IT is vital we celebrate the many great achievements of people living with disability here in Greater Geelong.<\/p>\n
Council has a clear vision and policies to support this; Geelong is uniquely positioned as the Australian headquarters of the National Disability Insurance Scheme and 3 December each year is International Day of People with Disability.<\/p>\n
As chair of the City of Greater Geelong’s Disability Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee, and someone living with disability, I recognise how incredibly valuable this recognition can be.<\/p>\n
That’s why events like the Geelong Awards for People with Disability are so important.<\/p>\n
More than 20 per cent of people in the region live with disability, and these awards are an opportunity to celebrate those doing outstanding work in advocacy, leadership, empowering others and volunteering within the community.<\/p>\n
This year four winners were chosen from 19 outstanding nominees, all of whom have committed to making Geelong a more inclusive and welcoming place for everyone.<\/p>\n
The awards, held last week at Geelong Library and Heritage Centre, celebrated their 10th anniversary and coincided with the International Day of People with Disability, which aims to promote community awareness, understanding and acceptance across the globe. The warmth and genuine joy in the room was infectious for all who attended.<\/p>\n
Since 2002, the City has published a Disability Access and Inclusion Plan every four years to measure our progress towards this goal.<\/p>\n
The most recent plan, published last year, identified six community priorities: physical access, inclusion and participation, employment, lived experience engagement, communication, and respect and understanding.<\/p>\n
In the two decades since the initial plan, we have made significant progress towards creating a community that is fully accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities.<\/p>\n
We have created more inclusive services and improved the accessibility of buildings, footpaths and parking.<\/p>\n
As of 2024, the Geelong region boasted the second highest number of Changing Places (accessible adult change facilities) in Australia, just slightly behind Melbourne.<\/p>\n
And this year we have invested in a range of infrastructure projects and community initiatives to make our region a better place for all to live, work and play.<\/p>\n
The recent opening of the Rippleside Inclusive playspace demonstrates just how cherished our accessible public spaces are by the community.<\/p>\n
The new playground has already become a much-loved place for families and carers of people with disability.<\/p>\n
The play space features a range of equipment supporting neurodivergent children or those with sensory sensitivities, as well as accessibility features for people with mobility challenges.<\/p>\n
Along our coast, people with mobility challenges have also been able to experience beaches in a whole new way, with free accessible beach wheelchairs installed at Eastern Beach, Ocean Grove and Indented Heads.<\/p>\n
These chairs act as a floatation device, enabling users to travel across the sand into the water to enjoy a broader scope of experiences at the beach.<\/p>\n
These projects have been delivered in response to ongoing engagement with people with lived experience of disability.<\/p>\n
The Geelong Awards for People with Disability and this year’s inaugural ROAM Geelong arts festival were co-designed with people with lived experience of disability, which greatly improved accessibility and inclusivity for all attendees.<\/p>\n
Their unique perspectives and insight have been invaluable, and it goes to show how important it is that we listen to people with disability living in our region. Together, we can work towards a Greater Geelong that can be accessed and enjoyed by all, and enables everyone to find their ability in their everyday life.<\/p>\n
Cr Anthony Aitken<\/p>\n
Corio Ward, City of Greater Geelong<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
IT is vital we celebrate the many great achievements of people living with disability here in Greater Geelong. Council has a clear vision and policies to support this; Geelong is uniquely positioned as the Australian headquarters of the National Disability Insurance Scheme and 3 December each year is International Day of People with Disability. As […]<\/p>\n