Objectives of the New Zealand Disability Strategy

Upholding citizenship

Objective 1: Encourage and educate for a non-disabling society

Encourage the emergence of a non-disabling society that respects and highly values the lives of disabled people and supports inclusive communities.

• Can you modify the language used in public documents to better reflect the aspirations of disabled people?
• Does your policy involve any communication, promotion or education packages that could help to inform people about the philosophies and vision of the New Zealand Disability Strategy?
• Can you introduce disability issues into your discussion forums? (How about inviting a speaker from the disability community?)
• Can you include disabled people as a visible part of your public communications, for example, in advertising campaigns and publications?

Objective 2: Ensure rights for disabled people

Uphold and promote the rights of disabled people.

• Have you evaluated your policy from a human rights perspective? Did you consider disabled people when you did this?
• Does the workforce involved in your policy area (both those who deliver services and government officials developing policy) know and understand the rights of disabled people, and know how to ensure they are honoured?

Objective 5: Foster leadership by disabled people

Acknowledge the experience of disability as a form of specialised knowledge, and strengthen the leadership of disabled people.

• Are disabled people using services in your policy area? If so, is there a place for them in decision and policy making processes, for example, to participate in governance, management, planning or evaluation tasks?
• Have you made information available and accessible to disabled people and their organisations so they can be involved in advocacy and play a role in influencing government policy?

Building government capacity

Objective 6: Foster an aware and responsive public service

Ensure that government agencies, publicly funded services and publicly accountable bodies (such as territorial authorities) are aware of and responsive to disabled people.

• Have you used an inclusive process in developing your policies? That is, were disabled people given the opportunity to be involved?
• Is the information provided to the public about services in your policy area provided in formats accessible to all people?
• Do you have a role in setting standards or monitoring the activities of public services? If so, is there an opportunity to ensure the buildings are accessible or to develop other ways for the service to support the New Zealand Disability Strategy?
• Is there a training policy in your organisation to increase the capacity of staff to be more responsive to the disability community and disability issues?

Objective 10: Collect and use relevant information about disabled people and disability issues

Improve the quality of relevant disability information collected, analysed and used, including regular national surveys of activity limitation.

• Are you collecting information and does it includes information relevant to disability issues?
• Have you used all relevant disability information sources in your problem descriptions?
• Have you identified gaps in information about disabled people related to your policy area?

Improving disability support services

Objective 7: Create long-term support systems centred on the individual

Create a quality assessment and service delivery system that is centred on disabled people, ensures their participation in assessment and service delivery, has invisible borders and is easy to access.

• Does your policy have enough flexibility to consider the ‘whole person’ and accommodate individual support needs?
• Is there an opportunity to identify and/or rectify unmet needs in your policy proposal?

Promoting participation in all areas of life

Objective 3: Provide the best education for disabled people

Improve education so that all children, youth and adult learners will have equal opportunities to learn and develop in their local, regular educational centres.

• Does your policy involve the provision of education services or education opportunities? If so, how does it support the access, communication and resource needs of disabled students and their families?

Objective 4: Provide opportunities in employment and economic development for disabled people

Enable disabled people to work in the open labour market (in accordance with human rights’ principles) and maintain an adequate income.

• Is there a place within your policy to provide incentives to employ disabled people?
• Does your policy allow for flexible workplaces that can accommodate, for example, different communication mechanisms?
• If your policy provides opportunities for economic development, are disabled people able to access them?

Objective 8: Support quality living in the community for disabled people

Provide opportunities for disabled people to have their own homes and live in the community.

• Could your policy proposal provide choices in housing or transport for disabled people?
• Does your policy relate to communication mechanisms and is there an opportunity to provide independent communication for disabled people?

Objective 9: Support lifestyle choices, recreation and culture for disabled people

Create and support lifestyle choices for disabled people within the community and promote access to recreation and cultural opportunities.

• Could your policy provide opportunities for disabled people to be involved in recreational or cultural activities?
• Does your policy support personal autonomy for disabled people?
• Are your services accessible? Can people with different abilities get to your offices and your services? Do you have a policy for using New Zealand Sign Language interpreters when working with Deaf people?

Addressing diversity of need

Objective 11: Promote participation of disabled Māori

Promote opportunities for disabled Māori to participate in their communities and access disability services. Disabled Māori should receive an equitable level of resource that is delivered in a culturally appropriate way.

• If your policy provides for Māori, have you considered disabled Māori?
• If your policy provides for disabled people, have you considered how to provide for disabled Māori in a culturally appropriate way? For example, services delivered by Māori for Māori.
• Have you considered trilingual interpreters for Deaf Māori in your policy initiative?

Objective 12: Promote participation of disabled Pacific peoples

Promote opportunities for disabled Pacific peoples to participate in their communities and access disability services. Disabled Pacific peoples should receive an equitable level of resource that is delivered in a culturally appropriate way.

• If your policy provides for Pacific peoples, have you considered disabled Pacific people?
• If your policy provides for disabled people, have you considered how to provide for disabled Pacific peoples in a culturally appropriate way?

Objective 13: Enable disabled children and youth to lead full and active lives

Disabled children and youth should enjoy full and active lives, in conditions that prepare them for adulthood.

• If your policy provides for children and young people, have you considered disabled children and young people?
• Does your policy reinforce important links with family, friends and school for children and young disabled people?

Objective 14: Promote participation of disabled women in order to improve their quality of life

Improve opportunities for disabled women to participate in their communities, access appropriate disability services, and improve their quality of life.

• If your policy addresses issues for women, have you considered disabled women?
• Does your policy promote the ability of disabled women to participate in society and promote their independence and security?

Objective 15: Value families, whānau and people providing ongoing support

Acknowledge and support the roles, responsibilities and issues facing family, whānau and those who support disabled people.

• Does your policy include opportunities to provide support or workplace flexibility to family and other caregivers providing ongoing support to disabled people?
• Do your needs assessment processes take into account the needs of family as well as the disabled person?