Page 1429 - Week 05 - Thursday, 13 May 2021
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and brochures. Easy English training has already been completed for 75 staff members from across the justice system to learn how to develop accessible documents.
The most pressing current issue for people with disability, as well as for their families, carers, disability support providers and broader support networks, is the challenges and uncertainty that COVID-19 continues to present. We know that this new environment has brought challenges that continue today, with reduced human contact, reduced social participation and reduced inclusion of people with disability. We know that the job losses have affected everybody, and that includes employment and jobs for people with disability.
There have been really impressive efforts to support better access to technology and better working-from-home arrangements. The online world has opened up in a way that would have taken years prior to COVID-19.
I would like to reiterate the ACT government’s commitment to providing the support and information that people with disability, their families and the sector need to meet these challenges and uncertainties. Comprehensive information and links to further assistance and resources were made available on the Community Services Directorate website immediately following the outbreak of the pandemic, and this continues to be updated as new challenges are identified and new measures are put in place to address them, including vaccinations.
The ACT government has worked closely with community and sector stakeholders to develop and implement an action plan under the COVID-19 Disability Strategy, with $850,000 allocated through stimulus funding to support this.
Over recent years, the ACT government has been a leader in changing the policy approach for disability policy. This is being achieved by approaching disability policy through the lens of the social model of disability. This recognises that disability is the result of physical, attitudinal, communication and social barriers.
Here in the ACT, we have an opportunity to continue our role as leaders in this space. The disability pride movement is one which is gaining momentum across the world and takes a step beyond the social model.
I would like to take a moment to echo the words of poet and disability rights activist Laura Hershey’s seminal poem You get proud by practicing:
Remember, you weren’t the one
Who made you ashamed,
But you are the one
Who can make you proud.
Just practice,
Practice until you get proud, and once you are proud,
Keep practicing so you won’t forget.
You get proud
By practicing.
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