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Inaugural Gippsland Regional Advocacy Forum A SuccessOver eighty people from across Gippsland attended the inaugural Gippsland Regional Advocacy Forum that was held in Morwell on Thursday 1 November. By Latrobe City - 9th November 2007 - Back to News Latrobe City’s network development officer, Vivianne Everett said that the aim of the event was to bring together community advocacy groups, agencies and organisations involved in advocacy in order to build stronger networks across the region.
"The concept of advocacy is to enable people with a disability to have maximum control over their lives and give them a stronger voice within the community.
"This forum was a key outcome of the Gippsland Regional Advocacy Network Development Project auspiced by Latrobe City for the entire region. It gave people with a disability a wonderful opportunity to talk about where the region is heading in terms of advocacy as well as building our community’s capacity to be more accessible and inclusive," Ms Everett explained.
"Those attending the event were clear that the message to the wider community should be that people with a disability are just the same as everyone else, and that the disability is one small facet of their personality," Ms Everett said.
Keynote speakers were Christian Astourian, diversity consultant for Wings of Freedom, Sharon Granek, coordinator for Disability Advocacy Resource Unit and Bill Lawler, Latrobe City’s rural access project officer.
The forum was facilitated by the Gippsland Regional Advocacy Forum Steering Committee, who met on a regular basis to plan and implement this initiative.
Ms Everett added that the delegates were looking forward to next year’s opportunity to again to come together to implement change, create partnerships and build strong networks around the region.
Latrobe City councillor, Cr Sandy Kam opened the forum and talked about the benefits to the region.
"It is great to see so many people from all over Gippsland coming together to talk about advocacy and empowering people with a disability to speak up. The issue of inclusiveness and accessibility does not just affect those with a disability, but the wider community too. If we take it on board and try to implement changes, we can make Gippsland a better place to live for everyone," Cr Kam concluded.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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