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Living & Learning Nillumbik
A partnership between
Diamond Creek Living and Learning Centre Inc and
Nillumbik Shire Council Living and Learning Centres Eltham and Panton Hill
Disability Action Plan 2006-2009
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Organisation description
Living & Learning Nillumbik is a community based partnership working with Nillumbik Shire Council with centres at Diamond Creek, Eltham and Panton Hill. Living & Learning Nillumbik works creatively with individuals, communities and government to provide programs that respond to the personal, professional, social and learning needs of our diverse community.
Organisation aims and objectives
- Engage with our community to promote skills, knowledge and resources
- Deliver accredited training and education programs
- Deliver high quality recreational and social programs
- Provide information, referral and support services
- Provide registered child care services
- Encourage and support volunteering, skill sharing and self-help
- Support networks and community groups
- Assist Nillumbik Shire Council to meet the learning and social needs of the community
Purpose of the Disability Action Plan
This plan aims to remove identified barriers to access and participation and develop strategies for further improving resources for people with a disability. Consultation with staff, participants and carers has been an important element in the development of this plan.
Implementation of the Disability Action Plan
Responsibility for overseeing the development, implementation and review of the Disability Action Plan is with the Living & Learning Nillumbik Coordinator and the responsibility for the implementation of the plan is spread across the organisation. A Disability Liaison Person has been appointed within the Program Team to:
- coordinate support to participants
- offer general advice and information to staff and participants, as and when required
- act as a general reference point on matters relating to disability needs and services
- liaise with Nillumbik Shire Council's Metro Access Worker, Disability Project Officer, external organisations and other bodies as appropriate
Legislative Context
Both State and Federal legislation provide protection against direct and indirect discrimination for people with a disability. The Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) makes discrimination on the basis of disability unlawful in a number of areas. These include:
Education
Employment
Sport
Access to premises used by the public
Provision of goods, services and facilities
Residential accommodation, clubs and associations
Administration of Commonwealth Government laws and programs
The Disability Discrimination Act (the Act) aims to ensure, as far as practicable, that people with a disability have the same rights to equality before the law as the rest of the community; and to promote recognition and acceptance with the community of the principle that people with a disability have the same fundamental rights as the rest of the community.
The Disability Standards for Education (2005) (the Standards) have been formulated to clarify the rights of students and responsibilities of education providers under the Act. The intention and effect of the Standards is to give students with a disability the same rights as other students. They are based on the position that:
... all students, including students with a disability, should be treated with dignity and enjoy the benefits of education and training in an educationally supportive environment that values and encourages participation by all.
The Equal Opportunity Act 1995 is a state Act, which applies in and is administered by the Equal Opportunity Commission.
Making reasonable adjustments
In order to meet the requirements of a student with a disability an adjustment may be required. An adjustment taken to assist a person with a disability is considered to be reasonable if it balances the interest of all parties affected. In assessing whether a particular adjustment for a student is reasonable, regard should be given to all the relevant circumstances and interests, including:
the student's disability
the views of the student or the student's associate
the effect of the adjustment on the student
the effect of the proposed adjustment on anyone else affected, including the education provider, staff and other students
the costs and benefits of making the adjustment.
A detailed assessment, which might include an independent expert assessment, may be required in order to determine what adjustments are necessary for a student. See Understanding the disability standards for education - Disability Discrimination Legal Service Inc 2006 for more information. Whilst every attempt to make an adjustment will be made, in some circumstances this may not be possible. Under the Federal Act an adjustment may not have to be made should the adjustment cause an unjustifiable hardship for the organisation. Under the State Act, an adjustment does not have to be made if it is unreasonable in the circumstances to expect the adjustment to be made.
How we developed our plan
| Task |
Stakeholders and methods |
Timeline |
Responsibility |
| Analysis of existing plans
Nillumbik Shire Council (Council) Community inclusion policy 2004-2008
Living & Learning Nillumbik Including learners with disabilities plan 2004
Diamond Creek Living & Learning Centre Access all Abilities Plan 2004
Person by Person principles of inclusion |
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May 06 |
Coordinator
Disability Liaison Person |
| Mapping of existing plans against the Act and the Standards |
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Aug 06 |
Disability Liaison Person |
| Draft Disability Action Plan to staff team |
Coordinator, Program Staff - meetings, discussion |
Sept 06 |
Disability Liaison Person |
| Draft Disability Action Plan to Council Disability Project Officer |
Meeting and discussion |
Sept 06 |
Disability Liaison Person |
| Draft Disability Action Plan to focus group |
tutor, participants with a disability, carer |
Sept 06 |
Disability Liaison Person |
| Final draft Plan to Committee of Management |
Coordinator, Strategic Planning group |
Sept 06 |
Coordinator |
| Publication and implementation of Disability Action Plan |
tutor newsletter, website, Council officers -Metro Access/Disability Project Officer |
June 09 |
Coordinator |
| Review - survey of stakeholders |
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Feb 08 |
Disability Liaison Person |
| Evaluation and review |
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June 08 |
Coordinator |
Stakeholder consultation: Nillumbik Shire Council Community Inclusion Policy 2004-2008
- People with a disability
- Carers and families of people with a disability
- Key Council Staff
- Nillumbik Shire Council Disability Cross Functional Working Group
- Nillumbik Shire Council Disability Advisory Committee
- Local Service Providers
- Special Development Schools
- General Practitioners
- Home and Community Care (HACC) recipients
- Disability Parking Permit holders within Nillumbik (10% of the recipients)
- Participants of Nillumbik Shire Council's 'Social Connections' Program (social and recreational program for people with a disability)
- General community groups
- Peak disability organisations
Stakeholder consultation: Diamond Creek Living & Learning Centre Access All Abilities Plan 2004:
- Person by Person principles
- Focus Group with stakeholder representation from centre user groups, carers, care professionals and service providers
Resources
The following resources may be accessed to support the implementation of the Disability Action Plan 2006-2009:
- Sustainability funds - Adult Community and Further Education
- Works and services grant - Adult Community and Further Education
- Access all abilities grant - Nillumbik Shire Council
- Increased neighbourhood house coordination funding
- Department of Victorian Communities disability access grant
The goals set out in this plan are designed to incorporate the Disability Standards for Education 2005 into our programs and practice.
1. Enrolment
Prospective participants with a disability are able to gain access to Living & Learning Nillumbik programs on the same basis as prospective participants without a disability. Living & Learning Nillumbik undertakes to assist participants with disabilities to access information and to provide reasonable adjustments to meet the needs of participants with disabilities
| Objective |
Action |
Timeline |
Responsibility |
| Assist people with a disability to apply for courses |
- Continue to develop additional means of promotion including mail outs to disability service organisations
- Promote types of supports available
- Continued promotion of companion card and concessions
- Mobile phone for text messaging
- Ensure all staff aware of enrolment support options and resources available |
June 2007 |
Disability Liaison Person
Administration Staff |
| Enrolment area accessible for people with a disability |
- Review enrolment areas in all three centres
- Identify alternative enrolment areas, where required
- Further promote alternative modes of enrolment |
December 2007 |
Senior Administration Officer |
| Improve physical access to centres |
- Review access requirements at all three centres with regard to: Australian Standards for Accessibility (AS1428), Building Codes of Australia and Disability Standards for Access to Premises
- Prioritise action required according to 1. Safety actions and 2. Inclusion actions
- Continue to lobby for move to more appropriate venues
- Ensure adequate signage for disability parking
- Investigate possibility of ramp access to venues
- Documentation of transport alternatives including community organisations
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December 2007 and ongoing |
Site Coordinators
Disability Liaison Person
Disability Project Officer |
| Determine how accessible enrolment information is and how effective in meeting individual needs |
- Research and document alternative accessible formats
- Continuous improvement of enrolment form with the aim of simplifying, where possible.
- Review of current provision for disclosure of disability and follow up of individual needs
- Enrolment process to include the identification of any additional support needs
- Ensure participants are informed of all course requirements to assist in decision making based on their needs and aspirations
- Review accessibility of information on website |
December 2007 |
Program Team
Disability Liaison Person |
2. Participation
Living & Learning Nillumbik is committed to ensuring that participants with a disability are able to take part in the program on the same basis as participants without a disability and without experiencing discrimination, by taking all reasonable steps and making all reasonable adjustments.
| Objective |
Action |
Timeline |
Responsibility |
| Promote inclusive practice and appropriate reasonable adjustments |
- Document current approaches to inclusive practice; identify gaps
- Identify staff professional development needs
- Deliver disability awareness training to all staff
- Include DDA and plan in Staff induction
- Research, identify and document reasonable adjustments for class activities |
December 2007 |
Disability Liaison Person
Disability Project Officer |
| Environment is accessible |
Conduct an audit of all buildings:
- Develop "good access" checklist
- Source and document alternative venues
- Ensure that Safety Map and emergency evacuation audits include disability access issues
- Ensure furniture is replaced with more appropriate designs
- Installation of handrails
- Staircase replaced - Diamond Creek
- Review: hot water access for drinks, obstructions in hallways, doors opening appropriately and disability toilets |
December 2008 |
Coordinator and site coordinators
Disability Project Officer |
| Policies reflect DDA and plan |
Conduct an audit of all Living & Learning Nillumbik policies including Australian Quality Training Framework policies and procedures
- All relevant policies to reflect DDA Standards
- Reflect inclusion in mission, vision and values
- Climate of inclusion positively promoted (staff, volunteers) |
June 2008 |
Coordinator and VET Coordinator |
| Program and materials are inclusive |
- Ensure that the style guide includes needs of people with a disability (height, size, wording, jargon)
- Continue to develop community celebrations that promote people with a disability in a positive manner
- Review timing of programs for people with a disability
- Continued development of programs specifically for people with a disability
- Continued development of volunteer program, positively encouraging volunteers with a disability
- Explore one to one support options |
December 2007 |
Program Coordinators and Disability Liaison Person |
3. Curriculum Development, Accreditation and Delivery
Participants with disabilities are able to participate in all Living & Learning Nillumbik programs, with the provision of reasonable adjustments to ensure that relevant supplementary resources are provided on the same basis as a participant without a disability, and to ensure that no one experiences discrimination.
| Objective |
Action |
Timeline |
Responsibility |
| Determine best practice strategies for making reasonable adjustments in teaching and assessment that can be made whilst maintaining the integrity of the course delivery and educational outcomes |
- Consult with a cross section of other providers and participants with a disability to identify existing good practice and difficulties in resourcing reasonable adjustments
- Document an available range of formats and adjustments
- Promote awareness of reasonable adjustments in teaching strategies and alternative assessment procedures |
December 2007 |
Vocational Education Training Coordinator |
| Determine the availability of course and appropriate study materials in alternate formats |
- Consult with a cross section of other providers on the use of alternate formats of course and study materials
- Develop resource document on available alternate formats |
December 2007 |
Vocation Education
Training Coordinator |
| Provide a range of learning and assessment materials as and when required |
- Review format of literature and promote use of graphic symbols and plain English
- Research preferred fonts, colour paper |
December 2007 |
Vocation Education
Training Coordinator |
4. Student Support Services
Participants with disabilities are able to access support services on the same basis as other participants. Reasonable adjustments may be made in order that participants with disabilities can access additional specialised services and equipment
| Objective |
Action |
Timeline |
Responsibility |
| Increase awareness of support services and equipment available |
- Document a range of available adaptive equipment
- Ascertain services, resources and support available
- Develop understanding of communication technology (pictures, Board-maker, Compic, audio loops, captioning)
- Develop Service Support Register
- Ensure all staff and participants are aware of supports available and can make appropriate referrals
- Ensure that recruitment procedures reflect best practice in interviewing and assessing of participants to determine needs |
July 2007 |
Disability Liaison Person
Disability Project Officer |
| Provide option of adaptive and specialist equipment |
- Access resources to purchase commonly requested adaptive and specialist equipment
- Develop procedures for an equipment loan service
- Promote SMS service for text messages |
December 2007 |
Disability Liaison Person |
| Provide additional one to one support, if required |
- Develop recruitment policy
- Recruit volunteers for one to one support for participants with disabilities
- Develop training calendar for volunteers e.g. duty of care, confidentiality, advocacy, note taking |
July 2007 |
Disability Liaison Person |
| Increase participation in centre activities e.g. Friends of Groups; Social Activities |
- Seek input from participants on activities of interest
- Optimise opportunities to participate in all centre activities |
December 2007 |
Program Coordinators |
| Ensure confidentiality at all times |
- Ensure all staff (paid and volunteer) are aware of confidentiality policy and privacy issues
- Private space for interviews, discussions
- Develop protocol for dealing with disclosures appropriately |
December 2007 |
Program Coordinators
Disability Liaison Person |
5. Elimination of Discrimination, Harassment and Victimisation
Living & Learning Nillumbik is committed to ensuring that participants with disabilities are able to learn in an environment that is free from discrimination caused by harassment or victimisation on the basis of their disability.
| Objective |
Action |
Timeline |
Responsibility |
| Promote the understanding and awareness of inclusion and equity issues and our obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act |
- Review all policies, procedures and codes of conduct for staff and participants to ensure that they prohibit harassment and victimisation on the basis of disability
- Professional development to ensure all staff are aware of obligations under Disability Discrimination Act and the rights and responsibilities of people with a disability
- Code of Conduct includes Disability Discrimination Act and the rights and responsibilities of people with a disability
- Review complaints procedures
- Ensure that complaints procedures are widely publicised within organisation
- Staff and participants are occasionally reminded of their rights and responsibilities under the federal Disability Discrimination Act 1992 |
Dec 2007
Dec 2007
June 2007
June 2008
Ongoing |
Coordinator
Disability Liaison Person
Coordinator
Coordinator
Disability Liaison Person |
