Inclusion and confidence

We are enhancing the disability confidence and inclusivity of our University community.

Ensuring staff are knowledgable about disability inclusion and disability confidence is key to facilitating better outcomes for disabled students and staff.

Professional development

Encourage staff to complete the Kia Ōrite Disability Confidence E-Modules.

Highly recommend that all staff complete this disability confidence professional development at least once per year, along with specifically introducing it to new staff during induction.

Responsibility:

  • Te Pūmanawa Tāngata— Human Resources

(In partnership with Te Amaru—Disability Services)

Embedding accessibility into teaching and service delivery

Provide Te Herenga Waka specific disability inclusion guidance for staff to support them to embed accessibility into teaching and service delivery that is guided by personal and professional disability expertise.

Regularly update with the latest disability inclusion best practice the disability inclusion toolkit, and Centre for Academic Development resources.

Responsibility:

  • Te Amaru—Disability Services
  • Te Kōtuinga Mātauranga— Centre for Academic Development

Sharing of expertise

Actively seek and share news, advice, expertise with: the University’s disability community, external disability community, government, other tertiary institutions (domestically and internationally), and NGOs (including ACHIEVE) to encourage community building and strengthen best practice.

Document initiatives and report on these in Te Amaru—Disability Services annual report.

Responsibility:

  • Te Amaru—Disability Services

Emergency management

Embed disability inclusion into the University’s emergency management responses including the University’s COVID-19 ongoing response with specific consideration of students and staff at higher risk from COVID-19, studying/ working remotely and those experiencing Long COVID.

Document initiatives that embed disability inclusion in into the University’s emergency management and report on these in Te Amaru—Disability Services annual report.

Responsibility:

  • Crisis Management Team
  • Te Amaru—Disability Services
  • Mauri Ora—Student Health and Counselling
  • Te Pūmanawa Tāngata— Human Resources

Identifying barriers

Develop a partnership between Te Amaru—Disability Services and the Disabled Students' Association that includes working together to identify and address the barriers that disabled students experience.

Establish a partnership agreement which is annually updated and hold monthly meetings to progress shared objectives.

Responsibility:

  • Te Amaru—Disability Services
  • Disabled Students’ Association