PDA’s TAS Associate Director, Tammy Milne, has had an article published in the “Tasmanian Times” about her wheelchair journey.

It’s a great read.

You can check it out by going to:

A Wheelchair Journey

Our next FREE “EmployABLE” Webinar will be run on Wednesday June 1st and we’d love to have you join us.

In this informative webinar, our Panelists will speak about support and opportunities available to assist PWD in stepping on to and advancing up the employment ladder.

Whether you’re looking to enter mainstream employment, thinking of starting up your own business or just wanting to have a better understanding of employer obligations in employee recruitment and reasonable workplace adjustment – this Webinar is a must.

To register for this webinar, go to:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lwVemhJcQQSUM030J3vmgg

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

If you have any questions around employment that you would like the Panel to answer, please email promotion@pda.org.au or ask a question via the online chat during the webinar.

We look forward to your joining us for this interesting and useful presentation.

If you’re not able to join us on the night, post-Webinar this presentation will be published to the PDA YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMyTzhTbs2oLH-WZR18zX2Q).

Whilst you’re visiting our channel, please subscribe so that you’re kept informed of other presentations.

Once you have watched this (or any other of our webinars), we encourage you to take part in out short survey by going to:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2JV7MFB

Feedback from this survey will enable PDA to present future webinars of interest and importance to our Members and Australia’s disability community.

Did you vote at an AEC Polling place either as an early voter or on Election Day?

If so, we would really appreciate your help to ensure that Australia’s democratic process is truly accessible to all Australians living with disability.

We’d love to hear just how accessible your chosen location was and whether reasonable adjustments were in place to support your needs in placing your vote.

This will provide us with a better understanding of issues that are and aren’t being adequately addressed to make future voting in person possible, stress free and a choice for those who require additional consideration and support.

We will then provide AEC with our findings to work towards improved polling place accessibility moving forwards so that Australia embraces the importance of everyone’s vote.

To take part in this important process, please provide your feedback in our short survey by going to:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TSHXNH8

Many thanks for your help.

A recent Disability Support Guide article (https://www.disabilitysupportguide.com.au/talking-disability/unemployment-rates-released-but-not-for-people-with-disability) has highlighted the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ exclusion of unemployment rates of people with disability in their April Labour Force Participation figures (https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/labour-force-australia/apr-2022).

In spite of disability employment being a topic of discussion and (supposed) action, this statistical ostracism does little to make people with disability feel as though they are included in the conversation.

With unemployment and underemployment rates of people with disability much higher than national figures, national statistical collection on this topic has not been actioned by the ABS since 2018 with the release of their Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/disability/disability-ageing-and-carers-australia-summary-findings/latest-release).

These findings revealed

an unemployment rate of people with disability of 10.3% and more than double the period’s comparative rate for people without disability which stood at 4.6%, and

that just 28.3% of people with disability of working age were in full-time employment – compared to 54.8% of people without disability in the same age group.

If statistical collection and analysis excludes 20% of Australia’s population (in that of our disabled citizens), how is it truly a measure of our country’s employment numbers and how does it not perpetuate feelings of exclusion and discrimination for our country’s largest minority group.

If the Australian Government is committed to ensuring “inclusive workplace cultures where people with disability thrive in their careers” (https://www.dss.gov.au/disability-and-carers/disability-employment-strategy) through initiatives such as the Disability Employment Advisory Committee (DEAC) and Employment My Ability, surely there needs to be greater attention on the bigger and comprehensive picture so that all stakeholders can be better equipped and truly committed to bringing actual positive change!?

In PDA’s push to ensure that Australia’s democratic process is accessible to all Australians living with disability, we would appreciate your feedback on your experience on voting at an AEC polling place as an early voter or on Election Day.

This will provide us with a better understanding of issues that are and aren’t being adequately addressed to make voting in person possible, stress free and a choice for those who require additional consideration and support.

We will then provide AEC with our findings to work towards improved polling place accessibility moving forwards so that Australia embraces the importance of everyone’s vote.

To take part in this important process, please provide your feedback in our short survey ONCE YOU HAVE VOTED AT A PHYSICAL POLLING PLACE LOCATION.

To access this survey please go to:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TSHXNH8

Many thanks for your help.

Written by Robert Wise – PDA VIC Associate Director

Firstly, I’d like to point out that there is certainly room for improvement to the NDIS. Everybody’s circumstances are different, always evolving and so plans cannot be simply formulaic. As a result there’s a lot of negative talk around the NDIS. However, I believe that we need to defend the NDIS. My blog post talks about the way in which I personally benefit from the NDIS.

In 2003 I became an amputee with one of my legs removed with an amputation known as a Hip disarticulation. As a result my life changed. I lost my job and I was unable to carry out household tasks such as vacuuming, mopping, cleaning, changing, washing bedding etc – the tasks that pre-amputation were carried out easily and without thinking.  

As I am single and live alone, with family scattered all over the country, the only help I could access was a 1.5 hour visit from my local council home help crew to help with these tasks. There was no help for social activities, shopping and other tasks that I needed.  Without the help of my parents for other tasks and getting me to some of my medical appointments life was difficult. I purchased a mobility scooter with my own money to help me get around in the community, to visit my local Men’s Shed and go shopping etc. 

In 2018, with the help of my GP, I received my first NDIS plan. It was a very basic plan with 12 months funding for domestic help in the home once a week, once a fortnight visits to do lawn mowing and some gardening and 1.5 hours a week for a support worker for social activities. Some funding was also provided for occupational therapy and physio. Also included was funding for a new Manual Wheelchair and a ramp into my backyard, which enabled me to go outside in my wheelchair independently to enjoy a coffee etc in my backyard (which can be hard to carry using crutches). 

The initial 12 month plan also allowed me to purchase a new lightweight, foldable manual wheelchair complete with tiedown points. This was a great help as my previous wheelchair did not have these, creating problems with one country Victoria coach refusing to carry me without these fitted on my wheelchair. On such occasions, I had to struggle out of my chair, up the bus steps and into a seat. 

My next plan included a very good report from my OT, which included funding for my ramp into my backyard. This incredible home modification was completed in between one of the many COVID Melbourne lockdowns. Additional funding was also granted for a support worker to help me with some of my social activities, shopping etc – also providing me with welcome company between my planned Men’s shed outings and other activities. 

I also received funding for increased occupational therapist hours that included preparation for a quote for a power assist device for my wheelchair. This was approved after a plan review and now I am a proud owner of a smooth one-power assist attachment for my manual wheelchair. This makes it much easier for me to use the chair when navigating steep hills or when fatigue sets in. 

The NDIS has also opened up my options socially and I now have help to play in a Tenpin Bowling league once a week.  I am also now able to enjoy trips to the park and beach (boardwalks only) with the help of a support worker, my new manual wheelchair and power assist. 

I also have some funding for One-on-one gym sessions to help maintain my fitness levels, with an occasional day in a group activity where I can enjoy fun activities like fishing and visiting zoos and other places of interest. Please watch out for up-and-coming videos of my Assisted Technology and home modifications. 

I would like to close by saying, that without the NDIS I would not be living the full and happy life that I am today.

Ratings are:

• wheelchair accessible
• assisted wheelchair access, or
• not wheelchair accessible.

Clicking on the rating listed against each polling place will give you more information about specific accessibility features.

To find the most suitable place for you, either before or on Election Day, go to:

https://www.aec.gov.au/election/voting.htm#start

For more information around the aec’s commitment to ensure that Australians with disability or mobility restrictions are able to enrol and make their vote count, go to:

https://www.aec.gov.au/assistance/

Tammy Milne talks to the ABC about the virtual care she received under COVID@home in Tasmania.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-27/covid-at-home-tasmania-extended-to-flu-patients/10101646

Written by Tim Harte – PDA VIC Director to Get Young People on Board – not Bored

As a Disabled Peoples Organisation (DPO), Physical Disability Australia (PDA) lives the ethos of ‘nothing about us, without us’ – people with disabilities informing advocacy and leading the change to enable every Australian living with a physical disability to realise their full potential. 

Within PDA, I see the value of lived-experience with every decision we make and the real-world outcomes achieved through our advocacy. With charities, government bodies and corporations(entities) that deliver services for and interact with, marginalised and underrepresented communities, it is both an ethical obligation and a practical necessity for the work of these entities to be informed and shaped by members of these communities, and for meaningful participation of community members to occur within decision-making structures. 

Commonly, meaningful participation within decision-making structures of entities involves reference groups, comprised of members of a marginalised community, specifically focused on aspects of the entity’s interactions with a specific target group. Reference groups are great for informing operational aspects (of entities) e.g. advising on service delivery. However, input from reference groups is not sufficient. It is critical for effective, appropriate and inclusive decision-making that people with disabilities are within high-level, decision-making structures (Boards & Board committees) & staff members, with relevant, lived-experience, are employed by the entity to ensure recommendations and input from reference groups are implemented and given value in the entity’s strategic priorities. 

As a young, disabled person who serves on 3 Boards, I am part of the change involving people from marginalised and underrepresented communities, with lived-experience, being part of and making a difference through active participation in high-level, decision-making structures within entities. Being part of the change is not an easy experience. It takes grit, a thick-skin, patience, determination and dedication. More focus is given to getting people with lived-experience on Boards, but the next, and equally important, step is change and action within entities to ensure people from marginalised and underrepresented communities can meaningfully participate and contribute within the Board environment. It is the challenge to ensure the voices of young and marginalised people are heard and considered within Boards, and we are not left feeling frustrated, undervalued and bored by inaction.

My experience, as a young person on Boards & Board Committees in a diverse range of sectors, has gotten me thinking about what it takes to get young people meaningfully involved in governance. Not just tokenistically to meet some predefined quota or societal expectation, but in a meaningful, valuable and respectful way. My recommendations for entities (charities, government bodies & the private sector) to implement to ensure young people on their Boards are supported to meaningfully participate and contribute, and some recommendations to young people to ponder when considering applying for Board positions, are itemised below. 

Support

Properly supported, appropriately experienced young people can learn greatly from Board service and considerably contribute to informed decision-making within the Board environment. 

For entities:

a) Buddying: Many Boards ‘buddy up’ new (young) Board members with existing Board members to educate them about Board processes & conduct, and most importantly to support them to feel more secure within the Board environment and enhance their ability to contribute. Things to consider include:

i) Buddying is often a short-term, ‘on-Boarding’ mechanism to provide initial support for new Board members rather than a continued, support mechanism. It is important for young Board members to have a buddy acting as a support for the duration of their time on a Board. 

ii) Allocation of buddy partners should never be done without discussion with the young Board member and ideally their buddy should be their choice. Ideally, following their first Board meeting, young Board members can be asked who they would like to buddy with. Prior to allocation the Board Chairs/Presidents should act as a support. 

iii) Buddy allocation should not be regarded as permanent. Young Board members get to know different Board members better throughout their time on a Board and may benefit from support of different Board members for different matters. Also, Board members may change, hence, buddy allocation needs to be flexible. 

iv) Some Boards refer to buddying as mentoring, which can suggest a paternalistic relationship which may unintentionally intensify the power dynamic imbalance between existing and new young Board members, reducing open conversation and reducing the benefits of buddying. 

b) Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are confidential external counselling programs offered to employees by employers. Not all entities have EAPs. However, many (particularly those involved in service delivery or areas involving direct interaction with the public) do have EAPs. Board members need to be able to access EAPs, yet many Board members of charities serve voluntarily and cannot access EAPs as they are not regarded as staff. Board members, during their first term, will more than likely discuss psychologically distressing matters or be in psychologically distressing situations while serving on a Board. It is important, both for the health and wellbeing of Board members and Board culture, that Board members are supported through an EAP to confidentially deal with the impact of such experiences with qualified healthcare professionals. For young Board members, who often have small and less established support networks, EAP access is a necessity.  

c) Training: Training is a major part of supporting young Board members. Training has been covered further under the capacity building recommendations. 

For young people: 

a) Personal support: To ensure young people’s wellbeing, they should not serve on Boards unless they have a stable close support network. Young people need at least 2 people they have known for 2+ years, who have supported them in the past, to support them during their Board service. The reality of being on Boards, as a young person, is that it is not a smooth process. There will be ups and downs, and sometimes nights (after meetings) when you cannot sleep. For your own well-being you need people who know you and can reliably support you. I am lucky to have 2-4 people (2 family and 2 friends), with similar political views & shared values, who support me. 

Capacity building (training)

Training serves to build the capacity of young Board members to contribute and build the capacity of all Board members to implement best practice governance and create a safe, efficient, and effective Board environment. I prefer the term ‘capacity building’ over ‘training’ as it acknowledges the exisiting capacity within each Board member. Everyone has skills, experiences and expertise from their life, work & other voluntary roles. Capacity building needs to recognise this and build on existing capacity and strengths.

For entities:

a) Assessing existing skills: Quantification of Board member’s current skills and knowledge areas is the first step to building the capacity of the Board and Board members through tailored & relevant capacity building. Commonly, skills matrixes, sometimes extended to include key knowledge areas of an entity’s work, are used to quantify (measure) different skills areas and identify weaknesses or areas where capacity can be enhanced within the Board team. 

i) Quantification: To be effective, a skills matrix must be designed to prevent ambiguity in skill (or knowledge) quantification. Clear and detailed guidance must be provided around the meaning of a low, medium or high rating in a skill/knowledge area. Skills matrix quantification needs to take a similar approach to key selection criteria rankings in job applicant short listing. Skill matrix scoring scales need to be at a minimum 1 (no knowledge) to 10 (this is my profession); 1-3 rankings are meaningless. Scores need to be clearly connected with levels of understanding and proficiency -e.g. 5 (I watched a webinar on this topic), 6 (I went to a conference or did a short course on this topic), 7 (I have done an elective at University on this topic), 8-10 (I am professionally qualified in this area and have worked or work in this area). 

ii) Use of skills matrixes: The skills matrix should be used by Board members/Chairs/Training Committees to identify and plan tailored, relevant training for individual Board members, as well as, identifying weaknesses in professional experience within the Board that may be remediated through co-opted Board members.

b)  Sourcing training: Quality, professional capacity building is essential. 

i) Inhouse training: Inhouse training is training performed by staff or Board members and has limited application and benefits. An over-reliance on inhouse training can create an unhealthy power dynamic between Board & staff members – particularly young Board members. This can also, unintentionally, recycle current, inappropriate, Board culture and practice and perpetuate unhealthy power dynamics; in turn preventing positive improvement and real, continuing professional development for every Board member. Wherever possible, external agencies should be sourced for well-planned capacity building.

ii) Sourcing appropriate capacity building: Separating the ‘waste of money’ webinars, conferences and courses from ‘value for time & money’ capacity building options can be time-consuming and difficult. I have found personal recommendations are best. I have done 4 different governance webinars/short courses – 2 free & 2 paid and would only recommend two of them for their content, relevance, cost and value. It is not difficult to find free training for charity & community organisation Board members, but it is difficult to secure a free booking with short notice. Subscribing to alerts from the Australian Scholarships Foundation, which provides regular updates on free offerings from leading training providers, is an excellent way to find relevant opportunities for Board members. 

c) Relevant Capacity Building: After assessing existing skills, relevant tailored training for individual board members should be identified. Last year on a Board skills matrix, I scored lowest in the knowledge area of ‘Housing security’ and in the skill area of ‘Finance & accounting’. In response to these scores I went to an online conference on the topic of homelessness & housing security, and completed an elective subject at university on accounting, building my capacity in both these areas. 

Identification of relevant training opportunities should be a formalised, transparent process within Boards and should combine information gathered from assessing existing skills with preferences of individual Board members to create a mutually agreed capacity building plan and schedule. It is important that training should not be onerous and can fit in with existing commitments and career plans of young Board members. The elective I undertook last year, counted as a credit point in my course (i.e. I was going to do the work anyway as it was relevant, and contributed to my career plans).

d) Tracking & Feedback: Tracking training completed by Board members is important to ensure accountability of mutually-agreed commitments, evaluate capacity building of training (i.e. how does training result in enhanced skill matrix) and, most importantly, to get feedback on completed training so training providers/courses can be recommended (or not) for Board members in the future. Due to the constant requirement for upskilling & refresher training and for building and maintaining the capacity of the Board, it is best if training is tracked in specific time brackets (e.g. Jan-June 2021) for each Board member.

For young people: 

a) Find your own capacity building: Some Boards will view training as an annual webinar for the whole Board. For young Board members, who commonly have different skill & knowledge gaps to the rest of the Board, this approach is not ideal. Don’t be scared to search and apply for your own training opportunities. A lot of conferences offer free scholarships and free high-quality training opportunities are also available. Apply early for these opportunities as spots fill up fast. 

General recommendations for young people: 

a) Know the commitment you are making: Serving on a Board takes time. Make sure you read through the position description of the Board role, note down the meeting frequency, committee obligations and other time commitments if stated. For me, the time it takes to thoroughly read Board papers has been the largest time commitment. Some Boards will have a regular amount of work, 20 pages of reading/meeting, others are more variable (20-60+ pages of reading/meeting).  Generally, for Board members serving in their first year, the time commitment of being on a Board is 20% greater than the amount stated in a position description.  

In conclusion, don’t be afraid to put your hat in the ring, but be realistic about your current capacity and experience, be prepared to undertake additional training to build your capacity and be prepared for a lot bigger time commitment than is suggested.  As a DPO, PDA is a great example of valuing the voices and input of people with diverse lived-experience. PDA actively incorporates intersectional lived-experience in decision-making and ensures young people are listened to and valued.

Written by Paul Williamson – PDA ACT Associate Director

After eighteen months of avoiding COVID-19: joining the work from home revolution, avoiding contact with others, limiting outings, strict hand-washing and mask-wearing routines, my luck ran out in January, and I tested positive. I decided to travel interstate to visit family who I had not seen since the beginning of the Covid outbreak and, despite being extremely careful, it was not careful enough.

My symptoms were mild, much like a nasty winter cold, and I only learnt it was COVID when trying out one of the incredibly elusive rapid antigen tests (RAT) that I managed to get while my local pharmacy was re-stocking.  I take several medications, including one that supresses my immune system and increases the risk of infections – including COVID-19.

My recovery took much longer than the 3-5 days advised by my doctor but, eventually, I tested negative after around 4 weeks. 

Wait, what the…

I never fully got back to my baseline of good health, which had consequences when I again tested positive for COVID-19 at the beginning of March. I was triple vaccinated by this point, had already had COVID once and falling ill again was one of the last things I expected. I figured that vaccination plus having the antibodies of a recent infection would protect me for at least a few months.

Symptoms this time were severe, including breathlessness, debilitating fatigue, extreme difficulty concentrating, a total loss of my sense of taste and smell, and less frequently reported symptoms, including painful teeth and gums and insomnia.

While testing negative a few days ago, I’m still unwell and suffering quite bad fatigue and a general feeling of malaise. 

It does happen

While anecdotal evidence suggests an increase in the number of people re-infected, there is no publicly available data in Australia at a national level to confirm this (as of March 2022). Research from the UK cited by Professor Mike Toole from the Burnett Institute supports anecdotal evidence. That research found that whilst in November 2021, only one per cent of new cases were reinfections; with the emergence of the Omicron variant, this figure had climbed to 14 percent by March 2022.

My concern (apart from a COVID-19 hat trick) is that some of the symptoms will persist, so called long COVID – a condition now recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO). I’ve burned a lot of my reserves this year, and keeping up at work while parenting a teenage child and managing my health and other commitments – all while suffering ongoing fatigue and ‘brain fog’, is daunting.

I saw a great meme the other day about vaccination, something like: ‘you can put your faith in modern medical science, or risk dying like a medieval peasant’, which sums it up quite nicely, in my opinion. Going through COVID-19 unvaccinated, based on my experience, is not something I would like to have done. 

‘We’re all in this together.’

During the Coronavirus pandemic, I have found the support available for people with disability variable. Despite the (often ad nauseam) pronouncements that “we’re all in this together”, that isn’t always how it felt.

Despite being supposedly at the head of the queue for vaccination, this isn’t how it played out for many people with disabilities who had to wait much longer. They were crowded out by others at vaccination centres or could not receive the vaccination due to living arrangements or mobility. Then we had difficulty getting (and the cost) of RATs, the requirement to queue for hours for PCR tests, the scarcity of support workers, the anxiety about introducing COVID-19 into the home, not to mention the added complexity of simple things like getting groceries and medication. 

While I managed to get by, having resources including calling on family and friends, I know others who had a much tougher time. Those on fixed incomes, not as adept at dealing with the bureaucracy, without family and friends to call on, were often left feeling like a cast member in the Hunger Games.

People with disability so often feel the brunt of failures in planning, policy development and program delivery during national disasters or other upheavals. The Disability Royal Commission (DRC) expressed concern about the issue as far back as March 2020, reinforcing its concerns in February 2022 with the outbreak of the Omicron variant. The impact of COVID on people with disability will undoubtedly provide fertile content for the final report of the DRC, due in September 2023.

People with disability are resilient and resourceful; they have learnt (often the hard way) they have to be. It would be nice, especially amid a global pandemic, if their very survival didn’t depend on it.