law. Professor Waddington is currently a visiting professor at the Melbourne Law School.

Professor Beth Gaze

Beth Gaze is a professor in the Melbourne Law School and has published extensively on anti-discrimination law, including employment discrimination, and on tribunals, and has conducted socio-legal research in both areas. She has acted as an expert adviser to parliament and is a member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Discrimination and the Law. With Anna Chapman, she is presently engaged in a major project on the intersection between provisions of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) and anti-discrimination law.

The event is FREE an you can register here.

Room 1.09, Level One,

Melbourne Law School, 185 Pelham Street

Carlton, Vic 3053

Australia

Tuesday, 24 March 2015 from 4:45 PM to 6:00 PM

ReelAbilities: NY Disabilities Film Festival is the largest festival in the country dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories and artistic expressions of people with different disabilities. Co-founder, Isaac Zablocki talks to NPR about disability, media representation and cliches.

The WAM program, offered through Diversity Recruitment and Training, matches students registered with disability (mentees) with people currently working in their discipline or a related field (mentors).

If matched with a mentor, you will be expected to participate in 6-8 face-to-face meetings over 2-3 months, typically held at or near the mentor’s workplace, designed to provide information about:

• the industry, professional life and career development
• work role expectations
• how organisations advertise positions
• job search skills (for example, developing your resume, interview and networking skills)
• (if applicable), the graduate recruitment process in that organisation or industry
• when and how to disclose details of a disability

Timelines – Semester 1, 2015

• 27 January – Mentee applications open
• 13 March – Expression of interest to Disability Services due
• 20 March – WAM application due, following approval from Disability Services
• 23-28 March – Mentor and mentee briefing/training
• April-June – Mentoring period

Submit your Expression of Interest to participate in this program for semester 1 by Friday 13 March.

Australian Network on Disability (AND) has a vibrant and dynamic mentoring program, called PACE, which has been developed to offer students with disability the opportunity to develop their skills and confidence in a workplace setting, which can assist them in planning their career journey, as well as aiding their personal and professional development.

PACE recognises that students and job seekers 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. This can add to the difficulties that students and job seekers may encounter as they try to enter their chosen career. PACE aims to assist mentees to become ‘job-ready’ and reduce some of these hurdles.

How to apply?

The commitment is to meet with a mentor up to eight times during the course of 12 weeks. The autumn program will start just after Easter so applications should be submitted by 13 March, with the chance to be matched with a manager from one of AND’s member organisations, including ANZ and IBM. This can be great preparation for the AND Stepping Into program as well.

To find out more and to download the application form, please visit the AND website.

The ANZ Graduate Program is now open to all students and they would particularly like to promote this opportunity to students with a disability and demonstrate the reasons why disclosure can be an advantage.

They are actively seeking to increase the number of applications from students with disabilities.

The application period has already begun and will finish on 20th March for students in Victoria. Applications can be made on-line at the ANZ Graduate website. I will be contacting every student that discloses that they have disability in their application so that I can help them through the process and hopefully achieve a better outcome.

For more information contact

Rob Crestani
Senior Consultant – Abilities Program
Australian Recruitment | Diversity
rob.crestani@anz.com
03 8655 0922

Monash Counselling Service at Clayton campus is offering a free one-hour workshop on time management, specifically for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This workshop will provide practical strategies and exercises for managing your time at university and problem  solving when you are stuck.

Date: Monday 23rd of March
Time: 11am-12pm
Venue: CCD Seminar room, 1st floor, Campus Centre, 21 Chancellors Walk
If you are interested in attending this workshop, please RSVP to Disability Services (disabilityservices@monash.edu) by Monday 16 March, as places are limited.