Office for Disability Issues: Email Update

On this page:

Part 1: Office for Disability Issues and government news.
01: Out of School Services Action Plan: Public consultation
02: Bioethics Council is asking the public to consider pre-birth testing
03: Office of the Ombudsman's new website
04: Workforce Action: Ready for the Future: Subsidised registrations
05: United Nations Convention of the Rights of persons with Disabilities
06: Life is for Living

Part 2: Sector news.
07: Queen's Birthday Honours List
08: "Making it Easy to Do the right Thing" - an educational resource
09: Bachelor of Human Services (Disabilities Studies) University of Auckland
10: Christchurch woman wins international essay contest
11: Disability Studies Diploma, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka - text books wanted

Part 3:Events & conferences.
12: Health and Disability Consumer Seminar - Friday 22 June 2007
13: Dr Temple Grandin one day seminar on Autism - 30 June 2007
14: New Zealand Sign Language Act celebration: Expo and Ball 4 August 2007
15: Greater Wellington Transition Expo: Exploring Futures 2007 and Beyond - 31 July 2007
16: Strategies for Inclusion-Down Syndrome seminar series
17: NZ Association for the Study of Intellectual Disability (NZASID) Conference 20-21 September 2007

Part 1: Office for Disability Issues and government news

01: Out of School Services Action Plan: Public consultation

On 15 June 2007 Minister of Social Development and Employment, Hon David Benson-Pope launched the Government’s draft Five-Year Action Plan for Out of School Services for public consultation.

The draft Action Plan outlines a programme of work to improve the supply of good quality, affordable Out of School Services for 5 to 13 year olds over the next five years. The draft Action Plan addresses the immediate concerns of parents, carers and providers, and includes longer term proposals to improve the quality, affordability and accessibility of Out of School Services for all New Zealand families.

In consultations carried out by the Ministry of Social Development and the Families Commission in 2006, parents, caregivers and providers expressed concern over the barriers that could prevent children with disabilities from participating in Out of School Services. The draft Action Plan includes proposals to help families with children with disabilities to access Out of School Services.

The consultation period runs until Sunday 22 July and the feedback will be used to develop the final Action Plan later this year. The draft Action Plan is available on the MSD website along with details of how to provide feedback.

For more information:
Jon Saunders
Phone: 04 978 4208
Fax: 04 918 0033
Email: oss@msd.govt.nz
Postal: Out of School Services Five-Year Action Plan, Ministry of Social Development, PO Box 1556, Wellington.

02: Bioethics Council is asking the public to consider pre-birth testing

Most babies born in New Zealand are tested when they were foetuses during their mother’s pregnancy. There are pre-birth tests for identifying all sorts of possible illnesses, diseases and physical disorders such as cystic fibrosis, Down syndrome and HIV. Many of these tests are well known, for example, amniocentesis and ultra sound. Other tests, such as pre-implantation genetic diagnoses (PGD) are less well known. The range of things able to be tested for is expanding.

The Bioethics Council is encouraging public discussions about how far we should go with pre-birth testing, who has the right to decide and what the consequences might be.

The Bioethics Council are inviting the community to consider and deliberate over the issues raised by pre-birth testing, using a two stage process that is person centred and can empower the community to develop its own policy responses.

Framework building - second half of July 2007

The Bioethics Council are looking for people from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch as well as in the lower North Island and the Hawkes Bay, who can spend a day with 8-10 others to help identify all the possible points-of-view the public might have on pre-birth testing. Each group will take these diverse points-of-view and build them into a framework of 3 or 4 approaches. These approaches will then be taken to the wider public for deliberation.

Public deliberation - October or November 2007

The Bioethics Council are also looking for people for the public deliberation. Details are yet to be finalised but it is likely these events will be held around the country and will last about 3 hours. There will also be an opportunity to deliberate using a new on-line forum.

Expressions of interest are now being called for

To register your interest in taking part in:

• a framing exercise in late July
• the public deliberation in October/November
• both the framing exercises and the public deliberation.

Contact:
Simon Wright
Phone: 04 439 7656
Email: simon.wright@mfe.govt.nz
Fax: 04 439 7704
Post: PO Box 10362, Wellington
Website: www.bioethics.org.nz

03: Office of the Ombudsman's new website

The Office of the Ombudsman has a new web site. The new site is designed to assist both the public who make requests for official information and complaints against government agencies, and also for government agencies in the handling of those complaints and requests for official information. The site can be accessed using either www.ombudsmen.govt.nz or www.ombudsmen.parliament.nz.

The site is written in "plain English" writing style and incorporates features which will make the website more accessible. The new website includes all of the information from the previous site, and has been extended to include a targeted search facility covering all of the Office of the Ombudsman's publications.

For more information:

Complaints Free Phone: 0800 802 602

Office for Ombudsman offices:
Auckland
Level 10
55-65 Shortland Street
PO Box 1960
Telephone: (09) 379 6102
Fax: (09) 377 6537

Wellington
14th Floor
70 The Terrace
PO Box 10 152
Telephone: (04) 473 9533
Fax: (04) 471 2254

Christchurch
6th Floor
764 Columbo Street
PO Box 13 482
Telephone: (03) 366 8556
Fax: (03) 365 7935

04: Workforce Action: Ready for the Future: Subsidised registrations

The Ministry of Health are offering up to 25 subsidised registrations to individuals from NGOs and not for profit organisations to attend the two day Health Workforce Conference which is being held on Thursday 28 & Friday 29 June 2007 at the Wellington Convention Centre. The registration fee will be discounted to $200 for the 2 day registration.

Individuals applying for the subsidised registration will be considered on the following criteria:

• must demonstrate strong links in the health and disability workforce area
• must demonstrate the need for financial support
• must provide a supporting letter from their organisation.

Only one subsidised registration will be granted per organisation and will be approved on a 'first in, first serve' basis.

Email your application and supporting documentation to:

Judith Mercer
Ministry of Health
Email: Judith_mercer@moh.govt.nz
Phone: 04 496 2215

05: United Nations Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

A factsheet is now on the Office website for public reference in the Further Information section of the UN Convention page.

06: Life is for Living

Copies of the publication "Life is for living: 25 New Zealanders living with disability tell their stories" are still available.

Copies can be ordered:
on-line by filling out the publications order form
Fax: 04 918 0075
Phone: 04 916 3300

Part 2: Sector news

07: Queen's Birthday Honours List

These people were honoured in the Queens Birthday Honours List. Read more about their achievements on the Recognising Achievers page of this website.

Disabled people

John Kirwan

Disability sector

Bob Henare (Otaki
Paul Cressey (Manukau)
Helen Brathwaite (Dunedin)
Roslein Wilkes (Blenheim)
John Barr (Tauranga)
John Davis (Tauranga)
Kathleen Gardner (Taupo)
Patricia Howell (Te Kuiti)
Joan Lardner-Rivlin (North Shore)
Joseph Rodrigues (New Plymouth)

08: "Making it Easy to Do the right Thing" - an educational resource

A brand new educational resource – a DVD package "Making it Easy to Do the Right Thing" - has been developed by the Health and Disability Commissioner in association with the Diversityworks Group for providers of services to consumers within the disability sector.

The DVD is designed to help providers increase their responsiveness to people with impairments, and to understand the issues they need to consider when working with users of health and disability services. The package offers tools and strategies for implementing inclusive, respectful and non-discriminatory practice, helping to ensure that the provider’s service supports and protects the rights of disabled people as set out in the Code. It is well suited to group interactive learning situations, as well as individual study.

The resource was launched at the Disability Resource Centre in Auckland on Tuesday 22 May.

To order the DVD, visit the Diversity works website or email Elizabeth Finn, Education Manager, Health and Disability Commission.

For more information:
Philip Patston
DIVERSITYWORKS GROUP AND TRUST
Phone: 09 376 4837
Fax: 64 9 358 7189
Mobile: 021 76 4837
Email: philip@diversityworks.co.nz

09: Bachelor of Human Services (Disabilities Studies) University of Auckland

The next intake of the Bachelor of Human services (Disability Studies) is 16 July 2007. Students may take part-time or full-time study, or choose to do one course. The faculty is offering tuition fees bursaries of up to $1,000 towards fees for students starting in July 2007.

For more information:
Sheree Allan
University of Auckland Recruitment Coordinator
Faculty of Education
Phone: 09 623 8899 ext 48640
Email: sa.allan@auckland.ac.nz
Website: http://www.education.auckland.ac.nz/

10: Christchurch woman wins international essay contest

A Christchurch woman, Nina Clark-Whitfield, has won the inaugural Stuttering Essay Contest, organised by the International Stuttering Association. Her essay was called "Emily Has A Stststutter". It was about a little girl in a classroom anxiously awaiting her turn to read. Nina, a school librarian, said all people in the New Zealand Speak Easy Association, a support group for adults who stutter, had had the same experience of sitting in a classroom and waiting to read.

The win was announced at the Eighth World Congress for People Who Stutter, held May 2007 in Dubrovnik, Croatia. The essay will be published in the next issue of the International Stuttering Association’s newsletter, One Voice.

For more information:
Nina Clark-Whitfield
Phone: 03 343 0053
Email: brucepw@slingshot.co.nz
Postal: 22 Newnham Terrace, Upper Riccarton, Christchurch.

Warren Brown,
Former board member, International Stuttering Association.
Phone: 07 850 8234;
Email: warrenbrown@actrix.gen.nz
Postal: 250 Te Rapa Road, Beerescourt, Hamilton.

11: Disability Studies Diploma, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka - text books wanted

The university senate of the University of Kelaniya has just approved a Diploma in Disability Studies, which will be upgraded to a Bachelors program in the future. The Diploma will start in August 2007. The program is based on the social model of disability.

Dr. Fiona Kumari Campbell, Adjunct Professor Disability Studies Unit, University of Kelaniya SRI LANKA has requested old copies of disability texts, or publishers remainders to be sent to:

Disability Studies Unit, University of Kelaniya, Ragama Campus, P.O. Box 6, Talagolla Road, Ragama, SRI LANKA.

For more information:
Email: fiona.campbell@GRIFFITH.EDU.AU

Part 3: Events and conferences

12: Health and Disability Services Consumer Seminar - Friday 22 June 2007

A “Health and Disability Services Consumer Seminar” is being held on Friday, 22 June 2007 from 5.30pm to 8pm, at Disability Resource Centre, Conference Room.14 Erson Avenue, Royal Oak, Auckland

The Health and Disability Commissioner’s Office is hosting this consumer seminar for intellectually disabled people. They are keen to hear from people who have an intellectual impairment and use health and/or disability support services. The Health and Disability Commissioner’s Office want to know what they could be doing better or differently to ensure that intellectually disabled people's rights to safe, quality services are being upheld.

The Consumer Seminar is free to attend and light snacks will be provided. Support people, or others who are interested in health and disability services provided to intellectually disabled people, are welcome.

The session will be informal, and there will be plenty of opportunity for people to share their experiences, thoughts and ideas on how the Commissioner might be able to better help them when it comes to the safety and quality of the services they use/ receive.

Please RSVP to the Health and Disability Commissioner’s Office so they know how many to cater for, and whether or not they have to make arrangements to ensure you can fully participate (for example, specific food requirements; need for New Zealand Sign Language Interpreter; or assistance with transport).

for more information:
Hemant Thakkar
Freephone: 0800 11 22 33 ask for Hemant
Email: hthakkar@hdc.org.nz
Fax: 09 373 1061; or
By using the relay phone service

RSVP email: Janelle Nee

13: Dr Temple Grandin one day seminar on Autism - 30 June 2007

Dr Temple Grandin will speak at a one day seminar in Wellington. She is one the world’s best known adult with an autism spectrum disorder. Dr Temple will speak on early childhood, sensory problems, visual thinking, learning social skills, and the importance of shared interest careers and medications for people with an autism spectrum disorder.

Date: 30 June 2007
Time: 9:30am-3:30pm
Cost: $70 ($80 for professionals)
Venue: Sharella Motor Inn, 20 Glenmore Street, Kelburn, Wellington
(opposite Botanical Garden’s main entrance at top of Tinakori Road)

For more information:
John Greally
Email: infowgtn@autismnz.org.nz
Phone: 04 478-2700
Fax: 04 478-2701
Mobile: 027 345-1435

14: New Zealand Sign Language Act Celebration: Expo and Ball 4 August 2007

On Saturday 4th August, the Wellington Deaf Society want to celebrate New Zealand Sign language becoming official. The celebration is for everyone, including the Deaf community, and people who worked on and supported the NZSL Act 2006.

Deaf/hearing impaired Expo

Venue: Duxton Hotel Ballroom
Address: 170 Wakefield St, Wellington
Time: 9am - 1pm

Dinner and Ball

Venue: Duxton Hotel Ballroom
Address: 170 Wakefield St, Wellington
Time: 5 - 11.30pm
Include speeches, drama, buffet, VIP, music

For more information:
Samantha Martin - Secretary
Email: nzsl2007@wds.org.nz
Fax: 04 9020359
Text: 021 1348483

15: Greater Wellington Transition Expo: Exploring Futures 2007 and Beyond - 31 July 2007

The fifth Transition Expo for the greater Wellington area show cases the opportunities and support provided to disabled young people as they transfer from secondary school, to work and community environments. This year the expo will be held at The Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington, on Tuesday 31 July 2007.

For more information:
Jane Stringer
Project Manager
Greater Wellington transition Expo
Email: jane.stringer@xtra.co.nz

16: Strategies for Inclusion - Down Syndrome seminar series

A series of seminars by professor Sue Buckley and Julie Hughes (Speech and Language Specialist/Audiologist) from the Down Syndrome Educational Trust (DownsEd) UK.

Seminars will be held in:

• Auckland Friday 27 and Saturday 28 July at the Waipuna Conference, Centre, Mt Wellington.
• Wellington Tuesday 31 July and Wednesday 1 August at the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club, Oriental Bay.
• Tauranga Friday 3 August and Saturday 4 August at the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, Windermere Campus, Tauranga.
• Christchurch Monday 6 August at the University of Canterbury, Ngaio Marsh Theatre (Ilam Rd entrance).

For more information:
Parent and Family Resource Centre Auckland
website: www.parentandfamily.org.nz
email: welcome@parentandfamily.org.nz
Phone: 09 636 0351
Fax: 09 636 0354

17: NZ Association for the Study of Intellectual Disability (NZASID) Conference 20 - 21 September 2007

The conference is being held in Wellington at the Brentwood Hotel from 20-21 September 2007. NZASID is calling for conference papers. The topic of the conference is "Best Practice for Progress: Doing the right things for the right reasons -the evidence that supports what we do". Proposals for presentations should be submitted by 27 July 2007.

For more information:
Website: http://www.assid.org.au/
Email: adrian@cct.org.nz
Postal: Adrian Higgins, community Care Trust PO Box 1075, Dunedin.