A newsletter of the statewide ACE DisAbility Network				      November 2007

Knowledge quiz..

Ok, so you think you are up on your Disability knowledge. Well, here’s a little quiz to find out where you are at. No cheating!!

1. Name four statewide Disability organisations that are members of our Network?
2. What % of the population has a disability?
3. Complete the sentence…”Yooralla people ………people achieve”
4. If a group of adults with a disability are in a separate class in a Neighbourhood House learning how to paint, is this house being “inclusive”. Yes/No
5. ACFE’s “Future Directions for Adult Community in Victoria” outlines the approach ACFE funded ACE providers must have towards people with disabilities.   True/False
6. What is the frequency of Vision Australia Radio on AM?
7. (a) What are tactile tiles?   (b) Where would you find them?
8. What is a TTY phone?
9. Name the world renowned Astro Physicist & author with a degenerative illness.
10. If a person with a disability cannot access a classroom to do a course are they able to put a complaint to the Equal Opportunity Commission? Yes/No.

(Answers on page 3)

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FREE KIT!!!
Get your free ACE Disability Network Disability Awareness Kit consisting of a CD Rom with resource lists, posters, online links and more, simply by sending $20.00 to: 			ACE Disability Network
Disability Awareness Kit
P.O Box 200 Flinders Street, Melbourne 3000.

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Challenge Multimedia is a Yooralla enterprise that supports people with disabilities….

Contents

Partnership Tool		2

Education web resources	2

CLP Grant outcome		3

Quiz Answers			3

ACEDN funding plans		3

ABS Disability & Education        4 Statistics

Helpline			4

Promoting Partnerships between ACE and the Disability sector

The ACE Disability Network has developed a Partnership Tool that has been specially designed to aid in the development and maintenance of successful long-term partnerships between the Disability sector and the ACE sector. The tool has been tested and is now available for use. 

Any ACE provider can get the tool free of charge by requesting it either via email at:   judithp@yooralla.com.au or calling our helpine on   (03) 9916 5812.
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Web resources on Disability & Education

Communicating with people with disabilities Handbook.
http://www.acedisability.org.au/Information_for_Providers/resources/Communicating_with_PWD.pdf

Disability Standards for Victoria Handbook for understanding.
http://www.equityresearch.org.au/files_pdf/DDA%20DSE%20Understanding%20the%20DSE%20Handbook.pdf

Victorian State Disability Plan 2002-2012
http://nps718.dhs.vic.gov.au/ds/disabilitysite.nsf/sectiontwo/plan_read_online?open

Disability Toolkit for TAFE
http://www.equityresearch.org.au/files_pdf/Disability%20toolkit%20-%20a%20leading%20practice%20guide%20....pdf

Training and people with special needs
http://www.training.com.au/portal/site/public/menuitem.65046460f4640c80f9fa5a1017a62dbc/

Disability Statistics-2003 Latest findings.
http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4430.02003?OpenDocument

               			 Kew’s Oasis 

Aside from a recent change of their name to Kew Neighbourhood Learning Centre (KNLC), its business as usual for Robin Kenrick and her team.  Robin who is also a member of the ACE  Disability Network co-ordinating   committee, is proud of her two programs offering additional support so that people with varying abilities can actively participate and enjoy a range of     activities. The   oasis program has been going since  2000 and focuses on  supporting adults with varying abilities and in the past has had good levels of participation from people with a mental   illness. The program provides extensive educational, recreational and peer support while operating a drop in centre. While at the program participants can do: cooking,          computers, swimming, gardening, art, craft, dance, music, monthly dinner club, obtain        outreach and go on outings. All for free. The program runs for 32 hrs a week from Mon-Thur from 10:00am-4:00pm.
Ability @ Work

Another great KNLC initiative following on from the Oasis Program is the Ability @work      program. This program offers work placement and volunteer possibilities for people of        varying abilities. Kew works closely with participants to develop a position to suit a person’s skills and abilities. Options such as: Food  preparation, data entry, administrative support, event management, child care, building maintenance and community information are        available as accredited modules from the Certificate 1 in General Education for Adults.
The programs runs from Tues-Thurs 9-4 and is free. 

KNLC is a great model in this regard. Their philosophy of inclusiveness is reflected in the way they  operate and their public statements as such. Robin and her staff  are  especially recognised for their excellent work with people who have mental illness. If you have an inclusive program or   service model and want to share your story please contact us, as we are always looking for great stories to tell.
We like to publicise any Neighbourhood House or Centre or any Educational or Community Service that excels at including people with disabilities in their programs. 

               			 Kew’s Oasis 

Aside from a recent change of their name to Kew Neighbourhood Learning Centre (KNLC), its business as usual for Robin Kenrick and her team.  Robin who is also a member of the ACE  Disability Network co-ordinating   committee, is proud of her two programs offering additional support so that people with varying abilities can actively participate and enjoy a range of     activities. The   oasis program has been going since  2000 and focuses on  supporting adults with varying abilities and in the past has had good levels of participation from people with a mental   illness. The program provides extensive educational, recreational and peer support while operating a drop in centre. While at the program participants can do: cooking,          computers, swimming, gardening, art, craft, dance, music, monthly dinner club, obtain        outreach and go on outings. All for free. The program runs for 32 hrs a week from Mon-Thur from 10:00am-4:00pm.
Ability @ Work

Another great KNLC initiative following on from the Oasis Program is the Ability @work      program. This program offers work placement and volunteer possibilities for people of        varying abilities. Kew works closely with participants to develop a position to suit a person’s skills and abilities. Options such as: Food  preparation, data entry, administrative support, event management, child care, building maintenance and community information are        available as accredited modules from the Certificate 1 in General Education for Adults.
The programs runs from Tues-Thurs 9-4 and is free. 

KNLC is a great model in this regard. Their philosophy of inclusiveness is reflected in the way they  operate and their public statements as such. Robin and her staff  are  especially recognised for their excellent work with people who have mental illness. If you have an inclusive program or   service model and want to share your story please contact us, as we are always looking for great stories to tell.
We like to publicise any Neighbourhood House or Centre or any Educational or Community Service that excels at including people with disabilities in their programs. 

2007 ACE Disability Network Co-ordinating Committee update

CLP:New Horizons- City/Country Partnership Project  funding outcome

Unfortunately we missed out on the Community Learning Partnership grant where we  sought to establish a new  Information Technology learning partnership with the Bendigo Adult Literacy Group (BALG). Congratulations to those that were successful.

Our submission proposed learners from both organisations  gain access to a host of new and exciting learning opportunities including: creating blogs & podcasts, short films and digital stories and more, all while studying modules of the Certificate 1 in Transition Education.

The ACE Disability Network co-ordinating committee has resolved to consider future funding programs for this project. Stay tuned for more news on this in 2008.

Future funding of the ACE Disability Network- 2008 and beyond.

Our Co-ordinating group is to seek operational funding from both government sources and philanthropic trusts. The amount sought is less than $50,000 and we should know whether we have been successful by mid January 2008.  Other funding applications are also likely for projects that enhance the ability of ACE providers to be more inclusive of people with a disability.  We will publicise the outcome of these in future newsletters.

ACE Disability Network project worker Olympia Tzanoudakis has changed her contact number to:  (03) 9916 5821

1. Yooralla, Vic Deaf, Vision Australia and Gawith Villa are all leading Statewide Disability organisations.
2. According to the latest (ABS) Statistics it is 20%.
3. Yooralla people helping people achieve.
4. “No” because they are not in the same class as able-bodied they are segregated.
5. True. 
6. Vision Australia broadcasts on 1179 on the AM dial.
7. (a & b) These are rubber tiles fixed to footpaths that lead blind and vision impaired people reach key street and transport points safely.
8. This is a Telephone Typewriter Phone used by Deaf people. They can only communicate with each other.
9.  Professor Stephen Hawking has a type of Motor Neurone Disease characterised by progressive degeneration of the motor cells in the brain and spinal cord. He uses a wheelchair and needs assistance with most daily living activities.
10. Yes they can. The complaint will be assessed by the Disability Discrimination Commissioner to see if they have worthy case.

1-3 correct		4-6			7-9			10
You need help	Could do better	Well done		Bragging rights!!

SUMMARY OF ABS 2003 CENSUS-DISABILITY STATISTICS

Rate of Disability
“…The 2003 SDAC estimates that one in five Australians (3,958,000 or 20%) had a disability. This rate was the same for males and females. The rate increased with age, reaching 81% for those aged 85 years and over.

Education levels reached
People with a disability were less likely to have completed a higher educational qualification than those without a disability. In 2003, one in five people aged 15-64 years living in households who had no disability had completed a bachelor degree or higher, compared to one in eight people (13%) with a disability. 

Employment levels
Employment-related findings, for people aged 15-64 years living in households, from the 2003 SDAC include: 
•	those with a profound level of core activity limitation had a much lower labour force participation rate (15%) than people without a disability (81%) 
•	people with a disability had a higher unemployment rate (8.6%) than those without a disability (5.0%)…”        			
 (Source: ABS Website)

(03) 9916 5812 
TTY (03) 9916 5899

Season’s Greetings one and all.  Enjoy Safe and Happy holidays from the ACE Disability Network Team.

See you relaxed and refreshed in 2008.