Celebrating International Day of People With Disability

In Australia, IDPwD is a joint effort between government, schools, organisations, community groups, businesses and individuals. It is an opportunity to be part of creating an inclusive and diverse community for the 4.4 million Australians with disability. 

City of Port Phillip prides itself on being an Inclusive City, and we proudly champion every day a wide range of programs and activities that support people living with disability. This week we will be flying the IDPwD flag from the community flag poles at St Kilda Town Hall and Port Melbourne Town Hall.

Find out more about how we recognise the day and support community members living with disability through a variety of initiatives and actions below.

Accessibility Action Plan

The Accessibility Action Plan 2023-2025 was endorsed by Council in August this year and outlines the actions that we will take to mitigate discrimination against people with disability and their carers in our City. The plan was heavily guided by people living with disability in our municipality and focuses on ways that ensure inclusion is at the core of Council decisions, advancing the rights of people with disability.

The plan aims to improve outcomes across five key areas:

• A welcoming and inclusive community where people with disability are socially connected and feel they belong
• A safe and accessible city that enables participation
• An engaged and empowered disability community
• A community where people with disability can pursue opportunities for personal growth
• A proud disability-confident organisation with inclusive practices and culture.

Read the full Accessibility Action Plan.

Accessible Beaches 

Our beaches are for everyone. Every summer we work with local partners to make our beaches more accessible, with several initiatives including:

• Beach Matting – Installed at St Kilda Beach, Port Melbourne Life Saving Club and Elwood Sailing Club, the matting enables access to the water by providing a direct pathway across the sand. The matting is free to use for all members of the community, with no booking required.
• Mobi-Chair (floating wheelchair) - Accessible floating beach wheelchairs, otherwise known as the Mobi-Chair, enable you to cross the sand and take a dip in the ocean. The Mobi-Chair is available for hire during the summer season 2023-24 at Port Melbourne and St Kilda Life Saving Club. This service is free for users and can be booked via Council website. 
• Powered Wheelchair – This specially designed 4WD powered wheelchair allows users to explore the sand independently along St Kilda Beach. After a successful trial last season, we will again be partnering with St Kilda Life Saving Club to provide this accessible service to the community over the 2023-2024 summer season. This service is free for users and can be booked via Council website. 
• Changing Places - The St Kilda Life Saving Club includes a Victorian Government funded Changing Places facility for improved disability access. These facilities have larger-than-standard accessible toilets and extra features, along with more space to meet the requirements of people with disability.

Find out more about the program.

Drumming Workshop at Port Melbourne Library

Port Phillip Libraries are celebrating IDPwD with a morning of fun, laughter and music. Port Melbourne Library are hosting a drumming workshop for local families to learn to play and create music together, regardless of ability or experience.

The workshop will be held from 10 am to 10.45 am on Monday 4 December at Port Melbourne Library.

Port Phillip Specialist School Storytime Session

Our Libraries team are also hosting a storytime event for students of Port Phillip Specialist School, to provide an experience of the library for children who might not always take part in mainstream services and supports. This will allow the students to experience the library and the various programs on offer in a safe and inclusive way. After the storytime session there will be an African Drumming workshop, with all students having the opportunity to take part collectively.

Find out more about Port Phillip Specialist School.