2017-2021 Disability Inclusion Action Plan - Easy Read

Lake Macquarie City Council Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2017–2021 We want to know what you think Easy Read version

How to use this document

This information is written in an easy to read way. We use pictures to explain some ideas.

This document has been written by Lake Macquarie City Council. When you see the word ‘we’, it means Lake Macquarie City Council.

This Easy Read document is a summary of another document.

You can find the other document on our website at www.lakemac.com.au

You can ask for help to read this document.

A friend, family member or support person may be able to help you.

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What’s in this document?

About this plan

4

About Lake Macquarie

7

The laws and agreements that apply

9

What the community told us

13

What we have already done

17

Our approach

21

Checking on our progress

31

Contact us

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About this plan

Lake Macquarie City Council wants to be a city that is fair to everyone.

We want to make Lake Macquarie:

• accessible for people with disability – they can use all the services and facilities in our city

• inclusive of people with disability – they can take part in our programs and activities

• responsive – we listen to people and give them what they need.

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The Disability Inclusion Action Plan explains what we think we could do to support the rights of people with disability in our community.

In this document we call it the Plan.

The Plan is an outline of what we will do over the next 4 years.

The Plan is part of our Lake Macquarie Community Strategic Plan 2017 – 2027.

The Strategic Plan explains our values and goals.

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This Plan is a draft document.

We’d like you to read it and tell us what you think.

When we knew what the community thought, changes were made to the Plan.

Your ideas will help us make the Plan better.

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About Lake Macquarie

There are more than 204,000 people living in Lake Macquarie.

It is the largest city in the Lower Hunter region.

Our population is the 7th highest in NSW.

We expect there will be 24,450 more people by 2036.

Lake Macquarie takes up more than 780 square km.

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Our landscape has: • beaches • lakes • mountains.

Lake Macquarie has: • 51 community halls and centres, men’s sheds and surf clubs • 14 child care centres • 122 sports fields • 8 skate parks • 29 boat ramps • 111 playgrounds • 6 swim centres • 4 Lake Mac beaches • 10 libraries • 9 cemeteries • 106 public toilets.

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The laws and agreements that apply There are different laws and agreements that help make sure people with disability: • have access • are included.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN Convention) is an international agreement.

It applies all around the world.

The UN Convention sets out the rights of people with disability.

It explains how people with disability should be treated fairly.

The Commonwealth Government has agreed to follow the UN Convention.

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The Commonwealth Government used the UN Convention to develop the Commonwealth National Disability Strategy 2010–2020 (NDS).

The NDS is a 10 year plan to make life better for: • people with disability • families • carers.

It applies all around Australia.

Lake Macquarie follows the UN Convention.

Since 2016, Lake Macquarie City has been part of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

The NDIS is a new way of providing support to people with disability.

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The NDIS has created a lot of change for: • the community • the disability sector.

The Commonwealth Government also follows the rules in the: • Disability Discrimination Act 1992 • Disability (Access to Premises Standards – Buildings) Standards 2010.

The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 says it is against the law in Australia to treat people with disability unfairly.

The Disability (Access to Premises Standards – Buildings) Standards 2010 make sure new buildings or old buildings that have changes to them are accessible.

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In New South Wales There are also laws just for the state of New South Wales:

• Local Government Act 1993

• Local Government (General) Regulation 2005

• NSW Anti-Discrimination Act 1977

• Disability Inclusion Act 2014.

The Disability Inclusion Act 2014 tells us we have to:

• make our services accessible and inclusive

• write this Disability Inclusion Action Plan.

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What the community told us We talked to about 300 people while we were developing the Plan, including:

• people with disability

• families

• local service providers

• carers

• high school students

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• stakeholder groups – people who might be affected by the Plan, such as: o the Hunter Disability Network o the Community Care Network

• our Ageing and Disability Panel.

People told us their ideas in different ways, these included:

• visiting the project webpage

• going to meetings for local service providers and groups

• a High School Leavers Expo for Students with Disability

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• a workshop with the Ageing and Disability Panel

• our online ideas wall

• a survey.

They told us we could:

• have a positive way of looking at and doing things

• create places for young people to get together

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• provide more: o changing places o accessible parking o drop-off areas for mini-buses

• make wheelchair access better at our beaches and community facilities

• develop an app that gives people information about accessibility at local events and facilities

• share more information about accessible facilities on our website

• give people with disability better opportunities for: o work o volunteering o networking – meeting other people with disability.

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What we have already done

In 2010 we created the Ageing and Disability Panel (the Panel).

The Panel gives us advice about the issues that affect: • older people • people with disability • carers.

It includes: • older people • people with disability • carers • local service providers • council staff.

The Panel talks about:

• how to find and use our services and facilities

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• getting around in our community by using: o footpaths o transport

• housing

• health

• activities.

We’re committed to making our facilities: • better • more accessible.

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We have already made a lot of improvements, including:

• an all abilities playground – Lake Macquarie Variety Playground

• a changing place facility at Speers Point Park with: o a hoist o an adjustable bed o an accessible toilet and shower.

• accessible facilities at Lake Mac beaches including beach wheelchairs

• beach matting at Caves Beach

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• 16 accessible public toilets

• accessible libraries – all branches

• accessible toilets and pool hoists at Lake Mac Swim Centres

• accessible parking and facilities at boat ramps

• accessible facilities at 2 holiday parks.

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Our approach

The Plan has to last for the next 4 years.

The Plan will focus on 4 areas:

1. Developing positive ways of thinking and acting in our community.

2. Creating communities that are nice for people to live in.

3. Helping people find good jobs and work they like doing.

4. Having good ways of doing things that will assist people to use our services.

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These are the things we think we should do.

We want to know what the community thinks.

We want to make sure we will be doing the right things.

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Developing positive ways of thinking and acting in our community We want:

• our staff to have a better understanding of disability and inclusion

• people to know more about how Assistance Animals can be used in our facilities

• people to be more aware of people with disability in the community

• make our events and activities more accessible and inclusive

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• break down barriers to inclusion

• connect with local businesses to teach them about access and inclusion.

We’re planning to: • teach our staff about what life is like for people with disability and what we do to support them

• provide signs about Assistance Animals at council facilities

• include people with disability in the information we publish

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• look at the guidelines we have for our events and update them

• offer people with disability free activities where they can: o meet other people o develop new skills

• follow up on access problems we are told about

• keep the Ageing and Disability Panel going

• talk to local businesses about the good things that come from being accessible.

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Communities that are nice places for people to live We want to:

• provide more Changing Place facilities

• work out which sports and recreation facilities need to be improved

• provide better access to our community facilities

• provide better access to our beaches and waterways.

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We’re planning to:

• add a Changing Place facility when we upgrade Toronto Swim Centre

• work out which sports and recreation facilities need to be made more accessible and get started on fixing them

• work out how we can make Lake Macquarie Performing Arts Centre more accessible

• look at what options we have to make Lake Mac Beaches more accessible.

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Work and jobs

We want to find out how many people who work for us have disability and what we can do to support them.

We want to create more opportunities at council for people with disability to: • work • volunteer.

We want local businesses to create more opportunities for people with disability to work with them.

We’re planning to:

• survey our staff about disability and how we can support them

• look at the way we do things to see if it is right for people with disability

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• learn more about employing people with disability

• give people with disability more opportunity to work with us as volunteers

• help local businesses understand the good things that can come from giving people with disability a job.

The way we do things We want to make sure we give people in the community the information they need from us in the way that is right for them.

We want people in the community to know about the events and facilities we have that are accessible.

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We’re planning to:

• teach our staff about accessibility

• make sure all the information we share online is accessible • offer the communication support people need at our facilities such as hearing loops and magnifiers

• keep our website updated with information about access to our: o facilities o playgrounds o parks o beaches o events

• keep the National Toilet Map up-to-date

• look at how an app might assist people to get information about accessibility in our town centres.

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Checking on our progress

The Ageing and Disability Panel will keep track of how well things are going.

Every year we write our Annual Report.

When we write the report we will talk about things that are in the Plan.

We will talk about the progress we have made.

We will talk about what we have achieved.

We will also tell the NSW Disability Council about our achievements.

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When the Plan ends in 4 years, we will:

• look at how well things went

• develop a new Plan.

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Contact us

We want to know what you think about the ideas in our Plan.

There are different ways you can tell us what you think: (02) 4921 0333 Box 1906 Hunter Region Mail Centre NSW 2310

lakemac.com.au haveyoursaylakemac.com.au/disabilityinclusion

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