Disability Inclusion Action Plan

Our Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2021-2022

Disability Inclusion Act 2014, s 13(1)

In February 2022 Council adopted our Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) 2022-2026. CN’s initial DIAP (2016-2019) included 57 actions across 18 objectives. We achieved significant progress in multiple areas across the organisation, with 55 of the 57 actions completed or progressing towards completion and the remaining 2 completed by means other than the DIAP. CN’s DIAP 2022-2026 includes 35 actions across 13 objectives and 4 focus areas.

We have made the following progress against 4 focus areas:

Positive attitudes and behaviours Liveable communities

• Hosted an open invitation meeting of the Access Inclusion Advisory Committee for the public to attend and meet the new Advisory Committee

• Delivered an Inclusive Conversations Forum on

Unpacking Vulnerability in the Newcastle context, which was developed using an inclusive platform to enhance online accessibility

• Undertook Library services focused on disability inclusion training and planning

• Held public exhibition of Draft DIAP 2022-2026, including creating promotional videos with

Auslan embedded within the video and a standalone version (Respective links: https://youtu.be/2FdyyqfRDdU and https://youtu.be/o57ogUUxraY)

• Engaged members of the Access Inclusion

Advisory Committee, people with lived experience of disabilities, employers, senior managers and disability service providers to promote the DIAP public exhibition period, comment on disability inclusion and promote inclusive events

• Worked with external stakeholders to assist, develop and support their DIAP actions

• Created a new community/voluntary services capacity-building program called NewConnects with a module on Access and Inclusion and held pilot sessions of the program for refinement. Full rollout in 2022/2023 • Delivered new accessible park infrastructure

• Improved our lift capability at City Hall

• Consulted with the Access Inclusion Advisory

Committee regarding inclusive events

• Presented at the Accessible and Inclusive Tourism

Conference for the Asia-Pacific regarding accessible tourism opportunities in Newcastle

• Planned for accessible and inclusive features to be delivered via New Annual, a significant cultural program

• Delivered inclusive programs via our Libraries,

Museum, Art Gallery and other programs

• Delivered approximately $7 million on Local

Centre upgrades in the public domain to increase accessibility and hub connectivity

• Commenced community consultation and engagement related to the Principal Pedestrian

Network, a mapped network of existing and future pedestrian routes that support activity and accessibility into and around key destinations such as neighbourhood and retail centres, schools, parks and transport stops

• Delivered West End Streetscape project, which includes increased accessibility features, completed East End Public Domain Project (Stage 1), including new shared paths, and commenced

Newcastle Ocean Baths upgrade - delivered new, safer cycleway connectivity on Hunter Street

West and Queens Wharf

• Continued working with Variety, the Children’s charity, to develop the flagship Livvi’s Place inclusive regional playground and waterplay area in Foreshore Park

• Provided a grants stream specifically related to social inclusion to encourage grant applications related to disability inclusion

• Provided a grants program via CN’s Count Us In

Program to assist small organisations and other individuals in hosting inclusive events and activities. Examples included accessible fishing at the Hunter Wetlands, inclusive drumming workshops, Families Supporting Families inclusive disco, health and nutrition workshops for people with disabilities and art workshops for the Deaf community

Employment

• Developed an internal Disability Employment

Network with a specific dedicated communication channel

• Commenced a monthly communication program to facilitate, inform and promote inclusion across the organisation

• Provided disability awareness and Auslan training for staff, flexible working arrangements and carer's leave provisions

• CN's People and Culture Staff, including those involved in recruitment and training, attended the

Hunter Disability Expo 2022 and the Count Us In

Newcastle Business Breakfast

• Supported the Art of Digital Storytelling program to enable people with disabilities to learn new digital skills for employment

Systems and processes

• CN, via our Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2022-2026, is committed to WCAG 2.1 AA for website accessibility. This commitment will improve accessibility for 3 major groups: users with cognitive or learning disabilities, users with low vision and users with disabilities on mobile devices • Our progress towards more accessible content relies on training more staff to create accessible content and ensure information and

Communication Technology (ICT) systems procured by CN are considered in terms of accessibility for people with disabilities, for both staff and community

• Delivered resources and support on how to create inclusive content

• Established a Customer Experience team that is required to consider access and inclusion across its work program

• Provided Customer Service staff with training opportunities related to disability inclusion and accessing information

• Our newly adopted CSP, Newcastle 2040, includes an overlapping theme of inclusion, ' a place for everyone', that is interwoven across 4 themes

• Delivered the Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2022-2026 and the CSP Newcastle 2040 in multiple formats, increasing accessibility

(L-R) Manager Community Planning and Development, Petria Jukes, Cr Margaret Wood, CN staff Susan Denholm and Steve Warham, staffing the CN stall at the Hunter Disability Expo, May 2022.