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Schools Plus in the Disability Sector
Published 03 June 2008, Posted in National
The Auckland Disability Providers Network was invited to make comment on the Schools Plus programme that has been introduced by the Government. Unfortunately, it was too late to arrange a meeting before the deadline of 31st May 2008, but the Ministry of Education is still keen to hear from the disability sector.
If you have an interest in this topic and can attend a discussion meeting, please make a diary entry and let me know. (We may have to change the venue if there is a large crowd, so it is vital I know numbers.) I am waiting confirmation about whether someone from the Schools Plus Team will be in attendance.
Invitation to a Meeting
Date: Thursday 12th June 2008
Time: 2.00 pm
Place: Auckland Disability Providers Network
Parent and Family Resource centre
92A Princes Street
Onehunga
Background information from Yvonne Hope of the Ministry of Education
A new government initiative, Schools Plus, was recently launched by the Prime Minister. Schools Plus is the policy being developed to achieve the government’s goal that all young people are in education, skills, or structured learning, relevant to their needs and abilities, until the age of 18. The government plans to work with schools, tertiary education organisations, business, families and whanau, and iwi and communities to achieve this goal by 2011.
Strong partnerships with these groups are critical to the success of Schools Plus. As a starting point the government wants to hear all ideas about the best way to implement Schools Plus. The Schools Plus discussion document sets out more about what the initiative is about and the kind of issues that need to be considered. You can find this document on http://www.schoolsplus.govt.nz
We are wanting to meet with a range of groups and thought that the Auckland Disability Provider Network would be an already established forum which would be significant for us to hear from and one that may be interested in commenting.
The engagement phase of Schools Plus is to be completed by May 31 and is largely via feedback to the discussion document available at http://www.schoolsplus.govt.nz and a series of meetings around the country. The meetings have both set the scene for the Schools Plus initiative and also been an opportunity for direct feedback. I have tried to encourage feedback and set up meetings that are specifically focused on students with disability and learning difficulties to ensure that that focus is in front of the Schools Plus team and often the chance to share issues with one another develops the good ideas.
If your membership is prepared and able to respond to the discussion paper that would be great. If you have a time that your members can get together I can see if there is a possibility of someone from the Schools Plus Team being available in Auckland to hear those issues directly.
Pam Antill
Executive Officer
Auckland Disability Providers Network Inc.
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
636 0351 ext.214
www.adpn.org.nz
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