Hannah Hammoud
As many Melburnians continue to enjoy life after the pandemic with the return of in-person activities, some in the disabled community are feeling socially isolated.
Disability advocate Shannon Meilak is asking Brimbank council to level with the disability community, and provide more frequent and consistent online events.
The challenges of the pandemic forced many councils, including Brimbank, to pivot their events and activities online. The virtual shift allowed many living with disabilities to be included in spaces where it would normally be difficult to attend in-person.
Ms Meilak said many councils have rushed to return to ‘normalcy’, and in the process, stripped the accessibility of online events and activities away from the disabled community.
“Many disabled people for the first time in their lives were finally included when the world went into lockdown. Now, council is continuing to cut back on online events and the disabled community has been left socially isolated,” she said.
Ms Meilak said online options have been reduced to such a level that they are barely available. What exists of the almost bare selection are what Ms Meilak describes as “mundane” business-focussed activities.
Brimbank community wellbeing director Lynley Dumble said council is committed to providing a diverse range of programs in response to community need and feedback.
“Council will continue to offer some online programs and events and continue to seek feedback to ensure that the programs offered are in response to community need and are offered in the most appropriate delivery method,” she said.
Member of a local disability social group, Ms Meilak said there is overwhelming support from the community who want to see more online options. Ms Meilak said that access to community events, workshops and consultations via online mechanisms is often the only way for many people to participate. Live-streaming and interactive online gatherings removes one of the common barriers to participation for people with physical or intellectual disabilities.
“Brimbank is known for talking about our diversity and how good it is and how we are one of the most diverse LGA’s in Victoria … and yet there is an entire faction of people being excluded,” she said.
“We shouldn’t need to fight to be included in our own community.”
