Have your say on Napier Disability Strategy

Published: 5 April 2019

NCC's draft Disability Strategy is out - we're seeking feedback from the community until Friday 10 May.

The draft Napier Disability Strategy has already made a difference to locals’ lives, with an all terrain wheelchair added to Napier City Council’s stable of equipment for hire.

The wheelchair, which had its first outing at the Halberg Foundation’s Hawke’s Bay Surf Day at Waimarama last Sunday (31 March), was purchased following discussion about access to recreational activities during development of the draft strategy.

The draft strategy is out now for wider community feedback, with feedback accepted until Friday 10 May.

The full strategy and the online feedback form can be viewed at www.sayitnapier.nz It is available in a number of formats, including NZ Sign Language, Easy Read (pictorial) and plain text.

Printed copies of the draft strategy can be requested from the NCC Customer Service Centre (215 Hastings Street).

The draft strategy sets out six key focus areas: getting around, getting involved, being included, having fun, being safe, and having work.

NCC's Natasha Carswell: “As a Council we need to think about how accessible and inclusive our services are. We learned during the development of this strategy that the disability community has a low awareness of Council activities and services, but are keen to be involved."

This is significant for a moderate proportion of the population. People with a disability make up 27% of Napier’s population, and this figure is growing. This strategy also impacts their whanau, caregivers and service providers.

It focuses the provision and delivery of Council’s activities and services.

The principles around working with the disability community can be characterised with the phrase ‘nothing about us, without us’.

“As a Council we need to think about how accessible and inclusive our services are. We learned during the development of this strategy that the disability community has a low awareness of Council activities and services, but are keen to be involved,” says Natasha Carswell, Manager Community Strategies.

The draft strategy, a first for Napier, has been developed in collaboration with people with disabilities and the disability sector.

It was developed through a series of workshops and focus groups with our disability community and also with staff from a range of Council departments. Two key groups from our disability community, the Napier Disability Advisory Group (agencies) and Napier Ability Plus (people with a lived experience of disability) will continue to work with Council as the strategy is finalised.

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