Page 1036 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 21 March 2012
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MS HUNTER: I table the following paper:
Planning, Navigation and Meaningful Opportunities: Post school options for young people with disability in the ACT—Discussion paper, prepared by Meredith Hunter MLA, dated March 2012.
MS BURCH (Brindabella—Minister for Community Services, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Women and Minister for Gaming and Racing) (3:22): I thank Ms Hunter for bringing this motion before the Assembly. As has been noted, transition points in anyone’s life can be a time of great uncertainty and anxiety. For many young people leaving school it can be a particularly stressful time for them and their families. For students with a disability the transition between full-time school and post-school life can be complex, generating a mix of feelings alongside a range of opportunities and challenges.
I welcome the opportunity through this motion to highlight to the Assembly some of the ways in which this government has sought to support graduates, and their families, as they look to plan how they will live their adult life. All young people have a unique and important role within their families and their social networks and as contributing members of the social, cultural and economic life of our community.
Consistent with the vision that “all people with disabilities achieve what they want to achieve, live how they choose to live and are valued as full and equal members of our community”, young people with a disability leaving school should have the same opportunities to contribute in our community as any young person. Some young people need help and guidance for a short period after they leave school to find their vocation and to establish their lives. Others will need ongoing and sustained support to participate in our community. The ACT government continues to assist young people with a disability to enhance their capacity to contribute to the life of our community.
Firstly, as Ms Hunter’s motion notes, planning for a post-school life generally has a more positive outcome if begun at an early stage. As stated in Future directions: towards challenge 2014, all people with a disability should be able to obtain assistance to plan in advance for life transitions such as leaving school, starting employment, beginning a relationship, leaving home, maturing and growing old.
Disability ACT has developed a futures planning framework to support this process and assist individuals and their families in planning for a good life. This is a practical guide to encourage and assist people to undertake formal planning and it contains information on current planning supports, research on best practice, barriers to planning, as well as new initiatives. It also provides families and individuals with resources to assist them in the process.
Disability ACT engages early with people in ways that enable them to explore life options. A range of services has been established over the years to encourage and support early engagement and planning for life transitions. This includes a comprehensive information and support hub, the DISH, the disability information
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