About Disability Action Week
One in five Queenslanders has a disability of some kind, and disability touches the lives of most Queenslanders in some way – through the experiences we have with friends and family, at school, in the workplace and in the community.
The aims of Disability Action Week are to encourage positive attitudes towards people with a disability, improve access and make our community a better place for everyone.
This year’s theme See beyond the disability encourages the community to focus on a person's achievements and abilities. It recognises that diversity and difference enrich communities and that people with a disability have much to contribute to their local communities.
Each year Disability Services Queensland supports community groups and organisations across Queensland to celebrate Disability Action Week by staging their own events. In 2007, more than 125 community events were registered on the Disability Action Week website.
In 2008 you can get involved by staging an event, making an award nomination or joining in the celebration of Disability Action Week.
The state launch of Disability Action Week 2008 will be held in Townsville.
State Planning Committee
Disability Action Week is led by the Disability Action Week State Planning Committee, which includes representatives from:
- Access Arts
- Cerebral Palsy League of Queensland
- Deaf Services Queensland
- Department of Education, Training and the Arts
- Griffith University
- Guide Dogs Queensland
- Lifestream Foundation
- National Disability Services
- Queensland Alliance of Mental Illness & Psychiatric Disability Groups
- Queensland Police
- Queensland Rail
- Queensland Transport
- Spinal Injuries Association
- Sporting Wheelies and Disabled Association
- TAFE Queensland.
About the Chair
Disability Action Week State Planning Committee Chair Paul Larcombe has extensive experience in the disability sector, including the Commonwealth Department of Family, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Guide Dogs Queensland, and as a consultant to the international assessment and certification body JAS-ANZ. Paul is also the Chair of the Disability Council of Queensland.
Paul has demonstrated a solid commitment to improving the lives of people with a disability. He has actively participated in the disability field, and displayed the ability to effectively engage with communities and the government, and a desire to raise awareness of disability issues at a state level.
Last updated July 2008