Office highlights since 1 July 2022

The Office for Disability Issues recently put together a highlights package for our CE of our work since Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People began on 1 July. We thought you might be interested in this snapshot of our work too!

We promote the rights of disabled people

  • Briefing the new Incoming Minister for Disability Issues, Hon Poto Williams and farewelling Hon Carmel Sepuloni

  • Launch of and becoming part of Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People

  • 1,006 tasks completed over July 1 to November 30 in response to requests for disability advice from the public, other government agencies, internationally, the Minister’s Office and within Whaikaha (Our inbox data tells us that the increase in demand has gone from 73 per month in 2020, to 104 per month in 2021 and to 201 tasks per month in 2022 - More information below)

  • Leading, preparing and participating in the government delegation to Geneva for the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities examination of New Zealand’s progress on realisation of the UNCRPD
    A snapshot showing the delegation in Geneva
  • Contributing to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State Care

  • Contributing to the Waitangi Tribunal Wai2575 Health Services and Outcomes Inquiry which includes claims for tāngata whaikaha Māori

  • Leading on proactive engagement with COVID-19 Strategies, Care in the Community, and other responses

  • Providing stewardship of the Disability Action Plan – six-monthly reporting from officials and engagements with DPO Coalition

  • Contributing to and co-chairing the Disability Data and Evidence Working Group

  • Co-sponsor/governance of the Education Review Office disabled learners’ reviews

  • Analysing and publishing disability data and evidence as it becomes available

  • Preparing, leading, supporting and participating in the International Initiative for Mental Health and Disability Leadership (IMHL and IIDL) Christchurch Leadership Exchange Regional Hub October 2022

  • Nominations Database management: engaging 194 disabled people with an interest in governance and board participation

We engage and assist others to engage with disabled people, their families/whānau, providers and carers

  • Monthly meetings with the Disabled Peoples Organisations (DPO) Coalition and create opportunities for government agencies to consult with the Coalition

  • Support the family/whānau network to engage with policy makers

  • Support the I.Lead disable youth network to engage with policy makers

  • Support the Ministerial Leadership Group on Disability Issues to engage with the Independent Monitoring Mechanism

  • Provide secretariat and programme support for the New Zealand Sign Language Board

  • Support the Covid 19 Disability Response Network to link with agencies leading Covid responses 

We work to maintain and promote New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL)

 Darryl and Kellye are filmed doing an NZSL Act consultation video

Darryl Alexander (left) and Kellye Bensley are filmed for NZSL Act update consultation video

  • Coordination of the first national NZSL community survey

  • Consultations with NZSL first approach and input into NZSL Act amendments alongside MSD officials

  • Supporting the Deaf community to promote NZSL though Community Grants ($250,000)

  • Improved engagement with Turi Māori including the establishment of the rōpū Kaitiaki with Māori Deaf members who will identify and lead work to improve access to te Ao Māori

  • Funding the Sign Language Proficiency adult assessment tool and developing a service model to make adult assessments of NZSL fluency available across the country

  • Developing waiata in NZSL with Turi Māori

  • Setting NZSL Interpreter Standards using the National Accreditation Authority of Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) in partnership with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)

  • Representation on an Advisory Group for Ko Taku Reo Deaf Education Centre to ensure access and acquisition of NZSL for Deaf student. 

We communicate on disability issues - our digital presence

The digital presence of the Office for Disability Issues is made up of four main properties: 

 Content is shared across these platforms (for example when a longer news item is posted on our website, we advertise that on Twitter and Facebook – and the NZSL Board page if there is an NZSL video about the content included) but all have slightly different audiences.

Here are the highlights since 1 July: 

The ODI website

  • 109,572 web page views since 1 July
  • Since July we have added or updated 57 pages on the site, mostly news items or updates on the Disability Action Plan.

The ODI twitter account 

  • As of 15 December, our Twitter account has 1,505 followers.
  • Since 1 July, we have had 13,680 twitter impressions
  • Our top tweet  was about sharing Attitude’s new series What’s the Disabili-Tea, about queer disabled Kiwis. 

The Office for Disability Issues Facebook page

The NZSL Board Facebook page

  • As of 15 December, we have 1,402 followers
  • The reach of the page since 1 July is 12,507
  • Our top post was announcing Māori Deaf Hui

We respond to requests for disability advice – our work-flow

1,006 completed tasks  from 1 July to 30 November 2022

Tasks may be providing advice on Cabinet papers, reports/aide memoire for the Minister’s Office, for CE’s office, responding to emails seeking assistance or advice from other agencies or the public.

  • Of these 66% delivered same day, with 85% in under two working days
  • Nearly a 75% of ODI’s response are completed within a working week
  • 89% of tasks were either delivered early or on time
  • When delays occurred, they were less than five days beyond the due date
  • Continued increase in demand from 73 per month in 2020, to 104 per month in 2021 to 201 tasks per month in 2022

Our involvement and/or leadership of 40 projects underway from 1 July to 30 November

 According to Disability Action Plan outcome areas:

-        Outcome 1 Education                                                   4

-        Outcome 2 Employment and Economic Security                0

-        Outcome 3 Health and Wellbeing                                    6

-        Outcome 4 Rights Protection and Justice                         6

-        Outcome 5 Accessibility                                                5

-        Outcome 6 Attitudes                                                    0

-        Outcome 7 Choice and Control                                       2

-        Outcome 8 Leadership                                                 4

-        Data                                                                         8

-        Other                                                                        5

Tell us what you think

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