pass it to me!

Inclusion. It’s a word that is used widely these days – from the playing field, to multicultural events, and even politics.

For people with disability, opportunities to get involved in sport, recreation, and active life have grown hugely in the past thirty years. In Australia, our Paralympic heroes, Wheelchair AFL and the ITF Wheelchair Tennis Tour are no longer in the shadows. All Abilities competitions are thriving around the country, and the NDIS and other funding has made it easier for people to find regular support to get to training, participate in recreation, and try new ways to exercise and make active friends.

People with intellectual disability have not had the same experience of inclusion in the world of popular sport – particularly mainstream local sport and recreation. This book is all about changing that!

This book is for two groups of people:

People with who need easy language materials to learn about their right to inclusion in sports and recreation groups. This includes people with intellectual disability.
Leaders of sports and recreation organisations, including clubs, teams, and community groups who want to learn about the best and most efficient processes for supporting the inclusion of people with intellectual disability in their activities.

Proudly supported by Freedom Solutions Australia and South East Water.

Submissions and Policy

Submission to the Productivity Commission (2017)

Commissioned study to review the costs of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

To read more about the study and review, click here.

Electoral Inclusion

Rights, barriers and global campaign strategies for voters with intellectual disability. A report prepared with the support of the Victorian Electoral Commission.

Review of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic)

Click here for more information about the Review.

Volunteering and the NDIS: Discussion Paper (2016)

Click here for more information about the paper

Volunteering and the NDIS Submission Discussion Paper

Read our Submission to the Development of the State Disability Plan (2016)

Click here for more information about the plan

Review of the Disability Standards for Education (2015)

Click here for more information about the Review

Victorian Ombudsman’s Investigation into Disability Abuse Reporting (2014-2015)

Click here for more information about the Investigation

Inquiry into the Social Inclusion of Victorians with a Disability (2014-2015)

Click here for more information about the Review

Exclusion in Pictures

GP Statement of Evidence Form

A form for GPs working with people with disability prior to NDIS commencement

Please click on the PDF form to download it, print it and give it to your GP. Alternatively, your GP can fill out the form online then save it and email it to you.

Your GP must complete the first two pages. then any of the sections that are relevant to you. You can then bring it into planning meetings with funding agencies. This form is designed to provide clarity around your assessment needs.

Download Form

Taking That Extra Step: A Volunteer Manual

Inclusion Melbourne’s award winning volunteer program has 230 dedicated volunteers who support people with intellectual disability as Leisure Buddies, Art Mentors, Community Connectors, Counsellors, and Tutors. Our Board of Directors is voluntary and Inclusion Designlab is supported by several volunteers and students. Our model of social inclusion would not thrive without the support of these special people. Inclusion Melbourne has been supported by BGKLLEN to update its Taking That Extra Step manual, first launched in 2011. Taking That Extra Step (2nd Edition) offers all organisations the opportunity to become more inclusive of people with intellectual disability. It also offers disability support organisations a suite of tools to grow an inclusive volunteer program so that local community members can contribute to the inclusion of people with intellectual disability. The new edition has been enhanced to cover:

An introduction to disability support practice
Updated policies and procedures for volunteer management
Case studies and stories of successful inclusive volunteer programs

For more information about Taking That Extra Step – 2nd Edition, contact Inclusion Designlab at projects@inclusiondesignlab.org.au

What We’ve Learnt

Seven Approaches to connect with your community

People with an intellectual disability are surrounded by opportunities to connect with their community based on their strengths, interests, skills and current community involvement. Connecting people with the local community and encouraging reciprocal relationships that build trust are valuable ways to support inclusion.

The seven approaches workbook assists family carers, friends and advocates to find opportunities for a person with a disability to connect with their community. The best results are achieved when a group of people who know the person well each use a copy of it. It can also be filled out collaboratively in a group meeting or distributed to people in the person’s networks.

Download PDF version

NDIS Readiness and Quality for Support Organisations

NDIS Readiness

The National Disability Insurance Scheme is changing the disability support landscape and creating a rapidly expanding marketplace for participants and organisations. How will your organisation adapt internally and externally? What will your business boundaries, product offering and service model look like?
Inclusion Designlab has engaged global experts in practice, personalised supports, and quality to produce a three volume guide, complete with video interviews and presentations. These resources will help your organisation take the first steps toward NDIS readiness.
Click on each of the 3 volumes below to download a PDF and scroll down for video resources.

To enquire about a printed copy, please email us at projects@inclusiondesignlab.org.au

NDIS Readiness Volume 1

Practice Leadership in Disability Support Organisations

NDIS Readiness Volume 2

Driving up Quality in Disability Support Organisations

NDIS Readiness Volume 3

Choice and Control in Disability Support Organisations

NDIS Readiness Interview Series

Julie Beadle Brown – Implementing a Practice Model: Part 1

Julie Beadle Brown – Implementing a Practice Model: Part 2

Bev Murphy – From Presence to Inclusion

Chris Fyffe – Maximising Choice and Control through an Insurance Scheme

Christine Bigby – The NDIS: A New Landscape

Jane Tracy – Health, Choice and NDIS: Part 1

Jane Tracy – Health, Choice and NDIS: Part 2

Tim Stainton – Citizenship and Individualised Funding

Tim Flowers – Disability and a Fair Go: Part 1

Tim Flowers – Disability and a Fair Go: Part 2

Practice Leadership in Disability Support Organisations

NDIS Readiness Volume 1

Download a preview PDF of Practice Leadership in Disability Support Organisations

Driving up Quality in Disability Support Organisations

NDIS Readiness Volume 2

Download a preview PDF of Driving Up Quality in Disability Support Organisations

Choice and Control in Disability Support Organisations

NDIS Readiness Volume 3

Download a preview PDF of Choice and Control in Disability Support Organisations

Faith. Community. Inclusion

Faith Communities and Inclusion

Release: Early 2017

Inclusion Melbourne is in the initial stages of developing a new support model for people with intellectual disability who wish to have a deeper level of engagement in their faith, faith community, and faith identity.

What We’ve Learnt

Working Together Well

A guide to building a stronger working relationship

Inclusion Melbourne partnered with researchers at Southern Cross University, the University of New South Wales, and RMIT University to create Working Together Well. This project drew from the priorities determined by people with disability, and support workers, following a research project about relationships and recognition in paid support relationships.

This guide provides young people with disability and their support worker with the opportunity to have their say about what is important in their life. The activities in this guide can be completed together, and aim to help two people get to know each other when they start working together. This guide can be used at any point in a relationship to guide a pair in working together in a way that is mutually beneficial to both people.

The publication is also available through the National Disability Services Innovative Workforce Fund

Download PDF Version

Choice

A new model that empowers people to make choices about lifestyle, daily activities, support and citizenship

While choice is often spoken about, as a practical task it is far from easy to implement. Developed in partnership with RMIT University, this toolkit consists of five guides that support people with a disability, families and support providers to understand and explore the principles of choice. It also provides examples, worksheets and other practical tools to support people to develop their choice making abilities.

To organise a copy of the Its My Choice Toolkit (Total of 5 books) – please contact the team at projects@inclusiondesignlab.org.au

It’s My Choice! Volumes

Click on the individual volumes to download in a PDF format

1. The Principles of Choice

2. A Guide for People with a Disability, their Family Carers, Friends and Advocates

3. A Guide for Disability Support Providers

4. Film and Discussion Guide

5. A Knowledge Review

The 9 Principles of Choice

For more details on the Principles of Choice please download Volume 1 above.

Principle 1

I have the right to make choices throughout my day. These are called mundane or everyday choices.

Principle 2

I have the right to be who I choose to be. These are called lifestyle choices

Principle 3

I can choose what I want, my hopes, dreams, and goals. These are called pervasive choices.

Principle 4

All actions to pursue choices start with me. I am the source and originator of my own choices. Choice is diverse.

Principle 5

My choices are likely to be greater and more expansive where I have more knowledge and experience to inform them. Building knowledge and experience is important to making choices informed by past experience.

Principle 6

My personal experiences may be limited by money, experience or what is possible. Nobody is completely free to choose and pursue any choice they wish. What is important is whether the limitations I experience are reasonable or not.

Principle 7

I have the right to exercise my choice to the greatest degree possible without interference or competence-inhibiting support. All support must be competency-enhancing.

Principle 8

Support for choice-making can take place where necessary at several places in my journey: I can learn from others by discussion, by seeking guidance, listening to other people’s experiences and discussing challenges.

Principle 9

Choice is a continuing journey and not just a one-off action.

It’s my Choice! discussion guide and films

Click on the image below of Volume 4. Film and Discussion Guide to download in a PDF format.

This Film and Discussion Guide refers to the three short films on this page about making your own choices. Use this guide to help with discussions about the choices being made by Sarah, David and Aaron in each film.

In Sarah’s own time.

David’s Artful choices

It’s not that simple, it’s not that easy

It’s My Choice Training

This training session will focus on the “It’s My Choice!” toolkit that was developed by Inclusion Melbourne in partnership with RMIT. The toolkit looks at choice as a concept and the ways in which we can assist the people we support to make informed choices.

Topics to be covered:

The It’s My Choice! 9 Principles of Choice
The key issues surrounding choice for people with disability: informed choice vs false choice; choice and the NDIS; citizenship; respecting past choices, and planning for the future
Reasonable and unreasonable limitations to choice?
The latest techniques that can be used to ensure people have informed choice
How individuals can assist in the choice making process, through involvement with a Circle of Support.

Best suited to: disability professionals, advocates and family carers.