DPA's Information Exchange - 6 November 2020

• DPA Bubble Hui - tomorrow
• DPA submission on requirement for urban buses
• Pacific Women's Watch and Disabled Women Forum 2020 Conference
• Ministry of Education Youth Advisory Group opportunities
• Changes to Relay Service
• Attitude Award tickets on sale
• Disability, Spirituality and Faith AGM

DPA Bubble Hui - tomorrow Saturday
 

Come along to our Bubble Hui tomorrow (Saturday 7 November) and meet the nominees for our National Executive Committee (NEC).This is a chance for you to learn more about the candidates and ask them questions. 

We're excited to have received nominations for six great candidates for the three vacancies on the DPA National Executive Committee (NEC).

The nominees are: Joanne Dacombe, Frankie Wood-Bodley, Henrietta Bollinger, Charlotte Ferry-Parker, Keryn Densem and Erin Gough.

If you haven't come to one of our Bubble Hui before - they are online hui held via Zoom and DPA members from around the country are invited. An email invitation with a link to the Zoom meeting is sent out to members shortly.

When:  Saturday 7 November

What time: 3.00pm  – 4.30pm

Where: Zoom (all members will be emailed a link shortly. Any new members joining now will be emailed a link at 2pm on Saturday, an hour before the hui.)

-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.

New members will also be able to take part in the NEC election. Voting papers will be sent out to members on joining. 

Voting closes 5.00pm Wednesday 25 November 2020. The results of the election will be announced at the AGM on Saturday 28 November 2020. 

DPA submission on requirements for urban buses

Today DPA made a submission on the Requirements for Urban Buses in New Zealand (2014) Review 2020.

The purpose of the Requirements for Urban Buses (RUB) is to standardise urban bus requirements across regional councils to create efficiencies and improve the usability and accessibility of buses for all customers. First issued in 2008, it is currently undergoing its third review.

DPA supports the majority of the proposals outlined in the overview of the RUB since collectively they will improve the accessibility and usability of buses for wheelchair users.

However, we are disappointed that there are no proposals to update requirements for audio and visual information on buses.

The three main councils, Auckland, Greater Wellington, and Environment Canterbury are trialing audio and visual information on buses. We urge the findings from these trials to be incorporated into the RUB at the earliest possible opportunity.

- Read DPA's full submission on the Requirements for Urban Buses in New Zealand (2014) Review 2020 (Word Doc)

Pacific Women's Watch and Disabled Women Forum 2020 Conference

Pacific Women's Watch in conjunction with Disabled's Women Forum invite you to the 2020 Conference "Creating a level playing field for ALL Women in Aotearoa".

When: 1pm - 6pm, 28 November
Where: Online via Zoom
Register online: Fill in this registration form

For the first time, women with and without disabilities come together to explore the experiences and issues faced for disabled women in Aotearoa NZ. This conference is an opportunity for disabled women to share their stories and non-disabled to listen and stand in solidarity.

Minister for Disability Issues Carmel Sepuloni will open the event alongside Denise Ewe, President of PWW-NZ.

The Main Panel will be facilitated by MP Jan Logie and panel members include: Disability Rights Commissioner Paula Tesoriero, Deaf Aotearoa General Manager Victoria Manning, Dr Huhana Hickey, Martine Abel-Williamson and other women representing the different parts of the disability community.

Issues to be addressed in the panel include:

• the interim CEDAW report, recommendation 26a
• the Family/Whanau Violence Act 2018 and the role of the "Language of Violence" in service provision for women with disabilities
• the intersection of the CRPD and CEDAW and why women with disabilities need both
• the accessibility legislation

The Speak Out Session will be facilitated by DPA Chief Executive Prudence Walker.

Speakers include Rogena Stirling from Intersex Awareness NZ, Tamara Grant from Xabilities, Allyson Hamblett and Fala Haulangi.

Register now

Ministry of Education Youth Advisory Group opportunities

Three new members are being sought for the Minister of Education’s Youth Advisory Group for 2021.

The Youth Advisory Group is open to young people between the ages of 14 and 18 as of 1 January 2021.
 

The purpose of the group is to:

• inform the Minister of Education on aspects of the education system and how these affect the children and young people that use the system
• provide an opportunity for New Zealand youth to voice their own experiences and perspectives on education, and
• bring these insights to the Ministry of Education and education sector to help inform work practices.

Registrations are being welcomed from young people with a variety of lived experiences, including disability, who are comfortable in sharing their experiences of education and bring their ideas to make education equitable for all.

For more information about the Advisory Group and /or to register visit the Ministry of Education website.

Changes to Relay Service

Watch this video for a summary in NZSL of the upcoming changes.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) announced that Concentrix had been selected to deliver New Zealand’s Telecommunications Relay Services.

When Concentrix begin delivering the service from 1 February 2021, there will be some changes to the way the service is accessed and used.
 

A new-look website will combine all relay services in one place, and there will be a new NZ Relay app for mobile phone or tablet so you can stay connected when you’re on the go.

This new app will provide the ability to make and receive calls using Text Relay and Captioned Relay. It will be available to download from the App store and Google Play store in early 2021.

In the meantime, the current relay services will remain available as usual up until 31 January 2021.   

For more information about the changes visit the NZ Relay website

Attitude Awards tickets on sale

Disability, Spirituality and Faith AGM
 

The Disability Spirituality and Faith Network (DSF Network) are holding their AGM on 14 November. 

Guest speaker Disability Rights Commissioner Paula Tesoriero will speak before the AGM.  

Speaker: Paula Tesoriero, Disability Rights Commissioner
When:  2pm, 14 November 14. Followed by the Annual General Meeting at 3pm.
Where:  Zoom
RSVP: By 10 November. Email: vterrell@actrix.gen.nz for Zoom link 

Download the DSF Network AGM invite. (Word Doc)