International Day of People with Disability (I-Day) Grants

WE MAKE INCLUSION HAPPEN by supporting community organisations to celebrate and promote inclusion and showcase the contributions of people with disability to Canberra life.

The International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD or I-Day) is held on 3 December each year. I-Day is a United Nations sanctioned day that aims to increase public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability and celebrate the achievements and contributions of people with disability.

I-Day aims to bring together people with disability, community organisations, businesses, individuals and all levels of government to celebrate and promote inclusion. Every year, the ACT Government supports several events and projects that celebrate inclusiveness through the I-Day Grants program. The ACT Chief Minister’s Inclusion Awards are also traditionally held in December to align with I-Day.

I-Day 2021 was celebrated in Canberra through a range of activities including:

Connect Collective

Belco Arts Centre’s ‘Connect Collective’ will commence, to showcase people with disability sharing their hobbies, past times and passions through a series of audio stories accompanied by transcripts, paste-up posters and images.

Visit the Belco Arts website today to see the wonderful stories shared through Connect Collective.

Table Tennis ACT I-Day Celebrations

Table Tennis ACT have a week-long I-Day celebrations commencing on 27 November with the launch of their Disability Action and Inclusion Plan by Minister Emma Davidson and concluding on 4 December with the para table tennis tournament.

See the Table Tennis ACT website for all the details.

Abilities Unlimited Australia and Cyclabilities Open Day and Christmas Party to Celebrate I-Day
Saturday 4th December, 11:30am - 12:30pm at Stromlo Forest Park Criterium Track
Free Activities include:
• Scavenger hunt
• Try a bike: E-bikes, Tandems, Recumbent cycles, Trikes, Dutch Cargo bike and more.
• Cyclabilities bike skills obstacle course
• Cyclabilities cycle and pedestrian safety maze
• Bike Craft activities with Juan the Bike craft man
• Shredabilities try skateboarding fun and games
• Waterabilities Water fun obstacle course and games
• Movabilities: Movement and mindfulness activities and games
• Santa will be there from 11:30 -12:30 for sensory safe photos and a chat
• Santa's village physical fun and games
• FREE BBQ
• $1,000 worth of giveaways and prizes

Please RSVP for catering purposes to Facebook event at: the Facebook events page.

Launch of Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-31

The Federal Government launched Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-31 in Canberra on I-Day. The new strategy is a transformative new strategy that will drive change over the next decade to uphold the rights, inclusion and participation of people with disability in all areas of Australian life.

The live-streamed event also launched Employ My Ability - the Disability Employment Strategy by Disability Ministers from Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments, including the ACT Minister for Disability, Ms Emma Davidson MLA, the President of the Australian Local Government Association, Disability Discrimination Commissioner Dr Ben Gauntlett, and Joint Chairs of the Disability Employment Advisory Committee Mr Dylan Alcott OAM and Mr Simon McKeon AO.

The live-stream was available via the International Day of People with Disability – Australia’s Facebook page.

Disability Yarning Circle

The Disability Reference Group invited Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability and their families to an afternoon tea, to yarn and connect on Sunday 5 December.

Hosted by Deborah Eades, Indigenous carer, mother and Disability Reference Group member who shared her story.

The Yarning Circle aimed to:

• Begin a conversation about your unique experiences of being an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person with disability or caring responsibilities.
• Get in touch with the different disability support agencies, who will be available to respond to any questions you may have on your role.
• Help to create a Disability Yarning Circle artwork to let people know “We are here!”

Any questions can be directed to Skye at the Office for Disability: 6207 1086 or officefordisability@act.gov.au

Launch of the Canberra Community Law social scripts

Canberra Community Law has developed a series of social scripts, in partnership with Autism Spectrum Australia, to help people with disability to access their legal services, participate in ACT Human Rights Commission conciliation conferences and participate in ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal hearings. The scripts will be launched on I-Day and are available online.  ACT organisations and businesses are encouraged to consider developing their own social scripts to support inclusive access to their programs and services.  The scripts can be found on the Canberra Community Law website: www.canberracommunitylaw.org.au/social-scripts

Ministerial Statement Celebrating I-Day

On 2 December the Minister for Disability, Ms Emma Davidson MLA, delivered a Ministerial Statement about I-Day in the Legislative Assembly. The Minister spoke of the importance of I-Day and outlined how I-Day was being celebrated in Canberra.

The ACT Minister for Health, Rachel Stephen-Smith MLA, responded to the Ministerial Statement and outlined the work currently underway in both the Health Directorate and Canberra Health Services to improve access and inclusion across the health system. This included the co-design of the ACT Disability Health Strategy and the development of a Disability Action and Inclusion Plan by Canberra Health Services.

A replay of the Ministerial Statement and the Health Minister’s response can be viewed at the Legislative Assembly on demand webpage.

Today Minister Davidson also made an I-Day announcement through a media release available on the ACT Government webpage.

I-Day Grant Program

Traditionally a total of $25,000.00 (GST exclusive) is available in the Annual I-Day Grants round.

Individuals and organisations apply for a grant up to $5,000 (GST exclusive) to be used for a project or initiative around I-Day.

Due to the impacts of the COVID-19 Health Emergency, the 2021 I-Day Grant funding was re-allocated and a range of organisations were commissioned to create a COVID-19 safe initiative, program or activity celebrating I-Day.

Lists of past recipients in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 are available on the Community Services Directorate website.

Further information

International Day of People with Disability (Australia) event registration and calendar

I-Day Grants

2019 I-Day Grants announcement: Canberra gets ready to celebrate I-Day