Department of Conservation - TE PAPA ATAWHAI

Introduction

The Department of Conservation’s vision:
New Zealand’s natural and historic heritage is protected; people enjoy it and are involved with the Department in conservation.

Kei te mahi ngātahi te Papa Atawhai me nga iwi whānui ki te whakaute, te manaaki me te tiaki i nga taonga koiora me nga taonga tuku iho o Aotearoa hei painga mō te katoa.

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The Department of Conservation (DOC) is the government department charged with conserving New Zealand’s natural and historic heritage for all to enjoy now and in the future.

DOC’s Statement of Intent and Strategic Direction

The Department has identified two Outcomes to fulfill its conservation responsibilities under the legislation and as directed by Government’s key goals:

1. Protection - New Zealand’s natural and historic heritage entrusted to the Department of Conservation is protected and restored.
2. Appreciation - People have opportunities to appreciate and benefit from their natural and historic heritage and are involved and connected with conservation.

The Department of Conservation’s Strategic Direction is to increase the value of conservation to New Zealanders.

To do this:

• The department will seek to entrench conservation as an essential part of the sustainable social and economic future of New Zealand .
• The department will be recognised as an effective manager of the lands, waters, species, historic places, and roles entrusted to it.
• The department will lead, guide, and facilitate conservation gains throughout New Zealand, wherever conservation is most needed.
• The department will weigh society's values, nature's inherent qualities, and scientific criteria in its decision-making.
• The department will actively promote outdoor recreation for New Zealanders, especially through fostering recreation, use, and enjoyment on conservation land.

DOC’s Statement of Intent and Strategic Direction correspond to the following New Zealand Disability Strategy Objectives:

• Theme 1 “Promoting Citizenship” which includes Objective 1 and Objective 2;

• Theme 2 “Building Government Capacity” which includes Objective 6 and Objective 10;
• Theme 4 “Promoting participation by disabled people in all areas of life” which includes Objective 4 and Objective 9.

The connection between the New Zealand Disability Strategy Theme 2 and Theme 4 and DOC’s capability principles as defined in the Department’s Statement of Intent:

Department of Conservation

New Zealand Disability Strategy

Innovative and inclusive Using the skills and talent of a diverse workforce, helping others with their conservation work and seeking the help of others in our work, sharing knowledge, welcoming constructive criticism and learning from our mistakes. Maximising return on investment - having a productive and empowered workforce, managing assets effectively and efficiently, and acting with probity. Striving for excellence in all we do - acting with integrity and behaving ethically, continually seeking to improve organisational performance, and developing the resources required to achieve conservation underpinned by science.

Building government capacity - by ensuring agencies have the necessary knowledge, skills and systems to address disability issues. This requires improved information collection and understanding of what will help to eliminate barriers to participation. Objectives in this theme are: 6 - Foster an aware and responsive public service, and 10 - Collect and use relevant information about disabled people and disability issue. Promoting participation by disabled people in all areas of life - by identifying and maximising opportunities in all sectors of the community. This requires government agencies to take disability issues into account when making decisions in a wide range of sectors; for example, addressing longstanding barriers in transport, sports and recreation, relationship services or companies regulations. Objectives in this theme are: 3 - Provide the best education for disabled people, 4 - Provide opportunities in employment and economic development for disabled people, 8 - Support quality living in the community for disabled people, and 9 - Support lifestyle choices, recreation and culture for disabled people.

Level 1 Activities: Universal responsiveness to disability issues

Accessible government information		Achieved / available	Planned this & coming years	N/A
Agency’s websites
	Meet e-government Web-Guidelines 2.1	Yes
	Tested for accessibility for disabled people		Sept 06
	Adapted to increase accessibility to disabled people	Yes
	Downloadable files available in HTML, not only PDF	Yes
Other publications and public information available in alternative formats. (eg key information available in easy-to-read English, Braille, NZSL video clips, captions on TV adverts, etc) (In your end of year report you will be asked to list the formats you have available)		At present little or nothing available in alternate formats. The new GM External Relations will factor this into her development of branding and positioning material for DOC
Agency makes available alternative forms of contact (ie phone and fax numbers, email addresses, etc)		Yes

Accessible government buildings and sites		Achieved / available	Planned this & coming years	N/A
All agency’s buildings and sites meet statutory and regulatory access requirements (eg NZS 4121)		There is wide variation in the standard of DOC buildings. The focus in 2006/07 will be on the new Head Office building. Plans for improving accessibility in other DOC sites will be progressed in 2007 and after.
Agency’s buildings and sites have Building Code compliance certification
Agency’s buildings and sites audited for accessibility by Barrier Free NZ Trust
Agency’s buildings and sites accessible.
	Frontline staff receive training in disability responsiveness		Yes
	Reception areas accessible	Some	Yes
	Counters lowered for wheelchair users		Yes
	Telephone staff familiar with using NZ Relay service1		Yes
	Other accommodations (please list) (eg signage, accessible lifts, hearing loops, etc)		Yes
	Campsite standards	Yes
	Huts and Tracks standards		Yes

Accessible government services	Achieved / available	Planned this & coming years	N/A
Service policies and procedures include reference to disability issues (eg policies on the use of New Zealand Sign Language Interpreters) Visitor Campground Standards include disabled client group facilities (eg cooking areas, toilets etc)	Yes
Information / data on services provided to disabled people is recorded		Yes
Service staff receive disability responsiveness training		Yes
When contracting for new or up-graded IT applications and environments, contracts include a requirement to ensure accessibility by disabled users	Yes

Responsive government employment practices		Achieved / available	Planned this & coming years	N/A
Human Resource policies and procedures include EEO issues for disabled people		Yes
Recruitment and selection of vacancies responsive to disabled people (eg vacancies advertised to the widest possible audience, vacancies list alternative forms of contact – phone, fax, email, etc) (DOC Aim: Embed diversity into Human Resource systems especially the recruitment system)		Yes	Yes
Human Resource staff familiar with EEO issues for disabled people (eg staff receive disability responsiveness training, staff familiar with the Disability Perspective Tool Kit2, etc)		Yes
Disabled staff are supported
	Individual assessments of workplace accommodations or support are provided (eg work station assessments)	Yes Available to all staff
	Accommodations provided to disabled staff (eg work station adaptations, special equipment, New Zealand Sign Language interpreters, etc are provided)	Yes
	Disabled staff provided with opportunities for career advancement	Available to all staff
	Agency supports a disabled staff network group	Yes
	Internal agency newsletters promote the positive presence of disabled staff people (DOC Aim: Continue to raise awareness of disability issues among staff, Regular communications profiling successful work with and by people with disabilities at DOC)		Yes
	Other support provided to disabled staff (DOC Aim: Continue to build on the established internal Disability Reference Group, Establishment of an external reference group)	Yes Internal Reference Group

Information and data on disabled people is collected		Achieved / available	Planned this & coming years	N/A
Information on agency’s responsiveness to disabled staff people
	Number of disabled people employed (we recommend you use the State Service Commission’s EEO disability information and definition of disability.)	111
	Data on disability related accommodations, adaptive equipment, etc, provided by your agency		Yes
	Number of disabled people employed under the State Service Commission’s ‘Mainstream programme’3. (DOC Aim: Develop a system to support managers, Mainstream candidates and staff when they take part in the Mainstream programme)	2
	Number of current employees previously employed under the ‘Mainstream Programme’.	1
Information on agency’s responsiveness to the disabled public
	Information and data on agency’s contact with the disabled public is recorded (eg consultation with disabled groups) (DOC Aim: Establishment of a forum to bring together different work groups at DOC to share ideas and integrate plans)		Yes
	Information / data on agency’s disabled client group recorded	Yes

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1. For information on NZ Relay service
2. The Disability Perspective Tool Kit is available on the Office for Disability Issues’ website
3. Information on the State Service Commission’s Mainstream Programme