Welcome to the Melbourne Disability Institute newsletter
Latest news, research and events from the Melbourne Disability Institute at the University of Melbourne
We would like to thank you for your support and wish this community a happy new year! In 2020 we have exciting plans to develop the recently announced National Disability Research Partnership, build our research program, expand our funding streams, launch a new Doctoral Academy to support PhD students, and continue our efforts to build a collaborative, interdisciplinary and translational research program to improve the lives of people with disability.
ONEINFIVE Podcast
At the end of last year, MDI launched ONEINFIVE, a new podcast which explores some of the most complex issues facing people with disability today.
The podcast gives voice to people with disability and asks about their experiences with employment, housing, the law, supporting families and early intervention. Over the course of seven episodes, a range of experts including people with disability, researchers and people working in the sector talk about what we can do to improve the lives of people with disability.
Feedback? If you would like to tell us what you think, complete our quick survey!
National Disability Research Partnership
We are delighted to share with you the news about a National Disability Research Partnership, which was formally announced at the end of last year by the Hon. Stuart Robert MP, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme and Minister for Government Services. As part of a new National Disability Data and Research Policy, which is being developed by the Disability Reform Council, the Commonwealth Government has committed $2.5 million to further develop a
National Disability Research Partnership (NDRP), led by the Melbourne Disability Institute. The NDRP will bring together a range of other interested research and community organisations. The Commonwealth has also committed $15 million to the development of a National Disability Data Asset (NDDA). The NDDA will bring together a range of data sets, including disability, health, social security, tax and employment data and provide a platform for policy-related research.
The NDRP was formed by a consortium of universities, service providers, advocacy and peak bodies and government departments, led by Professors Anne Kavanagh and Bruce Bonyhady at MDI. The idea was first submitted to the Medical Research Future Fund and then picked up by the Commonwealth. We are pleased to be receiving funding to establish the Partnership. The NDRP will capitalise on Australia’s leadership in innovative disability policy and service reform to build a world-first Hub in Disability Research and Policy.
The Hub will facilitate a collaborative, translational research program through deep engagement between academics, government, service providers and advocacy groups to conduct cutting-edge applied social policy research to guide reform. The Partnership will be inclusive and will ensure that top researchers from around Australia and internationally work closely with government and the sector to conduct high quality research that provides evidence that can be applied to solve pressing and emerging disability policy and practice challenges.
We have set up an initial working party with the University of Sydney, Griffith University, University of New South Wales and National Disability Services to help with the first steps, and we will be engaging with the sector, universities and research organisations as well as governments more broadly over the coming months. We will share more information as it becomes available - watch this space!
MDI Welcomes New Team Members
Campbell Message, Program Manager
Campbell has a multidimensional perspective on disability which has been shaped by living with a disability and working with people with disability for many years.
His perspective of disability includes high expectations of potential of people with disabilities, which have been learnt and experienced through many years playing elite level wheelchair basketball, and through being involved in Paralympic Games (where he was part of the Silver Medal winning Australian Wheelchair Basketball Team).
He has also worked for 14 years in sub-acute and community rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injuries as Leisure Specialist, and has built personal and professional networks in disability, health and para sport.
Campbell joins MDI to lead the Community-based research scheme and manage a range of research projects.
Lishia Singh, Program Manager
Lishia Singh has nine years of experience in research management that spans fundraising, commercialization and grant focused roles. She has an interest in enabling academia to effectively engage with underserved individuals and communities. At MDI she is responsible for the seed funding and research translation schemes and the management of research projects.
Dr. Sue Olney, Research Fellow
Dr Sue Olney has recently joined our team as Research Fellow. Sue is also a Visiting Fellow in the Public Service Research Group in the School of Business at UNSW Canberra, and an Honorary Senior Fellow in the Melbourne School of Government at the University of Melbourne. Her research examines market-based reform of public services with particular focus on welfare-to-work and disability services.
Sue has worked in the Victorian Government Departments of Education & Training, Victorian Communities, Planning & Community Development, Human Services and Health and in the not-for-profit sector, and been involved in numerous cross-government, cross-sector and interdisciplinary research projects, government and community sector initiatives, committees and working groups to promote access and equity in employment, education, training and disability services in Australia. Her academic experience includes teaching and research on governance and public administration in the Melbourne School of Government, the Melbourne Social Equity Institute and the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne and in the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG). She is also on the editorial board of the Australian Journal of Public Administration and co-director of the social policy discussion platform Power to Persuade. Sue holds a PhD in Public Policy and a Master of Public Policy and Management from the University of Melbourne.
Community Events and Updates
Find out about events that are happening in the community below. Interested in promoting your event? Send the details through to Sara.Donaldson@unimelb.edu.au.
Making the City of Melbourne more inclusive for youth with disability
22 Feb 2020
Melbourne Town Hall
If you are aged between 8 to 17 years and have a disability, you are invited to attend a workshop hosted by the City of Melbourne. Your voice is important in telling the City what makes it easy or difficult to travel in and around Melbourne.
TAC Small Grants Program
The Small Grants program aims to improve the lives of people with an acquired brain injury or spinal cord injury, by offering grants of up to $50,000 to innovative user-led projects in the community.
Projects that are focussed on improving the lives and independence of people with acquired brain injury or spinal cord injury can apply for a share in $250,000.
Question Marks Seminar Series: What is the nature of family-based care for people with disability around the world? What can we learn from India’s experience and what interventions can help address this?
12 Feb 2020
Faculty of Medicine Dentistry & Health Sciences
Board Room
Level 2, Allan Gilbert Building
The University of Melbourne
It is estimated that around 1 billion people live with disability worldwide, with as many as 100 million in India. When families and carers are included, the impact of each person living with disability extends to many more people in the community.
This lecture will explore what we know about the role and wellbeing of family carers in India and what can we learn from this in Australia.
This is a partnered event between the Australia India Institute, The Nossal Institute for Global Health (MSPGH), Department of Social Work (Melbourne School of Health Sciences), and the Melbourne Disability Institute, all at the University of Melbourne.
Promoting inclusion & reducing health inequalities for people with disability
The Australian Local Government Health & Community Services Yearbook includes Dr. Jerome Rachele's article on Promoting inclusion and reducing health inequalities for people with disability (jump to page 18). This article highlights steps local governments can take to improve inclusion and builds on the recent study on 'Making Melbourne inclusive for people with disability'.
Complete the Survey!
drummond street services / queerspace
Open until 15 February
drummond street/queerspace are conducting a festival survey to improve mental health services for LGBTIQ+ people and help identify ways to better advocate for community needs.
This survey will be open until February 15.
The Melbourne Disability Institute was established in 2018 to build a collaborative, interdisciplinary and translational research program to improve the lives of people with disability. The MDI program of research aims to capitalise on national reforms and active partnerships with the disability sector to deliver evidence for change and is centered around providing much-needed evidence for the disability sector and broader community to address the complex problems facing people with disability, their families and carers.
