Welcome to the first edition of the Melbourne Disability Institute newsletter
Welcome to the first edition of the MDI Newsletter. Since our launch in March, we have been working on our strategic plan and shaping our program of work. The strategic plan has been drafted based on input from the disability sector and academics, and we hope to publish it in the next month. In the meantime we would like to share an update on some of the initiatives we have been working on:
Democratising disability data
A 'Democratising Disability Data Coalition' has been established to achieve safe and secure access to disability data and statistics to provide the evidence needed to optimise services and policy to facilitate better lives of Australians with disability, their families and carers.
TAC Research Panel
The University of Melbourne has been successful in a tender to join the Transport Accident Commission’s Research Panel, a new investment model for health, disability and compensation research. The panel is established to primarily provide research services in health, disability and compensation.
Project update and job opportunity
Making the City of Melbourne more inclusive for people with disability. A partnership between the City of Melbourne and the University of Melbourne aims to identify ways in which the City of Melbourne can be more inclusive for people with disability. This project is seeking a casual research assistant for approximately 60 hours between November 2018 and March 2019.
Upcoming Public Lecture: Dying for Change
Improving the health and wellbeing of people with intellectual disability.
In Australia, if you have an intellectual disability you are likely to die 25 years earlier than someone in the general population. And you are twice as likely to die from a preventable death. But, it doesn't have to be that way. Join us as we hear from international and local experts including people with intellectual disability on what we can do to make a difference.
12:30pm Monday 12 November, Ian Potter Lecture Theatre in Parkville
Past Public Lecture
Professor Tom Shakespeare gave a public lecture 'Empowering people with disabilities, without exploiting support workers' with respondents Dr George Taleporos, Summer Foundation and Professor David Hayward, VCOSS-RMIT Future Social Service Institute.Thanks to the Centre of Research Excellence in Disability and Health (CRE-DH) for coordinating this great co-badged event.
Australian Building Codes Board National consultations
Wednesday 31 October 2018, Melbourne
These forums will provide an opportunity for attendees to have their say on accessible housing in-person, and have questions directly answered by representatives of the ABCB. Click here for more information or to register.
In the Media
- ABC's special episode of Q&A "Enabled", focused on people living with disability
- Making Disability Support Work across Real Lives, Pursuit
- Willing and Able, Australia Financial Review
- Disabled teens suffering the mental health effects of bullying, The Conversation
Crowdfunder: SenseSEE
SenseSEE: a device to revolutionise the way the mobility-impaired navigate their surroundings using laser technology and data. Join the crowdfunding campaign today for matched donations to help bring this access innovation project to life
