3.1 Council Services and Provisions for People with Disabilities Council provides a wide range of services and programs for the Knox community, many of which are accessible and inclusive of people with disabilities but are not specifically targeted at this population. Council also provides a range of services to more directly meet the needs of people with disabilities, their families and carers. These include: Home and Community Care (HACC) – includes provision of home help, personal care, respite care services as well as home maintenance for people with disabilities and parents/carers of people with disabilities; Meals on Wheels – home delivered by community volunteers; Inclusion Support Services – provides a range of educational and support services to children aged 0-6 years with a disability; Community transport – a bus service is available for Knox residents with priority is give to people with disabilities, the frail and aged; Housing Assistance – for residents with a disability who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless; Audio loops – Council has installed audio loops in the Civic Centre function rooms; Parking permits – Council administers the Disabled Persons Parking Permit scheme; Retrofitting program – allocation of dedicated funds through the Capital Works program to enhance access to Council owned buildings and facilities; and Libraries – offer a range of services to people with disabilities including home delivery service, tactile, audio and large print books, captioned DVDs and assistive devices for computer users. 3.2 Council’s Coordination of Access and Inclusion Within the Community Planning and Development Team, two roles specifically address issues around disability, access and inclusion at both the Council and community levels. Community Development Officer (Access & Inclusion) – Council funds this full-time position to specifically address disability planning and policy processes across Council. The key responsibilities of this role are: To develop and implement the Access and Inclusion Plan and provide technical expertise and advice to Council officers implementing the Plan; To provide general advice and advocacy regarding disability issues across Council; To engage with the community and form partnerships to develop initiatives that enhance access to services and civic participation;
Promote and demonstrate the principles of access and inclusion to the wider community Share Council’s knowledge and experience in advocating for access and inclusion, via Council partnerships and networks, Council programs and the Knox Disability Email Information Service. Promote ‘good news’ stories to the community on what Council is doing or has undertaken to improve access and inclusion in Knox. Community Access and Equity Corporate Communications, Community Access & Equity Community Wellbeing Community Wellbeing Within existing resources Develop leadership capacity of relevant community organisations, people with disabilities and carers Work with Knox Community and Neighbourhood Houses to develop and update their Disability Action Plans. Promote Council resources and training opportunities to develop leadership and disability advocacy skills to community members and organisations. Community Access & Equity Community Access & Equity Community Strengthening, Knox Neighbourhood Houses Community Strengthening Within existing resources Influence policy and decision making processes by lobbying other levels of government Advocate for the needs of people with disabilities, their families and carers via submissions and advocacy to other levels of government. Community Access & Equity Knox Disability Advisory Committee (KDAC) Within existing resources Increase the awareness and understanding of mental illness within Council and the community Undertake an analysis of Council’s services to identify and pursue opportunities to increase awareness of mental health issues through relevant Council delivered programs. Community Services & People Performance Within existing resources
disabilities. Demonstrate excellence in improving access and inclusion for people with disabilities, their families and carers Provide advice and support to Council Officers and Teams to assist in protecting the rights of people with disabilities. Coordinate and support the Knox Disability Advisory Committee. Monitor and evaluate the 2016 Access and Inclusion Plan outcomes and report to EMT and Council. Community Access & Equity Community Access & Equity Community Access & Equity All Council departments Within existing resources People with disabilities will have equitable access to Council Services, facilities and programs Consult with internal Departments and Teams on current practices and challenges in ensuring accessible and inclusive services, facilities and programs. Community Access & Equity KDAC, all Council departments Within existing resources Ensure people with disabilities can access and participate in Council governance processes Engage KDAC to provide input into internal Council planning, program and policy development. Community Access & Equity All Council departments Within existing resources That Council will be an employer of choice and support diversity within the workforce. Promote the benefits of workforce diversity for employing people with disabilities. People Performance Community Access & Equity Within existing resources
Strategic Priority Area 4 – Buildings, Open Spaces and Infrastructure Building strong, connected communities relies on people being able to access a wide range of services, facilities and open spaces. Successfully addressing access issues requires ongoing engagement and consultation with people with disabilities to ensure their rights and views are considered in planning and development processes. Continuity and integration of services is important in facilitating access to buildings and services and Council will continue to advocate and take action around eliminating barriers in the built environment to improve accessibility for people with disabilities in Knox. Objectives Actions Lead responsibility Key Partners Resources People with disabilities have access to Council infrastructure including buildings, facilities, open spaces, playgrounds and streetscapes. Embed consideration of the needs of people with disabilities in the development, design and delivery of Council and community infrastructure projects. Participate in the development of Knox Council’s Health and Wellbeing Impact Assessment Guidelines to ensure consideration of the needs of people with disabilities in future development and planning applications. Deliver the annual Retrofitting Program as part of the yearly Capital Works program to improve accessibility of Council buildings and facilities. Deliver Capital Works program for footpaths and shared paths. Community Access & Equity Community Access & Equity Facilities, Community Access & Equity Construction Group Sustainable Infrastructure, Community Infrastructure, City Planning & Building Social Policy and Planning Community Facility Advocates Traffic and Transport Within existing resources
programs. Children and students with disabilities can access a range of out of school care and programs. Engage and work with external partners in the delivery of activities and respite programs for families and children with disabilities: Dance Family Program Fitness Connection for Carers Program Accessible Vacation Programs The Lab Project Carer social events and information nights. Community Access & Equity External community groups and disability organisations Within existing resources