Accessibility
The below is based on information provided by the Australian Network on Disability.
People with disability
Between 15 and 20% of the Australian population live with disability. There are many different types of disability, and they can result from accidents, illness, genetic disorders, or age. A disability may affect mobility, ability to learn things, or ability to communicate easily, and some people may have more than one. A disability may be visible or hidden, may be permanent or temporary and may have minimal or substantial impact on a person’s abilities.
Although some people are born with disability, many people acquire disability later on in life. For example, a person may acquire a disability through a workplace incident or car accident, or may develop a disability as they age. There is a strong relationship between age and disability; as people grow older, there is a greater tendency to develop conditions which cause disability.
The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) defines disability as:
- total or partial loss of the person’s bodily or mental functions
- total or partial loss of a part of the body
- the presence in the body of organisms causing disease or illness
- the malfunction, malformation or disfigurement of a part of the person’s body
- a disorder or malfunction that results in the person learning differently from a person without the disorder or malfunction
- a disorder, illness or disease that affects a person’s thought processes, perception of reality, emotions or judgment, or that results in disturbed behaviour;
and includes disability that:
- presently exists
- previously existed but no longer exists
- may exist in the future
- is imputed to a person (meaning it is thought or implied that the person has disability but does not).
The breadth of impairments and medical conditions covered by the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) (DDA) are set out below:
- Physical – affects a person’s mobility or dexterity
- Intellectual – affects a person’s abilities to learn
- Mental Illness – affects a person’s thinking processes
- Sensory – affects a person’s ability to hear or see
- Neurological – affects the person’s brain and central nervous system,
- Learning disability
- Physical disfigurement or
- Immunological – the presence of organisms causing disease in the body
To be deemed a disability, the impairment or condition must impact daily activities, communication and/or mobility, and has lasted or is likely to last 6 months or more.
Why is accessibility important?
Disability is part of human diversity. Over 4 million people, almost one in five people in Australia, have a disability and this proportion is increasing with an ageing population. People with disability purchase consumer goods, have jobs, go on holidays, access information and contribute to society in the same way that people without disability do. The only difference is that often people with disability come up against significant barriers while trying to do the things that many of us take for granted.
People with disability are part of every section of our community: men, women and children; employers and employees; students and teachers; customers from different cultural backgrounds; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians; citizens and visitors. No two people with the same disability experience their disability in the same way.
The only thing that distinguishes a person with disability from someone without disability is that they may require some form of adaptation / adjustment to enable them to do certain things in the same way as people without disability.
Disability Inclusion Action Plan
We are currently in the process of updating our Disability Inclusion Action Plan. If you would like to find out more or provide input, please contact a member of the committee.
Accessibility at New Lambton FC Juniors
We are currently working on a process to allow people to share information with us about their disability. This will allow us to establish a baseline so we can measure our progress towards creating more opportunities for people with disability and ensuring that our workplaces are inclusive and accessible to all.
New Lambton FC Juniors Accessibility Network
We are currently in the process of setting up an Accessibility Network to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for people with disability and allies across the Club to connect and build a sense of belonging and community. It will be an effective platform to contribute to a positive work environment. Anyone at the Club who wishes to share information about their disability or considers themselves an ally is welcome to join the Network. Please contact a committee member if you would like to find out more or to join the Network.
Key statistics
- Over 4.4 million people in Australia have some form of disability. That’s 1 in 5 people.
- The likelihood of living with disability increases with age. 2 in 5 people with disability are 65 years or older.
- An estimated 80% of all disabilities are invisible.
- 28% of people with disability have experiences discrimination by one or more of the organisations they’ve recently interacted with.
- 1 in 3 people with disability report that their customer needs are often unmet.
- Disability discrimination accounts for the highest volume of complaints across the board to the Australian Human Rights Commission.