Parks Victoria is developing a new Disability Action Plan and wants community engagement on ideas and feedback for the first stage.
As well as encompassing park access and experiences and volunteering and employment opportunities the plan will also align with the Victorian Government’s new State Disability Plan. Once final, the plan will set priorities and actions for the next four years and continue the work already being done to provide parks for everyone, including improving and creating more accessible environments for visitors with a disability.
Parks Victoria is running a series of online focus groups and a survey for community feedback and supports are available for all participants throughout the consultation process, including Auslan interpreters and live closed captioning.
Recent initiatives for people with disability include online resources for children with autism, a TrailRider program for better access for wheelchair users and a partnership with Blind Sports and Recreation Victoria to deliver the ‘walk in the park program’ for blind or vision impaired people.
Accessibility and inclusion coordinator John Kenwright, said Parks Victoria has engaged with people of all abilities to, “provide more inclusive opportunities for them to explore and enjoy our natural and cultural landscapes”.
For more information, to register for a focus group or complete a survey, visit: www.engage.vic.gov.au/parks-disability-action-plan or call: 13 19 63.