VCOD email news for 2003

This week’s topics

VCOD’s news

·        Board for 2003/2004

·        VCOD Membership

·        Deaf Deaf World

·        Advocacy services in Wimmera in March

.

Other news

·        Cochlear Implant seminar

·        VSDC Camps

·        Monnington News

·        Inquiry into Disability Discrimination Laws

·        Call for feedback for Boroondara Council

·        Alice Ewing third instalment of her trip to Antarctic

·        Deaf Dog for adoption

·        2005 Deaflympics discussion Post

·        Caravan in Cowes with Teletext

·        Website address

·        Other events in brief

The following positions were announced at the recent Board meeting.

·        Ann Darwin           President

·        Berna Hutchins           Vice President

·        Barry Darwin            Treasurer

·        Secretary position on hold

Committee is

·        Pam Dethridge

·        Trisha Dench

·        Melissa Connor

·        Annette Fogarty

·        Matthew Wren

·        Brian Bernal

·        Kathy Fitzmaurice

Megan Grant has resigned

Lucky Draw prize to be win if you pay your membership to VCOD before 14^th March.  You will win one night accommodation at an apartment in the city and dinner. (Those who have paid their membership will be included in the draw.)

VCOD has now released the membership form for 2003 and you can join VCOD as an individual or an organisation.  Fee for individual is $30 ($5 rise due to overall cost of living going up such as stamps) and Organisations are $50 (no price rise)
You can ring Melanie on 9521 2466 to get a membership form or email admin@vcod.com.au or download from the web at  http://www.vcod.com.au/contactus/membership.html

Deaf Deaf World workshops will be held in Echuca, Swan Hill, Geelong, Bendigo and Mildura in the next two months.  To check dates, cost etc go to www.vcod.com.au/whatsnews and click on left column called Deaf Deaf World.  If you like Deaf Deaf World at your work, then contact Melanie for more information at admin@vcod.com.au

VCOD is pleased to announce Grant will be available for advice on Advocacy in the Wimmera region once a month.  His next visit will be on Monday 24th March from 9am to 5pm.  He will be working from the office of Community Axis in Horsham or he can drive to visit you at your home. For more information about the Grant visiting the Wimmera pls contact Grant at VCOD on info@vcod.com.au

Public lecture at the University of Melbourne (Sunderland Theatre, Medical Building) from 6pm to 7pm Tuesday 1 April - "Have Cochlear Implants Cured Deafness" by Professor Richard Dowell. People who are interested in attending must RSVP first - they can either email gael@unimelb.edu.au or phone 038344 9800.

A camp for families in being held in Gippsland (Coonawarra), which is being organised by VSDC.  For more information on this camp which is on March 21^st to 23^rd, please contact VSDC on 9510 7143 TTY or 9510 9961 voice or go to www.vcod.com.au/whatsnews/events and scroll to March

Monnington Early Intervention services would like to hear from any parents with three-year-old children who would be interested to participate in a bilingual kindergarten group.

This group will focus on language enrichment for deaf and hearing children in both Auslan and English. The program will be run by a kindergarten Teacher of the Deaf, Deaf Co-worker and a Speech and Language Therapist.

WHEN:  Thursdays from 10- 12.30 initially

WHERE: Monnington Centre,

                456 Springfield Rd

               Mitcham, 3132

COST:   $75 per term

For further details please contact Linda Saunders at Monnington on 9872 5577 (voice), 9872 5922 (TTY)

An inquiry that could potentially influence the way employment laws
operate, the Productivity Commission is to investigate federal disability discrimination laws. The Commission says the inquiry into the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 'will examine the social impacts of the legislation on people with disabilities and on the community as a whole.'
The Commission has been asked 'to assess the costs and benefits of the Act and its effectiveness in achieving its objectives, which in summary are to:

·        eliminate as far as possible discrimination on the grounds of disability,

·        ensure equality of people with disabilities before the law,

·        promote recognition and acceptance of the rights of people with disabilities.'

There are currently some tensions between laws that say you have to protect the health and safety of employees and those that say you can't discriminate against an employee with a disability. The Commission says the inquiry is relevant not only to people with disabilities, but to 'businesses and those involved in overcoming disability discrimination.'
The Commission has said it will publish an issues paper 'shortly' and will be holding public hearings in May. A draft report is scheduled for September 2003, with a report to the Government required by 5 February, 2004.

Further details are available in the detailed terms of reference.
http://www.pc.gov.au/inquiry/dda/index.html

Council recently released its draft Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2003-2006 for community consultation.  The document is available on Council's website www.boroondara.vic.gov.au

and on audiotape on request.

We wish to ensure that the final document is one that meets community needs and expectations and reflects Council's commitment to access and inclusion. To this end we are endeavouring to generate as much community feedback as we can, along with advice from specialist and statewide bodies.

Your feedback, ideas or suggestions will be very much appreciated. Please feel free to submit informal responses via phone and email - or written submissions if you would prefer, too

Rosanne Cregan, City of Boroondara, Private Bag 1, Camberwell  3124

Go to www.vcod.com.au/whatsnews/media and read her story of her trip off a lifetime

Deaf puppy in the adoption section.  He is a 9 week old Heeler cross - don't know what other breeds he has in him, but he looks like he will end up a medium size dog, short hair with mixture of black, white, tan and has brown and white spotted paws.

There was a sign on his door to say that he is deaf and needs a special sort of family to raise him and care for him.

may be a Deaf family or person out there who would be interested in him. He is a lovely pup, The telephone number is 5978 6706.

An independent forum for people who want to discuss the 2005 Deaflympics has been set up.  To join type a blank email to deaflympics2005-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and you will become a member of the discussion group.

A Caravan park in Cowes near Phillip Island has teletext subtitles TV.

The full details of caravan park can be found at :- http://tol.aaatourism.com.au/details.asp?sit=2&sid=VIC&rid=110&aid=1&pid={FEF3291B-2FD6-4CAF-8999-F8324FC31639}

http://members.dodo.net.au/~dorothyobrien/

A book for any parents thinking of the cochlear.  Dorothy O’Brien has written this book and there are discussions with parents who have had success, not so successful and parents who decided not to have it. Order forms are available at this web site.

Theatre News

Charlie and Chocolate Factory

WHERE:  Altona City Theatre, 115 Civic Parade, Altona (Melways Map 54 H10)

WHEN:   Saturday 15^th March 2.00PM

COST:   All Tickets $5

Buy tickets at VSDC services for Deaf Children

That’s the ways the news is for this week.

Please feel free to add any news you have by emailing to Grant at info@vcod.com.au

From Melanie, Fiona, Melissa and Grant

VCOD Staff