Disability Coordination Office ACT - Negotiating the Maze

This summary is modified from the draft Federal Budget Summary compiled by the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (ADFO).  It includes information a range of Budget measures including: 

• Carers Bonus - one off payment
• Health Care Card for ex-Carer Allowance (child) students aged 16-25
• National Disability Coordination Officer Programme
• National Disability Advocacy Programme
• Childcare - Inclusion Support Subsidy
• Extra Vocational Rehabilitation and the Disability Employment Network Places
• Amend the Social Security Act in relation to Job Capacity Assessments
• Review of Disability Support Pensioners
• Renegotiation of the Commonwealth State/Territory Disability Agreement (CSTDA)
• Respite Support for Carers of Young People with Severe and Profound Disabilities
• Continence Aids Assistance Scheme  to include children aged 5 to 15
• Treating patients with chronic and complex conditions

As part of the 2007-08 Federal Budget, the Australian Government yesterday announced an additional $12.2 million for the National Disability Advocacy Program (NDAP) that will be provided over four years to:

The Federal Minister for Vocational and Further Education, the Hon Andrew Robb AO MP, announced $8.7 million in new funding over 4 years to assist people with a disability to access post-school education and training.

The National Disability Coordination Officer (NDCO) Program will fund a national network consisting of 31 Disability Coordination Officers. These officers will offer information, coordination and referral services for people with a disability who are interested in, or enrolled in, post-school education and training.

The new program will replace and strengthen the current Regional Disability Liaison Officer and the Disability Coordination Officer programs with additional funding for remote and rural regions. 

The new program will commence operation on 1 January 2008, following an open tender process. The current Regional Disability Liaison Officer and the Disability Coordination Officer programs will be extended until 31 December 2007 to ensure no loss of continuity in the provision of services.

Read the Official Press Release.

National Disability Services News Update: 27 February 2007

Further to the News Update of 4 December 2006 advising that ACROD's name would change to National Disability Services Limited (NDS), the new name and brand are now being rolled out around Australia.

More than 75% of members represented at the ACROD AGM on 29 November 2006 voted in favour of the change. Once the transition is completed, the new name and brand will help NDS project a consistent and modern image. The legal procedures required to make the change have been completed and the new brand is being progressively implemented around Australia.

While members will still be able to access the website through the old address, the new address is www.nds.org.au.

New staff email addresses follow a standard format This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it although members will continue to be able to contact NDS staff through the old email addresses.

Contact Information: Ken Baker, NDS National Office, Ph 02 6283 3203, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

20 February 2007

The Willing and Able Mentoring (WAM) Program is operating a little differently this year.

With funding from the Department for Victorian Communities, over the next two years we are assisting the establishment of a mentoring program for disengaged youth who have a disability in the Strathbogie Shire in rural Victoria.

In collaboration with Tim Hart (DCO Sydney), and with funding from DEST, we are training past WAM mentees (tertiary students/graduates who have a disability) to be mentors for secondary students who have a disability in the Sydney area.

We are also hopeful of running a WAM Program pilot for the Australian Public Service Commission, matching tertiary students who have a disability with mentors in the APSC as a pilot project to encourage more government departments to support WAM Program and increase employment of people who have a disability in the government sector.