A newsletter for people interested in issues relevant to people from a NESB with disability and their families and carers. Produced by the Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW (MDAA).
If you have any queries, questions, comments or any other contributions please contact us by email (mdaa@mdaa.org.au) or phone (02) 9891 6400.
Western Region
Lightning Ridge
Date: Monday 3rd November
Venue: Lightning Ridge Bowling Club
Activity: Community Information Session
Northern Region
Narrabri
Date: Tuesday 4th November
Venue: Narrabri Community Aid Neighbourhood Centre
Activity: Communication Skills Workshop for people with disability and their families
Service Providers Workshop
Tamworth
Date: November 5th
Venue: Tamworth Towers Motor Inn
Activity: Service Providers Workshop
Southern Region
Bega
Date: November 18th
Venue: Sertec Ltd
Activity: Community Information Session
Coma
Date: November 19th
Venue: TBA
Activity: Community Information Session
Queanbeyan
Date: November 20th
Venue: TBA
Activity: Service Provider Information Session
For more information contact Ruth on (02) 98916400 or ruth.jacka@mdaa.org.au
In line with the survey on consumers’ training needs, we will be inviting Centrelink to come to our next Consumer Forum on 14 November. They will to us about changes in their policies, especially about the Disability Support Pension, Carer Payment and Carer Allowance.
Two separate focus group meetings will be held at MDAA on Friday, 7 November at 10am for 2 hours. One focus group is for carers and the other for people with disability. We encourage ageing carers and the person they care for to come along to these focus groups and assist us in undertaking our research.
We would also like to invite other people to contribute their thoughts and ideas on this issue. Please contact Christine Gichia on (02) 9891 6400 or email her on christine.gichia@mdaa.org.au
We welcome Anita Strezova, the new advocate for people with disability, their families and carers from the countries of the former Yugoslavia. She will be working every Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 am to 4:30 pm
You are invited to attend our Annual General Meeting on Friday 12th December 2003 The AGM will start at 10.30am and will be followed by guest speakers, music, food and fun. It will be held at our office @ 40 Albion Street, Harris Park
The key Guest Speaker is Patricia Ravalico. Patricia coordinates the NSW Migrant, Asylum and Refugee services of the St Vincent de Paul Society. She has held this position for the past 23 years. As a member of the Executive Board of the Refugee Council of Australia, Patricia aims to promote the adoption of flexible, humane and constructive policies towards refugees, asylum seekers and displaced persons by the Australian and other Governments and their communities.
To RSVP please call Rachel on (02) 9891 6400
‘The overall monitoring and review of disability services remain key priorities for my office, following amalgamation with the Community Services Commission in December 2002’ said Ombudsman, Bruce Barbour. The Ombudsman’s Annual Report highlights concerns about core aspects of the disability service delivery system including
· lack of clarity and process by which individuals gain access to the disability service system;
· continuing poor approaches to individual planning in services;
· inadequate systems for monitoring and review of funded services and individual arrangements
‘Service provision for children and young people with a disability continues to be of significant concern. We have now commenced a major investigation into the care of children with disabilities who have received crisis funding from DADHC. I want to ensure the needs of children with disabilities are properly handled and do not fall into the cracks between the child protection and disability bureaucracies’ Mr Barbour said.
‘On a more positive note were the findings of our group review of ten people with a disability, moved from licensed boarding houses to disability services, under the government’s Boarding House Reform Strategy’ said Mr Barbour. ‘It is pleasing that there has been significant improvement in the quality of care and general wellbeing of many of the residents whose circumstances we reviewed. So far, 324 people with a disability have relocated under the Boarding House Reform Strategy. With the closure of a number of boarding houses, more residents are expected to move into the disability system. Our report makes recommendations for further improvements in the transfer of boarding house residents to disability services.’
In related news the Sydney Morning Herald reported on the 30th of October 30 that families have plunged into crisis the withdrawal of a range of home-help and other services once provided by the State Government. The report states that DADHC has told some parents of young disabled children that if they cannot cope on their own, their children will be referred as neglect cases to the Department of Community Services. Some families how have received Service Access System funding in 2001 for a are losing access to the services this month. The Minister for Disability Services, Carmel Tebbutt was quoted as saying the Government was committed to ensuring that "people being moved from interim arrangements have on-going support . . . that better suits their needs and circumstances". However, according to the Herald, many affected families have not been told of other arrangements.
Visual artists are warmly invited to attend the SensAbilities Artists Forum on 22 November 2003. SensAbilities - an exploration of the senses, is an innovative project that that focuses on the work of visual artists from Western Sydney who have a disability. It is a partnership project between Parramatta City Council¹s Community development Unit, the Parramatta Heritage Centre and Accessible Arts, the peak disability arts organisation in NSW. The Forum will provide artists with skills development on areas of professional practice such as developing a portfolio and CV, participating in exhibitions and a panel featuring five successful artists who have disabilities. It will also assist artists to prepare for participation in the 2004 exhibition. The SensAbilities Forum will be held in the Parramatta Heritage Centre from 10am to 4pm. The Forum is free however bookings are essential. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. The Parramatta Heritage Centre is fully accessible. For further information about the SensAbilities Forum contact Rayce Coyte, Program Manager, Accessible Arts on 9251 6499. To RSVP to the SensAbilities Forum please call The Parramatta Heritage Centre on 8839 3323. Please inform the Parramatta Heritage Centre if an Auslan interpreter is required.
Raising money for the blind youth of Australia
On 29 November 12 riders will set out on a charity bike ride from Brisbane To Sydney to raise money for
the blind youth of Australia. Blind Citizens Australia (BCA), a registered charity, will benefit from all money raised and have committed this money to
youth oriented programs and projects. Darren Fittler is vision impaired and will be completing the ride on a tandem bicycle. Darren is the Chair Person
of the World Blind Union Asia Pacific Youth Committee and believes strongly in the importance of developing the capacity of young people with disability
to advocate for themselves and others and to move into positions of leadership. Darren and the rest of the East Coast Cycle Challenge Team hopes to promote
a positive image of people with disability in the community, to raise the awareness of BCA and its services and of course to also raise lots of money for
the blind youth of Australia. The East Coast Cycle Challenge team is looking for support in the way of sponsorship or cash donations. To learn more about
the ride and how to make a contribution please visit the East Coast Cycle Challenge web site at
www.cyclechallenge.org,
send an e-mail to info@cyclechallenge.org or contact Darren Fittler on 0409 442 544.
‘The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who remain neutral in times of moral crisis’ Dante (L’inferno)
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Barbel WinterThe East Coast Cycle Challenge
Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW
PO Box 381
Harris Park NSW 2150
Australia
ph (02) 9891 6400
fax (02) 9635 5355
mobile 0410 628 593
www.mdaa.org.au