Novita News - 2010 - May Issue - Novita Children's Services

Novita Knowledge...
From the Division of
Research and Innovation:
Helping Novita clients connect with their world through the internet
As we all know, the internet is becoming an essential tool for daily life. We use
the internet to find out what is happening in the world, for leisure and recreation,
to keep in touch with our friends and family, and to comment on events.
But what about a young person with a disability? Is the internet presenting new
opportunities for learning and to connect with others? Or is it raising new
challenges?
A survey conducted at Novita in 2009 showed that 50 adolescents with cerebral
palsy or muscular dystrophy who returned the survey used the internet. They
used the internet from over five hours a day to rarely or never, for instant
messaging, school work, downloading music, and using social networking sites
(e.g., MySpace and Facebook).
Social connections were mainly with friends from school and family members.
Family financial resources and knowledge of the internet, family rules, and
support from siblings and friends were some of the facilitators and barriers to
using the Internet.
A new project, Connective solutions: Facilitating the social participation of
children and adolescents with physical disabilities or acquired brain injury using
the Web 2.0 social networking and 3D virtual environments, has just begun with
funding from the Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation. The project will
involve Novita clients between 10-17 years of age who are interested in learning
to use the internet or increase their current pattern of use. Research staff will
provide appropriate hardware solutions and training to use the internet, and
measure the impact on clients’ social participation.
If you would like to know more about the project,
please ring Pammi Raghavendra on 8243 8281 or email her at
parimala.raghavendra@novita.org.au at the Novita Research Department.
Disability employment services
receives first requests
In March, Novita Children’s Services
commenced as a provider for the new
National Panel of Assessors, under the
Australian Government’s new $1.2 billion
Disability Employment Services. DES have
been developed to increase the participation
of people living with disabilities in the
workforce.
Novita will now be providing new services as
part of an Employer Incentives Scheme that
aims to improve an employer’s ability to
support an employee with a disability.
Novita’s role in the new system is to provide
services in the areas of Ongoing Support
Assessment, Supported Wage System
Assessment, and Workplace Modifications
Assessment, across metropolitan Adelaide
and in the Gawler, Adelaide Hills and Fleurieu
Peninsula regions. Referrals for assessment
have begun and are expected to grow over
the coming months.
These services mark a further expansion of
Novita’s work with people living with
disabilities, as it will provide services to
adults with disabilities in the workplace,
supporting more people in achieving their
individual goals.
If you are interested in finding out more
about Disability Employment Services,
contact Lynda Hutchinson in NovitaTech
on 8243 8288.
Where
in the
world?
Novita might be South Australian born and bred, but our star
seems to find its way around the globe.
Here is Novita seating and mobility technician Ian Lord on
Mount Lobuche, in the Khumbu Valley region of the
Himalayas, 20km from Mount Everest. Ian says he was
inspired to fly Novita’s star at this elevation of 6200m after
seeing a myriad stars revealed in the royal blue sky up there.
Where have you taken the Novita star?
Email your photo and details of its location to
novitanews@novita.org.au, and you'll go in the running to
have your photo published in the summer edition of Novita
News, and receive a prize.
10 novitanews