WDV Annual Report 2012/13 - Now Available!Women with Disabilities Victoria is pleased to announce the release of our Annual Report for the 2012/13 financial year.
The Report summarises the major events, projects and highlights of the past year, as well as communicating our strategic goals and priorities.
Download an accessible PDF of our 2012/13 Annual Report
If you require our annual report in an alternative format, please email wdv@wdv.org.au
ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING
Workforce Development Program on Gender and Disability
Train the Trainer Expression of Interest
Are you committed to gender equity and preventing violence against women with disabilities?
Would you like to be part of an innovative organisational cultural change program that aims to improve the delivery of disability services to women with disabilities?
Interested in learning how to provide training to disability service organisations about how to deliver gender sensitive and equitable services?
We are pleased to announce that Women with Disabilities Victoria (WDV) have been funded under Victoria’s Action Plan to Address Violence Against Women & Children 2012-2015to deliver a Gender and Disability Workforce Development Program, and are seeking applications from professional trainers and women with disabilities to undertake a train the trainer package as part of this innovative project aimed at preventing violence against women with disabilities.
Ten professional trainers (both men and women with or without a disability), and ten women with disabilities will be selected to undertake train the trainer Gender Equity and Disability package.
Professional trainers and women with disabilities together as co-facilitators will be trained to facilitate the delivery of the Gender and Disability learning package, which will be delivered to support workers and CEO’s and Managers from disability services organisations. This package will be piloted in two pilot sites, Melbourne and Geelong.
Professional development opportunity
Successful candidates will be able to apply for roles in the delivery of the training in the pilot sites. Future opportunities for delivery of the training packages beyond the pilot sites will be subject to WDV gaining funding for state-wide roll out of the training.
Information Sessions and Application
To apply to undertake this training please submit your application form, key selection criteria and a current resume by the close of business on Friday the 7th of February 2014.
WDV will be holding two information session about the train the trainer program, application requirements and application process. Sessions will be held in the Melbourne CBD onWednesday the 22nd of January 2014 at 10:30 – 1:00 pm or 6:00 – 7:30 pm.
To RSVP to an information session or ask any questions regarding the training please email Pip pip.robertson@wdv.org.au or phone (03) 9286 7809.
Please refer to the Expression of Interest Application and Key Selection criteria in English and Easy English on our website at www.wdv.org.au
The media release from the Victoria Government is available here -
http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/8185-new-initiative-to-address-violence-against-women-with-disability.html
VIOLENCE
Disability Support for Women and Children with Disabilities Escaping Family Violence:
This ground-breaking program for women and children with disabilities has passed its pilot stage and will receive ongoing funding.
This is a Statewide initiative that assists Victorian women and children with disabilities experiencing family violence who require immediate disability support.
Funding is available to meet immediate disability-related support needs for a period of up to 12 weeks to a maximum value of $9,000 per person.
Requests for funds over $9,000 will be managed on a case-by-case basis.
The program is designed to complement existing specialist family violence services and supports.
For more information during business hours, contact Disability Family Violence Liaison Officer during:
T: (03) 9843 6312
E:
Disabilityfv@dhs.vic.gov.au
For information after hours, contact Woman’s Domestic Violence Crisis Service:
T: (03) 9322 3555 or 1800 015 188 (toll free for country callers)
RESPONDING TO THE ABUSE OF OLDER MEN AND WOMEN
PRACTICE FORUM
Would you know how to respond to an older person experiencing abuse?
The Practice Forum will include presentations on key support services and relevant legislative requirements, followed by a panel discus-sion with cross-sector experts.
The panel will explore the issues of elder abuse; and discuss how to provide a timely, effective and respectful response to older persons experiencing abuse.
PRACTICE FORUM DETAILS
When: Thursday, 20th February, 2014
Time: 10 am to 3 pm
Where: Function Room 4Civic Centre, Knox City Council 511 Burwood Highway, Wantirna South
RSVP by 7th February 2014 to
DianeC@safefutures.org.au
When confirming your attendance, please advise whether you have any special needs or dietary requirements.
Regrettably, due to the fact that they have limited numbers, if you register to attend the forum but are not present on the day, and your organisation does not send an alternate representative, your organisation will be invoiced a $100 fee.
PARENTING & REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
NEW REPORT: Whatever happened to the village? The removal of children from parents with a disability
Little is known about the circumstances under which children are removed from the care of parents with a disability through the family law system. It is largely hidden from public and government scrutiny because it is viewed as a private, civil matter within a family. In addition, many children of parents with disabilities are raised by wider family members under informal arrangements. Little, if anything, is known about these arrangements and whether they are freely entered into by the parent with a disability.
This report focuses on those interventions that result in the removal of a child from the home of their parent or parents
against their will under the family law system. The report draws on the experience of the Public Advocate and other disability advocacy organizations in recent years.
This Report was published by the Victorian Office of the Public Advocate in December 2013.
The Report can be downloaded in PDF from: http://www.publicadvocate.vic.gov.au/research/255/
ADVOCACY, LEADERSHIP & REPRESENTATION
Celebrating the 21st anniversary of International Day of People with a Disability, YouTube clips featuring 21 year olds from across Australia who have a disability speaking about their life experiences have recently been launched. ‘Enabling Women’ graduate Tess has contributed a clip and this can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya5LGdBlaVI
ACCESSIBILITY & SOCIAL INCLUSION
Inquiry into Social Inclusion for People with Disability
The Coalition Government has asked the Victorian Parliament’s Family and Community Development Committee to inquire into the issue of social inclusion and Victorians with a disability.
Social inclusion is a goal of the Victorian State Disability Plan 2013-12016 that the Coalition Government released last year.
This parliamentary inquiry will give us greater insight into where as a state and community we currently are sitting in terms of social inclusion for people with disability, and how we can improve.
The Committee is to report by 6 August 2014. Specifically, it has been asked to:
a) define social inclusion for Victorians with a disability;
b) identify the nature and scale of relative inclusion (exclusion) and participation of Victorians with a disability in the economic, social and civil dimensions of society;
(c) understand the impact of Victorian government services and initiatives aimed at improving inclusion and participation;
(d) identify examples of good practice on inclusion and participation driven by local government and the community sector;
(e) assess how the Disability Act 2006 has impacted on the social inclusion of people with a disability with respect to Victorian government services; and
(f) recommend ways to increase social inclusion, including the roles of and collaboration between local, state and federal governments, the community sector, individuals with a disability and their carers.
To find out about the progress of the inquiry and opportunities to contribute, email the Committee administrator at fcdc@parliament.vic.gov.au
Awards, Funding & Grants
Inaugural Winner of Brenda Gabe Award Announced.
02/12/2013
The Brenda Gabe Award recognises and rewards women with disabilities and/or groups who have made a significant contribution to improve the status of women with disabilities in Victoria.
Brenda Gabe was a much loved & respected member of Women with Disabilities Victoria. Brenda played a leading role in gender and disability related campaigns including preventing violence against women with disabilities and making housing and public transport more accessible.
The Director of Future Leaders Dr Helen Sykes AM made the presentation of the award at WDV’s AGM on Thursday to a full house which included Shadow Minister for Families, Community Services, Indigenous Affairs and Disability Reform, Jenny Macklin.
Helen is the sponsor of the Brenda Gabe Award, generously donating a prize to the Award including professional development to the value of $2000. This award will be made on an annual basis to recognise a woman or group of women who embody the leadership traits shown by Brenda Gabe.
The Shadow Minister for Disability Reform, Jenny Macklin MP, today congratulated Tricia Malowney on winning the inaugural Brenda Gabe Leadership Award for her outstanding contribution to women with disabilities.
“Through her work as a respected advocate for people with disabilities Tricia has made an enormous contribution to the advancement of women with disability in Victoria. I congratulate her on all she has achieved.
“Women with Disabilities Victoria continues to play an important role in raising the profile of gender within the NDIS, ensuring that the interests of women with disabilities and carers are embedded in the Scheme’s structure.
“I would also like to thank Keran Howe, Executive Director of Women with Disabilities Victoria, for her continued advocacy on behalf of women with disability and for hosting such an inspiring event."
The award is an opportunity for the communities where women are active to recognize the contribution. Nominations came from hospitals and health services, local government and disability service providers who wanted to recognize women with disabilities in their leadership role.
WDV Executive Director Keran Howe said:
“In nominating women for an award, the nominators were making a public endorsement of the important leadership these women are making on behalf of WWD across the state.”
The winner Tricia Malowney said she hopes to:
“Find a leadership program which will not only benefit me personally, but will also enable me to empower other women with disabilities”
Tricia is a highly respected advocate for people with disabilities who has worked at state, national and international levels in this role. She has used her life experience with polio and post-polio syndrome to inform her advocacy in this area.
Since retiring from a middle management position with Victoria police at age 46, Tricia has led and contributed in a formal capacity to boards, committees and councils championing the rights of people with a disability.
Today’s award particularly looks for the contribution nominees have made to improve the status of women with disabilities in Victoria. The following demonstrates the depth of Tricia’s commitment in this area:
- Tricia was the convenor and chair of Victorian Women with Disabilities Network during its successful transformation & renaming to Women with Disabilities Victoria (WDV)
- Tricia was the inaugural Chair of the Royal Women’s Hospital Disability Reference Group.
- Tricia worked with others to ensure women with disabilities were included in research policy planning and development of key initiatives including the Family Violence Protection Act 2006
- Tricia worked with the Cancer Council and other relevant organisations to support better access to Cancer Screening for Victorian women with Intellectual Disabilities
- Tricia successfully lobbied for women with disabilities to be included in the United Nations Population Health Research.
We’d also like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the other 24 Brenda Gabe nominees. We are delighted to recognise the wonderful contribution of these dedicated women. Our appreciation and thanks also go to the nominators for their time and effort in putting the nominees forward.
Our nominees are :
Andrea Murphy
Cathy Clark
Colleen Furlanetto
Jennifer Robinson
Jenny Cheng
Jess Kapuscinski-Evans
Judith Hooper
Kim Ling Chua
Joy Clarke
Lisa Davis
Lynn Lancaster
Melissa Lowrie
Melissa Noonan
Michelle Roger
Norma Seip
Peta Ferguson
Renee Biewer
Sally Smith
Shaunagh Stevens
Tricia Malowney
Val Johnstone
Vanessa Robinson
Bendigo Community Health Service Deafblind Victorians Self-Advocacy Group
Heather Lawson, Trudy Ryall, Michelle Stevens
Peer Educators – Living Safer Sexual Lives
Rebecca Davie, Yvette Keane, Kathrene Peters.
This award would not have been possible without the generous support of Dr Helen Sykes the Director of Future Leaders.
Just for fun!
Our Communications Officer Simone Flanagan is being interviewed on The Project tonight at 6:30pm on Channel 10, about the Hollaback Melbourne organisation working to end street harassment - you can visit their website to report your experiences of street harassment, and they are particularly interested in hearing from women with disabilities:
http://melbourne.ihollaback.org/
You can also follow the conversation online:
https://www.facebook.com/HollabackMelbourne or
@hollaback_melb
