AMIDA Action for More Independence and Dignity in Accommodation Annual Report 2010 Advocacy, Self Advocacy, Rights, Accessibility, and Community Living for People with a Disability 1st Floor, Ross House, 247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne 3000 Telephone: 9650 2722 Fax 9654 8575 Email: amida@infoxchange.net.au Web: www.amida.infoxchange.net.au AMIDA Annual General Meeting 14th September 2010 AGENDA 10.00 Welcome Present/Apologies Minutes of the Previous AGM Chairperson's Report Activities Report – AMIDA advocacy, SARU, ARG Treasurer's Report Chair is handed over to Returning Officer, (16 vacancies) 11.00 Housing Know Your Rights in CRU’s Training 12.00 Lunch 1.00 Close of meeting AMIDA Annual General Meeting Minutes 10th November, 2009 Present: Lisa Brumtis, Neil Cameron, Esther Harris, David Banfield, Des McIntosh, Ray Groves, Norrie Blythman, Luke Stone, Stephen Reidy-Crofts, Miriam McDonough, Mary Reid, Nadia Shaw, Jacqui Ward, Amanda Hiscoe, Kaye Forstner, Cynthia Pilli, Dean Dadson, Sue Smith, Andrew Crosling, Pauline Williams, Gabrielle Dickinson Apologies: Koula Sarimichaelidis, Jane Hauser, Villamanta Disability Rights Legal Service, Janice Slattery, Colin Hiscoe, Lyn McDonald (BIM), John Serong, Daisy Serong, Peter Waters, Alex Rowsel, Fiona Rowsell, Rosy Furmeister, Fofi Christou, Andrew Daly Minutes of previous Annual General Meeting: Accepted as a true and correct record. Moved: Ray Groves Seconded: Sue Smith Carried New Members: “That the following new members be accepted: Nadia Shaw, Jacqui Ward, Lisa Brumtis, Neil Cameron, Andrew Crosling” Moved: Des McIntosh Seconded: Cynthia Pilli Carried Chairperson’s Report: Luke Stone gave his report Activities Report: Pauline gave report. Sue gave SARU report. Treasurer’s Report: David Banfield gave report. Moved: David Banfield Seconded: Norrie Blythman Carried Auditor: ‘That Barco & Associates be re-appointed as Auditors.” Moved: David Banfield Seconded: Amanda Hiscoe Carried Public Officer: Peter Waters has agreed to continue as AMIDA Public Officer Luke Stone handed over to Esther Harris, Returning Officer. Esther declared all Committee positions vacant. Nominations have been received by: Des McIntosh Ray Groves Janice Slattery Norrie Blythman David Banfield Jane Hauser Luke Stone All declared elected for 2009/2010 Esther called for nominations from the floor. Andrew Crosling Nominated: Des McIntosh Seconded: Kaye Forstner Cynthia Pilli Nominated: Des McIntosh Seconded: Amanda Hiscoe Kaye Forstner Nominated: Norrie Blythman Seconded: Amanda Hiscoe All elected 6 Committee positions have not been filled to date. Co-option can occur. Launch of the Housing Know Your Rights in CRUs DVD Close of meeting 1.00pm Chairpersons Report Norrie Blythman AMIDA has had another successful year. It’s getting better and better each year. The federal government provided an increase in our core funding up to $115,000 from the start of July 2010. We started our Housing Know Your Rights in CRUs project this year by providing copies of the DVD and Booklet to all CRUs in Victoria. The Training for the residents of 50 CRUs has begun. The Raising Our Voices Radio Show is going strong. Presenters have organized shows on the Disability Services Commissioner, the AFDO conference, Plain English and making meetings more accessible, Blind Citizens Australia, The Shut in Campaign and many others. We continue to be a part of the Victorian Disability Advocacy Network and I attend these meetings as our representative. This is our second year as lead group in the SARB (Self Advocacy Re-Born) consortium which manages the SARU - Self Advocacy Resource Unit. The four SARB members are Start Community Art, AMIDA, Reinforce and Brain Injury Matters. For AMIDA our role has included managing the finances, employing staff, attending meetings with the funding body and being represented on the Project Management Group. The SARU continues to be successful and busy! This year we completed the Getting into the Act DVD on the Disability Act for Self Advocacy Groups. We were successful in getting additional funds to train self advocacy groups using the Getting into the Act DVD. This part of the project has now begun. Also SARB applied for and was successful in getting funding to create 2 or 3 new information resources on the Disability Act for people with a disability. The project is called the Act Resources Group (ARG) and a lot of work has been done this year on setting up a web site and making DVDs about the Disability Act. Sadly this year our chairperson Des McIntosh became ill and as the Co-Chairperson I stepped into this role. I’ve been happy to step into his shoes for awhile but we hope he is back soon. Furthermore I would like to thank the Committee for all their efforts and support throughout the year, and also the workers for the great work they have done. Norrie Blythman Acting Chairperson AMIDA COMMITTEE MEMBERS Des McIntosh Chairperson (resigned during the year) Norrie Blythman Co-Chairperson Luke Stone Treasurer Janice Slattery Co-Treasurer Kay Forstner Secretary Jane Hauser Committee Member (resigned during the year) David Banfield Committee Member Andrew Crossling Committee Member Ray Groves Committee Member Cynthia Pilli Committee Member AMIDA WORKERS Gabrielle Dickinson Housing Rights/Coordinator Pauline Williams Housing Rights/Coordinator Koula Sarimichaelidis Administration/Finance Gab Reade Radio Technical Producer Jane Hauser Peer Educator/Advisor Amanda Hiscoe Peer Educator/Actor Paul Drew Peer Educator/Advisor Mary Reid Project Worker CRU Rights Self Advocacy Resource Unit Sue Smith SARU Project Worker Jacqui Ward SARU Project Worker/Researcher Jan Coles SARU Project Worker (short term) Sharon Jones Conference Support Worker Michael Buckley Film maker and Project Worker ARG Lisa Brumtis Actor/Peer advisor Neil Cameron Peer Advisor/Researcher Sheridan Campbell Peer Advisor/Actor Kelvin Lim Peer Advisor Larissa MacFarlane Peer Advisor Toby Crook Actor Anita Solenaars Peer Advisor Peta Ferguson Peer Advisor Rachel Walters Peer Advisor Andrew Green Peer Advisor/Actor/Editor AMIDA Activities Report – 2009/10 Systemic Advocacy Tenancy Rights Our campaign to inform and empower people living in Community Residential Units continues. This project has involved the mail out of around 1000 of our booklet/DVD to all the Community Residential Units in Victoria. The DVD explains residential rights, how to ask for your rights and how to get advocacy support. Training is now being provided to around 50 households and these sessions have taken place in both country and city Victoria. AMIDA also provides individual advocacy, self advocacy support, community education, systemic advocacy and information, advice and referral on the residential rights of people with a disability. Access in the community We have continued to monitor the introduction by the Transport Ticketing Authority of the system called MYKI and the Access Travel Pass which was introduced to give free travel to people unable to use the new ticketing system. We have lobbied to ensure the interpretation of this will include cognitive inability to reliably remember to both scan on and scan off. We continue to monitor the roll out of the MYKI concession passes which will go to people who have successfully applied for the Sunday Pass. Wheelchair and scooter users can now apply for the Scooter and Wheelchair Access Pass which also gives free travel. Raising Our Voices radio show Throughout 2009/10 we have continued to support people with a disability having the opportunity to Raise Our Voices on the radio show on 3CR. This is a self advocacy project which also tackles systemic issues. The show goes to air on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 6pm and is supported by a dedicated team of broadcasters from Reinforce and AMIDA. Topics this year have included: • The Australian Federation of Disability Organisations conference • The Disability Services Commissioner, Laurie Harkin • Using Plain English and making meetings accessible • Blind Citizens Australia • A tribute to Doug Pentland • The Strengthening Advocacy Conference • The “Shut In” campaign • Having a Say conference radio workshop • AMIDA’s Know Your Rights in a CRU Project • People with disability in the Solomon Islands • MYKI and the Access Travel Pass • Highlights of the Year Thanks to all those who have participated and aired those issues important to people with a disability. There have been many people with a disability directly involved in the planning, presentation and interviewing for the show. Thanks also to Gab Reade our wonderful technical producer over the year. Thanks also to the wonderful 3CR. Copies of the shows on CD are available. You can listen to the shows live on your computer if your radio doesn’t pick up 3CR. Just go to www.3cr.org.au We are now able to offer podcasts. Information, Advice, Referral and Individual Advocacy During 2009/10 we continued to provide information, advice, referral and individual advocacy to people with a disability. We were able to provide information, advice and referral to 11 people with a disability and 7 community organisations. We provided secondary consultation to 4 services. We provided information to 155 people as part of education sessions. 25 people were provided with direct individual advocacy. Networking AMIDA continues with its involvement with VDAN. We are also building our relationships with the self advocacy sector through our work with the Self Advocacy Resource Unit. Disseminating information about AMIDA and improving access to AMIDA We again produced 4 newsletters and have tried to include important information that we receive from government and the community as well as our own activities. Thanks to all the members who made contributions as these are most welcome. The newsletters are on our web site www.amida.infoxchange.net.au The Self Advocacy Resource Unit As lead agency in the consortium which manages the SARU our annual report will also now include a report from the SARU. Much has been done in the second twelve months to continue to establish the service and to work on the job of developing and strengthening self advocacy groups for people with intellectual disability, people with acquired brain injury and people with complex communication support needs. AMIDA would like to take this opportunity to thank our project partners BIM (Brain Injury Matters), Reinforce, and Start Community Art. The following is just some of the work already done. SARU produced DVD and paper newsletters and e memos. We also produced DVDs about the SARU and the Project Management Group. The SARU website is up and contains accessible information. There is a SARU facebook page. www.saru.net.au We also produced a DVD and Booklet called Getting into the Act which contains information on the Disability Act for self advocacy groups. Training on this kit is now being developed for self advocacy groups. We identified and contacted the following groups: Reinforce*, BIM*, George Grey Centre, Patchworks, New Wave Gippsland*, New Horizons*, Portland Self Advocacy Group, WESABI*, MCM Learning Participation*, DnD (Disability and Diversity)*, Yooralla Speaking up for Ourselves*, Deaf Blind Advocacy Group*, Speak Up and Speak Out*, WPSO, People First Victoria, VALID*, We Help Ourselves, Moe Life Skills*, Mornington ABI group* Those with a * we have met with to identify support needs and are working with. We held a networking event to get self advocacy groups across Victoria together to meet and map out the self advocacy groups. SARU has been encouraging self advocacy groups to develop their networks and contacts with other self advocacy groups. We had a strong presence again at the Having A Say conference where we were major partners and had a major role in the Strengthening Disability Advocacy Conference SARU worked with AFDO on an Inclusion Kit. Many Videos have been converted to DVD and the resources we have bought from overseas are growing. We have provided groups with access to badge makers, audio recorders, TV/DVD player, laminator and printer, interpreters, meeting spaces, speakers, support workers, accessible information, sponsorship to conferences, travel costs and accommodation. Development by SARU of the “Human Right How to be a Millionaire Game”, “What Cheeses me off” power point, “Have a go at Self Advocacy” power point, “Step by Step Lobbying and Campaigning” power point and self advocacy training for staff. Beginning to provide information to advisors/facilitators of self advocacy and holding a first meeting SARU supported MCM Learning and Participation Group to develop a series of 4 posters aimed at being displayed on public transport. Supported self advocates to attend OPA workshops and sit on a paid reference group. Developed a list of questions services should answer when they approach self advocacy groups to ask for their involvement. Made a video on transport issues for the “Speaking up for Ourselves” group. Support for WESABI planning and project groups Supported Reinforce to undertake training on self advocacy throughout the Loddon Mallee Region Developed a timetable of 10 training sessions over the next 12 months SARU undertook self advocacy training with young adults at Interact resulting in work to establish a self advocacy film unit. Act Resources Group (ARG) During this year we began work on another consortium project which will produce interactive resources about the Disability Act. We started the project by researching to discover what resources were already available and how accessible it is to people of all disability types. We also looked at what types of information people wanted and in what formats. The next phase has involved planning for a web site on the Disability Act and producing new resources including video that can be put on the site. We will also be using some existing resources and providing links to others. The site will be a clearing house or a place where you can find lots of information in various formats about what the Disability Act says about best practice in disability services and some good examples.