The Disability Information and Resource Centre

The Department of Families and Communities (DFC) has provided some one-off funding in 2011 to start a state-wide autism project (SWAP) to develop a service improvement framework for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Part of the one-off funding is allocated to undertake a “consumer and service provider survey by an independent contractor”.

The South Australian (SA) service improvement framework for ASD will be structured to reflect the key phases of the journey that an individual with ASD (and their family) will travel; diagnosis and assessment, early intervention, education, employment/day options, long-term care and care in advanced age. Mental health across the lifespan will also be addressed. Family support that encompasses adaptation to the diagnosis and at times of transition will also be a key component of the framework.

The intention of the framework is to drive improvements in services to achieve optimal outcomes for all South Australians with ASD through the provision of equitable, timely and effective services and support. The framework will also seek to reduce variations in support by outlining the services that all people with ASD should expect to receive from the Australian health and disability sectors, across the continuum of the condition.

The aims of the stakeholder consultation are:

1. To explore the experiences of key stakeholders with autism services within SA, and
2. To identify actual and perceived barriers and facilitators from the perspective of key stakeholders to the delivery of optimum services to people with ASD.

The stakeholder consultation is being conducted by Manya Angley Research and Consulting (MARAC), an organisation independent of Autism SA. Your responses will be anonymous and be treated confidentially.

If you prefer to communicate your views via the on-line survey, it may be accessed at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8PBXJ3D. Alternatively, if your preference is to participate in a semi-structured interview, which can be conducted by telephone, Skype or face-to face at your convenience, please contact: Manya Angley, Director of MARAC, to register your interest Ph: 0400 951 179 or email: manya@marac.com.au

It is anticipated that the survey or interview will take about half an hour.

Carers of adults with a mental illness find it difficult to access the Carer Payment and the Carer Allowance. In 2004, the government reported that 1.3 million Australians are missing out on the Centrelink benefits designed to help them to participate in the community.

Carers Victoria are conducting a survey to find out more and to inform government what needs to be done to ensure that carers of adults with a mental illness get the payments they are entitled to.

There are two ways you can participate:

1. An online survey (allow around 15 minutes to complete).
2. Via telephone conversation or interview (allow around 30 minutes).

For more information, click here, or you can send an email to Penny Paul to register your interest.

Due to the large amount of interest in the Tellus Survey at the DIRC Disability and Ageing Expo last week, Purple Orange have extended the closing date for responses to Sunday August 21 at 5pm.

Participating in the survey could win you an iPad 2!

The Tellus Survey is developed by Purple Orange to gather information from people living with disability about their lives.

Findings from the previous survey has informed a number of policy submissions including; National Human Rights Consultation, National Disability Strategy, and Disability Care and Support, as well as three Tellus reports; Having Choice and Control, Accessibility, and Disability Funding – Where should it go?

Any person living with disability or any member of the disability community is invited to participate.

How to complete the survey

• Complete the survey online at www.surveymonkey.com/s/JFA_Living_with_Disability_Survey
• Obtain a hard copy version by calling Purple Orange on freecall 1300 857 327 or (08) 8373 8333 or emailing admin@purpleorange.org.au
• Completing an electronic version of the survey and saving the completed version on a CD which can be sent back. To obtain the electronic version please contact us as above
• Calling Purple Orange on 1300 857 327 or (08) 8373 8333 and giving your responses verbally over the phone

For more information contact Robbi Williams at Purple Orange by emailing robbiw@purpleorange.org.au or calling (08) 8373 8333 or freecall 1300 857 327.

Dorothy Bowes from Allergy, Sensitivity & Environmental Health Association Qld Inc. (ASEHA Qld Inc) is conducting a survey as part of developing the Multiple Chemical Sensitivity GP guidelines and is asking people to complete a short survey. If you suffer from MCS at any level, they would really appreciate you making the time to complete it and email it to them.

Find the survey here – http://www.sacfs.asn.au/news/2011/08/08_04_survey_based_on_the_mcs_criteria.htm

Purple Orange is conducting the second Tellus survey to gather information about the experiences of people living with disability. Completing the survey will allow you to highlight the issues that are important to you. All participants are eligible to win an iPad 2.

Full details can be found here.

The Australian Network on Disability (AND) is a member based not for profit organisation that assists its members in developing better employment and customer services practices for people with disability.

Most of the major Australian banks are members of AND. AND are helping one bank review the objectives set out in their Disability Action Plan (DAP). The DAP is effectively a strategy for improving business practices which might currently result in discrimination against people with disabilities. Development of such a plan is encouraged by the Australian Human Rights Commission.

The bank’s DAP includes actions aimed at improving the customer service needs of people with disability. The review by AND includes a survey of bank customers with disability to assess the current accessibility of all of the major Australian banks.

As part of this project AND are seeking people with disability who are willing to complete a short survey on the barriers they face when doing their banking. The survey will take about 10 minutes to complete. The information can be provided anonymously and all questions are optional. No personal financial details are asked for in this survey – it is only about your experiences and suggestions.

All responses will remain anonymous and your privacy is assured.

http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/557738/AND-Banking-Customer-Service-Survey-June-2011

If you have any issues with the accessibility of the survey email info@and.org.au for assistance.

The first Australian 1 in 4 Poll is seeking people to respond to a survey on social inclusion. The Poll can be completed by:

• people with disability; and
• carers who are family members or who are paid. Carers can support a person with disability to complete the survey or can complete it themselves.

The information will be used by the researchers – Deakin University and Scope – and by National Disability Services (NDS) to influence government policy and inform future practice and research.

The 1 in 4 Poll is a national survey, to be conducted at regular intervals over the next 3 years. It takes its name from the fact that disability touches the lives of one in every four Australians – either directly or indirectly in the case of carers. It aims to provide a vehicle for people with disability to voice their opinions on current social issues.

The results from this survey may assist in building impetus for a National Disability Insurance Scheme and the implementation of the National Disability Strategy.

The work4dementia project aims to find out about community care workers’ thoughts about their jobs, workplaces and caring for people with dementia. The project explores workers ideas about future care and the workplace.

The project is looking for support workers to complete an online survey about their experiences caring for people with dementia. All information collected is kept confidential.

For more information and to take part visit http://www.set.utas.edu.au/psychology/work-4-dementia.

The National Career Development Research Project Survey concludes this Friday 11 March.

The purpose of the survey is to provide the Australian Government with an evidence base for the development of a National Strategy for Career Development for young Australians.

All young people with a disability who complete the survey will have the chance to win a $500 prize!

The Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) has contracted Urbis, an independent social research company to conduct a survey of young people around the country, as well as teachers, parents, government representatives and employers. The purpose of the survey is to provide the Australian Government with an evidence base for the development of a National Strategy for Career Development for young Australians.

All young people with a disability who complete the survey will have the chance to win a $500 prize. It is expected that there will only be some 200 participants so the chance of winning is high!

The survey will seek to explore views on:

• Young peoples’ preparedness for work and the information and advice they receive
• Major gaps in young peoples’ skills and their readiness for work, as well as ways in which these gaps can be addressed
• Who plays a role in supporting the career development needs of young people

A link to the online survey will be forthcoming in the near future.

If you are interested in promoting the survey online more information can be found in the Project Information Sheet.