Being included in the community
Information on this page:
Summary: The Act has three key areas that focus on the inclusion and participation of people with a disability in the community
Information sheet 2 — participation in the community (PDF 152KB) provides an overview of these three key areas:
Victorian Disability Advisory Council
The Disability Act provides for the functions and membership of the Victorian Disability Advisory Council (external link.)
The Victorian Disability Advisory Council provides advice to the Minister for Community Services on issues that affect people with a disability across all government services.
The Victorian Disability Advisory Council is a way for people with a disability to have a say in decision making on whole-of-government policy issues.
Most Council members must be people with a disability and they must come from a range of different backgrounds.
State Disability Plan
The Victorian State Disability Plan 2002 to 2012 (PDF, 144 KB) emphasises the importance of people with a disability being included and participating in their local communities.
The Act says that the current plan will continue until a new plan is required in January 2013.
Disability Action Plans
A Disability Action Plan is a plan to:
- reduce barriers for people with a disability as community members
- make it easier for people with a disability to use services available to all Victorians.
The Act says that all public services—government departments, statutory authorities and statutory corporations—must have a Disability Action Plan. Statutory authorities and statutory corporations will be identified through regulations.
The Office for Disability (external link) is supporting the implementation of Disability Action Plans.
Public services must report on their Disability Action Plan every year, to make sure the plans are put into practice.