Draft Disability InclusionAction

Plan 2017-2021 (DIAP)

FOR COOLAMON SHIRE COUNCIL

Table of Contents

A message from the General Manager

NSW Disability Inclusion Act 2014

About this Plan

Legislation and Standards that inform Council’s Work

Developing the Plan

Community Consultation

People with Disability in the Shire

Monitoring and Reporting Progress

Strategies and Actions

Definition and Acronyms and Photo Credits

References

Coolamon Shire Council is happy to provide this DIAP document in an alternative format if required.

Alternative formats include:

  • In an electronic format
  • In hard copy format in both standard or large print
  • On request, by email
  • On request, verbally read

Please contact Coolamon Shire Council to request an alternative format.

A message from the General Manager

Welcome to the Coolamon Shire Council’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) 2017-2021. Coolamon Shire Council is committed to delivery services, facilities and information to our community.

Council is working towards creating a community that is accessible and inclusive of everyone and provides equal opportunity for people with disability. This plan defines how Council will make a targeted effort to reduce barriers that people face when living, working and visiting Coolamon Shire.

This is the first Disability Inclusion Action Plan for Coolamon Shire Council, which highlights the important role of Council as a leader in contributing to a more inclusive and accessible community. This plan has been prepared by Coolamon Shire Council with the assistance of community feedback and comments.

Although this is our first plan, we are proud of the achievements we have already achieved to ensure we have an inclusive community. We look forward to working with the community in implementing this new plan.

We would also like to acknowledge the assistance and support from community members and staff is the preparation of this plan.

Tony Donoghue
General Manager

NSW Disability Inclusion Act 2014

The Disability Inclusion Act 2014 defines disability as:

“The long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment which in interaction with various barriers may hinder the full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others”

Under theDisability Inclusion Act 2014, Councils are required to develop Disability Inclusion Action Plans by July 2017.

About this Plan

Coolamon Shire Council’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan is a four year plan outlining strategies and actions to be delivered by Council in its commitment to disability access and inclusion within the Shire.Thisplandemonstrates Council’s commitment to people with disability on improving access to services, facilities and jobs and is also designed to change perceptions about people with disability.

Coolamon Shire Council is committed to:

  • ensuring that people with disabilities, their families and carers are able to fully access the range of services and facilities providing them with the same opportunities, rights and responsibilities enjoyed by all other people in the community;
  • ensuring that people with disabilities are given the opportunity to participate in shaping the development of their community through the consultative process with local business and industry;
  • consulting with people with disabilities, their families and carers and where required, disability organisations to ensure that barriers to access and inclusion are addressed appropriately;
  • ensuring agents and contractors work towards the desired access and inclusion outcomes in the DAIP; and
  • ensuring works undertaken within the Shire comply with access legislated requirements to provide a high level of access for all community members;

Coolamon Shire Council aims to provide an inclusive environment that is accessible to everyone. Under the Disability Inclusion Regulation 2014, councils must prepare a disability inclusion plan by 1 July 2017 to assist in planning and implementing improvements to access and inclusion. This plan will benefit many people in the community including people with disability, the elderly, young parents, and people from culturally diverse backgrounds.

This plan reflects Coolamon Shire’s Council Community Strategic Plan in meeting the following objectives:

  • Outcome 1.1 A maintenance of community values with any growth in population
  • Outcome 1.2 A high standard of services, facilities and infrastructure for all age groups
  • Outcome 1.3 A lifestyle with diverse entertainment, recreation and cultural opportunities
  • Outcome 4.1 Opportunities identified for diversified community leadership, inter-generational leadership and transition of youth into leadership roles
  • Outcome 4.2 Council as an organisation is consultative, participatory, encouraging and well managed

This plan will focus on the four key areas of:

  1. Developing positive community attitudes and behaviours
  2. Creating liveable communities
  3. Supporting access to meaningful employment
  4. Improving access to services through better systems and processes

Council will continue to strive to create a welcoming and inclusive community for all and work on delivering the outcomes in this plan.

Legislation and Standards that inform Council’s Work

  • Disability Services Act 1993
  • Disability Inclusion Act 2014
  • Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992
  • Australian Standard AS1428 – Design for Access and Mobility
  • Disability Access to Premises Buildings Standards 2010
  • Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)

Developing the Plan

Coolamon Shire Council is responsible for developing, monitoring, implementing, reviewing and amending this plan, and is led by the General Manager and Executive team. This includes ensuring that the plan is provided to staff and the community.

A large engagement processes was carried out to notify the community that this plan was being developed and that community involvement was important. A detailed overview of the consultation process is outline on the next page.

The below has been carried out to achieve this plan:

  • Council commitment – Council committed to preparing a Disability Inclusion Action Plan for delivery from July 2017.
  • Consultation – Community Survey and Community meetings were held in conjunction with reviewing the Community Strategic Plan.
  • Strategies and actions – Strategies and actions were prepared based on what the community told us was important.
  • Endorsement – The draft plan was placed on public exhibition and the community was given an opportunity to provide feedback on the plan.
  • Formally adopted and submitted– The plan was formally adopted by Council and submitted to the Disability Council of NSW.
  • Communicating the plan– The plan will be distributed to staff, section 355 committees and community members

Community Consultation

Information has been collected from the community to inform Coolamon Shire Council’s DIAP 2017-2021. Coolamon Shire Council engaged with communities for the review of the Our Communities 2030, Community Strategic Plan undertaken from 1 December 2016 to 10 February 2017. The purpose of the engagement was to obtain feedback on the existing outcomes in the original Our Communities 2030 Developed in 2010 and to gain new priorities or direction.

At the completion of the consultation period, 351 representations had been received from the community.

A range of engagement methods were utilised to ensure that a maximum number of community members had the opportunity to be heard. These included:

Presentations to six community – 63 in attendance

Street stalls at seven communities – 84 in attendance

Presentation to the year eleven and twelve students – 32 in attendance

Coolamon Shire Council Councillors tour of each of the communities – 11 in attendance

Results from the Community Satisfaction Survey Conducted 2016 - 500 Responses

Community Strategic Plan – Community Survey – 161 completed

Our Communities 2030 Community Strategic Plan review, Coolamon Shire Council Website - 265 total visits to the page

Emails and letters to Section 355 and local groups - 85 received information and an opportunity to comment

Coolamon Shire Council Newsletter – Delivered to every household in the Coolamon Shire

Newspaper articles / advertising – Temora Independent and Coolamon Chronical

Facebook

Flyers at each community and handed out through-out local businesses – 1000 printed

Findings from community consultation

While the review noted a great deal of achievement already in place, it also identified the below improvements, including:

  • Improvement of physical infrastructure for people with disabilities, for example footpaths and ramps;
  • Type of events and location that best includes the participation of people with disabilities; and
  • Upgrading information access and public consultation methods.

The identification of these barriers informed the development of strategies in the DIAP.

Coolamon Shire Council has advised the community and staff through the following channels that copies of the DIAP are available on our website and upon request in alternative formats:

  • Coolamon Shire Council’s website (with reference to the website link on the intranet for employees);
  • An email notification to all Coolamon Shire Staff; and
  • an articlein the Coolamon Shire Community News, which is circulated to all residents in the Shire

People with Disability in the Shire

The 2015 Survey of Disability, Aging and Carers (SDAC) told us:

  • Almost one in five Australians reported living with disability (18.3% or 4.3 million people).
  • The majority (78.5%) of people with disability reported a physical condition, such as back problems, as their main long–term health condition. The other 21.5% reported mental and behavioural disorders.
  • More than half of those with disability aged 15 to 64 years participated in the labour force (53.4%), which is considerably fewer than those without disability (83.2%). These results are consistent with those in the 2012 SDAC.

There were around 3.5 million older Australians in 2015, representing one in every seven people or 15.1% of the population. This proportion has increased from 14.3% in 2012, making it increasingly important to understand the characteristics and needs of older Australians.1

In 2011, 118 people or 4.8% of the population in the Coolamon Shire reported needing help in their day-to-day lives. In 2011, there were also 258 carers in the Shire providing unpaid assistance to a person with disability or long term illness.

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1ABS – Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia. Summary of Finding 2015

Monitoring and Reporting Progress

Council will report on its progress against the DIAP as part of its annual report. Progress reports will be prepared in January and July each year to monitor progress.

The diagram displays how the Disability Access and Inclusion Plan fits into the integrated planning and reporting framework for local government.

A full DIAP review will be carried out in January 2021.

Image source: Disability Inclusion Action Plan Guidelines – NSW Local Government and NSW Family and Community Services

Strategies and Actions

The four focus areas provide a framework for improving access and inclusion for people with disabilities. The following strategies and actions will guide tasks, that Coolamon Shire will undertake from 2017-2021.

Focus Area 1: Developing positive community attitudes and behaviours
Strategy / Action / Responsibility
Improve awareness of access issues for people with a disability to Councillors, staff and community members / Develop a‘Coolamon Shire Council Disability Inclusion Factsheet’ for staff to refer to and when necessary to provide to contractors and consultants / Executive Manager, Corporate and Community Services and Community Development Officer
Provide information to Councillors, staff and community members regarding this plan and it’s strategies / General Manager
Ensure staff and Councillors are aware of the Coolamon Shire Council DIAP and provide training for staff who have identified a specific need / General Manager
Provide regular updates to Councillors and staff on disability issues, legislation and requirements through team meetings, emails, intranet and newsletters / General Manager
New employees to be made aware of the DIAP and the Act requirements through the initial induction process / Employee and Public Relations Officer
Review policies and procedures to ensure alignment with Council’s DIAP / Executive Manager, Corporate and Community Services
New employees made aware of Communications and Community Engagement Policies containingaccessible information and the assistance available for people with specific communication requirements, including people with disabilities, speech or hearing difficulties / Employee and Public Relations Officer
Improve staff andCommunity understanding and attitudes towards people with disability and frequently promote where possible / Acknowledge, support and promote community events such as ‘International Day of People with Disability’ / Community Development Officer
Provide regular updates to the community on new programs and initiatives implemented by Coolamon Shire Council and promote positive news stories / General Manager
Raise awareness ofCouncil’s DIAP and accessibility issues with contractors and facilitators / Ensure tender documentation for community focused contracts and sponsorships include information about disability access requirements / General Manager and Executive Team
Ensure all contractors have the necessary information on the Coolamon Shire Council’s DIAP and the requirements for compliance and reporting / General Manager and Executive Team
Focus Area 2: Creating liveable communities
Strategy / Action / Responsibility
Council services,facilities and activities are accessible / Ensure that appropriate advice is gathered and considered before planning, designing and commencement of public facilities and upgrades / General Manager and Executive Team
Events and Council activities are accessible / Develop “Creating Accessible Events” guidelines/checklist that will assist Council staff, and community members involved in organising events to consider accessibility issues including parking, physical access and information needs / Community Development Officer
Ensure that all functions and events organised by Council are planned using “Creating Accessible Events” guidelines/checklist / Community Development Officer
Ensure advertising or invitations to public events held by Council notify the public of any access restrictions due to heritage buildings or construction works and invite attendees to specify the nature of their access requirements / Community Development Officer
Investigate the “Changing Places” toilet facilities Universal Access Card System with National Disability Services when establishing new public toilet facilities. / Executive Manager Planning and Environmental Services
Update Council’s ‘Managing a Successful and sustainable Event’ document to include access and inclusion information / Executive Manager, Corporate and Community Services and Community Development Officer
Provide Community access to Council facilities, infrastructure and buildings, and raising awareness to local businesses / Ensure that all buildings and facilities are physically accessible to people with disability / Executive Manager Planning and Environmental Services
Implement and conduct regular access audits to Council facilities, infrastructure and buildings recommendations to ensure accessibility issues are considered in future upgrades / Executive Manager Planning and Environmental Services
Ensure customer service areas are equally accessible to people with disability / Executive Manager Planning and Environmental Services
Ensure path, roadways, venues playgrounds are accessible to people with disability and their families and carers / Executive Manager, Engineering and Technical Services
Ensure that car parking (Coolamon Shire Council public car parks) meets the needs of people with disability including quantity and location. / Executive Manager, Engineering and Technical Services
Provide accessible library and information services in the Coolamon Shire Library / Executive Manager Planning and Environmental Services
Provide opportunities for staff and community members with disabilities to determine access issues / Executive Manager, Corporate and Community Services
Implement Active Transport Plan and investigate ongoing opportunities for funding applications / Executive Manager Planning and Environmental Services
Ensure signage is included in access requirements and audits / Executive Manager Planning and Environmental Services
Promote the construction of accessible buildings by providing information to developers and builders regarding the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Action, Disability Inclusion Action, Building Code of Australia and Australian Standards / Executive Manager Planning and Environmental Services
Prepare a “Making your Business Accessible” guide/brochure to support local businesses / Executive Manager Planning and Environmental Services and Community Development Officer
Develop and maintain the Coolamon Shire Council’s website and intranet to meet best practice and improve information access for people with disabilities. / Redevelop Council’s website to meet accessibility issues according to the Web Content Accessibility Guideline (WCAG) Version 2.0 Level A (minimum) / Executive Manager, Corporate and Community Services
Install the A A A text resizing facility on the Council’s website / Executive Manager, Corporate and Community Services
Maintain staff awareness of accessible information needs and how people with disability can obtain information in other formats. / Ensure flyers on events and activities are easy to read / Executive Manager, Corporate and Community Services
Ensure information and documents are readily available in formats that are accessible to people with disability / Executive Manager, Corporate and Community Services
Develop a webpage with information for staff and community members regarding accessibility and documents formats / Executive Manager, Corporate and Community Services
Ensure staff are aware of accessible information needs and how to provide information in alternative formats / Employee and Public Relations Officer
Record and monitor requests for assistance by people with specific communication requirements including people with disabilities, speech or hearing difficulties, or translation or interpretation services / Executive Manager, Corporate and Community Services
Focus Area 3: Supporting access to meaningful employment
Strategy / Action / Responsibility
People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to be employed by Coolamon Shire Council / Investigate and auditexisting and new volunteer work programs which are inclusive of people with disability / Employee and Public Relations Officer
Investigate the opportunity for work experience programs for people with disability / Employee and Public Relations Officer
Support staff with disability within the workplace / Undertake regular audits of the workplace and implement appropriate adjustments / Employee and Public Relations Officer
Assist managers to develop appropriate support plans for staff with disability when requested / Employee and Public Relations Officer
Ensure recruitment polices and processes take into account accessibility / Employee and Public Relations Officer
Focus Area 4: Improving access to services through better systems and processes
Strategy / Action / Responsibility
Ensure accessible and inclusive community engagement / Upgrade Community Engagement Policy and processes to deliver improve access and participation in Council community consultation / General Manager and Executive Team
Identify Council publications and documents that are to be made available in multiple formats / Executive Manager, Corporate and Community Services
Review Council customer service process to identify issues to access and communication for community members / Executive Manager, Corporate and Community Services

Definition and AcronymsPhoto Credits