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Disability Education and Employment News: Vol 1 No 10 - Wednesday, 28 September 2005 |
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Enhancing post secondary education, training and |
Compiled by Timothy Hart DCO for Northern, Central and Southern Sydney |
To return to the DCO Disability Newsletter Archive Page go to http://www.cdds.med.usyd.edu.au/dco/newsletter or click here
In this Disability Education and Employment News there are items on Conferences and Workshops, Education News, Employment News, Welfare News, New Resources, Scholarships, Inquiries, Jobs and Media Releases. If you have a New Resource or a Scholarship you wish to advertise here please e-mail me on thart@med.usyd.edu.au
If you wish to have the Disability Education and Employment News e-mail to you please e-mail me on thart@med.usyd.edu.au with “Subscribe Disability Education and Employment News” in the subject line.
The Victorian Higher Education and Disability Network (VicHEDN)
invites you to attend a seminar on
Learning Disability
What is it?
How does it impact on learning?
How can people who have a learning disability succeed in the educational environment?
*********************************************************************
The seminar will begin with the much lauded "Building Bridges" video produced by Wodonga TAFE and introduced by Julie Fry followed by a dynamic presentation led by Peggy Dalton from the
Where: Rm G13
http://www.pb.unimelb.edu.au/CampusMaps/Parkville.pdf Ref G13
When: 12 noon - 2pm 7 October 2005
As places will be limited can you please RSVP jennifer.shaw@deakin.edu.au by 27 September 2005
Technology Enhancing Learning - An Adaptive Technology Day Conference
Where?
115
When?
Saturday 15th October
Registration: 8.30am – 9.00am
Seminars and Exhibitions: 9.00am – 5.00pm
- Demonstrations and Presentations of software and hardware for support.
- Seminars on choosing and using the right technologies.
- Trade exhibitions of latest technologies for access and alternative learning support.
- Seminars will include use of technologies for supporting literacy, and numeracy in primary, secondary and tertiary education
This day will be useful for: Parents, Teachers, Disability support staff, Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Disability Liaison Officers, Librarians, IT Staff, Other professionals, Students ….. in fact, anyone interested in learning more about using technology to assist those struggling with access and/or a learning difficulty.
Professionals ……………………$120.00 Parents ………………………….. $49.00 Students …………………………..$35.00 Lunch Included
Brought to you by:
SPELD Vic
ABN 51 178 974 489
& the DCO Programme,
for more information and registration form contact Joanne Webber Disability Coordination Officer joanne.webber@rmit.edu.au
Transforming Disability Conference - November 2005
The Centre for Public Policy at the
For more information about this exciting conference, please visit the dedicated webpage:
http://www.public-policy.unimelb.edu.au/events/transforming_disability.html
Working in the West 2005: "Uncapping our Capacities!"
21- 22 November 2005
University Club,
http://www.acenational.org.au/upcoming_events/items/2005/08/00027.shtml
Contact Name: Trevor Paterson
Contact Phone: 08 9286 6600
Contact Email: trevor.paterson@edge.org.au
Hunter/Central Coast ‘Assistive Technology in Education' Forum and Mini-Expo
Thursday 17th November 2005
Organised for: Staff from schools, VET and Higher Education; Disability Practitioners, Students with disabilities and people in the community with disabilities; Students training in the education or disability disciplines; Disability Service Providers; Government/Non-Government Departments; and anyone else who'd benefit from attending.
Please note, the focus of the day is on assistive technologies for the education environment.
The forms can also be downloaded from http://www.adcet.edu.au/rdco/, follow the link on the right to the "Assistive Technology Forum and Mini-Expo".
The Australian Association of Special Education (AASE) Hunter Regional Conference is being held the following day at the same venue. The Forum and Conference make an excellent two-day training opportunity. Registration details for the AASE Conference can be found at http://www.newcastle.edu.au/centre/sed/research/conferences.html.
Students urge Joyce to fight VSU
September 27, 2005
The students will present the Nationals senator with a letter of support signed by 8,363 people, intended to show 10 Howard Government parliamentarians opposing the bill "they are not alone".
"The government's VSU bill will attack services in local communities across the country," the letter said.
"We urge you to stay strong and block this bill. Thousands of Australians are behind you."
The Nationals are pressing for changes to the proposed VSU legislation to secure university services including sporting facilities, student counselling and childcare.
For the rest of the article go to
http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,20281,16737189-5001028,00.html
Deakin University Report Shows Technology Is The New Teacher’s Pet
27/09/2005 15:06:16
The
The research suggests that the program has had a marked effect on teaching practice and a direct impact on students’ learning outcomes.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;337687933
Foreign students pay up
Lisa Macnamara
September 28, 2005
NEW federal laws allowing international students to be charged for services will lead to "institutionalised discrimination" and racial tension on Australian campuses, overseas students have warned.
Under proposed changes to the Education Services for Overseas Student Act, universities would be able to collect an amenities and services fee from their international students.
Federal Education Minister Brendan Nelson has quietly introduced the bill at the same time as the controversial voluntary student unionism proposals. Under VSU, universities could face substantial fines for charging domestic students a similar fee.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,16742740%5E12332,00.html
Uni resists fee slug on foreign students
Lisa Macnamara
September 26, 2005
ONE of
Federal Education Minister Brendan Nelson has introduced legislation allowing universities to charge their foreign students a fee for some non-academic services, such as counselling.
However, its new voluntary student unionism laws would impose massive fines on universities for charging local students a similar levy.
The University of Melbourne has branded the exemption for international students "not fair", saying it would not charge its 8000 overseas students a services and amenities fee next year.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,16720203%255E12332,00.html
VSU compromise deal seems unlikely
September 22, 2005 - 11:14AM
Hopes of a deal on the introduction of voluntary student unionism (VSU) appear to be fading after a federal government minister publicly rejected any compromise.
The Nationals are pressing for changes to the proposed VSU legislation to secure university services including sporting facilities, student counselling and child care.
The party's federal council meeting in
Queensland Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce, who fought for a $3 billion package to secure his vote for the full sale of the Telstra, has said he would block the VSU legislation if the government did not offer a good deal.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/No-compromise-on-VSU-says-Abetz/2005/09/22/1126982157097.html
Overseas students to face new fees for university services
UNIVERSITIES will be allowed to charge overseas students a compulsory fee for some campus services, in contrast to the Howard Government's strong stand against compulsory student union fees.
In a move Labor is branding a double standard, Education Minister Brendan Nelson has introduced an amendment to Parliament that allows universities to charge foreign students for campus services including counselling and orientation.
In his fight to ban compulsory student unionism and stop universities charging a compulsory non-academic fee, Dr Nelson has argued students should not be forced to pay for services they do not use.
Labor education spokeswoman Jenny Macklin said the amendment showed the hypocrisy of Dr Nelson's voluntary student unionism legislation.
For the rest of the article go to
http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,20281,16684064-5001028,00.html
Standard wage for trades training
Samantha Maiden
September 21, 2005
APPRENTICES will have a minimum wage set by a new fair pay commission, and barriers to school-based traineeships will be removed under sweeping changes to tackle the skills crisis.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,16671392%255E2702,00.html
PM spreads his revolution to apprentices
Struggles loom for older apprentices
Unions and state governments condemned the plans yesterday as a recipe for cutting pay and entitlements.
A new Australian fair pay commission will set minimum wages for young workers which have traditionally been negotiated in awards and under state laws.
The Government will also ensure the commission's decisions on apprenticeships will override existing award conditions.
The Prime Minister, John Howard, said minimum wages would be set "at levels that ensure they are competitive in the labour market" but the Federal Opposition seized on these words as "code for slashing the wages of Australian apprentices".
For the rest of the article go to
Time to look beyond the unemployment statistics
By Andrew Leigh - posted Tuesday, 27 September 2005
Canberrans pride ourselves in our low official unemployment rate. Today, our headline unemployment rate is below 4 per cent, lower than it has been at any point in the past quarter of a century, and better than any other state or territory in
In this debate, it is important to recognise that unemployment is not the only measure of jobs. The unemployment rate measures only those who are looking for work. Those who have given up looking, and many of those who are reliant on income support, are not counted as unemployed. And for major groups in the population, the fraction of those in work has been steadily falling.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=205
Unions attack plans for trainees' wages
The union movement has accused the federal government of attacking the weakest in the workforce - apprentices and trainees - to implement its new industrial relations agenda.
The charge followed Tuesday's announcement by Prime Minister John Howard that the government's proposed Australian Fair Pay Commission (AFPC) would take on the role of setting apprentice and trainee wages, traditionally negotiated in awards and under state laws.
The government would also ensure its determinations on apprenticeships would override award conditions.
Mr Howard said the arrangements, to be released as part of the government's IR package later this year, would remove barriers that restrict opportunities for young Australians to enter an apprenticeship.
For the rest of the article go to
Coalition team raises welfare concerns
From: AAP
September 23, 2005
CONCERNS about the Government's welfare-to-work changes had been raised in the Coalition party room, Queensland Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce said today.
Under the controversial changes, disabled people and single parents believed capable of work and once eligible for a pension would be pushed onto the lower Newstart Allowance from July, and forced to look for at least 15 hours of work a week.
Senator Joyce said he had concerns about the proposed changes even though they were still some way off being finalised.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,16695222-421,00.html
Disabled with savings must wait for dole
Disabled and sole parent jobseekers with savings will have to wait an average of more than two months for their benefits from next July, welfare advocates say.
In a new twist in the debate surrounding the government's controversial welfare-to-work package, the National Welfare Rights Network (NWRN) has discovered people will lose a week's worth of benefits for every $1,000 over $2,500 they have in savings.
Disabled people and single parents thought capable of work and once eligible for a pension will be pushed onto the lower Newstart Allowance from July next year, and forced to look for at least 15 hours of work a week.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,16692693%255E2702,00.html
Welfare to work rules tweaked
A small number of single parents will be temporarily exempted from the Federal Government's welfare changes in an attempt to address concerns about the severity of the reforms.
But despite lobbying by church and welfare groups, the main aspects of the policy remain, which means hundreds of thousands of people will have to live on lower benefits unless they find jobs.
No one will have their payments cancelled without being warned by Centrelink, the Minister for Workforce Participation, Kevin Andrews, said yesterday. People with children may get financial assistance to ensure their offspring are not affected.
The main aspects of the changes remain, including stricter work requirements for single parents and people with disabilities, and stopping payments for two months if people do not meet those requirements.
For the rest of the article go to
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/welfare-to-work-rules-tweaked/2005/09/21/1126982127326.html
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,16681744%255E2702,00.html
PM softens stance on welfare changes
Political Correspondent
FOSTER carers, home schoolers, recent victims of domestic violence and large families will be exempted from the Federal Government's new welfare rules.
In a softening of the welfare-to-work overhaul to be unveiled by Employment Minister Kevin Andrews today, single parents with special responsibilities will be spared cuts to their welfare payments and will not be forced to look for jobs.
And plans to suspend welfare payments almost immediately if an unemployed person fails to turn up for a job interview have also been changed, amid fears mentally ill jobseekers will be hit hardest by the moves.
The changes come after months of lobbying by church-based welfare agencies and one day after Prime Minister John Howard foreshadowed a major shift in the process for setting minimum wages for apprentices in the future.
For the rest of the article go to
The draft guidelines are now available on the Australian Copyright Council website in html format at http://www.copyright.org.au/disability.
http://www.australiantechnicalcolleges.gov.au/
‘Do Yourself a Favour – Employ Someone with a Disability!
This guide for employers is MDAA’s latest publication, funded by Parramatta City Council and supported by the Parramatta Chamber of Commerce, and provides information and ideas about the benefits for businesses that diversify their employee and customer base. It dispels the misconceptions about employing someone with disability; and explains how employers can get help to recruit, train and support employees. To read or download a copy, see the 5th publication on www.mdaa.org.au/publications/index.html.
Deafness Forum Scholarships for 2006.
The Scholarships are available to students planning to take further education in 2006 and are expressly designed to support students who are deaf or hearing impaired by contributing to ongoing costs for their tuition.
The Scholarship guidelines and application form can be downloaded from our webpage http://www.deafnessforum.org.au/scholarships.htm
Deadline for the applications to be received is Friday 6 January 2006.
Should you have any questions please feel free to contact
Kirsten Preece
Policy & Project Officer
Deafness Forum of
Tel: 02 6262 7808
TTY: 02 6262 7809
Website: www.deafnessforum.org.au www.hearingawarenessweek.org.au
Commonwealth Learning Scholarships (CLS) and Equity Scholarships Scheme (ESS)
Commonwealth Learning Scholarships (CLS) paying $2080 a year for up to 4 years for education costs or $4161 a year for up to 4 years for accommodation costs if you relocated from a rural or regional area to attend University.
or
Equity Scholarships Scheme (ESS) paying $2000 a year for the duration of your degree for education costs or $4000 a year for the duration of your degree for accommodation costs.
If you have other educational disadvantages such as you are a sole parent or carer and/or you have a disability or long term illness, your chances of receiving a CLS or ESS are higher.
TO APPLY FOR A CLS OR ESS EQUITY SCHOLARSHIPS GO TO:
http://www.uac.edu.au/equity/equityschols.html
also check your University website for information.
Closing date for CLS and ESS is 30 September 2005. There is also a late closing date of 30 November 2005.
2006 Vision
Vision
Who is eligible?
Students residing in Victoria, NSW or the ACT, who are blind or vision impaired and who are commencing first year tertiary studies in
2006 and who for financial reasons would not otherwise be able to participate in further education.
An application form is attached. Please pass on this information to anyone you think may be eligible.
Interested applicants should contact:
Renee Williamson
Tertiary Education Consultant
Tel: (03) 9520 5555 or 1300 847 466
Email:
bursary@visionaustralia.org.au
The Application form is also available on the Vision Australia web site at: www.visionaustralia.org.au.
Applications close Friday 21 October 2005.
Quantum Technology/Freedom Scientific Scholarship Program
Applications for the Quantum Technology/Freedom Scientific Scholarship Program are closing on Friday 30th September 2005!
The program is open to Vision Impaired students who are starting full-time TAFE or University studies in 2006.
If you know a student getting ready to go onto further studies, tell them it's time to start writing! There are eight scholarships of a copy of JAWS Professional up for grabs.
Applications are to be made in writing and tell us in 500 words why they need a scholarship and how it will assist in their Tertiary/TAFE studies. Send applications to info@quantumtechnology.com.au or via post to Scholarship Program, Quantum Technology PO Box 390, Rydalmere NSW 2116
http://www.natsem.canberra.edu.au/
Disability inquiry report points the way forward – Media Release, NCOSS
31 August 2005
http://www.ncoss.org.au/media/index.html
For the Report:
EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Blind Citizens Australia is the national representative organization of people who are blind or vision impaired. A challenging opportunity exists for a blind or vision impaired person with proven management, strategic and leadership skills to manage our national office in
You will need high order analytical, verbal and written communications skills as well as the capacity to relate and respond well with all sections of the community including; people with disabilities; staff and volunteers; and the Directors and Members of a dynamic membership driven organization.
A competitive salary package is offered. The BCA National Office is in
Applicants should ensure that they address the selection criteria outlined in the Position Description which can be obtained by telephoning 03 9372 6400 or emailing bca@bca.org.au.
Enquiries and applications (as a Word formatted file) should be directed to:
Mr Robert Altamore
President Blind Citizens
Email: Robert.altamore@ags.gov.au
Phone: 02 6253 7206
Applications close at 5.00PM Monday October 10th 2005
SERVICE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Victorian Women with Disabilities Network (VWDN) in partnership with Women’s Health Victoria (WHV) have been funded by the Department of Human Services to create an innovative, comprehensive and empowering state-wide advocacy information service for women with disabilities, based on an integrated model of individual advocacy, systemic advocacy and community development.
A two-year position has been developed to manage the service development and key organisation development projects for the VWDN and the partnership.
Applications are specifically invited from women with disabilities for this next stage of development of the Women with Disabilities Advocacy Information Service.
Position descriptions are available on http://www.whv.org.au or by phoning (03) 9662 3755
Applications close 5 pm Friday 30 September 2005.
Applications addressing the selection criteria and clearly marked confidential are to be addressed to Elaine Cope, Acting Executive Director, Women’s Health
Govt joins VSU backflip circus
Senator Natasha Stott Despoja
Democrats Senator for
Australian Democrats spokesperson for Higher Education
The Government's backflip on VSU reinforces the need for a universal student union fee, according to the Australian Democrats.
For the rest of this Media Release go to
http://www.democrats.org.au/news/index.htm?press_id=4812&display=1
ACOSS Media Release For Immediate Release Thursday 15 September 2005.
ACOSS, welfare groups & charities issue joint call to change Welfare to Work Package
ACOSS, its members and supporters call upon the Government to: not put people on lower payments, increase investment in employment assistance, guarantee activity requirements are reasonable and legislate to protect people against harsh penalties.
Over 50 leaders of the community and welfare sector descended on
Agencies that represent and deliver services to over 3 million Australian doing it tough, agree with the Government's goal to support social security recipients into jobs but question the need to cut payments and to introduce unreasonable requirements and harsh penalties. These organisations know from experience that people are ready to work but need assistance to be ready for work.
"If Parliament passes the proposed Budget changes to welfare, ACOSS estimates at least 320,000 Australians - 176,000 adults and 130,000 children - could be worse off after July 2006 because instead of receiving pensions they could be put onto lower allowance payments," said ACOSS President Andrew McCallum.
For the rest of this Media Release go to
http://chirs.infoxchange.net.au/news/items/2005/09/01277.shtml
Release of the Interim Report for the National Inquiry into Employment and Disability
I am pleased to announce the release of the Interim Report of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission's National Inquiry into Employment and Disability. The Inquiry was launched on 4 March 2005 and is due to be completed by the end of this year.
The purpose of the Interim Report is to:
(a) summarise the concerns and suggestions contained in the submissions made to the Inquiry to date;
(b) make Interim Recommendations on the basis of those submissions;
(c) propose a platform for action in the remaining months of the Inquiry.
The Executive Summary, Interim Recommendations and Next Steps for the Inquiry have been collated into Issues Paper 6 (Interim Report). You can find a copy of that Issues Paper at http://www.humanrights.gov.au/disability_rights/employment_inquiry/docs/Issue6_Interim_Report.doc. A full copy of the report can be downloaded from http://www.humanrights.gov.au/disability_rights/employment_inquiry/index.htm.
For all other information about the Inquiry, including Terms of Reference, previous Issues Papers and the submissions received to date, please visit the Inquiry website at: www.humanrights.gov.au/disability_rights/employment_inquiry/index.htm.
The Commission is strongly committed to a cooperative and responsive approach to developing solutions to the issue of employment opportunities for people with disability in the open workplace. We are therefore eager to hear your comments about the Interim Report and Interim Recommendations.
Please feel free to distribute this email to any person or organisation you think may be interested in reading the Interim Report or making a submission to the Inquiry.
The deadline for comments and submissions is Friday 30 September 2005.
All comments and submissions should ideally be sent by email to employmentinquiry@humanrights.gov.au
Alternatively, submissions may be sent in hard copy to:
Employment Inquiry
Disability Rights Unit
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
GPO
Questions can be directed to Cristina Ricci (Inquiry Officer) or Vanessa Lesnie (Secretary to the Inquiry) at
employmentinquiry@humanrights.gov.au, (02) 9284 9600 or 1800 620 241 (TTY).
The Disability standards for education are now in force
The Standards require all education providers in
More info from HREOC http://www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/index.html#new
or direct at http://www.ag.gov.au/agd/WWW/agdHome.nsf/AllDocs/1821B1CD1293253DCA2570610014D867?OpenDocument
To view the Disability Standards for Education, and the supporting documents, go to:
http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/school_education/programmes_funding/forms_guidelines/disability_standards_for_education.htm
GetUp is running a campaign against Volunteer Student Unionism (VSU)
In the next two weeks the Howard Government wants to pass a law that will drastically cut services and jobs on university campuses around the country. These services, like childcare, sporting facilities and health services, are used by the whole community.
We need to act now to block this radical bill before it becomes law:
http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/PutCommunitiesFirst
This bill even prevents universities from collecting an amenities fee to keep these basic community services operating.
Liberal Party ideology is being put before common sense and the interests of communities.
That's why some Howard Government members are mounting a last minute effort to block this radical bill. These members need to know that they have wide community support.
There's still a chance to stop this bill. We need to send these members a letter of support asking them to stick to their convictions and vote against the bill.
Vol 1 No 10
To return to the DCO Disability Newsletter Archive Page go to http://www.cdds.med.usyd.edu.au/dco/newsletter or click here