Community Participation
In February Sarah Davey, Tom Ringrose and I represented VASS at a meeting at Parliament, called by Hon. Ruth Dyson, about Community Participation.  A follow-up meeting is to be held on 16 September.  The purpose of the meeting is to develop practical guidance and ideas on how 'community participation' could actually be implemented in ways that meaningfully meet individual clients’ needs. In particular, discussion will focus on the development and content of individualised client plans/personal plans.  Sarah, Tom and I will attend the meeting.  If you are a community participation provider, or are anticipating becoming one, we would welcome your input.  Please let me know:
  what’s working
  what’s not and why
  your thoughts or concerns about individual plans. 

Special Education Stock-take
As reported in the May issue of the Wellington Update the Ministry of Education is holding a ‘stock-take’ on Special Education.  Public consultation meetings are now being held around the country, and written submissions are also welcome.
 
You can find out when a meeting is being held in your area by contacting your local Special Education office or on the Ministry’s website at:
http://www.minedu.govt.nz/index.cfm?layout=document&documentid=9551&indexid=9260&indexparentid=6871 .

Leadership Programme for People with Disabilities
SAMS has been licensed by the Minnesota Governor’s Office to adapt and run this programme in New Zealand, aimed at promoting leadership for people with disabilities and their family members. The Office for Disability Issues provided funding to SAMS to adapt this programme to New Zealand and get started offering the training. There is no charge to the attendees.

For further information, contact Audrey Buel or Fran Hartnett, the course co-ordinators, at ph: 09 3787046 or email: samsnt@actrix.co.nz, or watch the SAMS website http://www.sams.org.nz .

Nominations Sought for Ethics Committees
The Ministry of Health is seeking candidates for nomination to seven new ethics committees to be established under the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000. Organisations and individuals are invited to nominate suitably experienced and motivated people who would like to be considered for appointment as members to one of the ethics committees. The role of the regional ethics committees is to provide independent ethical review of health research and innovative practice in their regions of authority to safeguard the rights, health and wellbeing of consumers and research participants and, in particular, those persons with diminished autonomy. The role of the Multi-region Ethics Committee is to provide independent ethical review of health research and innovative practice that occurs in more than one region, or nationally.

Each ethics committee's lay membership must include: an ethicist; a lawyer; people with consumer perspectives; and people with community perspectives.

Each committee’s non-lay membership must include: two health researchers; two health practitioners; a biostatistician; and a pharmacist or pharmacologist.

Consistent with the requirements of the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000 for district health boards, each ethics committee will have at least two Maori members. Maori members should have a recognised awareness of te reo Maori, and an understanding of tikanga Maori. All ethics committee members are expected to have an understanding of how the health sector responds to Maori issues and their application to ethical review.

Applications must be received by 27 August 2004.

For more information and how to make a nomination, go to:
http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/f872666357c511eb4c25666d000c8888/399b67a8c631c303cc256edd00714b61?OpenDocument

People First - Auckland Contract Opportunity
People First needs someone in Auckland, for about 20 hours a week for 15-20 weeks, to help strengthen Auckland groups and to make them more independent. The key task will be supporting existing groups to recruit and interview volunteers to support their groups. There may also be a need to set up new groups and liaise with service providers. This contract may be extended if more funds become available.

The person will have:
  Initiative.
  Proven experience of working with people with an intellectual disability in an empowering way.
  A knowledge of disability services in Auckland.
  A good understanding of group process.
  Excellent negotiation and organizational skills.
  Good networks.

The role will involve:
  Supporting existing Auckland groups to become independent by helping them recruit and interview new support people.
  Mentoring new support people, especially those without much experience in the field of intellectual disability.
  Setting up new groups where needed as people in services outside IHC join.
  Ensure groups and support people have good administrative systems, especially financial systems in place.
  Working with disability service providers to ensure that there is a liaison person in place in each service to circulate information about meetings and ensure people are given support to access meetings.
  Arranging training (trainers, venues, etc) and encouraging members to go to training once funds are available.

Resources:
People First has a recruitment pack of flyers, advertisements, media releases, interview procedures that will support this initiative. A full manual should be ready by the end of September.

Accountability and support:
To the regional People First committee: JP Edwards. Simon Coe, David Hughes.
Support: There will be local support from Ray Murray, and from Ruth Gerzon.

Applications: for an application form or further information, contact Ruth Gerzon by email:
gerzon.r@xtra.co.nz or ph: 07 312 5310.

Draft New Zealand Urban Design Protocol.
Sector and user groups who have interest in the built environment are invited take part in consultation on the Ministry for the Environment’s draft New Zealand Urban Design Protocol. The draft Protocol has been prepared by the Ministry in conjunction as part of the Government's Sustainable Development Programme of Action. Its purpose is to accelerate quality urban design to create places that work and people use and value. The deadline for comment is 30 September 2004.

The Ministry is hosting six consultation meetings around the country:
  Wellington - Tuesday 31 August, 9 am -12 noon, James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor, 147 The Terrace
  Tauranga - Wednesday 1 September, 9 am – 12 noon, Hotel on Devonport, 72 Devonport Road
  Auckland - Thursday 2 September, 9 am -12 noon, Mercure Auckland, 8 Customs Street
  Queenstown - Wednesday 15 September, 9 am 12 noon, Heritage Queenstown, 91 Fernhill Road
  Dunedin - Thursday 16 September, 1 pm - 4pm, The Dunedin Centre, 1 Harrop Street
  Christchurch - Friday 17 September, 9 am 12 noon, Centra Christchurch, Corner Cashel and High Streets

To reserve your place, please RSVP by ph: (04) 473 8044 or email:
urbandesign@avenues.co.nz, no later than seven days prior to the date of the forum you wish to attend. Please note numbers are limited.

For more information, and how to make a submission, go to:
http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/urban/draft-protocol-aug04/index.html .

Safer transport for people with disabilities
A new training module designed to help taxi drivers understand the unique and varied needs of passengers with disabilities, was launched at Parliament in early August.  While the Taxi Federation will initially make the training module only available to members, it will eventually be available for all taxi drivers.

Ministry of Health NGO Forum
The next Forum will be held on 24 September 2004, 9am-4pm, at the WestpacTrust Stadium, Wellington.  It will focus on the Statement of Government Intentions for an Improved Community-Government Relationship and assess progress against the Statement. There will also be an update from the Ministry of Health on key areas of work and workshops with the Deputy Director-Generals of the Ministry's directorates (or their representatives). The forum is open to all those organisations that are contracted to provide services to the Ministry of Health and there is no cost to attend.

If you are interested in attending, you can register with: Alan Chapman, Secretariat,
Health and Disability Sector MOH-NGO Forum by email: sioala@xtra.co.nz, or ph: 04 565 3676.   (At this stage, barring other commitments, I intend to represent VASS at the Forum.)

Conference Season
Apart from the VASS hosted ‘Workability International’ Conference, which is fast approaching, there are a number of other conferences on around the country in the next few months:
  "Journeys"- the NZ Association for the Study of Intellectual Disability (NZASID) Conference
Date: 30 September - 1 October 2004.
  Venue: Christchurch
More information: email: cpawlowski@richmond.org.nz
  Social Policy, Research and Evaluation Conference 2004 - What Works?
Date: 25 – 26 November 2004
Venue: Wellington Convention Centre, Wellington.
"What Works?" is a fundamental question for both policy and practice. The conference will bring together the policy, provider, research and evaluation communities and emphasise evidence-based policy and practice.
More information: http://www.msd.govt.nz/events/conferences/social-policy-04/index.html

NZFVWO AGM & Conference
The AGM for the NZ Federation of Voluntary and Welfare Organisations will be held in Wellington on Wednesday 8 September at the Salvation Army Centre, 92 Vivian Street, Wellington.  They will also be holding a number of Forums around the country featuring some of the keynote speakers from the Wellington AGM.  The Forum dates are:

Dunedin:  Wednesday 15 September, 10 - 11.30am.
Venue: Octagon Senior Citizens Club, 8 The Octagon.
Panel:
• Tina Reid, NZFVWO
• Nicola Atwool, University of Otago
• Caryl O’Connor, Dunedin Community Law Centre

Auckland: Thursday 23 September 1 – 4pm
Venue: Lynfield Room, Fickling Centre, 546 Mt Albert Road
• Report from NZFVWO AGM
• Hon Margaret Wilson: Charities Commission – A Way Forward for NZ?
• Louise Lee (Massey University) Business Community relationships workshop

Christchurch:  Friday 24 September 1.30 – 4pm
Venue: Conference Rooms 1 & 2, Community House, 141 Hereford Street
• Report from NZFVWO AGM
• Louise Lee (Massey University) Business Community relationships workshop

These are open to all interested organisations. For more information contact:
email: ed@nzfvwo.org.nz, or fax: 04 385 3248, or post to PO Box 9517 Wellington

Getting and Keeping a Job When You Have a Disability
You may be interested in this paper, which can be downloaded from:  http://www.canberra.edu.au/special-ed/papers/shaddock2001c.html

Best Practices: Windsor-Essex Adult System for Developmental Services
This paper is attached with this newsletter.  It is a brief written by the Windsor Essex Family Network (Ontario, Canada) about local restructuring efforts for disability services. The principles behind the changes are: choice; person-directedness; respect; flexibility; accountability; portability; unencumbered planning; deep listening and citizenship.   One of the authors is Alison Ouelette, who spoke at our VASS Conference in 2002.  It is interesting to compare their system to ours.

Tess Casey
Executive Officer
VASS

In this issue;

• Police Vetting Procedure Changes
• Workforce Training and Development Fund
• Work to be Undertaken on Disability Policies and Funding
• Petition Relating to Caregivers' Wages
• Department of Labour Restructure

Newsletter Monthly Newsletter Membership Members receive regular mailouts and newsletters covering specific issues and seeking member comment, notifying any significant Goverment policy changes. Annual Conference The 3rd Annual Conference of Workability International 12th – 15th October 2004 – Christchurch Convention Centre, Christchurch, New Zealand

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