QDN e-News 25 August 2023

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Apply now for the new Matt McCracken OAM Bursary

QDN is pleased to announce the Matt McCracken Bursary. Matt was a leader with disability in the Caboolture community with a strong commitment to inclusion of people with disability.

The Matt McCracken Bursary is a three-year bursary program which will be awarded each year to a QDN member in the Moreton Bay region who wants to grow their skills, knowledge and experience or undertake community-based activities with a focus on community inclusion, disability leadership and advocacy.

Applications close 23 September 2023, visit the webpage below for details on how to apply.

For more information: https://qdn.org.au/qdn-matt-mccracken-bursary/

Attention walkers, runners, rollers and strollers – it’s Queensland Walks Months!

Become a Queensland Walks member to advocate for better policy and planning to make Queensland neighbourhoods more accessible, more liveable for all ages and all abilities. QDN is proudly a member of Queensland Walks, a powerful coalition of 30 local, state, and national organisations, united in a common goal: advocating for accessibility and inclusion in Queensland for walking.

Coinciding with the launch of Queensland Walks Month, a paper titled 'Accessibility and Inclusion for walking, rolling and strolling: A Call To Action’ was released, which highlights 5 crucial actions that demand our collective attention and effort. As the Brisbane community looks ahead to hosting the Paralympic Games in 2032, these initiatives will not only enhance our community but also set the stage for an extraordinary event that showcases the spirit of inclusion.

Join Queensland Walks here: https://queenslandwalks.org.au/

Read the paper here: https://queenslandwalks.org.au/accessibility-and-inclusion-for-walking-rolling-and-strolling-a-call-to-action/

Co-Designing a Peak Service to support First Nations peoples with disability

Are you a First Nations person with disability or are you a family member or carer of a First Nations person with disability? The Queensland Government would like your input into a First Nations peak service for people with disability.

A First Nations peak service for people with disability could provide more accessible and culturally appropriate referral services, feedback to government on matters impacting First Nations peoples with disability, programs to improve community awareness about disability and more.

Have your say by completing a short online survey or by participating in an online workshop:

If you need help to register, please email Emily Dixon at emily.dixon@au.pwc.com or phone 0424 709 049.

Have your say on the future of aged care

Help the Council on the Ageing (COTA) Australia and the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) inform the Australian Government of your views on the new Aged Care Act via an online survey. COTA and OPAN want to ensure the Aged Care Taskforce hears your views on the draft aged care funding principles. Your feedback will help the Taskforce understand community expectations and identify any gaps.

The survey closes on 30 August 2023. 

For more information: https://opan.org.au/cota-opan-consultations

Easy Read resources about domestic violence orders

WWILD has released some new Easy English client documents for all services in violence prevention and support sectors. Easy English resources like these, assist people with low literacy and intellectual disability to make informed decisions and provide informed consent in relation to accessing support services. The fact sheets were co-created with a group of people with intellectual disability, and with input from violence support services and cultural consultants.

Download here: https://wwild.org.au/easy-english-information-sheets-for-domestic-and-family-violence-orders/

Invitation to Participate in Autonomous Accessible Vehicle Research Survey

The Accessible Autonomous Vehicle project is working to develop design principles for an accessible autonomous vehicle focused on people with disability.

As part of design development, researchers are looking to further refine the seat design and would like to hear from people with disability, including but not limited to people using wheelchairs and electric mobility scooters, people with assistance dogs, and elderly users (with mobility and physical limitations).

All comments and responses are anonymous, and QUT provides free psychology, family therapy or counselling services for research participants who may experience discomfort or distress as a result of their participation in the research.

For more information contact QUT researcher Cooper Benz on cooper.benz@connect.qut.edu.au or 0438 025 745.

Complete the survey here: https://forms.office.com/r/NrB9MpdGBB

DSC podcast episode with Paralympian Elizabeth Wright

In the most recent DSC podcast episode, Evie and Roland chat to journalist and Paralympian Elizabeth Wright on the role of media and its potential to shift perceptions of disability. A transcript of the episode is available to download.

Listen here: https://teamdsc.com.au/podcasts/episode-48?_kx=gPjXtNVq5BG83a3FOaxeRvDqRgXoHa8TlKzyVE4YKV0%3D.X8eRsJ

ABC News - Ivy struggled to find a job, then she did a Brisbane internship for people with disabilities

Check out this great article by ABC News raising awareness of employment of people with disability, featuring insights from the recently released Voices of Queenslanders with Disability Report, by Griffith University and QDN.

Read the story here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-17/qld-disability-workforce-employment/102735458

Make Renting Fair in Queensland – share your story

What would you do if your rent went up tomorrow? Would you struggle to afford the increase? Would you be forced to look for a new place to live? That's the reality for Queensland tenants every day. The Queensland Government is considering stage 2 rental reforms, but it’s not too late to have your say.

You can send a letter to your MP using this link: https://makerentingfairqld.org.au/get-involved/writing-to-your-mp

QDN is looking for your stories and experiences as a tenant. If you have a story you would like to share, please contact QDN at qdn@qdn.org.au or 1300 363 783.

APO Disability Research Collection

The APO Disability Research Collection (the Collection) is designed to improve policies and practices and share evidence and knowledge on a range of topics to help advance the rights of people with disability. The Collection and sends monthly newsletters with the latest resources.

Learn more and subscribe here: https://apo.org.au/subscribe

Read the latest blogs from our QBloggers

Did you know QDN has its own blogging community? Being a QBlogger is a chance to grow and learn from one another's experiences and expertise and help generate ideas for future policy and advocacy work.

You can create a blog by filming a video, recording a podcast, or writing a post, with the QDN communications team available to support you if you need.

Read the latest posts here: https://qdn.org.au/membership/qbloggers/

Policy update 

Policy Update, there is a image of a tick in a box with an arrow coming out the side of the box and circling around back to point at the box.

What we have heard webinar recording

Here is a link to the recording of the NDIS Review webinar where the review panel discussed everything you have told us so far about the NDIS. Listen in as they examined the 5 key challenges and the 10 areas for improvement you have identified. Find out what is coming up next in the Review. NDIS Review Co-Chairs Professor Bruce Bonyhady AM and Ms Lisa Paul AO PSM and Panel members Professor Kirsten Deane OAM and Mr Douglas Herd presented the webinar.

Watch or listen to the video here: https://vimeo.com/846469051

Report proposes and end to restrictive practices

A report titled ‘Restrictive Pathways: A pathway to elimination’ has been published by the Royal Commission examining real life cases of restrictive practices and illustrating that restrictive practices are unjust, significant forms of violence and coercion, and do not correlate with the rights of people with disability. The report details a plan to stop restrictive practices, including:

  • Making restrictive practices illegal.
  • Making restrictive practices illegal.
  • Changing attitudes towards disability.
  • Acknowledging and addressing historical and ongoing injustice that come from the use of restrictive practices.
  • De-institutionalising and de-segregating all environments.
  • Recognising the autonomy and leadership of people with disability.
  • Using trauma-informed approaches.
  • Adequately resourcing independent living and full inclusion.
  • Providing redress to fix injustice.

More information is available here. Access the report here.

Report outlines discrimination Parents with disability face in child protection systems

The Royal Commission has published a research report conducted by the University of Technology and Western Sydney University exploring the discrimination parents face in child protection systems. The report explores the ways in which having a disability is one of the most obvious forms of discrimination parents with disability face in the child protection system. The report makes 27 recommendations such as:

  • Access to safe, secure and accessible social housing to be increased urgently.
  • Social support for parents such as housing, social payments, which should continue for a minimum of one year after final care and protection orders are made.
  • A social justice package to be established to assist parents with disability who have had their child removed, or who were themselves removed from their families when they were children.

More information is available here. Access the report here.

Complaints service available to people with disability

The Complaints Resolution and Referral Service (CRRS) is a place where people with disability can make complaints if they are having issues with a Disability Employment Services provider. The service is free, independent and impartial. It is not only available for people with disability, but also for those who are acting on their behalf.

More information is available here.

Australian Government urged to strengthen response on audio description

Disability advocates have been pushing the Australian Government about a law that has come from a UN Committee recommendation, to require the provision of audio descriptions in Australian Television. Disability rights advocate Lauren Henley made a complaint about the lack of audio description which the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities found Australia in breach of its international human rights obligations. Henley was supported by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) to take her complaint to the UN Committee.

More information is available here.

NDIS Review Paper on supports in remote and First Nations communities

The NDIS Review team has released a report about the needs of remote and First Nations communities. Some of their key findings were that:

  • Some participants living in remote areas aren’t getting any supports.
  • Even in towns and cities, NDIS services aren’t culturally appropriate for First Nations people with disability and First Nations people with disability may need to choose between getting supports that are not culturally safe or getting no support at all.
  • Funding doesn’t consider the regions in which people with disability live, particularly for rural and remote areas.

The report emphasised things should be done now to improve access to supports in remote and First Nations communities, and that a roll out of ongoing on-the-ground partnerships with First Nations representatives, communities and participants will be key and the report lays out steps for communities to design with governments what works for them.

Access the report here.

Evidence snapshot on the effects of psychological interventions for mood in people living with multiple sclerosis

The NDIS have released their latest evidence snapshot titled “The effects of psychological interventions for mood in people living with multiple sclerosis” which outlines the evidence for the effectiveness of psychological interventions for mood in people living with multiple sclerosis (MS). The findings demonstrate that:

  • Psychological interventions for mood can assist people with MS in maintaining functional, social and economic independence.
  • Psychological coping mechanisms including mindfulness and stress management can assist with depression, anxiety and stress for people with MS.
  • Other psychological interventions such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or mindfulness techniques can aid in pain, fatigue and quality of life.

More information is available here.

Issues paper: digital inclusion, disability, and housing

This issues paper, co-authored by Fiona Malcolm, brings together insights from two research projects undertaken by the Queensland University of Technology’s (QUT) Digital Media Research Centre’s (DMRC) Digital Inclusion and Participation program. It focuses on intersecting issues related to digital inclusion, disability and housing, with QDN’s Digital Inclusion Project featured.

Read the issues paper here: https://apo.org.au/node/323883

 

What's on

Free webinars for Queensland Multicultural Month

We are a state of many cultures and many languages – almost a quarter of Queenslanders are born overseas, and many of us have at least one parent born in a country other than Australia. Each week during the month of August, you can participate in Queensland Multicultural Month's webinar series to explore thought-provoking topics to build your skills, knowledge and capabilities. Register below to attend 'Intercultural encounters: How (not) to handle a conversation' on 28 August 2023.

Learn more: https://www.des.qld.gov.au/multicultural-queensland-month/get-involved/webinars

Families and 'Us': Working alongside parents with intellectual disability, Brisbane

Join the Community Living Association Inc. for an informative and engaging event exploring ways to support families where a parent has intellectual disability. The event will bring together parents, with lived experience, social work and allied and health professionals, legal practitioners, disability workers, and academics to explore what it takes to ensure the rights of parents with intellectual disability are upheld.

The program includes presentations from parents with lived experience, a panel with parents with lived experience, practitioners and representatives from Child Safety and NDIA. Dr Margaret Spencer (University of Sydney) will share her work in this field focusing on engagement and supported decision making. Morning tea and lunch will be provided by Nundah Community Enterprise Co-op's amazing Espresso Train.

Date: Tuesday 29 August
Time: 8:45am (for a 9am start) – 4pm
Location: Australian Catholic University, Brisbane Campus, 1100 Nudgee Road, Banyo

Peer Support Groups

  • Wednesday 30th August, 1.30pm-3.30pm - Toowoomba Peer Support Group @ Toowoomba City Library
  • Wednesday 30th August, 4pm – 5.30pm - Self-Management Peer Support Group – Online via Zoom
  • Thursday 31st August, 3.30pm – 5.30pm - Cairns Peer Support Group @ Rights in Action and online via Zoom
  • Friday 1st September, 9.30am - 11.30am - Gympie Peer Support Group @ Rusty Rails Café
  • Monday 4th September, 4pm – 5.30pm QDNY (Youth) Peer Support Group – Online via Zoom
  • Wednesday 6th September, 11am - 1pm - MAC (My Aged Care) Peer Support Group – Online via Zoom
  • Friday 8th September, 10am - 12pm - Townsville Peer Support Group @ Independent Advocacy Townsville
  • Friday 8th September, 10.30am – 12.30pm - Gold Coast Peer Support Group @ Nerang Library and online via Zoom
  • Tuesday 12th September, 12:30pm – 2:30pm - Gladstone Peer Support Group @ Gladstone Regional Art Gallery
  • Friday 15th September, 11am – 1pm - Unique Parenting Peer Support Group @ QDN Office and online via Zoom
  • Saturday 16th September, 10am – 12pm - Ipswich Peer Support Group @ Ipswich Services Club

Final sitting of the Disability Royal Commission

Registrations are open for the final sitting of the Disability Royal Commission in September. The ceremonial sitting won’t hear evidence but is a way to thank the many groups and individuals who contributed to the work. The Chair of the Royal Commission and all Commissioners will take part.

Where: The Shangri-La in Sydney or online via livestream
When: Friday 15 September, 10am

For those who can’t make it in person, the sitting will be streamed with Auslan interpreters and live captioning. Find more information or register here: https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/public-hearings/ceremonial-closing-sitting

QDN Membership

If you or someone you know would like to be a QDN member apply here:  https://qdn.org.au/membership/qdn-member-application/

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