Disability Action
Plan
2009–10
One of the key principles of a
library is that access is provided
equally to all citizens of the
community it serves.
If you require
further copies of this plan or have any queries, please contact
either:
|
|
HR
Consultant |
|
State
Library of |
People
and Property |
|
TTY 03
9639 7006 |
State
Library of |
|
info@slv.viv.gov.au |
slv.vic.gov.au/services/disability/index.html |
|
Phone 03
8664 7005 |
Phone 03
8664 7255 |
State Library of
January
2009
Foreword
Welcome to the
Disability Action Plan 2009–10 of the State Library of
The Library
continues to meet requirements and obligations in relation to State,
Commonwealth and International anti-discrimination legislation, charters and
conventions. However, it does so as a matter of good governance and positive
attitude towards disability, social inclusion and
fairness.
The State
Library of Victoria serves a socially and culturally diverse community. By their
very nature, libraries are accessible institutions; however, physical, technical
and attitudinal barriers continue to create additional difficulties for people
with disabilities. These barriers are not deliberate but often originate because
of lack of thought, understanding or consultation.
Our Disability
Action Plan 2009–10 makes a commitment to specific actions, 24 in all, over the
next two years, to ensure that people with disabilities can access and
participate in the Library’s services.
The Library’s
Disability Action Plan will remain an active document, with all staff playing a
role in its success. It enables the issues of disability access to be core to
planning all aspects of development at the Library – from building maintenance,
public-space refurbishment and workforce planning, to technology
upgrades.
The Disability
Action Plan has the solid support of senior management at the Library. The plan
has been guided by informed specialists, by people with disabilities, and by
community organisations with experience and knowledge.
In particular,
I would like to acknowledge and thank the Library’s Disability Action Plan
Working Group and the guidance provided by the Office for Disability, Department
of Planning and Community Development.
Anne-Marie
Schwirtlich
Chief Executive Officer and State
Librarian
January
2009
Table of
Contents
|
|
|
|
Foreword |
3 |
|
Introduction |
6 |
|
Understanding
Disability |
8 |
|
Legal,
Social Inclusion and Fairness Issues |
10 |
|
Access
and Engagement by People with Disabilities |
14 |
|
Building
on Current Practices and Case Studies |
16 |
|
Developing
the Disability Action Plan |
19 |
|
Outcome
Areas and Goals |
20 |
|
Implementing,
Monitoring, Reporting and Reviewing |
21 |
|
Actions,
Performance Measures and Responsibilities |
22 |
Disability
action plans allow for creative thinking and a variety of clever measures
combined with strategy, timelines and indicators that will do a great deal of
good.
A disability
action plan will allow organisations to reap the benefits – social, economic and
legal – of including a significant proportion of the
population.
Dr Rhonda
Galbally AO
Chair,
Victorian Disability Advisory Council
January
2008
(Quote from
‘Adapting to Disability: A guide to disability action plans in
The State Library of Victoria is the state’s major
reference and research library, responsible for collecting and preserving
The Library actively promotes ready access to a
comprehensive collection of Victorian documentary material and to worldwide
information resources to enrich the cultural, educational, social and economic lives
of Victorians.
In achieving this, the Library’s efforts are guided
by a set of values:
|
Innovation We
recognise and embrace new technologies, ideas and opportunities to
improve, grow and develop as individuals and as industry leaders in a
challenging environment. Collaboration We
work together and with partners, sharing knowledge and resources to
advance universal access to information. Engagement We
work to understand, connect and meet the needs and expectations of our
communities in the most appropriate ways. Excellence We
provide an outstanding service at all times in a professional and ethical
manner. Respect We strive to create an open and caring
community by valuing and supporting individuals, and acknowledging the
strength of diversity. |
The State
Library of Victoria strives to provide leadership to the wider Victorian public
library network; over many years it has encouraged and actively supported public
libraries to improve their services for visitors with disabilities. This Disability Action Plan builds on the
Library’s record of promoting access and participation for people with a
disability.
This
plan demonstrates a practical
approach to ensuring that the Library’s services and programs are accessible and
inclusive. It provides the Library’s strategic framework to effectively address
barriers to access, engagement and employment for people with a
disability.
The plan
outlines how the Library will seek to improve access to all facilities,
information services and employment opportunities, to support people with a
disability to participate in all aspects of community life, with dignity and
equity.
The Library’s
Disability Action Plan establishes new priorities for the next two
years:
1.
Reducing
existing barriers to people with a disability accessing library services,
programs, events and facilities, both onsite and online.
2.
Ensuring
visitors with disabilities and their carers have information and communication
that is accessible to them.
3.
Promoting staff
awareness of the requirements of employees and visitors with
disabilities.
4.
Developing
strategies that promote systemic change to create an inclusive environment for
people with disabilities.
The Library
will register the plan with the Australian Human Rights
Commission.
The Library is
also developing a comprehensive new program for Victorian Government funding. iConnect is an
integrated series of actions that go to the heart of supporting children and
families in lifelong learning, reducing educational inequality, promoting
wellbeing, and strengthening communities. This initiative will be integral to
the Library’s social inclusion agenda commencing 2010–11, subject to funding
availability.
Understanding
Disability
The 2003 Disability, Ageing and Carers report by
the Australian Bureau of Statistics identified that there are 3.9 million people
with disabilities in
The major and
most common disability groups are:
·
Mental illness,
especially depression. Symptoms vary widely and can include mood changes,
psychotic episodes, auditory and visual hallucinations, and delusions. One in
five Australians will be affected by mental illness at some stage in their
lives. Schizophrenia is a significant cause of disability and usually starts
between the ages of 15 and 25. It ranks as a major factor in youth
suicide.
·
Sensory
disabilities, especially age-onset hearing impairment. Hearing-impaired people
have a mild to moderate degree of deafness, communicate by speech, and typically
would not think of themselves as ‘deaf’. Age-onset hearing impairment affects
communication, particularly in terms of the ability to comprehend what other
people say. Visual impairments affect about 80,000 Victorians, and around six
per cent of these are completely blind.
·
Physical
disabilities, especially musculo-skeletal disorders. Approximately 14 per cent
of the Australian population has a physical disability. This includes people
with spinal-cord injuries, cerebral palsy, arthritis and rheumatism. Faced with
a physical environment that is inaccessible, people with physical disabilities
find that their ability to access goods and services, engage in community events
or contribute to life is severely limited.
·
Intellectual
disabilities. People with intellectual disabilities may learn slowly and have
significantly below-average intelligence as measured by standard tests. The
disability is generally defined as having an onset before 18 years. There are
about 40,000 people in
Barriers
contribute to disability. According to the UN Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities, disability results from the interaction between
persons with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinder
their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with
others.
Based on data
provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2003), people with disabilities
do not have the same opportunities as other citizens in many areas of life such
as employment, income, education and housing:
·
The average
weekly income for a Victorian with a disability is $274, compared with $501 for
a Victorian without a disability.
·
Only 55 per
cent of people with disabilities of working age participate in the paid
workforce, compared with 81 per cent of workers without
disabilities.
·
Only 32 per
cent of people with disabilities who work are full time employees, compared with
54 per cent of employees without disabilities.
·
19.7 per cent
of Victorians with a disability completed Year 8 or lower or never attended
school, compared with 5.2 per cent of Victorians without a
disability.
·
People with
disabilities are 50 per cent more likely to live in state housing than those
without a disability.
Office for
Disability
Department of
Planning and Community Development
(Quote from ‘A
United Step Forward: A plain English guide to the United Nations Convention on
the Rights of People with Disabilities’)
Legal, Social Inclusion and Fairness
Issues
The Library
provides Victorians with diverse options to access information, both onsite and
online and in so doing, acknowledges the value and equitable rights of people
with a disability to engage and participate in the
community.
Responding to
legal requirements
Good access and
engagement makes sense on legal, social and fairness
grounds.
The State
Library of Victoria must also address other important and related state and
commonwealth legislation and various codes and guidelines, including
the:
·
Disability
Discrimination Act 1992
(Commonwealth)
·
Equal
Opportunity Act 1995
(
·
Victorian
Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities
·
Building Code
of
·
Australian
Standards for Access and Mobility (AS1428 Suite of
Standards)
- UN Convention
on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Ratified by
The
Victorian Disability Act 2006
provides the framework for a whole-of-government approach to enable people with
a disability to actively participate in community life.
Section 38 (1) of
the Act specifies that a
- reducing barriers to persons with a
disability accessing goods, services and facilities
- reducing barriers to persons with a
disability obtaining and maintaining employment
- promoting inclusion and participation in
the community of persons with a disability
- achieving tangible changes in attitudes
and practices which discriminate against persons with a
disability
In addition, the Act requires reporting on the
implementation of the Disability Action Plan.
The State
Library of Victoria also has a responsibility under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992
(Commonwealth) to provide
equitable access to its services, programs and facilities for people with any
form of disability including physical, intellectual, sensory, psychiatric,
neurological and acquired brain injury. The State Library of Victoria recognises
disabilities and impairments defined under this act.
Accessing
information, ideas, inspiration
In 2006, the
State Library of Victoria embarked on an innovative new four-year program called
slv21: Creating the Library of the
21st century.
This initiative
is:
–
putting information into the hands of all Victorians when and where they want
it, free of charge
–
opening the State’s unique holdings of Victorian materials for immediate online
access through a comprehensive digitising program
–
showcasing and interpreting this unique material on the Library’s dedicated
website, entitled A Place Called Victoria
–
giving online access-on-demand to other information resources in the Library,
opening a virtual gateway to the digital information world
–
providing online support for users through:
·
an
extended online reference service
·
investment
in front-end technology to give users the 21st-century feel and
functionality when searching for information
–
supporting all Victorians in participating in the world of information,
through:
·
learning
programs to help all Victorians access and use the Library
·
online
curriculum-based support for schoolchildren everywhere in
·
specialised
technical support for disadvantaged groups and
communities.
Achieving
this in the digital world requires a shift in planning, in investment and in
collaboration. Reinventing
the Library to meet the needs of the 21st-century user acknowledges that the
challenges of a rapidly evolving digital environment must continue to be
met.
The Library has based its planning for slv21 on the Declaration of
Principles (2003), issued by the World Summit on the Information Society.
The declaration highlights the fact that the ability to access information,
ideas and knowledge in all its forms is essential in building an information
society.
To continue to serve its users in the
digital world, the Library is providing diverse pathways for users, as and when
they seek information, by giving them the means to access resources from a range
of digital-delivery options.
The Library is committed to making
substantial investment in existing and emerging technologies to effectively meet
the information needs of Victorians, especially meeting disability access
standards.
In
2007–08, visitors to the State
Library amounted to a staggering 45 per cent (or 493,883 in number) above the
estimated target. Library exhibitions attracted 635,197 visitors; most notably,
over 110,000 visitors flocked to see the Library’s prestigious exhibition The Medieval Imagination during its
82-day season in 2008.
To
July 2008, over 270,000 items had been digitised and made available online.
There have been over 15 million website visitors in the two-year period from
June 2006; 235 learning and literacy events have been delivered to regional
Victoria, reaching over 12,000 people; and around two million visitors per year
go to MyLanguage,
Vicnet’s
community-language
portal, which provides access to search engines, web directories and
news in over 60 languages.
Championing the
social, cultural, intellectual and economic benefits of a knowledge society is a
key focus for the State Library of Victoria. Providing strategic opportunities
to deliver these benefits presents challenges and responsibilities which are
being addressed in the Disability Plan and in the forthcoming iConnect funding
proposal.
A Fairer
Providing better support to improve the
wellbeing and life choices of people with a disability has been a focus of A
Fairer Victoria
since its inception in May 2005. Assisting people with a disability and
their families to participate in the same way as other Victorians is integral to
this policy.
The Library is guided by the Victorian
Government’s State Disability Plan 2002–12 in the planning and delivery of more
individualised supports for people with a disability.
Equally importantly, by
building opportunities for all Victorians to participate, we can reduce
disadvantage and strengthen social inclusion.
A Fairer
Strong People,
Strong Communities
May
2008
Access
and Engagement by People with Disabilities
The State
Library of Victoria is committed to putting into practice the principles of
equality of access and workplace diversity. The Library continues to assess policies
and procedures to ensure that people with a disability have the same fundamental
rights as other people when accessing and engaging with the Library’s
services.
The Library
continues to:
·
provide
information in accessible formats
·
recruit for a
diverse workforce
·
purchase
accessible services
·
recognise
people with disabilities as consumers of services
·
consult with
people with disabilities to find out what they need.
To further
facilitate access and engagement by people with disabilities, the Library has
implemented a series of policy, service and building improvements, as
follows:
·
a disability
services policy
·
specialised,
targeted front-of-house services for visitors with a disability and their
carers
·
a
customer-services librarian
·
a dedicated
Disability Access Room, available 68 hours a week.
·
a draft State
Library of Victoria Disability Action Plan, developed in 2005. While this
earlier plan was never registered, it has provided broad organisational goals in
the promotion of access and services to people with a disability.
The Library’s
dedicated Disability Access
Room is
located in the Information Centre, near the entrance to the Genealogy Centre. It
offers a range of adaptive and assistive technologies and equipment to primarily
assist users with vision impairments and motor-skill
disabilities.
Specialised
software includes Zoomtext, Jaws, Duxbury Braille Translation, Kurzweil 1000,
Dragon Naturally Speaking, and UReader. Other associated equipment to assist
people with disabilities includes Braille Blazer Embosser Printer, Merlin, and
ScanR.
Other
equipment available in the Library’s reading rooms includes closed-circuit
television, audio loops, large-screen monitor, tracking ball and keyboard, as
well as reading-assistance equipment.
Other
major initiatives include:
·
the
development of a Disability
Awareness Kit,
used in intensive training with public library staff
·
the
awarding of the Pierre Gorman
Award, sponsored by
the Library in alternate years, to a public library service for an innovative
program in disability services.
In
2008 the Goldfields Regional Library Corporation received the $15,000 Pierre
Gorman Award to extend library services to aged-care centres around
In 2006 the
award for innovation in library services to support people with disabilities in
the community went to Denece Sippo of East Gippsland Library
Services.
·
the
Library’s partnership project with the Victorian Public Libraries Network. The
specific initiative was about using public libraries as service points for
DAISY
players and DAISY books,
used by people with print disabilities
- recent Vicnet initiatives, which have focused on improving
access to online information and have included the delivery of a Department of
Planning and Community Development–sponsored specialised internet training
program for people with disabilities.
Building on Current
Practices and Case Studies
Vicnet’s
My Connected Community (mc˛)
An initiative of
the Victorian Government’s Connecting Victoria Strategy, the Vicnet program
provides Victorian community groups with training and support to set up websites
and publish online.
mc˛ offers
participating groups a variety of free, easy to use web-based services which
they can use to communicate with existing members and like-minded communities
across the world by creating their own online groups.
Community based
groups include disability groups and their carers, seniors’ clubs,
special-interest groups such as sporting clubs or hobby groups, support groups,
not-for-profit organisations, local government entities, state government
agencies and peak bodies.
The program
helps alleviate social isolation, enables community groups to form social
networks and share information and knowledge with groups of similar
interest.
I
have shopped, searched the web, and been in communication with all of my
colleagues and friends. mc2 has transported me to be a successful IT
user, given me opportunities unheard of ten years ago. mc2 provides
opportunities for all people with a disability to access and be included in the
community and be supported. We have prided ourselves in our ability to train
other people with a disability and have been ably supported by
Vicnet.
William
Peacock, Disabled Motorists Association
mc2
has broadened my contacts with other people with similar interests and led to
enrolling in Certificate I Information Technology at Goulburn Ovens TAFE,
Benalla Campus. I have made a new group of friends with like interests. We share
emails, funny stories and companionship. I am proud that I’ve set up a group
called Polio Movers and hoping to attract some more members from far and wide to
share stories of how polio has affected our lives and how positively we cope
with it.
Participant
from the Benalla Senior Citizens
mc2
is a fantastic way to network with like-minded ladies when we live some
distances apart. I love keeping in touch and hearing plans for meetings, get
togethers, etc. Really helps us to cope with the drought and other stresses that
we experience in rural communities.
Member of the
Women’s Network
Vicnet’s Skills.net Roadshow
Skills.net
Roadshow provides onsite internet training and access to Victorian communities
in metropolitan and regional areas. The program undertook a comprehensive
state-wide approach to building community capacity through the delivery of
internet training and access services at a grass roots level. The program has enabled 6865 computers
to be located in community settings, provided funding for 414 organisations,
trained 107,676 people at 1028 locations, provided 515,909 training hours, and
872,672 public internet access hours.
Priority target
groups were Victorians with a disability; unemployed and underemployed
Victorians; Victorians living in rural and regional areas; Victorians from
non-English-speaking backgrounds; women; Indigenous Victorians; and people over
55 years of age.
Digital Storytelling for People
with Disabilities
In 2008, the
State Library of Victoria trialled a training program in partnership with
Melbourne City Mission, in researching and creating digital stories for people
with disabilities.
International Day of People with
Disability
On 3 December
every year, International Day of People with Disability is celebrated worldwide
to recognise the achievements and contributions of people with disability.
To celebrate the day in 2008,
Library staff were presented with an
information session about i-access online services by Vision
‘Font sizes
need to be larger and signage more obvious, particularly for the toilets and for
the upstairs exhibitions.’
‘Being
visually impaired, I needed extra help and he was very
helpful.’
‘For a person
with hearing aids, the ambient sound is disruptive.’
‘They need a
variety of seating, particularly in reading rooms, for people with different
needs.’
Feedback from onsite
visitors
Customer Satisfaction
Report
State Library of
Victoria
May
2008
Developing
the Disability Action
Plan
Establishment of
a Disability Action Plan Working Group
A Disability
Action Plan Working Group was established in September 2008 with broad
representation from Library staff. The Working Group included expertise in human
resources, building and facilities, community outreach, exhibitions and events,
access and information services, collection management, technical services, and
policy development. The working group facilitated consultations with Library
staff during the development of the new Disability Action Plan. The consultation
process also raised staff awareness of the Library’s purpose, goals and
objectives in the development of the plan.
Consultation
with the wider community
The Library
sought feedback from onsite visitors with a disability who access services, view
exhibitions and participate in events. Comment and feedback was also sought from
the Office for Disability, Department of Planning and Community Development,
Arts Access
It is the
Library’s intention to consult people with a disability on an ongoing
basis.
Outcome Areas and
Goals
The State
Library of Victoria’s Disability Action Plan identifies goals for the next two
years under the broad outcome areas, as follows:
1.
Accessible
services and facilities
Goal:
All programs, services, events and exhibitions, onsite and online,
are delivered in ways that meet access requirements of people with
disabilities. 2.
Accessible
and inclusive information and communication
Goal:
Information and communication about Library programs and services
is available in a user-friendly and accessible format for people with
disabilities, especially those with a visual
impairment. 3.
Awareness and
understanding of the access requirements of people with a
disability
Goal:
All staff trained and aware of the Library’s Disability Action Plan
2009–10 and their responsibilities in promoting the Library as inclusive
of people with disabilities.
Goal:
Diversity in employment is encouraged, including the provision of
equitable employment opportunities for people with
disabilities. 5.
Consultation
and complaints process
Goal:
All Library onsite and online visitors are able to provide feedback
on ways to improve services and programs as part of the Library’s approach
to continuous improvement. |
Implementing, Monitoring,
Reporting and Reviewing
The Library has
endorsed the Disability Action Plan and has made a commitment to its
implementation in 2009–10.
The Executive
and senior management team will ensure that this plan remains relevant and
integral to the Library’s business planning and reporting process, and that the
broad outcomes and actions form part of the Library’s divisional business
planning and reporting framework.
The Disability
Action Plan Steering Group will be convened to take on a monitoring and
reviewing role as the Disability Action Plan Advisory Reference Group, for the
period of the plan’s operation.
The Disability
Action Plan Advisory Reference Group will also play an important role in
monitoring progress on the implementation of the actions contained in the plan
as well as providing assistance with the resolution of issues and/or complaints
related to the disability area.
A monitoring,
evaluation and review schedule will be developed to enable the measurement and
assessment of actions and outcomes, to inform continuous improvement. The
schedule will identify how these steps will be undertaken, who will be
responsible and whether the collection of new data is required. A review of the
Disability Action Plan’s achievements and the appropriateness and effectiveness
of actions will be undertaken annually and before the preparation of a new
plan.
Actions, Performance
Measures and Responsibilities
|
Outcome
Area 1: Accessible services and facilities | ||
|
Goal: All
programs, services, events and exhibitions, onsite and online, are
delivered in ways that meet access requirements of people with
disabilities. | ||
|
Action 1.1
Conduct an
access audit of all State Library of Victoria public spaces and
facilities. |
Performance
Measures Audit
completed and presented to Executive by June 2009. Priority
works and upgrades identified from the access audit and listed for work in
the Facilities Management System by September
2009. |
Responsibility Manager,
People and Property |
|
Action 1.2
Ensure
future building upgrades, modifications and re-fits comply with DDA
legislation, Australian Standards (especially AS1428.1–1428.4) and the
Building Code of Australia. |
Performance
Measures All
refurbishments are compliant with relevant legislation and
standards. |
Responsibility Manager,
People and Property |
|
Action 1.3
|
Performance
Measures Policy
review completed and approved policy statement available on State Library
of Victoria website and intranet by June 2009. |
Responsibility Manager,
People and Property Manager,
Technology Services |
|
Action 1.4 Align all
relevant organisational policies and procedures with the disability policy
and action plan. |
Performance
Measures Relevant
polices including procurement policy, re-aligned by June
2009. |
Responsibility Manager,
People and Property Chief
Financial Officer |
|
Action 1.5
Conduct
gap analysis of existing assistive/adaptive technologies provided by the
Library to meet the needs of users with disabilities. |
Performance
Measures Any gaps
identified, prioritised and recommendations made by June
2009. |
Responsibility Manager,
Technology Services |
|
Action 1.6
Continue
to provide and improve needs-based, individualised information service and
assistance for people with disabilities. |
Performance
Measures Number of
information requests received, and visitor feedback
monitored. |
Responsibility Manager,
Access and Information |
|
Action 1.7
Incorporate
a special requirements checklist (e.g. hearing loops, interpreters,
wheelchairs) into the State Library of Victoria’s bookings procedure. |
Performance
Measures Bookings
procedure modified and available on the Library’s website by December
2009. |
Responsibility Manager,
Planning and Commercial Services |
Outcome
Area 2: Accessible and inclusive information and
communication | ||
|
Goal:
Information and communication about Library programs and services is
available in a user-friendly and accessible format for people with
disabilities, especially those with a visual
impairment. | ||
|
Action 2.1 Review
existing Library print and online information and services for usability,
and identify potential improvements. |
Performance
Measures Review
findings identified and recommendations prioritised for
endorsement. |
Responsibility Manager,
Publications and Communications |
|
Action 2.2
Review and
ensure information on the Library’s website about services, programs,
events and exhibitions is user-friendly and includes information for
people with a disability. |
Performance
Measures Website
compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG
1.0) |
Responsibility Manager,
Publications and Communications Manager,
Technology Services |
|
Action 2.3
Continue
to provide printed information for public use in accessible alternative
formats, e.g. large print, audiotape, Braille. |
Performance
Measures Alternative
formats available and accessible. |
Responsibility Manager,
Publications and Communications |
|
Action 2.4
Ensure
electronic formats are accessible to adaptive technologies e.g. Word,
HTML, RTF. |
Performance
Measures New
Library documents available in accessible
formats. |
Responsibility Manager,
Technology Services |
|
Action 2.5
Promote
the Disability Action Plan and associated services to stakeholder peak
representative bodies e.g. Vision
|
Performance
Measures Stakeholder
groups receive copies of Disability Action Plan by June
2009. |
Responsibility Manager,
Marketing and Public Affairs |
|
Action 2.6
Develop
communication guidelines. |
Performance
Measures Communications
accessible to people with a disability. |
Responsibility Manager,
Marketing and Public Affairs Manager,
Publications and Communications |
|
Outcome
Area 3: Awareness and understanding of the access requirements of people
with a disability | ||
|
Goal: All
staff trained and aware of the Library’s Disability Action Plan 2009–10
and their responsibilities in promoting the Library as inclusive of people
with disabilities. | ||
|
Action 3.1
Deliver
disability awareness training for staff, relevant contractors (e.g.
Security) and volunteers. |
Performance
Measures Training
schedule developed and training commenced by December
2009. Number
receiving training. |
Responsibility Manager,
People and Property Manager,
Access and Information |
|
Action 3.2
Raise
staff awareness of the Library’s commitment to respecting and valuing
diversity and the elimination of discriminatory behaviour. |
Performance
Measures Staff
corporate induction package reviewed to include reference to the
Disability Action Plan 2009–10, by June 2009. |
Responsibility Manager,
People and Property. |
|
Action 3.3
Provide
regular staff updates regarding initiatives, and invite staff feedback and
suggestions. |
Performance
Measures Regular
staff communication e.g. articles on the Library’s intranet, notice
boards, and at staff meetings. |
Responsibility Manager,
Marketing and Public Affairs |
Outcome
Area 4: Opportunities
to obtain and maintain employment for people with a
disability | ||
|
Goal:
Diversity in employment is encouraged, including the provision of
equitable employment opportunities for people with
disabilities. | ||
|
Action 4.1
Ensure the
State Library of Victoria’s recruitment and selection policies do not
discriminate and comply with the Disability Discrimination Act and
the Equal Opportunity Act. |
Performance
Measures Review
selection reports and associated processes to ensure relevant information
is captured, retained and is non-discriminatory. Review and
amend recruitment and selection training to include reference to the
Disability Action Plan. |
Responsibility Manager,
People and Property |
|
Action 4.2
Support
employees with a disability. Note: The
State Library of Victoria respects and protects the privacy of employees
with disabilities. Employees with disabilities are not required to declare
the disability unless an adjustment to the workplace is required to enable
them to carry out the duties of the position. |
Performance
Measures Adaptive
technology required is provided promptly and monitored for
appropriateness. HR
Policies reviewed to ensure they are inclusive and promote
diversity. Induction
and learning and development programs meet the access and other needs of
staff with a disability. Number of
flexible work arrangements provided. Employee
Assistance Program promoted. Employees
with a disability have opportunities for skills development and
promotion. |
Responsibility Manager,
People and Property |
|
Action 4.3
Continue
to provide work experience opportunities for people with a disability who
are referred to the State Library of Victoria via various employment
networks. |
Performance
Measures Number of
work experience opportunities reported on an annual
basis. |
Responsibility Manager,
People and Property |
|
Action 4.4
Review
options for appointing contact officers to complement and support existing
resolution processes. |
Performance
Measures Recommendation
prepared for Executive consideration by December
2009. |
Responsibility Manager,
People and Property |
|
Action 4.5
Ensure job
application material is available in accessible formats. |
Performance
Measures Recruitment
processes reviewed and updated. |
Responsibility Manager,
People and Property. |
Outcome
Area 5: Consultation and complaints
process | ||
|
Goal: All
Library onsite and online visitors are able to provide feedback on ways to
improve services and programs as part of the Library’s approach to
continuous improvement. | ||
|
Action 5.1
Improve
relationships with external stakeholders, notably, people with a
disability. |
Performance
Measures Provide
updates to the Disability Action Plan Advisory Reference
Group. |
Responsibility Manager,
People and Property |
|
Action 5.2
Amend the
Library’s User Feedback process for people with disabilities. |
Performance
Measures Assessment
completed and recommendations prepared for endorsement, by March
2010. |
Responsibility Manager,
People and Property Manager,
Access and Information |
|
Action 5.3
Increase
feedback from people with disabilities in the annual customer satisfaction
survey. |
Performance
Measures Sample
includes respondents with disabilities, by October
2009. |
Responsibility Manager,
Marketing and Public Affairs |
|
Action 5.4
Ensure
Library employees are aware of the Disability Services Policy and
procedures. |
Performance
Measures Procedure
is clearly flagged on the intranet and printed corporate induction
material. |
Responsibility Manager,
People and Property |
|
Action 5.5
Consult
people with a disability during the implementation phase and over the life
of the Disability Action Plan. |
Performance
Measures Ongoing
consultation monitored. |
Responsibility Manager,
Access and Information. |