[Edited extract from public address]
Continuing purpose to influence and collaborate with government, business, community and all individuals to support our vision of a Culturally And Linguistically Diverse (CALD) in a harmonious society that is just, fair and inclusive for all Victorians.
Employment Opportunities with the ECCV – Disability Advocacy Project Officer
The Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria Inc. (ECCV) represents the voices of multicultural Victoria. We are a community based, member driven peak body for ethnic and multicultural organisations committed to strengthening and building our community through advocacy and leadership, empowering people from culturally diverse backgrounds.
An opportunity exists for a highly motivated Disability Advocacy Project Officer to work in the Projects team delivering the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) project Raise Our Voices – Disability self-advocacy for CALD communities.
The project plans to improve understanding of the disability service system for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) Victorians with disability. It aims to build consumer voice, awareness of support pathways and reduce systemic barriers for people with disability of CALD backgrounds. The position reports to the ECCV Projects Manager and oversees the day to day co-ordination and implementation of the project, including tracking proposed outcomes, liaising with partners and community stakeholders as well as monitoring and reporting to government.
The position is 0.8FTE and remunerated at Level 5 of the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010.
Applications
close Monday 7 December 2020. A CV and cover letter addressing the Key Selection Criteria can be sent by email to Diana Mastrantuono, Projects Manager at
eccv@eccv.org.au. Further information can be requested by phoning 0411 735 558.
Suitably qualified candidates from a non-English speaking background with lived experience of disability are strongly encouraged to apply. ECCV is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
ECCV Annual Report 2019-2020
Multicultural NDIS Community Connector Program
Members of Victoria’s multicultural community may face additional barriers when trying to access government services, this can include differences in culture or language, or not knowing what services are available.
The Multicultural NDIS Community Connector Program supports people from multicultural backgrounds to engage with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
The Community Connectors could help you apply for the NDIS, better understand the NDIS process, and connect you with your local NDIS contacts and services.
Our aim is for people with disabilities to live independent and empowered lives.
This is a free service and currently available to people with disabilities, carers and families from multicultural backgrounds who are living in Brimbank, Darebin, Hume, Moreland, Whittlesea, and Greater Shepparton.
- Families of children aged 0-6 with developmental delay or disability.
- A person 7 to 65 years of age with a disability that affects their ability to engage in daily activities.
- Australian citizens, permanent residents, holders of Protection Special Category Visas.
Referral Information
Referrals accepted by means of service providers or Self-Referral by calling, 9am-5pm on weekdays, ECCV Project Coordinators on:
- Surmeli Aydogan: 0466 038 261
- Shahnoor Shah: 0412 681 988
How to develop easy English materials for CALD people with disabilities?
Almost no research literature exists about developing easy English materials for Australians with disabilities of CALD backgrounds? Yet, we know hundreds of agencies have created or commissioned them! If this is you or an organisation that you know of, then we really want to hear from you.
By completing a brief survey you can help gather the wisdom of hundreds of agencies that have worked closely with people with disabilities from CALD communities for decades. We believe collecting practitioner wisdom is a vital step for identifying current practice and working towards evidence-based practice. We also believe your work should be recognised.
Who Are 'We'?
We are every State and Territory Ethnic and Multicultural Communities Council across Australia. Together, we are delivering the national Speak My Language: Diverse Communities living well with a disability program.
The Speak My Language (SML) program involves CALD and Indigenous people with disabilities and their supporters sharing real stories and experiences in up to 25 languages via podcasts, broadcasts and online. These stories will be about living well with a disability and will inform people about resources available in the community to support people to live well.
Like you, we wanted to ensure people of CALD backgrounds with disabilities have accessible and culturally appropriate information about their rights and choices. Developing easy English materials, and considering their translation into languages other than English was an important component. In the process we, and our Advisory Group, discovered this surprising gap in research.
We KNOW the sector has wisdom. And as peak bodies for multiculturalism in each State and Territory, we believe it is essential that this wisdom is gathered, recognised, celebrated, and built upon.
So go on! Fill in the survey. Pass it on to every agency and program you know of.
We will share the findings broadly and acknowledge every agency that contributes.
We look forward to learning from you. And we look forward to sharing the results.
Survey closes 15 February 2021.
UN | OBSERVANCE | International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) | 3 December 2020.
The theme for IDPwD 2020 is
Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 World.
This year, IDPwD will promote and acknowledge the achievements and contributions of people with disability through online stories and videos which will be shared on the IDPwD website and social media channels.
Visit website for event calendarNDIA invites participants to have their say on NDIS reforms
The NDIA is calling on people with disability, participants, their families and carers and the wider disability sector to have their say on changes to make the NDIS simpler, faster, fairer and more flexible.
NDIA CEO Martin Hoffman said the Agency has today released three consultation papers about changes to how people access the NDIS, planning and plan flexibility, and early intervention services - the latter supported by the release of a detailed consultation report around best practice Early Childhood Early Intervention (ECEI) reform.
Release of the papers today kicks off the launch of a three-month open public consultation on how the NDIS reforms will be implemented. People with disability, participants, their families and carers and the wider disability sector are strongly encouraged to take part.
NDIS Reforms – Information Paper
On 28 August 2020, the Minister for the NDIS, the Hon Stuart Robert MP, also announced significant reforms to the NDIS, including the use of independent assessments, fully paid for by the NDIA.
- An Information Paper summarising these reforms was released on 24 November 2020.
- This paper explains what the changes are and what they mean for people in the scheme and those applying to become participants.
- Easy Read and audio versions of the Information Paper also available.
NDIS Price Guide update
On 17 November 2020 the following NDIS guides were updated, with changes effective from Tuesday 1 December 2020:
- Price Guide and Support Catalogue 2020-21
- Price Guide 2020-21 for Specialist Disability Accommodation
- Assistive Technology, Home Modifications and Consumables Code Guide.
Updates to the NDIS Price Guide and Support Catalogue 2020-21 include:
Increased price limits for 369 support items as a result of the final Equal Remuneration Order (ERO) adjustment
New columns in the Support Catalogue to help providers identify if a support item is eligible for:
- non-face-to-face support provision
- provider travel
- short notice cancellation
- NDIA requested reports
- irregular Supported Independent Living (SIL) supports.
The Assistive Technology, Home Modifications and Consumables Code Guide has been updated to include:
- Clearer names and descriptions of 111 support items
- Five high risk hearing support items that now require a written assessment and prescription from a qualified practitioner.
Latest Quarterly Report now available
The NDIS has released the latest Quarterly Report that provides a summary of how the Scheme performed from 1 July 2020 to 30 September 2020.
- The report shows the Scheme is growing, supporting approximately 412,500 people with disability, with nearly 22,000 joining this quarter. Diversity is increasing too. Of note, 9.1 per cent of participants who entered this quarter identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. This is the highest percentage in the history of the NDIS.
NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
Easy Read resource about the Positive Behaviour Support Capability Framework.
Resource explains what behaviour support is, what the framework does, and who can provide behaviour support.
Victorian Government Department of Health and Human Services
The Victorian Government has a plan for how it will reopen and take steps towards COVID Normal. It is called the Roadmap for reopening.
- Face masks remain mandatory in some settings, unless you have a lawful reason not to wear one. Find out more here
- There are no restrictions on reasons to leave home. During the Last Step restrictions on gatherings remain in place.
- Contact and non-contact sport and recreation can resume for all ages, with limits applying to numbers of people.
- Shops, recreational facilities, entertainment, hospitality and cultural venues will be open, although there are still restrictions. These include operating with a COVIDSafe Plan, density limits (the number of people allowed in a venue depends on its size so that people can keep at least 1.5 metres distance apart), record keeping and cleaning.
Expression Australia
Keep up to date with regular Auslan videos on COVID-19, breaking news in Victoria, Australia and abroad.
SBS News and information
Discover news and videos on the latest coronavirus (COVID - 19) information available in 65 languages.
International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD)
IDPwD is a United Nations observed day celebrated internationally on 3 December 2020.
The theme for IDPwD 2020 is “Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 World”.
This year, IDPwD will promote and acknowledge the achievements and contributions of people with disability through online stories and videos which will be shared on the IDPwD website and social media channels.
MOIRA | Connect! Digital Disability | Thursday 3 December 2020 | 9am-4.30pm
MOIRA is bringing people together this International Day of People with Disability with a free online event including a diverse range of interactive webinars, world renowned presenters in Autism, experts in Positive Behaviour Support, Mindfulness and Resilience classes with opportunities for Q&A, an exhibitor hub and a range of wellbeing experiences that celebrate and connect the disability community.
Where: online
Cost: free
Vision Australia Bendigo | Thursday 3 December 2020 | 10.30am-4pm
Vision Australia Bendigo is celebrating International Day of People with Disability by holding an event at the Bendigo Library to raise awareness of blindness and low vision and spread the message ‘seeing the ability in disability’.
Vision Australia exists to support people who are blind or have low vision create equal opportunity to get an education, get a job and be as independent as they choose.
Where: Bendigo Library, 259 Hargreaves St, Bendigo
MYAN Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network (Australia) | National Youth Panel | Monday 30 November 2020 | 12noon-1.45pm
Join MYAN's National Youth Panel led by young people from diverse cultural backgrounds with lived experience of disability.
This panel has been initiated and led by young people from CALD backgrounds with lived experience of disability.
The session will begin with a panel discussion followed by Q&A.
Where: It will be held over Zoom, streamed onto Youtube (with closed captions on the Youtube stream) and supported by a live Twitter thread.
Considerations: This event will include AUSLAN interpreters.
Cost: Free
AMES Australia
NDIS Community Connectors Program will support CALD communities in the Casey and Dandenong region to support people to get access to the NDIS including:
- Support community members to access and apply for the NDIS
- Increase awareness of disability and the NDIS
- Reduce barriers to accessing the NDIS by providing outreach
- Support communication between NDIS and the community
This is a free service funded through the National Disability Insurance Agency.
Flyer in 6 multilingual languages:
Southern Migrant & Refugee Centre
This program supports people who are providing care to someone else. The care recipient may be a family
member or friend.
- The program organizes activities to maintain the social, physical and emotional health of carers themselves
- Carer Support Program is available to all carers from CALD background who are supporting people with a disability, mental illness, dementia or who are frail aged living in: City of Greater Dandenong, City of Casey, Shire of Cardinia, City of Kingston and City of Monash
VALID
VALID’s plain language guide to NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation
- 16 Page booklet which uses plain language, clear sections and headings, and an easy to read layout – to make it easier to work out how SDA (and SIL – Supported Independent Living) works in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of people with disability
Interim report details abuse, violence, neglect and exploitation.
People with disability are experiencing violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation across all aspects of their lives. This includes in education, health care and justice settings, and in their homes, workplaces and communities.
Health Translations
Free website with access to high quality consumer focused translated materials on COVID-19, & much more. Over 22,000 resources in over 100 languages including Auslan & Easy English.
November newsletter multilingual resources on COVID-19, information for seasonal workers, children mental health, refugees and new arrivals, cervical screening, liver health, multicultural parent easy guides, sexually transmitted infections, Dementia, men's health, Diabetes, Thunderstorm Asthma and many more.
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Ethnic Communities' Council of Victoria (ECCV)
Address: Suite 101, 398 Sydney Road, Coburg VIC 3058
