RECOGNISING HUMAN POTENTIAL AND EMPOWERING THROUGH SERVICE AND ADVOCACY

Peter Norden, A.O.Vice Chancellor’s Fellow

Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne

A.C.E. National Disability Conference

• How can you best strengthen the capacity of your sector to act as advocates?

• How can you bring about change for jobseekers with disability and the services that support them?

• How do you go about strengthening the voice of your sector in a time of change and great challenges?

A.C.E. National Disability Conference

• What I seek to present to you today:

1. The importance of recognising the potential of those with whom you work

2. The ongoing need to empower those with whom you work

A.C.E. National Disability Conference

• How can you best strengthen the capacity of your sector to act as advocates?

• How can you bring about change for jobseekers with disability and the services that support them?

• How do you go about strengthening the voice of your sector in a time of change and great challenges?

A.C.E. National Disability Conference

• Brian Howe: Weighing Up Australian Values:Balancing Transitions and Risks to Work and Family in Modern AustraliaU.N.S.W. Press, March 2007

The emphasis should be on the value of investing in people: they are our society’s human capital…

A.C.E. National Disability Conference

Australian Bureau of Statistics Reports:

1. 1999: Early School leaving (yr 10):• 44% people with a disability• 29% people without a disability

2. 2003: Labour Force Participation:

(Disability, Ageing & Carers No. 4430.0)• 54% people with a disability• 81% people without a disability

A.C.E. National Disability Conference

• Brian Howe:

Weighing Up Australian Values:

Balancing Transitions and Risks to Work and Family in Modern Australia

U.N.S.W. Press, March 2007

A shift in Australian social policy from welfare to risk management … investing in ways to facilitate the employment of people with a disability

A.C.E. National Disability Conference

• EMERGING FROM THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS…….

CHALLENGES FOR YOUR SECTOR:

• Need for Federal Government to invest in expanding labour market policies, especially in the area of education and training…. making people more employable during the recovery.

A.C.E. National Disability Conference

SHUT OUT: The experience of People with Disabilities and their Families in Australia. FACSIA, August 2009

“the concept of ‘giving someone a break’ fails to recognise the important economic benefits of ensuring skilled individuals are able to participate fully in the economy”.

A.C.E. National Disability Conference

• CONCLUDING COMMENTS:

• How to sustain your commitment?

• Continue to recognise the full human potential through your direct service

• Make the commitment to advocating for and empowering those whom you serve

© Copyright The University of Melbourne 2008