Inclusive NZ throwing its support behind the Access Alliance Campaign

Inclusive NZ is very proud to be part of the Access Alliance, a campaign which is dedicated to making New Zealand accessible for all.

Inclusive NZ is just one of eight other organisations that make up the Alliance, with the group's main goal being to bring about legislation that will ensure national standards around accessibility are set for all New Zealanders.

Inclusive NZ President, Karen Covell, says the campaign is a “great fit” for Inclusive NZ given that the organisation's ultimate vision is for New Zealand to become 100 per cent inclusive and accessible to all.

“We, and many others, have been trying for a long time to achieve social change in regards to accessibility and progress has been steady but slow.

"However, now that we have all come together we are very much looking forward to being part of this forward thinking campaign.

“For us the legislative approach makes accessibility a right, not just something that would be nice to have.”

To support their cause, yesterday The Alliance released a report by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research titled “Valuing Access to Work”.

The report highlights that removing barriers to employment for the 1.1m disabled people, who are currently unemployed, could have significant economic and social benefits not only for disabled people, but for New Zealand's economy as a whole.

As Inclusive NZ members help disabled New Zealanders to find employment and participate in their communities, the findings of the report are consistent with the experiences we hear from our members, and the people they work alongside, Karen says.

“Every week we hear of a situation where someone is unable to take up an opportunity because of access issues. It just seems like a natural fit for us to be part of a campaign that is going to affect some positive change in relation to this.”

Who is involved in Access Alliance?

The Access Alliance members include Auckland Disability Law, Blind Foundation, CCS Disability Action, Deaf Aotearoa, Disabled Person’s Assembly, Parents of Vision Impaired New Zealanders, Inclusive New Zealand and Kāpō Māori Aotearoa. Other organisations are invited to join.

For more information on the Access Alliance please visit: http://www.accessalliance.org.nz/

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