Central Coast Council celebrated International Day of People with Disability on December 3 and is raising local awareness and understanding of the challenges faced by people with a disability to help create a more accessible and inclusive region.
Council recently collaborated with local pottery school Centered Ceramics, offering people with disabilities the opportunity to learn pottery and ceramics in a mainstream commercial studio and then exhibit their work in a public gallery.
The local business learned how to make its premises and programs more accessible to attract customers with different access needs.
Some of these adjustments included portable ramps and a modified tabletop pottery wheel.
A video on the project, featuring the business owner and some of the participants is available on Council’s website, along with an access and inclusion guide for businesses.
Council’s Disability and Inclusion Officer Jodie Frost-Foster said there were many ways that barriers could be removed, which made a huge difference in the lives of people with disability.
“Council has been working closely with people with disability, the sector and advocacy groups to improve accessibility and create an inclusive Central Coast community, where everyone can participate,” she said.
“Our Disability and Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) – which was guided by our community with input from our Access and Inclusion Reference Group – has set actions so people with disabilities can better access our services, facilities and open spaces.
“Staff continue to deliver actions from our DIAP with positive outcomes achieved for both locals and visitors to our region.”
Some progress highlights from the plan include: accessibility infrastructure improvements to the carpark and entrance at Niagara Park Stadium; accessibility features within the upgrade of the Central Coast Visitor Information Centre; upgrade of six bus stops to improve accessibility; and construction of 3.1km of shared paths and footpaths, which included a new segment of the Tuggerawong foreshore shared pathway.
Multiple projects were also delivered to improve physical access in four town centres, including sidewalk upgrades and widening within Wyong and Budgewoi and clearing of shrubbery and other items on pathways throughout The Entrance, Gosford, Wyong and Budgewoi to remove obstructions for users of mobility equipment.
New and upgraded playspaces incorporating accessible play features include Ross Park (Avoca Beach) and Tunkuwallin Oval (Gwandalan) and 14 more playspaces were renewed across the region in 2023 with improved accessibility.
An Accessible Beaches guide was developed profiling the accessible features of 10 Central Coast beaches to help people with disabilities and mobility challenges plan for a trip to the beach.
Each Summer beach season, Council installs beach matting at several beaches and provides free beach wheelchair hire to enable access to the shoreline.
An Accessible Nature guide was also developed, containing factual information such as parking, amenities and other features that help people living with a disability or restricted mobility to plan a day out in nature on the Central Coast.
Inclusive sport and active recreation programs in partnership with local service providers continue across the Coast to create more opportunities for participation.
Some examples include the Activate Inclusion Sports Day and Council leisure centre supported events and programs for people with a disability (wheelchair basketball, accessible and inclusive soccer, special Olympics basketball and swimming programs).
An Invisible Disability awareness campaign was run to challenge community perceptions and to help people understand that use of accessible public toilets and car spaces are not only for people with visible disabilities.
There is also improved accessibility at Council events including: an Auslan interpreter at the Australia Day Awards ceremony; the library live children’s online story time; and Are You Pulling My Leg? stand-up comedy at Laycock St Theatre.
Two original Virtual Reality (VR) experiences were hosted to more than 250 participants to educate the community about physical and sensory disabilities.
Council systems and processes have also been improved to increase accessibility.
Some of these included: the delivery of staff training on the development of accessible documents and information for the community; speech to text technology made available for frontline staff in Council’s Customer Service Centres to communicate with people from the deaf community; all Council websites compliant with the most current Web Content Accessibility Guideline (WCAG) version; delivery of Auslan interpreted emergency preparedness community sessions; and updates to Council’s knowledge database to improve accuracy and timelessness of responses to customer enquiries relating to planned accessibility upgrades.
Council Administrator Rik Hart said everyone deserved to feel welcome and able to participate in day-to-day community life and everyone had a part to play in creating a more inclusive and accessible region.
“I’m pleased with our staff’s ongoing implementation of Council’s Disability and Inclusion Action Plan, and the continued collaborative work with our local community and disability sector,” he said.
“This year, around the celebration of International Day of People with Disability, I encourage our community to further look at ways to improve inclusion and access – whether that’s through their business, workplace, or with community activities.”
To read Council’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2021-2025 and for more information on how Council is helping to improve accessibility and inclusion for those with a disability, search ‘accessibility and inclusion’ at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au