Living for a revolution . . . for many the introduction of the NDIS is nothing more than a change is the way the support needs of those living with disability. However, the ideals of the NDIS campaign extend far beyond providing support for people needs. The induction of Disability Care Australia signals an end to funding based on which box you tick and what your impairment prevents you from doing.
The driving force behind its introduction is to see a rise in the participation rates of people with disabilities and the family members who provide primary unpaid care. Until now Australian society has played lip service to the social inclusion of people living with disabilities. Having a family member acquire a disability or a child being born with a disability can be just a social isolating for the carers and siblings of the person with impairment.
Often the only social inclusion for a sibling of a child with disabilities is there schooling. As parents care for the child who has special needs, other siblings are deprivation of attention. Providing care can also meaning siblings miss out on activities such as music or sporting activities. Where a sibling has a behavioural or social disability, inclusion in community activities can be impossible with out respite care.
As we focus on the possibilities under Disability Care Australia, The biggest access we much overcome is our disabling attitudes. For too long in our society we have hidden those with disabilities and their families way in small pockets of our community under the cover of 'speacialness'. There is nothing inclusive about activities that only 'special people' can participate in. Things like S-trope (the 'S' is 'special) and supported workshops in my own community spring to mind. Programs that are inclusive driven be participating in what are everyday community activities, but adaptive for those with specific needs. While many of these activities have played a vital role in building a person's self esteem. The also contribute to social isolation of those living with disability.
By far our biggest challenge to full social inclusion is a society and communities that are largely inaccessible to many people whose lives are impacted by disability. Accessible society are much more than ramps, parking and toilet amenities for those who struggle with mobility issues. Australian communities are so far behind the eight ball when it comes to accessibility communities. This is the number one barrier we need to address if we are to bridge the divide in terms of social inclusion.
While our public admendities, transport systems, public schools, universities, finical institutions, sporting and recreational facilities and places of cultural interests continue to be inaccessible to any Australian residents, measures to build social inclusion levels in our local communities will be hard fought for. Whether inaccessibility is physical or attitudinal in nature the barriers still need to be torn down and torn down quickly.
When it comes to creating accessible communities Australia lags on the lower bottom of the ladder in the Western World in so many areas. One of the social targets for the NDIS is employment of people with disabilities. With work places inaccessible to many Australians to ensure reform targets for employment are meet, we must address these issues. Changing social policy with addressing access issues can not build an inclusive society.
Currently the Australian economy is one of the healthiest in the world and yet we rate 21st out of 28 in the development counties for the employment of people with disability. People whose lives are impacted by disability in Australia are more likely to be living on the poverty line than in other Western countries. We as Australians should feel ashamed of this recorded. I expect in true Aussie style we live happily unaware of these embarrassing figures
For me these statics reflect our failure to value all Australians are equal. Our attitudes continue to limit the opportunities we offer to those with certain impairments. Those not expected or encourage to perform and push the boundaries beyond what is possible will continue to under-perform. If you expect people with disabilities to step up to the bar, can I suggest we at least stop lowering the bar so low that all require of these Australians to step over it.
That is indeed what we do every time we create an artificial community in which the is no real competition measure success. If we want our children to thrive in a competitive community we set a standard and ask the child to me it. Unless he or she has a disability and then we say, just do your best. By not encouraging them to search for success in the same way as other children, instead labeling them is 'special', we are leading them into a life of mediocrity, dependency, social isolation and propriety. We unwitting have decide their lives are best that way and 'they don't know any better.
These attitudes, values and standards are not present in many other Western Countries. All children are required to attend school. A child with special needs given appropriate support can attend a public school. In the united States where the bar for these children are the same height as any other child, they are out performing their Australian counterparts. We have a huge leap to make before see full employment for people with disabilities.
We are unlikely to accept any attempts by employers for tokenism and the underemployment of the past. With the NDIS revolution rolling out across country, all employers should feel put on noticed. The federal government has set the wheels in motion, so to speak to give people the support they need to be at work on time. Employers are now duty bound to make sure their worker places are accessible for any Australian who may or may not have a disability.
As we seen with the CEO of Myers, one of the largest retail chains in Australia the days of make excuses for the inability to employ some living with disability are number. Australia its time for all of us to raise the bar and expect more of ourselves.
Count us all in!
Currently the Australian economy is one of the healthiest in the world and yet we rate 21st out of 28 in the development counties for the employment of people with disability. People whose lives are impacted by disability in Australia are more likely to be living on the poverty line than in other Western countries. We as Australians should feel ashamed of this recorded. I expect in true Aussie style we live happily unaware of these embarrassing figures
For me these statics reflect our failure to value all Australians are equal. Our attitudes continue to limit the opportunities we offer to those with certain impairments. Those not expected or encourage to perform and push the boundaries beyond what is possible will continue to under-perform. If you expect people with disabilities to step up to the bar, can I suggest we at least stop lowering the bar so low that all require of these Australians to step over it.
That is indeed what we do every time we create an artificial community in which the is no real competition measure success. If we want our children to thrive in a competitive community we set a standard and ask the child to me it. Unless he or she has a disability and then we say, just do your best. By not encouraging them to search for success in the same way as other children, instead labeling them is 'special', we are leading them into a life of mediocrity, dependency, social isolation and propriety. We unwitting have decide their lives are best that way and 'they don't know any better.
These attitudes, values and standards are not present in many other Western Countries. All children are required to attend school. A child with special needs given appropriate support can attend a public school. In the united States where the bar for these children are the same height as any other child, they are out performing their Australian counterparts. We have a huge leap to make before see full employment for people with disabilities.
We are unlikely to accept any attempts by employers for tokenism and the underemployment of the past. With the NDIS revolution rolling out across country, all employers should feel put on noticed. The federal government has set the wheels in motion, so to speak to give people the support they need to be at work on time. Employers are now duty bound to make sure their worker places are accessible for any Australian who may or may not have a disability.
As we seen with the CEO of Myers, one of the largest retail chains in Australia the days of make excuses for the inability to employ some living with disability are number. Australia its time for all of us to raise the bar and expect more of ourselves.
Count us all in!
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