DECEMBER 3 is the International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD), a United Nations sanctioned day.
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It aims to promote public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability.
I have been reading an article from the Australian Network on Disability. This article states that IDPwD represents a significant opportunity for Australian organisations to share their commitment, campaigns, leadership and stories of empowerment related to inclusion of people with disability in the workforce.
OTHER RECENT LETTERS:
PurpleLightUp will globally bring together CEOs, senior champions, ERG (Employee Resource Group) leaders and employees with disability to connect, share stories and relish in the power of change.
The estimate is that there are 386 million employees with disability around the planet.
Unfortunately, Bathurst Regional Council (BRC) cannot claim to be part of that group.
In 2019, BRC hired external consultants to draft a new museums program to incorporate four museums under one umbrella.
Motor Racing, Fossil Museum, Rail Museum and Chifley House all came under one manager to be run by council staff with the assistance of volunteers.
New guidelines, for the recruitment of volunteers, were also part of the deal.
In August 2019, the volunteers from the Fossil Museum were called to a meeting and summarily dismissed. At this meeting, the new volunteer guidelines were issued and the volunteers were told they needed to reapply.
This is where it gets interesting. The guidelines, although not directly stating it, effectively exclude anyone with a disability from being a volunteer.
Is Bathurst Regional Council secretly practising ABLEISM while supposedly supporting those with a disability? The current mayor, Bobby Bourke, is fully aware of these guidelines and has done nothing to change the situation.
So here is the deal. You will be very lucky to meet anyone with a disability who has been accepted as a volunteer for council.
That also includes the front desk of Bathurst Regional Art Gallery.
Fortunately, those of us with a disability are welcome at many other organisations.
I am a former proud disabled volunteer.
