Department of Conservation
New Zealand Disability Strategy Implementation 2007. Work Plan 2007-2008 and Report on Progress 2006-2007
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.
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:
- Protection - New Zealand’s natural and historic heritage entrusted to the Department of Conservation is protected and restored.
- 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 |
|---|---|
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Innovative and inclusive 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. Maximising return on investment - having a productive and empowered workforce, managing assets effectively and efficiently, and acting with probity. |
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. |
Accessible government
All government agencies are asked to prioritise actions to increase their accessibility to disabled people. This is about getting the basics right, so that disabled people can access government on the same basis as other people.
These actions support realisation of the New Zealand Disability Strategy’s objective 6: foster an aware and responsive public service.
Four critical areas where disabled people interact with government agencies are:
- information – such as brochures, letters, publications, websites
- buildings – such as service centres, corporate offices
- services – such as face to face at a service centre, call centres, information electronically or hard copy
- as an employer – such as job application procedures, job descriptions, accommodations in workplaces, intranets.
Achievement story Please tell us about an achievement of your agency in 2005-2006 to improve your accessibility, what this involved, and the effect this has had on disabled people
There are publications for both the North and South Islands detailing where there are Easy Access Tracks. These are easy walking tracks for up to an hour with an even surface, well formed with no steps or steep sections and suit people of all abilities, wheelchairs, buggies and strollers. This information is available on our recently redesigned website.
DOC continues to include a disability perspective in recreational planning. Feedback was requested from a range of disability sector groups in creating the DOC Campsite Standard. This Standard categorises the 330 campsites that the department manages into five categories. Reference is made throughout the Standard for people who have “mobility difficulties”. The Standard includes requirements for facilities such as toilets, buildings and showers, to ensure that a certain number at each site are accessible for people with mobility difficulties. Work to bring campsites up to the standard will be ongoing. The baseline inspection process will determine which facilities meet the requirements at each campsite and then there will be a programme of work over several years to bring facilities up to standard. Ongoing inspection processes will be put in place by 2010.
The website team continues to strive to reach the E-government requirements to make information accessible. This was a central requirement of the redevelopment. Some improvements are that tables are no longer used for formatting and all images have alternative text which enables screen readers to be used.
The department’s Head Office has moved into Conservation House, a fully sustainable building design which complies with all building standards. There is wheelchair access throughout the building and clear signage. This new building is symbolic not only green buildings but for the department’s commitment to being more accessible.
Accessible information
Outcome: Disabled people can access publicly available government information on the same basis as non-disabled people. Disabled people know about, access and use government information and services.
Please describe against the suggested action outputs what your agency planned to do in the year ending June 2007, what your actual achievements were, and what you plan to work on for the year ending June 2008. Grey highlighted action outputs are new this year.
1. Online information (internet and intranets)
| Action outputs | Planned 2006-2007 | Actual achieved 2006-2007 | Planned for 2007-2008 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Meet Web Guidelines version 2.1 | Intranet: Endeavour to fulfil the requirements E govt requirements with the current frameset (until these are gone requirements cannot be met) | Intranet: New content is as standards compliant as we can make it. Using CCS, good page structure, meta data, alt tags, etc | Intranet: Be standards compliant with the redesign. No frames, CCS and web standards compliant. |
| Internet: New website launched Dec 06. One of the stated aims of the redeveloped site was increased compliance with Web Guidelines. | Internet: We have contracted external usability consultants to audit DOC’s new site against the Web Guidelines. We will have the results before the end of the financial year. | Internet: The results of the audit will determine actions for the 07/08 financial year. | |
| 2. Meet Web Guidelines versions 3.0 | Intranet | Intranet | Intranet |
| Internet: | Internet: We have a good understanding of the new New Zealand Web Standards and Recommendations. | Internet: The results of the audit currently taking place (see above) will determine action points for 07/08. We plan to conduct annual audits in order to measure improvement. | |
| 3. Tested accessibility for disabled people | Intranet: Usability testing focuses on ease of use and legibility. This is not specifically aimed at disability. | Intranet None that I’m aware of | Intranet: Be standards compliant with the redesign. No frames, CCS and web standards compliant. |
| Internet: Meeting DOC’s mandatory obligations as a NZ government dept. was one of the non-negotiable criteria the company working on the redevelopment of the website had to agree to uphold. Testing the site against the agreed criteria was part of what they were contracted to do |
Internet: Some user testing of the new site was carried out as part of the redevelopment process. We have contracted external usability consultants to more fully test the accessibility of DOC’s new site. We will have the results before the end of the financial year.
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Internet: The results of this testing will determine actions for the 07/08 financial year. | |
| 4. Adapted to increase accessibility | Intranet: All new content to be as standards compliant as possible. | Intranet: New content is as standards compliant as we can make it. Using css, good page structure, meta data, alt tags, etc. | Intranet: Be standards compliant with the redesign. No frames, CCS and web standards compliant. |
| Internet: The DOC website was completely redeveloped in 06/07. Accessibility was an important consideration in the new design and the way content is presented. |
Internet: Given the effort and emphasis placed on accessibility during the redevelopment project we are confident that the new site is more accessible than the old. We acknowledge that there is still considerable room for improvement – compromises were made during redevelopment (mostly due to technical constraints). We have contracted external usability consultants to conduct an expert peer review of DOC’s new site. The results of this review will tell us how successful we have been in increasing accessibility. We will have the results before the end of the financial year.
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Internet: The results of the review will determine actions for the 07/08 financial year. | |
| 5. Download files accessed as HTML, and not only PDF | Intranet: None planned. Majority of downloaded documents are word documents, ppt or excel. | Intranet: None | Intranet: Be standards compliant with the redesign. No frames, CCS and web standards compliant. |
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Internet: This is one area DOC has chosen not to be fully compliant. The accessibility benefits do not outweigh the cost to the tax-payer of compliance (DOC produces hundreds upon hundreds of publications each year – often for specialist audiences). We aim to have all of our most popular publications available in a variety of formats online (normally PDF and HTML). We want all of our PDFs to have HTML ‘covers’. These covers will have some introductory text; basic publication info, i.e. ISBN and date of publication; and contact details. This will mean that if you can’t access the PDF, you can get in touch to secure an alternative format (normally a hard copy in the post) |
Internet: All of our most popular publications are available in a variety of formats (normally PDF and HTML) online. We haven’t fully reached our goal to have HTML covers for all our PDFs, but the majority do
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Internet: All PDFs have HTML covers (described in the columns to the left). In 07/08 we aim to extend what’s on these covers to include a summary of the key points in the document and a statement explaining why the website is providing the document only in a PDF format. These additions will bring us closer to compliance with the NZ Web Standards and Recommendations | |
| 6. Plain English used | Intranet: On new sites. | Intranet: On new sites actively encouraged. | Intranet: Encourage rewriting of content for new intranet. Enforce standards. A writing for web course for content publishers is planned. |
| Internet: | Internet: www.doc.govt.nz content owners/writers have access to resources, support and advice to help them write well, in plain English, for the web. However, most content is still based on text from printed publications | Internet: Website resourcing and organisation culture need adjusting before any significant change will be seen in this area. From 07/08 there will be less advice and support available for website content owners/writers. As a result no improvement is planned or expected | |
| 7. New Zealand Sign Language used | Intranet: Not planned | Intranet: Not planned | Intranet: Be standards compliant with the redesign. No frames, CCS and web standards compliant. |
| Internet: n/a | Internet: n/a | Internet: n/a |
2. Hard copy information
| Action outputs | Planned 2006-2007 | Actual achieved 2006-2007 | Planned for 2007-2008 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Plain English used |
We have produced two FREE national publications provide helpful information for people with mobility difficulties: ‘Easy access walks North Island and Easy access walks South Island (also available on the website). Accessibility is rated in two categories ‘A’ fully accessible and ‘B’ mostly accessible. These categories consider the ‘whole journey’ and not just the track and as plenty of detail about each site provided so visitors can choose which track best suits their needs. This brochure will be reprinted with improvements after consultation with relevant stake holders such as DPA.
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Accessibility considerations in relation to facilities and services for all DOC visitor centres are included in the Visitor Centre Service Standard, by Fiona Colquhoun. It is in draft format and will likely be published in the next financial year. | |
| 2. Available in alternate formats, on request | |||
| a. New Zealand Sign Language | Not planned | No recreation brochures are available in sign language. | Nothing planned for next financial year. DOC acknowledges that a needs assessment should be undertaken. Recreation brochures are available at visitor centres national wide and free of charge on the internet. |
| b. Braille | Not planned | No recreation brochures are available in Brail. | DOC acknowledges that a needs assessment should be undertaken. Progression towards having our top tier national recreation brochures available in brail format at visitor centres. |
| c. Audio | Not planned | No recreation brochures are available in audio format. | DOC acknowledges that a needs assessment should be undertaken. Nothing planned, but progression towards having our top tier national recreation brochures available in audio on the website will be made in this financial year. |
3. Audio/visual resources
| Action outputs | Planned 2006-2007 | Actual achieved 2006-2007 | Planned for 2007-2008 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. TV adverts have captions and/or NZSL | N/A | We do not produce TV advertising | |
| 2. DVD/video products have captions and/or NZSL | N/A | We do not produce DVD products |
4. Other information
| Action outputs | Planned 2006-2007 | Actual achieved 2006-2007 | Planned for 2007-2008 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Multiple contact points are advertised as well as telephone | Achieved | ||
| a. Fax | Achieved | ||
| b. Email | Achieved | ||
| 2. Please tell us if there are other things that your agency does/or is planning to make its information accessible | |||
Accessible buildings
Outcome: Disabled people can visit, work, and move about independently in all government buildings and carry on ordinary activities there, on the same basis as others.
Please describe against the suggested action outputs what your agency planned to do in the year ending June 2007, what your actual achievements were, and what you plan to work on for the year ending June 2008. Grey highlighted action outputs are new this year
1. Structural elements
| Action outputs | Planned 2006-2007 | Actual achieved 2006-2007 | Planned for 2007-2008 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. All buildings and sites meet regulatory access requirements (eg NZS 4121) | Conservation House meets all requirements. | Conservation House meets all requirements. Fire evacuation procedures meet the needs of disabled people. There is a system to notify hearing impaired people in case of a fire. | Plans for improving accessibility in other DOC sites will be progressed in 2007 and after. |
| 2. Buildings and sites have Building Code compliance | Conservation House meets all requirements | Conservation House meets all requirements. | Plans for improving accessibility in other DOC sites will be progressed in 2007 and after. |
| 3. Buildings and sites are audited for accessibility and passed (eg Barrier Free Trust, other accredited accessibility advisor) | Conservation House meets all requirements | Conservation House meets all requirements | Plans for improving accessibility in other DOC sites will be progressed in 2007 and after. |
| 4. Clear walk paths through floors (for staff and visitors) | Conservation House meets all requirements | Conservation House meets all requirements | Plans for improving accessibility in other DOC sites will be progressed in 2007 and after. |
| 5. Assistive listening devices are in meeting rooms, and functioning checked regularly | Not planned | Conservation is wired for this | Plans for improving accessibility in other DOC sites will be progressed in 2007 and after. |
| 6. Elevators announce floors and direction of movement | Not planned | No, but there are flashing lights | Not planned |
| 7. Elevator buttons have Braille labels | Conservation House meets all requirements | Conservation House elevator buttons have Braille labels | Conservation House elevator buttons have Braille labels |
2. Contact with the public
| Action outputs | Planned 2006-2007 | Actual achieved 2006-2007 | Planned for 2007-2008 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Reception areas are accessible | Conservation House meets all requirements | Conservation House meets all requirements | Plans for improving accessibility in other DOC sites will be progressed in 2007 and after. |
| 2. Counters used by public are lowered (eg for wheelchair users, people who have a problem standing) | Conservation House meets all requirements | Conservation House meets all requirements | Plans for improving accessibility in other DOC sites will be progressed in 2007 and after. |
| 3. Frontline staff are trained in disability responsiveness | Assessment of who these people would be planned | Assessment of which people need training | Include in new induction training |
| 4. Staff are familiar with NZ Relay service | Assessment of who these people would be planned | Assessment of which people need training | Include in new induction training |
| 5. Clear and accessible pathways to enter buildings and sites | Conservation House meets all requirements | Conservation House meets all requirements | Plans for improving accessibility in other DOC sites will be progressed in 2007 and after. |
| 6. Obvious and visible signage to locate entrances and exits | Conservation House meets all requirements | Conservation House meets all requirements | Plans for improving accessibility in other DOC sites will be progressed in 2007 and after. |
| 7. Accessible car parking available near entrances | Conservation House meets all requirements | Conservation House meets all requirements | Plans for improving accessibility in other DOC sites will be progressed in 2007 and after. |
3. Workplace management
| Action outputs | Planned 2006-2007 | Actual achieved 2006-2007 | Planned for 2007-2008 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Contracts for IT applications require accessibility (for staff and/or public users) (eg EDRMS) | Achieved | ||
| 2. Fire safety and evacuation procedures specify the needs of disabled people (staff and visitors) | Conservation House meets all requirements | Conservation House meets all requirements | Plans for improving accessibility in other DOC sites will be progressed in 2007 and after. |
| 3. Fire alarms have flashing lights to alert hearing impaired/deaf people | Conservation House meets all requirements | Conservation House meets all requirements | Plans for improving accessibility in other DOC sites will be progressed in 2007 and after. |
Accessible services
Outcome: Disabled people can access government services on the same basis as non-disabled people.
Please describe against the suggested action outputs what your agency planned to do in the year ending June 2007, what your actual achievements were, and what you plan to work on for the year ending June 2008. Grey highlighted action outputs are new this year.
1. Policy and practice
| Action outputs | Planned 2006-2007 | Actual achieved 2006-2007 | Planned for 2007-2008 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Data on service users can be disaggregated by disabled people | |||
| 2. Services are responsive to the needs of disabled people | Accessibility considerations in relation to facilities and services for all DOC visitor centres are included in the Visitor Centre Service Standard. It is in draft format and will likely be published in the next financial year. | ||
| 3. There is a written policy on use and provision of New Zealand Sign Language interpreters for client meetings | Not planned | Not planned | Plans will be developed in 2007 and after. |
| 4. Staff dealing with service users are trained to understand and be responsive to disabled people’s needs | |||
| 5. Staff have knowledge of the NZ Relay service, and how to place and receive calls. | Not planned | Not planned | Plans will be developed in 2007 and after. |
Being a good employer
Outcome: Government agencies provide equal opportunities in employment for disabled people to be recruited, retained, and promoted on the same basis as non-disabled people.
Please describe against the suggested action outputs what your agency planned to do in the year ending June 2007, what your actual achievements were, and what you plan to work on for the year ending June 2008. Grey highlighted action outputs are new this year.
1. Employment practice
| Action outputs | Planned 2006-2007 | Actual achieved 2006-2007 | Planned for 2007-2008 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Human resource EEO policies / procedures specifically recognise disabled people and do not discriminate against them | Included in all HR work in accordance with the Human Rights Act | Included in all HR work in accordance with the Human Rights Act | Ongoing |
| 2. Recruitment processes are accessible and responsive (eg vacancies advertised with alternative modes of contact, website accessible, supports provided for interviews where necessary) | Included in all HR work in accordance with the Human Rights Act | Included in all HR work in accordance with the Human Rights Act | Ongoing |
| 3. Human resource staff are familiar with EEO issues for disabled people | Staff member of People and Organisation Development Group designated to work on diversity issues | Staff member of People and Organisation Development Group designated to work on diversity issues | Staff member of People and Organisation Development Group designated to work on diversity issues |
| 4. Induction training includes awareness of disabled people, as part of a diverse workforce | Not planned | Not currently done | Include in new induction training |
| 5. Internal agency communications promote the visibility of disabled staff, as part of a diverse workforce | Internal communications currently being reviewed | When the new structure of the group is decided as plan will be group will plan for this in the future | |
| 6. Data: the number of disabled people employed (using SSC EEO definition of disability) | n/a | DOC currently has a total of 100 staff employed with a disability. 69 of these staff are permanent. There is not much of an ability to report on the type of disability. | Ongoing expectation of an organisation without barriers |
| 7. Data: the number of disabled people currently employed under Mainstream programme | Commitment to trying to place Mainstream candidates | DOC currently has two staff on the Mainstream programme. | Ongoing expectation of an organisation without barriers |
| 8. Data: the number of staff employed who were previously under the Mainstream programme | n/a | Other than the current two Mainstream employees, DOC has previously had another 7 Mainstream employees (based on records from HRIS system). | Ongoing expectation of an organisation without barriers |
2. Supports for disabled staff
| Action outputs | Planned 2006-2007 | Actual achieved 2006-2007 | Planned for 2007-2008 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Assessments of workplace accommodations and/or supports are provided (eg adaptive computer applications, flexible working conditions) | Available to all staff | Available to all staff | Ongoing expectation of an organisation without barriers |
| 2. Accommodations in the workplace are provided, if needed (eg desk changes, NZSL interpreters, adaptive computer software) | Available to all staff | Available to all staff | Ongoing expectation of an organisation without barriers |
| 3. Data: the number and type of accommodations provided to staff | |||
| 4. Network of disabled staff supported, if requested | Internal Disability Reference group formed in 2004. Intranet site to give information to staff | Internal Disability Reference group formed in 2004. Intranet site to give information to staff | Ongoing expectation of an organisation without barriers |
| 5. Disabled staff provided with opportunities for career advancement | Available to all staff | Available to all staff | Ongoing expectation of an organisation without barriers |
| 6. Disabled staff feel included in their workplace and have the same opportunities as non-disabled staff | No information collection planned | Internal Disability Reference Group to report back to Organisation Development team on this. | Ongoing expectation of an organisation without barriers |
| 7. Please describe any other supports available to disabled staff | |||