April 2005

Conference looks at changes to service demands

The 2005 Council of Intellectual Disability Agencies (CIDA) Conference will focus on the practical ways in which workers, managers, organisations and policy-makers can respond to the changing demands on services and supports for people with disabilities.

The Tools for the 21st Century national conference will be held at Melbourne Park Function Centre on May 12 and 13.

It will also explore issues and dilemmas in supporting people with disabilities, especially within an emerging framework of individualised support and funding, as well as strategies for addressing those issues.

Guest speakers include:

• Barbara McIntosh—Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities Co-Director (UK). The foundation undertakes research and projects, turns research into practical solutions that make a difference to people’s lives and provides training and consultancy to providers and funders of services;

• Doreen Kelly—Partners for Inclusion director, Ayrshire and Renfrewshire (Scotland). Partners for Inclusion supports people with intellectual disabilities who have been in long-term institutional care, young people leaving special school looking for jobs and further education—some of whom wish also to leave their family home and set up their own home—people whose service has not previously worked for them and who want an individualised service designed around their needs and wishes and people with mental health disabilities leaving institutional settings;

• Agnes Samler—Community Living Toronto (CLT) Chief Executive Officer. CLT is one of the largest not-for-profit organisations of its kind in North America with a staff of more than 1,200 and close to 1,000 volunteers providing residential, employment and community support services to more than 6,000 people with intellectual disabilities and their families.

• Diana Paton—Thistle Foundation Chief Executive (Scotland). After 60 years of supporting and caring for people in largely residential services, Thistle has spent the last 10 years creating a range of services to support people with disabilities to live more independent lives. All of the organisation’s residential services have now closed and the focus of support has moved to person-centred services based in people’s own homes. The organisation has adapted as funding moves from service organisations to the individual with the user increasingly exercising choice over the kind of service that best suits;

• Dr Yoland Wadsworth—Swinburne University of Technology Institute for Social Research Program Convenor. She has worked in human services as a research and evaluation practitioner, facilitator and consultant for 33 years and has authored two national best sellers—Do It Yourself Social Research and Everyday Evaluation on the Run.

CIDA is a peak body for non-government, not-for-profit organisations that provide services to people with an intellectual disability.

• For more information contact CIDA on 8415 0155, fax 8415 0166 or email cida@bigpond.com.au.