AMIDA NEWS Print Post Approved P.P 100000326 June, 2014 AMIDA (Action for More Independence & Dignity in Accommodation) is a disability advocacy group that works on housing issues. This means we speak up for people with a disability or help them to speak up for themselves about problems they have with their housing. Please let us know if you would like to receive your AMIDANEWS by email. This would help AMIDA to cut costs. Of course, if you do prefer to receive a mailed copy, we are happy to continue with this. If you would like to change to electronic version, just email amida@amida.org.au to let us know. Raising Our Voices Raising Our Voices Radio show on 3CR 2nd Wednesday of each month at 6.00 – 6.30pm Raising Our Voices is now podcast. Go to: www.3cr.org.au and download Raising Our Voices to your computer. Copies of the radio shows are available from AMIDA on CD or audio tape, website www.amida.org.au AMIDA Committee: The Committee meets Tuesdays from 10.00am – 1.00pm at Ross House, 247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Current members are Norrie Blythman (Chair), Graeme Williams (Vice-Chair), Peter Waters (Secretary), Brenda Lacey (Treasurer), Luke Stone (Vice-Treasurer), Simon Chong, Kay Forstner, Ray Groves, and Lauren Rosewarne. Meeting Dates for 2014: Meetings are held Tuesdays at 10.00am – 1.00pm, Room 1.3, unless indicated otherwise. 19th June, 8th July, 12th August, 9th September, 14th October – AGM, 11th November, 9th December (Please let us know if you are coming to any meetings – 9650 2722 or amida@amida.org.au) Ground Floor, Ross House 247 Flinders Lane Melbourne Vic 3000 Phone: 9639-6856 Email: saru@rosshouse.org.au You can find out about SARU by going to the website: www.saru.net.au SARU sends out a Weekly Memo and a SARU Newsletter (available in DVD format). Please contact - 9639 6856 or Email: saru@rosshouse.org.au if you would like to receive them. Strengthening Disability Advocacy Conference Self Advocates across Victoria start getting excited!! SARU, DARU and DAV are again running the Strengthening Disability Advocacy Conference. The theme for this two-day conference is “Champions of Change”. There will be lots of interesting sessions and SARU is organising 10 sessions about self advocacy and issues faced by self advocates. So definitely save the date for this one!!! Date: 4th and 5th August Address: Melbourne & Olympic Park Convention Centre, Batman Avenue, Melbourne Review of Residential Charges in Group Homes for People with Disability VPSC (Victorian Public Sector Commission) Community Meetings The VPSC is conducting an independent review of residential charges in group homes for people with a disability. The review is focused on residential charges as defined in the Disability Act 2006. In addition, the review will take into consideration other fees set by group homes that may exist in conjunction to the residential charge (such as a transport fee). The review is looking at the residential charge in group homes operated by both the Department of Human Services and community sector organisations. Group home residents, families and advocates – are invited to meet with the Victorian Public Sector Commission. They want to know how group home residential charges affect you. More information is on the PPSC website at www.vpsc.vic.gov.au/public-administration/commissioned-reviews.html. Please phone (03) 9651 0200 or email review@vpsc.vic.gov.au if you wish to attend. Sessions will be held : Footscray, Footscray Community Arts Centre, 45 Moreland Street, 10am - 12 noon, 25 July, 2014 Ballarat, Oscars Hotel, 18 Doveton Street South, 11am - 1pm, 22nd July, 2014 Wangaratta, Quality Hotel Wangaratta Gateway, 29-37 Ryley Street, 11am -1pm, 30 July, 2014 Traralgon, Quality Inn Latrobe Convention Centre, 5601 Princes Highway, 11am - 1pm, 5 August, 2014 Public Advocate welcomes closure of disability institution. Below is part of the Public Advocates media release of 2nd May, 2014: ‘The Public Advocate today welcomes the State Government’s announcement of the closure of one of Melbourne’s last institutions for people with a disability – a landmark decision in the history of disability services in Victoria. The Oakleigh Centre in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs has provided congregate care for 29 residents with an intellectual disability since the 1950s. “We want all congregate-care facilities – institutions – in Victoria closed by next year,” Public Advocate Ms Colleen Pearce said. “Therefore, the news that one of the last institutions in Victoria will be closing is something that my whole office, including our volunteers, will be very heartened by,” Ms Pearce said. The news follows last year’s announcement of the closure of one of the last two institutions in regional Victoria, the Sandhurst Centre, Bendigo, which also houses 29 residents. OPA believes any accommodation other than normal housing fails to meet the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which calls for the inclusion and full participation of people with a disability in society. “Accommodation for people with a disability needs to be personalised, planned and flexible, and maximize autonomy, choice, relationships and community participation.” OPA has been instrumental in the deinstitutionalization of Victorians with a disability or a mental illness since its inception in 1986. Two congregate-care institutions remain in Victoria: Plenty Residential Services, Bundoora, and Colanda Residential Centre, Colac. Media enquiries:OPA Communications Coordinator Sally Gibson 0409 197 717’ As thousands of people across the country mobilise against the Abbott government, 3CR Community Radio is asking its listeners and supporters of independent media to join the resistance by giving money to the station during our annual Radiothon. Every $90 raised pays for one more hour of independent radio. 3CR’s annual Radiothon is coming from 2 – 15 June! This is your opportunity to join the resistance. With escalating attacks on Medicare, trade unions, Indigenous people, asylum seekers, pensioners and people with a disability, the scene is set for a tumultuous few years and it’s more important than ever, that stations like 3CR continue to thrive. 3CR is well placed to provide a serious account of what’s happening in the world because our broadcasters are active participants in it. Our broadcasters are West Papuan freedom fighters, CFMEU officials, disability activists and East-West tunnel picketers. Our independence means we are able to provide news and analysis from the ground up, without worrying about what advertisers will think or what the ratings or opinion polls say because the issues we cover on-air are determined by people in the community. This year Raising Our Voices target is $550 and we are writing to ask you to make a donation to invest in keeping our station on the air. You can make your tax-deductible donation by: • Paying online with credit card at: www.3cr.org.au; • Phoning (03) 9419 8377 or pay in person at 21 Smith St, Collingwood (b/hrs) • Mailing a cheque or money order made out to 3CR Survey highlights violence against intellectually disabled women as National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety opens. High rates of violence against women with disabilities has been highlighted in a new survey, as a new institute to combat abuse is launched in Canberra. Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety is funded by the Commonwealth along with the states and territories and will streamline research into violence against women. Its unveiling follows the release of a comprehensive survey of a problem advocates say has long been in the shadows: the high rates of violence and sexual abuse suffered by women with disabilities. The survey, Voices Against Violence, says women with disabilities who are victims of abuse face especially daunting challenges. Jane Rosengrave, a member of AMIDA, is intellectually disabled and was raised both in residential care and in an institution. Jane was interviewed on the ABC NEWS and you can see more of the story here: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-16/survey-highlights-violence-against-intellectually-disabled-women/5456416 AFDO CEO calls for an end to institutionalised living for people with disability – 27th March, 2014 AFDO CEO, Matthew Wright briefed the Parliamentary Joint Committee on NDIS at Parliament House on Wednesday 26 March, before speaking to the Community Housing Federation of Australia forum calling for an end to institutionalised living for people with disability. Matthew said that we must cease creating accommodation that is a semblance or a parody of community living and we must close big institutions, their time is up. AFDO are so passionate about the National Disability Insurance Scheme, not only because that it provides essential funding for people with disability and their families, but because the NDIS design principles make it so much more - an opportunity for our community to reconcile the mistakes of the past and fully include people with disability and their families in every aspect of life. “We don’t need to create a new system about accommodation just for people with a disability, we just need to include people in the one we have. We can, however, as many before us, re-hash the old models of accommodation with a new slogan and be judged by history as another lost decade” said Matthew Wright. In Matthew’s briefing, he stated “Let’s instead embrace the opportunity here to do the more difficult, challenging hard work of one person at a time. We are not only depriving people with disability of the benefits of inclusion but also the community of the joys and experiences of relationships with people with disability.” There’s a very long road ahead of us, but there’s no more worthy cause. Please direct all inquiries to Matthew Wright on 0428 608 861. June, 2014 The AMIDA office is usually open: Monday 9.30 - 5.00 Tuesday 9.30 – 5.00 Wednesday 9.30 - 4.00 Thursday 9.30 - 2.00 Please phone AMIDA for an appointment: 9650 2722. Email: amida@amida.org.au Web: www.amida.org.au AMIDA, 1st Floor, Ross House, 247 Flinders Lane Melbourne Vic 3000 Phone: 9650 2722 Inc. No. A0016085V Print Post Approved PP 100000326 *Disclaimer: AMIDA does not recommend any product, activity, organisation, service or item – such details are provided within the AMIDA NEWS for general information and interest only. All information contained within is as accurate as possible and is provided in good faith – however it is not guaranteed. AMIDA receives funding from the Commonwealth Department of Social Services, and the Victorian Department of Human Services. You can offer any comments you have on AMIDA Policy or Newsletter by phone, email or writing: AMIDA, 247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Vic 3000 Phone: 9650 2722 Email: amida@amida.org.au Web: www.amida.org.au ABN 32993870380, Inc. No. A0016085V June, 2014