Billy McNamara is 18 years old and has spina bifida.
This year Billy completed year 12 at Alice Springs High School.
He is currently undertaking an apprenticeship through Group Training. When Billy wants to relax he enjoys basketball, cricket
and football.
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OverviewThe Disability Coordination Officer (DCO) Programme provides information, co-ordination and referral for people with a disability interested in or enrolled in post-school education and training.
The Programme reflects the Commonwealth's commitment to ensuring that all Australians have the opportunity to participate in education and training. People with a disability often face barriers to participation because they are not aware of the opportunities available or perceive too many barriers to pursuing post-school options. One of these barriers is a lack of coordination of services and supports.
The DCO programme was announced as part of the Australians Working Together (AWT) package, which sought to improve the engagement and contribution to the community, including through employment, by people with a disability, in the 2001-02 Commonwealth Budget. The DCO programme complements the Regional Disability Liaison Officer (RDLO) Initiative also funded by DEST.
The need for such activity was identified in Bridging Pathways: A Blueprint for the national plan of action to increase opportunities for people with a disability in Vocational and Technical Education (VTE). The Blueprint was endorsed by Commonwealth, State and Territory Ministers of training in June 2000.
Objectives of the Programme
In conjunction with the RDLO network of officers, the DCO Programme seeks to assist people with a disability move between school, VTE and higher education, to succeed in their chosen studies and move to suitable employment.
The Programme seeks to:Target group
- improve transitions for people with a disability between schools,
post-secondary education and training, and employment;
- increase awareness of post-school options, supports and services available for people with a disability, their families, support networks and relevant stakeholders;
- increase the successful participation of students with disabilities in post-secondary education by facilitating coordination of services for people with a disability in education and training within a region and improving linkages between schools, VTE providers, higher education providers and providers of disability programmes and other assistance such as the Commonwealth's Career Counselling Programme, the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service and those funded by the Australian Government Department of Family and Community Services.
The Programme aims to assist people with a disability who may
wish to participate in post-compulsory education and training.Linkages to other Government Programmes
The DCO Programme complements the RDLO Initiative which is funded by the Higher Education Group in DEST. The RDLO Initiative has been operating since 1994. DCOs were allocated to regions not served by RDLOs to provide a more comprehensive national support network.
DCOs will be providing information to people with a disability about other relevant Commonwealth programmes under which they may be able to receive assistance such as Career Counselling, Job Network, the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service and those funded by the Australian Government Department of Family and Community Services for people with a disability.
States and Territories fund a range of assistance for people with disabilities in education and training. Also each university and many TAFE Institutes have a person responsible for services for enrolled students with a disability. The title of this person may vary, although they are generally referred to as Disability Liaison Officers (DLOs). The DLOs are institution specific whereas the DCOs will offer cross-sectoral support within a region. The DCOs will work in collaboration with DLOs, RDLOs and other State funded providers of assistance for people with disabilities. The DCOs will not replace or duplicate the work of the DLOs or other State funded providers of assistance/services for people with disabilities.
Programme Outcomes
The following outcomes are sought from the DCO Programme, noting that other initiatives will also contribute to the outcomes:
- Greater awareness of post-school options, supports and services, and employment assistance by people with a disability, their families, support networks and relevant stakeholders.
- Improved transitions for people with a disability between schools and post-secondary education and training and post-secondary education and training and employment.
- Increased participation by people with a disability in VTE and higher education.
- Improved coordination of services for people with a disability seeking to participate in post secondary education and training.
Activities to be undertaken by the Disability Coordination Officer
The DCOs provide information, coordination and referral types of activities for people with disabilities interested in or enrolled in post-school education and training. They work with education and training providers in a given region (including public VTE providers (such as Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutions), private VTE providers, universities and schools) to provide a central information source on supports and services available for students and potential students with a disability to assist them to access the most appropriate post-school education and training.
The DCOs aim to work closely with disability officers in post-school institutions (such as the Disability Liaison Officers who assist people with a disability within TAFEs), career counsellors, and relevant staff in secondary schools and senior colleges within the region and with district and regional education office staff.In consultation with relevant disability support staff, career counsellors and networks, undertake the following activities, the DCOs will:
- assist school leavers with disabilities with transitional arrangements
into VTE or higher education, in liaison with secondary schools and
senior colleges and other service providers such as Jobs Pathways
Programme providers;
- participate with State/regional level post-school education disability
networks and other local service networks and agencies, such as community
organisations, employment organisations and other bodies, to assist
appropriate coordination, referral and collaboration;
- promote VTE and higher education to people with a disability, their
families and support networks, including by providing positive case
examples of people with a disability in VTE and higher education;
- provide information on courses and support services available in
VTE and higher education institutions to prospective students with
a disability and via other providers of disability programmes such
as the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service and those funded by the
Australian Government Department of Family and Community Services;
- assist prospective students to link with appropriate institutional
staff (eg. DLOs) responsible for direct support services such as enrolment
assistance, career guidance, orientation, advocacy, alternative assessment
and examination requirements, bridging courses, personal and study
counselling, tutoring, alternative teaching and learning approaches,
study skills programmes and student support networks;
- facilitate sharing of resources for people with a disability in
education and training within the region. This includes building up
a knowledge base of support and resource services available, such
as equipment, training of note takers, and resources for common courses,
interpreters and communication aids. Activities may include:
- Keeping a register of available learning support personnel,
equipment and technology;
- Monitoring the availability and demand for such supports and services, where appropriate; and
- Keeping a register of available learning support personnel,
equipment and technology;
Providing information on sources of expertise, or otherwise provide expertise in the range of supports available to people with a disability.
- refer students/prospective students with a disability to appropriate
agencies, as necessary, and educational and support services at a
regional level (for example, career services, health services, financial
assistance, housing assistance, employment services and childcare);
- provide information to people with a disability about other relevant
Commonwealth programmes under which they may be able to receive assistance
such as Career Counselling, Job Network, the Commonwealth Rehabilitation
Service and those funded by the Australian Government Department of Family
and Community Services for people with a disability;
provide information to relevant government bodies as appropriate. This may include identifying gaps in supports and services;
- refer higher education and VTE graduates with disabilities to appropriate employment agencies in collaboration with other organisations such as employment mentoring agencies and career services.
The activities listed above are not intended to be exhaustive. The DCOs will have flexibility to respond to local area needs for people with a disability within their regions.
National Coordinator for DCO Programme is John Murray
Telephone (02) 6240 8487
Fax (02) 6240 9455
email john.murray@dest.gov.au
Address: Vocational Education and Training
Policy & Review Section (loc 736)
Quality & Access Branch VET Group
Department of Education, Science & Training
GPO Box 9880
Canberra City
ACT 2601National Coordinator for RDLO Programme is Craig Cornwall
Telephone (02) 6240 9643
Fax (02) 6240 9780
email craig.cornwall@dest.gov.au
Address: Equity Unit (loc 131)
Quality, Equity & Collaboration Branch
Higher Education Group
Department of Education, Science & Training
GPO Box 9880
Canberra City
ACT 2601This material was produced with the assistance of the
Australian Government Department of Education, Science and
Training under the Disability Coordination Officer Programme.© Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training 2004
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