Disability Coordination Office ACT - Negotiating the Maze

The National Youth Affairs Research Scheme (NYARS) is funding a research project looking at diversity in young people's participation in community and government decision-making. This research seeks to understand what promotes or inhibits partipation in decision-making by Indigenous young people, young people with a disability, young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds, culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and young people who've been under the guardianship of the Minister. The research is being conducted by Cultural and Indigenous Research Centre Australia (CIRCA), Dr. Ariadne Vromen at the University of Sydney and the Inspire Foundation, and the researchers are working with a youth advisory group. For more details on this project, contact Johanna Bell at CIRCA Research, ph: (02) 8585 1353.

Source: Youth Field Xpress Feb 2007 - Newsletter from the Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies

A new peak organisation for disability sport in NSW has been formed. The NSW Association of Disability Sports is up and running - and is now the umbrella for 19 organisations servicing athletes with a disability in NSW. Part of the NSW Sports Federation, the new Association will be primarily funded by NSW Sport and Recreation, as well as community and private sponsors.

The new Association will be a central point of contact for NSW disability sports organizations, providing coordinated direction, support services & networking opportunities.

For more information, contact Rita Jaber, Disability Liasion Officer, NSW Association of Disability Sport on (02) 8116 9737.

Source: IDEAS Inc E-News Issue 1, 2007

Dan Hill, the Chair of the Community Services & Health Industry Skills Council Council Board, is delighted to announce the official endorsement of the new Health Training Package HLT07. Endorsed by the National Quality Council on 25 January 2007, the Ministerial Delegates agreed to this endorsement on 12 February 2007. 

This endorsement brings to conclusion two significant projects: the development of the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Worker qualifications and the review of the Health Training Package.  
The new Health Training Package HLT07 has 86 qualifications, over 1,000 units of competency and provides a national framework for skills development in the health industry.

For the full media release, please visit: http://www.cshisc.com.au/load_page.asp?ID=242

To find out more about the training package, please visit http://www.cshisc.com.au/load_page.asp?ID=234

ACROD has been critical of the lack of consultation with the sector prior to changes to SWS arrangements. The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) will try to improve the current situation by developing guidelines for assessors based upon previous methods under FaCSIA. The guidelines will be rolled out with training sessions in each of the capital cities. DEWR has also commenced the development of an online process for the lodging of SWS assessments. DEWR is willing to address SWS difficulties and concerns experienced by DEN providers on an individual basis.

Source: ACROD News Update 12/2/07