Voice at The Table (VATT) is a project of AMIDA.
VATT supports people with cognitive disabilities to know their rights and speak up. VATT aim is for people with cognitive disabilities to be included on boards, committees and consultations.
All VATT training is co designed and co delivered by staff with cognitive disability. This includes people with an intellectual disability and people with an acquired brain injury.
VATT Graduate Training is for people with a cognitive disability wanting to:
- Learn about their rights
- How to speak up and make change
- Become leaders in the community
The Inclusion Training builds capacity in staff who want to make sure their meetings and consultations are accessible for people with cognitive disability. For example, staff working in:
- Government departments
- Disability service providers
- Community organisations
- Mainstream organisations
- The Monthly Meetup is a peer led group in which VATT Graduates support each other in their self advocacy journey.
- VATT Chat is both a podcast and a 3CR radio show, getting the living experience of people with a cognitive disability out to the world.
Timeline of Voice at the Table
2016
The first Voice at the Table project was started by Sue Smith at the Self Advocacy Resource Unit (SARU). SARU worked with Reinforce and Brain Injury Matters. This project focused on training self advocates with cognitive disability and supporting people working at The Victorian Government to run accessible meetings.
2018
The Victorian Office for Disability and the Department of Health and Human Services provided funding to continue the project. SARU employed staff to run the project.
2019
VATT received a Victorian Disability Award for Excellence in Creating Inclusive Communities.
2020
2 years of funding received from the Australian Government – Information, Linkages and Capacity Building Program.
2022
2 years of funding received from the Australian Government – Information, Linkages and Capacity Building Program. This funding will end in June 2024.
Voice at the Table Steering Committee
Kathryn Bartlett
Kathryn did VATT Graduate training in 2018. Kathryn thinks self advocacy is important because we can use our voices to help ourselves and others. Kathryn is interested in disability and LGBTIQ issues, and wants to get politicians to put more money into disability – especially self-advocacy and disability advocacy. Kathryn is peer leader of the New Wave Gippsland self advocacy group. In her spare time Kathryn plays games online, watch movies and looks after her birds Snowey and Bluey.
Cameron Bloomfield
Cameron is a gay man with an intellectual disability who lives with his partner Jack. Cameron is a trainer at Voice at the Table. Cameron is also the peer worker for Rainbow Rights and Advocacy, a self-advocacy group for LGBTIQA+ people with intellectual disability. Cameron is a board member of Inclusive Rainbow Voices (LGBTIQA+ People with Disability). Cameron was awarded the 2019 National Award for Disability Leadership in the Inclusion Category.
Cameron has been lead researcher with Deakin University and worked on projects with Inclusion Melbourne. Cameron is a strong self advocate who has spoken out about dental care being accessible for people with intellectual disabilities. Cameron is an experienced public speaker and has educated social work students on how to support people with intellectual disabilities.
Helen Caligiuri
information coming soon!
Pauline Williams
Pauline has worked at Action for More Independence and Dignity in Accommodation (AMIDA) for 29 years. AMIDA is a disability advocacy group. They speak up for people with a disability or help them speak up for themselves about problems they have with their housing and with the NDIA. www.amida.org.au
Pauline has worked as an individual advocate and advocated for changes such as the closure of institutions. Pauline is currently projects co-ordinator at AMIDA. She makes sure that the many projects AMIDA is doing are running well.
Pauline trained as a social worker and before coming to AMIDA, worked in the housing field for 6 years before teaching at Broadmeadows TAFE in the Associate Diploma of Community Development for 4 ye
Julie McNally
Julie started working at Voice at the Table in July 2021. She is currently the Voice at the Table Project Co-ordinator. Julie supports Voice at the Table staff and makes sure that the project is on track.
Julie is a social worker and art therapist. Julie has worked in disability advocacy and supported people to make submissions to the Disability Royal Commission. Julie has also worked in community mental health and supported young people and their families.
