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DPA's Information Exchange - 10 July 2021


In this week's Info Exchange:

DPO Coalition News

A brief overview of the DPO Coalition's activities over the last few months:
 

Learning Support Action Plan implementation - The Ministry of Education is developing Terms of Reference for a review of learning support for those with the highest level of needs and sought feedback on consultation questions.
New roles called Learning Support Coordinators are being implemented. They build teacher capacity, provide support for students and are a point of contact for family/whānau. Learning Support Coordinators work with the leadership teams of schools to identify and plan for the needs of children who need additional support.
The Ministry of Education have also implemented a new practice model for learning support called He Pikorua.

Literacy and Numeracy Strategies - The Ministry of Education is developing new strategies for literacy and numeracy. The goal of refreshing the strategies is to make the curriculum more bicultural and inclusive.

Education and Training Bill - Changes are being proposed to allow schools to run their election processes electronically or through meetings/hui.

Accessible voting – Electoral Commission - The DPO Coalition met with the Chief Electoral Officer, to discuss ensuring that the 2023 General Election is fully accessible for disabled people. Topics raised included ensuring access to all information (including candidate information), accessible voting locations and online voting.
An Election Access Fund is being created to support the participation of disabled people as candidates in parliamentary elections. Consultation on the fund will be held this year and it will be open for applications in 2022.
The Electoral Commission is updating its Disability Strategy 2020. The DPO Coalition looks forward to engagement as the new strategy is developed.

Reasonable Accommodations guide - The Reasonable Accommodations guide published by the Independent Monitoring Mechanism is being updated. Feedback included that the revised guide could place more of an emphasis on the obligation of government and businesses to ensure equitable access. It is also important for the guide to promote positive examples of reasonable accommodations being made.

Disabled Person-Led monitoring - The contract with the Donald Beasley Institute is being renewed. The new contract will require two in-depth reports to be produced over three years.

Health and Disability System Transition Unit work programme - The DPO Coalition and the Transition Unit discussed the draft work programme. This identifies target areas, immediate opportunities and actions. The DPO Coalition will continue to meet regularly with the Health and Disability System Transition Unit.

Accessibility legislation - The DPO Coalition continued its regular engagement with the Ministry of Social Development policy team about options for Accessibility Legislation. This work has the potential to set down the Government’s requirements for what all parts of New Zealand society, business and Government must do to deliver accessibility for disabled people on an equal basis with others. The DPO Coalition learned the Minister for Disability Issues updated her Cabinet colleagues in May, and they are broadly supportive of the approach towards Accessibility Legislation. The presentation will be released in alternate formats (New Zealand Sign Language, Audio, Easy Read, Braille and Large Print).

Opt-in guidelines to support disabled people to attend arts, culture and sporting events - The Ministry of Social Development would like to better understand the needs of disabled people attending events, and the needs of event providers. They intend to develop a plan that will enable disabled people to take a “companion” to events and performances at a lower or no cost.

Disability Rights Commissioner - The Disability Rights Commissioner gave the DPO Coalition an update of the work she has been undertaking. The Commissioner sought feedback on her planned key focus areas over the next few years.

Passing of Les Gilsenan - The DPO Coalition held a minute of silence to recognise the passing of Les Gilsenan and his contribution to the disability community.

Voice of disabled people - The DPO Coalition is the go-to agency for Government wanting to engage with the voice of disabled people. We are continually looking for new member organisations to join the DPO Coalition to increase our coverage across the disability community. New members must represent disabled people who are not already represented by an existing member.

The DPO Coalition is: DPA, Blind Citizens NZ, People First NZ, Deaf Aotearoa, Kāpo Māori O Aotearoa, Balance Aotearoa and the Muscular Dystrophy Association of New Zealand.
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Waikato Access For All Meeting and Disability Forum

Everyone is welcome at this Access For All meeting and Disability Forum hosted by DPA and Enabling Good Lives. 

Craig from Hamilton City Council Planning is coming to discuss the District Plan review, which sets the rules for zoning and infrastructure

This is a good opportunity to discuss the urgent need for Universal Design for housing and urban design - so come and have you say!

When: 4-6pm, Monday 19 July
Where: Blind Low Vision NZ, 15 Liverpool St, Hamilton

Please text any queries to DPA Waikato Kaituitui Joy Ho on 021 129 3005
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Making New Zealand safer and more inclusive - have your say

- Information about this consultation is available in alternate formats including Easy Read, NZSL, Audio and Large Print
 
The Government has launched a significant programme of engagement aimed at strengthening social cohesion in New Zealand and building a safer, more tolerant and inclusive society, underpinned by Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

This work comes from recommendations made by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the attack on Christchurch Mosques that included focusing on improving social cohesion and embracing Aotearoa New Zealand’s increasing diversity. 

You can give your views and feedback on a broad range of social cohesion proposals – from how we should define and measure social cohesion, to how it can be upheld and supported in law.

Read more about the consultation and make a submission or take an online survey on the social cohesion consultation page.
 
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Disability Workforce Development Collaboration Project - Project lead / co leads sought

Expressions of Interest are now open for four project lead/co-lead roles for a series of initiatives that form part of a significant sector wide workforce development project.

The project is a joint New Zealand Disability Support Network (NZDSN), Ministry of Health and Enabling Good Lives project and includes contributions from the Ministry of Social Development and Careerforce.

It includes 5 initiatives which include future focused qualification pathways and leadership development to support innovation and key directions in the disability sector through Enabling Good Lives and the System Transformation work programme.

Applications close on Friday July 23.

For more information about the project, role descriptions for each of the project lead/co-leads being sought, and details of how to submit an Expression of Interest see:

Disability Workforce Development Collaboration Project (Word doc)
Disability Workforce Development Collaboration Project (PDF)
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Bubble Hui for Maori members - this Wednesday


We are holding another Bubble Hui specifically for our Māori members on Wednesday July 14. 

This follows on from an initial Bubble Hui for our Māori membership last month and will continue the conversation around: 

What issues are important to our Māori members and what does DPA need to do to advocate for change?  

How do we develop a strategy for empowering Māori members – and for our Māori membership to lead the way in this?  

Should we have a Māori membership stream / working group? And what would this look like?  

Should we have dedicated places reserved on our National Executive Committee for Māori members?  

What does our Māori membership exercising Tino Rangatiratanga within DPA look like?   

When: Wednesday 14 July 
What time: 5.00pm  – 6.30pm 
Where: Zoom (all current Māori members will be emailed a link) 
  

-This hui will be facilitated by NEC member Helena Tuteao 
-NZSL interpreters will be present at this event 
-This is a national event, members from around the country are invited to attend 
 
Do you want to join in but are not a DPA member? Joining is easy and free – go to http://www.dpa.org.nz/join-dpa/introduction to sign up. 
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DPA membership renewal reminder


Thanks to all those members who have already renewed their membership!

If you haven't yet, please remember that it’s time to renew your DPA membership. (DPA membership runs for the financial year from 1 July to the next 30 June)

Renewing is quick and simple – you just need to fill in your name and email address on our renewal form and your membership will be renewed. (Remember DPA membership is now free for individuals and families!)

Go to https://dt.z2systems.com/renew.jsp to renew your membership.

Please note - if you joined after 1 March 2021, you will not need to renew your membership as it has automatically have been set to be valid until 30 June 2022. If you are not sure whether this is you - you can always renew and our database will handle it. 

If you are not a DPA member but would like to join, membership is free and you can join online.
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You can read previous newsletters here.

You can find out about becoming a DPA member (membership for individuals and families is free) here.
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